--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is nothing with which every man is…" description: "\"There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming.\" — Soren Kierkegaard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/soren-kierkegaard-578_becoming_there-is-nothing-with-which-every-man-is_973683.jpg" --- # There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as… ![“There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming.” quote by Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/soren-kierkegaard-578_becoming_there-is-nothing-with-which-every-man-is_973683.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/soren-kierkegaard-578_becoming_there-is-nothing-with-which-every-man-is_973683.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/soren-kierkegaard-578_becoming_there-is-nothing-with-which-every-man-is_973683.jpg) > “There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming.” [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People fear confronting their vast potential and the responsibility it entails. **In simple terms:** Fear of one's own capabilities. Key Takeaway Embrace growth despite fear. Themes existential self‑development fear Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career advancement - creative projects - personal development Key Concepts potential self‑actualization responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What limits you from realizing your potential? - How can you safely explore your capabilities? A Different Perspective May discourage those overwhelmed by ambition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/) [Becoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/becoming/) [Capable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capable/) [Capable Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capable-doing/) [Enormously Capable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enormously-capable-1887342/) [Every man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-man/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Know Enormously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-enormously-1887343/) [Man Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-afraid/) ## Related quotes > [“There is nothing of which every man is so afraid, as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/there-is-nothing-of-which-every-man-is-so-afraid-as-getting-to-know/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [“There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-racculia/there-is-nothing-with-which-every-man-is-so-afraid-as-getting-to-know-2/) [Kate Racculia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-racculia/) > [“Every man is afraid of women as far as I can see,” said Julian, displaying an understanding of the universe far beyond his years.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/every-man-is-afraid-of-women-as-far-as-i-can-see-said-julian/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [I feel like I'm a very athletic back, and I'm capable of doing more than one thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saquon-barkley/i-feel-like-i-m-a-very-athletic-back-and-i-m-capable-of-doing-more/) [Saquon Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saquon-barkley/) > [Good people were also capable of doing very bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chandler/good-people-were-also-capable-of-doing-very-bad-things/) [Elizabeth Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chandler/) > [I've done things that I wouldn't ordinarily seem capable of doing. And I've proven myself in situations where there's life and death at stake.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/i-ve-done-things-that-i-wouldn-t-ordinarily-seem-capable-of-doing-and/) [Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/) > [“There is no man living who isn't capable of doing more than he thinks he can do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/there-is-no-man-living-who-isn-t-capable-of-doing-more-than-he-thinks/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [I know what I'm capable of doing. I just want to stay fit and healthy and let my football take care of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-ramsey/i-know-what-i-m-capable-of-doing-i-just-want-to-stay-fit-and-healthy/) [Aaron Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-ramsey/) > [I know what I'm capable of doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desean-jackson/i-know-what-i-m-capable-of-doing/) [DeSean Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desean-jackson/) > [I don't want to prove to anyone or prove to myself. I'd rather just enjoy and show myself that I am capable of doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-stojko/i-don-t-want-to-prove-to-anyone-or-prove-to-myself-i-d-rather-just/) [Elvis Stojko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-stojko/) > [Women I know are smart, educated, intelligent, capable of doing anything that anybody else can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/women-i-know-are-smart-educated-intelligent-capable-of-doing-anything/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-difference-between-what-we-do-and-what-we-are-capable-of-doing/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Believe in yourself, because you are capable of doing amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/believe-in-yourself-because-you-are-capable-of-doing-amazing-things/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Only when someone refuses to do certain things will he be capable of doing great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/only-when-someone-refuses-to-do-certain-things-will-he-be-capable-of/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## More by Soren Kierkegaard > [Christianity does not oppose debauchery and uncontrollable passions and the like as much as it opposes... flat mediocrity, this nauseating atmosphere, this homey, civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/christianity-does-not-oppose-debauchery-and-uncontrollable-passions/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Christians remind me of schoolboys who want to look up the answers to their math problems in the back of the book rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/christians-remind-me-of-schoolboys-who-want-to-look-up-the-answers-to/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [People commonly travel the world over to see rivers and mountains, new stars, garish birds, freak fish, grotesque breeds of human; they fall into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/people-commonly-travel-the-world-over-to-see-rivers-and-mountains-new/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [“A strange thing happened to me in my dream. I was rapt into the Seventh Heaven. There sat all the gods assembled. As a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/a-strange-thing-happened-to-me-in-my-dream-i-was-rapt-into-the/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [That which is truly human no generation learns from the one before it. No generation learns from another how to love. No generation has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/that-which-is-truly-human-no-generation-learns-from-the-one-before-it/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [A man may perform astonishing feats and comprehend a vast amount of knowledge, and yet have no understanding of himself. But suffering directs a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/a-man-may-perform-astonishing-feats-and-comprehend-a-vast-amount-of/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Be that self which one truly is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/be-that-self-which-one-truly-is/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [I go fishing for a thousand monsters in the depths of my own self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/i-go-fishing-for-a-thousand-monsters-in-the-depths-of-my-own-self/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [In addition to my other numerous acquaintances, I have one more intimate confidant… My depression is the most faithful mistress I have known —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/in-addition-to-my-other-numerous-acquaintances-i-have-one-more/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [The greatest danger to Christianity is, I contend, not heresies, not heterodoxies, not atheists, not profane secularism - no, but the kind of orthodoxy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/the-greatest-danger-to-christianity-is-i-contend-not-heresies-not/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Future is everything that past has forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/future-is-everything-that-past-has-forgotten/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Without risk, faith is an impossibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/without-risk-faith-is-an-impossibility/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [I have only one confidant, and that is the silence of night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/i-have-only-one-confidant-and-that-is-the-silence-of-night/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [A road well begun is the battle half won. The important thing is to make a beginning and get under way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/a-road-well-begun-is-the-battle-half-won-the-important-thing-is-to/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [I have, I believe, the courage to doubt everything; I have, I believe, the courage to fight against everything; but I do not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/i-have-i-believe-the-courage-to-doubt-everything-i-have-i-believe-the/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) [Explore all 462 Soren Kierkegaard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) [Darlene Senger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-senger/) > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) [Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Soren Kierkegaard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/there-is-nothing-with-which-every-man-is-so-afraid-as-getting-to-know/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afraid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/there-is-nothing-with-which-every-man-is-so-afraid-as-getting-to-know/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/soren-kierkegaard-578_becoming_there-is-nothing-with-which-every-man-is_973683.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/soren-kierkegaard-578_becoming_there-is-nothing-with-which-every-man-is_973683.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/soren-kierkegaard-578_becoming_there-is-nothing-with-which-every-man-is_973683.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of…” — Soren Kierkegaard", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Soren Kierkegaard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is nothing with which every...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/there-is-nothing-with-which-every-man-is-so-afraid-as-getting-to-know/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/there-is-nothing-with-which-every-man-is-so-afraid-as-getting-to-know/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```