--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fact is that in order to do anything…" description: "\"“The fact is that in order to do anything in this world worth doing, we must not stand shivering on the bank thinking of the cold and the danger, but j..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd5/sydney-smith-6523_action_the-fact-is-that-in-order-to-do-anything_997162.png" --- # The fact is that in order to do anything in this world… ![“The fact is that in order to do anything in this world worth doing, we must not stand shivering on the bank thinking of the cold and the danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can.” quote by Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd5/sydney-smith-6523_action_the-fact-is-that-in-order-to-do-anything_997162.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd5/sydney-smith-6523_action_the-fact-is-that-in-order-to-do-anything_997162.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd5/sydney-smith-6523_action_the-fact-is-that-in-order-to-do-anything_997162.png) > ““The fact is that in order to do anything in this world worth doing, we must not stand shivering on the bank thinking of the cold and the danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can.”” [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. To achieve meaningful goals, one must act despite fear and uncertainty, not remain passive. **In simple terms:** Act despite fear to achieve worthwhile things. Key Takeaway Take bold action despite doubts. Themes courage action motivation risk growth Mood encouraging reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career moves - entrepreneurial ventures - creative projects - personal challenges Key Concepts psychology of fear decision making personal development Questions to Reflect On - What risks are worth taking now? - How do you balance caution with boldness? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on risk may ignore necessary caution. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Determination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determination/) [Initiative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/initiative/) ## Related quotes > [To do anything truly worth doing, I must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in with gusto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/to-do-anything-truly-worth-doing-i-must-not-stand-back-shivering-and/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [To do anything in this world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/to-do-anything-in-this-world-worth-doing-we-must-not-stand-back/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [“No, and if it’s not your brain thinking cold, cold thoughts, which you can dress in any kind of mood, then it’s nothing. 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Don't be afraid to rock the David Niven look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d/thinking-about-the-cold-weather-in-england-don-t-be-afraid-to-rock/) [Mike D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d/) > [Swift doth young Love flee, And we stand wakened, shivering from our dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-meredith/swift-doth-young-love-flee-and-we-stand-wakened-shivering-from-our/) [George Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-meredith/) > [Religion was supposed to be a blanket drawn up to your chin to keep you warm, a promise that when it came to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/religion-was-supposed-to-be-a-blanket-drawn-up-to-your-chin-to-keep/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“I close my eyes again. There’s the smell of mountain snow on the air. I shiver. I would have brought a coat if I’d…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-hand/i-close-my-eyes-again-there-s-the-smell-of-mountain-snow-on-the-air-i/) [Cynthia Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-hand/) > [I was near the Niagara Falls where I was shivering