--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have once again succeeded in…" description: "\"We have once again succeeded in destroying what we could not create.\" — Stephen King" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/330/stephen-king-13_creativity_we-have-once-again-succeeded-in-destroyi_2109856.jpg" --- # We have once again succeeded in destroying what we could… ![“We have once again succeeded in destroying what we could not create.” quote by Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/330/stephen-king-13_creativity_we-have-once-again-succeeded-in-destroyi_2109856.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/330/stephen-king-13_creativity_we-have-once-again-succeeded-in-destroyi_2109856.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/330/stephen-king-13_creativity_we-have-once-again-succeeded-in-destroyi_2109856.jpg) > “We have once again succeeded in destroying what we could not create.” [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Destruction often follows failed creation attempts. **In simple terms:** Creation can lead to ruin. Key Takeaway Learn from past failures before rebuilding. Themes creation destruction hubris Mood reflective somber Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - project management - artistic endeavors - technological innovation Key Concepts creative process ethical responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What lessons can past failures teach? - How do you balance ambition with caution? A Different Perspective Success requires humility and foresight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Create](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/create/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Destroying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroying/) [Destroying Create](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroying-create-1202266/) [Succeeded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeeded/) [Succeeded Destroying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeeded-destroying-1202265/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [“We had once again succeeded in destroying what we could not create.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/we-had-once-again-succeeded-in-destroying-what-we-could-not-create/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“It was over. We had once again succeeded in destroying what we could not create.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/it-was-over-we-had-once-again-succeeded-in-destroying-what-we-could/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“The idea that creative endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time... Creative people probably do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-idea-that-creative-endeavor-and-mind-altering-substances-are/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When the enemy is driven back, we have failed, and when he is cut off, encircled and dispersed, we have succeeded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-suvorov/when-the-enemy-is-driven-back-we-have-failed-and-when-he-is-cut-off/) [Alexander Suvorov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-suvorov/) > [Conventional agriculture has never succeeded in feeding the world, and it's never produced anything good to eat. For the future, we need to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barber/conventional-agriculture-has-never-succeeded-in-feeding-the-world-and/) [Dan Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barber/) > [Koch Industries is an amazing business that has succeeded by building a product that customers love dearly. The folks who run Koch are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pompeo/koch-industries-is-an-amazing-business-that-has-succeeded-by-building/) [Mike Pompeo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pompeo/) > [Some succeeded because they are destined to, but he succeeded because he was Determined to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navjot-singh-sidhu/some-succeeded-because-they-are-destined-to-but-he-succeeded-because/) [Navjot Singh Sidhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navjot-singh-sidhu/) > [“Never give up your right to be wrong, and be sure to give others that right too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-fargo/never-give-up-your-right-to-be-wrong-and-be-sure-to-give-others-that/) [Tim Fargo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-fargo/) > [I very much wished not to be noticed, and to be left alone, and I sort of succeeded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/i-very-much-wished-not-to-be-noticed-and-to-be-left-alone-and-i-sort/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [Militarily, we succeeded in Vietnam. We won every engagement we were involved in out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-westmoreland/militarily-we-succeeded-in-vietnam-we-won-every-engagement-we-were/) [William Westmoreland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-westmoreland/) > [“I didn’t fail 10,000 times. I succeeded 10,000 times in figuring out something that did not work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-didn-t-fail-10-000-times-i-succeeded-10-000-times-in-figuring-out/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [During my career several people have tried to push me out the door... Nobody has succeeded yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-piech/during-my-career-several-people-have-tried-to-push-me-out-the-door/) [Ferdinand Piech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-piech/) > [Good leadership is to know when to go, and you only succeed as a good leader if you've transported someone else in and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-fernandes/good-leadership-is-to-know-when-to-go-and-you-only-succeed-as-a-good/) [Tony Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-fernandes/) > [“And, in fact, had Johnson’s plan succeeded, in many ways it would indeed have been “just the way it was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/and-in-fact-had-johnson-s-plan-succeeded-in-many-ways-it-would-indeed/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [We never know, believe me, when we have succeeded best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/we-never-know-believe-me-when-we-have-succeeded-best/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) ## More by Stephen King > [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? Not as friends, but as enemies and equals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/shall-there-be-truth-between-us-as-two-men-not-as-friends-but-as/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“October 3, 2017 The clown, Hagarty said, looked like a cross between Ronald McDonald and that old TV clown, Bozo—or so he thought at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/october-3-2017-the-clown-hagarty-said-looked-like-a-cross-between/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Eddie saw great things and near misses. Albert Einstein as a child, not quite struck by a run-away milk-wagon as he crossed a street.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/eddie-saw-great-things-and-near-misses-albert-einstein-as-a-child-not/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [It hurt, of course, but more often than not the best things do, I've found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/it-hurt-of-course-but-more-often-than-not-the-best-things-do-i-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“The idea that creative endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time... Creative people probably do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-idea-that-creative-endeavor-and-mind-altering-substances-are/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“The sun had burned through and the day had gone from dull to dazzling, yet in the west blask-satin thunderheads continued to stack up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-sun-had-burned-through-and-the-day-had-gone-from-dull-to-dazzling/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Flakes of snow swirled and danced across the porch. The Overlook faced it as it had for nearly three-quarters of a century, its darkened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/flakes-of-snow-swirled-and-danced-across-the-porch-the-overlook-faced/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“In that instant it all seemed to come clear to him- it came in a grisly flash of light, and he realized that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/in-that-instant-it-all-seemed-to-come-clear-to-him-it-came-in-a/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Who gets to be best-liked in any community? Who is the most trusted? Why, the man who does the dirty job, of course, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/who-gets-to-be-best-liked-in-any-community-who-is-the-most-trusted/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“¿Lo ves, tonto? Volvió a regañarse. Tú lo inventaste todo, gato asustado. No fue más que tu imaginación, gato asustado, gato asustado... No te…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/lo-ves-tonto-volvi-a-rega-arse-t-lo-inventaste-todo-gato-asustado-no/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Death . . . but not for you. That was what Walter, clever as Satan even at the end, had said. A lawyer’s answer . . . so close to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/death-but-not-for-you-that-was-what-walter-clever-as-satan-even-at/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The ghost story movie that scared me the most was The Changeling with George C. Scott. I think that's sometimes overlooked, but it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-ghost-story-movie-that-scared-me-the-most-was-the-changeling-with/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Climb aboard, Jonesy. I'm going to send you up where the air is rare and the view is much more than fair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/climb-aboard-jonesy-i-m-going-to-send-you-up-where-the-air-is-rare/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) [Explore all 3,589 Stephen King quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) ## More Create quotes > [As far as Vern and I go, we have had situations where people have tried to take photographs of me and cut Vernon out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/as-far-as-vern-and-i-go-we-have-had-situations-where-people-have/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [To me, Caribbean food is about fresh, seasonal produce - using what's in season to create vibrant and great tasting food. The spicing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/to-me-caribbean-food-is-about-fresh-seasonal-produce-using-what-s-in/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [You don't get lucky. You create lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/you-don-t-get-lucky-you-create-lucky/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [I'm a weirdo and an only child. That comes together to create one-woman shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seales/i-m-a-weirdo-and-an-only-child-that-comes-together-to-create-one/) [Amanda Seales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seales/) > [I'm proud to stand with U.S. Impact Team in their initiative to create harmony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-stanton-king/i-m-proud-to-stand-with-u-s-impact-team-in-their-initiative-to-create/) [Angela Stanton-King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-stanton-king/) > [I am not a nationalist in any way, and I hate flag waving, and I don't think much good has come out of nationalism.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stellan-skarsgard/i-am-not-a-nationalist-in-any-way-and-i-hate-flag-waving-and-i-don-t/) [Stellan Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stellan-skarsgard/) > [My favourite designers always create a strong silhouette, like McQueen and Tom Ford and Alaia. I like structured things that you can throw on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liberty-ross/my-favourite-designers-always-create-a-strong-silhouette-like-mcqueen/) [Liberty Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liberty-ross/) > [I'd take garbage, and I'd glue them together and create inventions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-makosinski/i-d-take-garbage-and-i-d-glue-them-together-and-create-inventions/) [Ann Makosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-makosinski/) > [United Way works to create a safe and healthy home for everyone in our community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steward/united-way-works-to-create-a-safe-and-healthy-home-for-everyone-in/) [David Steward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steward/) > [Renewable energy could reduce emissions but also create jobs and improve public health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/renewable-energy-could-reduce-emissions-but-also-create-jobs-and/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [“If I can create something unique in the world, so can you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scifurz/if-i-can-create-something-unique-in-the-world-so-can-you/) [SciFurz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scifurz/) > [“If you can imagine it, you can create it. If you can dream it, you can become it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/if-you-can-imagine-it-you-can-create-it-if-you-can-dream-it-you-can/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [For a long time at Blackburn and at Fulham last season, I was playing on the right wing. I've never seen myself as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cairney/for-a-long-time-at-blackburn-and-at-fulham-last-season-i-was-playing/) [Tom Cairney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cairney/) > [We've got to get back to a country that can get things done. And my whole career has been marching and charging at and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/we-ve-got-to-get-back-to-a-country-that-can-get-things-done-and-my/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) [Browse all 5,654 Create quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/create/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have once again succeeded in destroying what we could not create.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen King" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/we-have-once-again-succeeded-in-destroying-what-we-could-not-create/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Create" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/we-have-once-again-succeeded-in-destroying-what-we-could-not-create/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/330/stephen-king-13_creativity_we-have-once-again-succeeded-in-destroyi_2109856.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/330/stephen-king-13_creativity_we-have-once-again-succeeded-in-destroyi_2109856.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/330/stephen-king-13_creativity_we-have-once-again-succeeded-in-destroyi_2109856.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We have once again succeeded in destroying what we could not create.” — Stephen King", "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": "Stephen King", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We have once again succeeded in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/we-have-once-again-succeeded-in-destroying-what-we-could-not-create/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/we-have-once-again-succeeded-in-destroying-what-we-could-not-create/#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 } } ] } ```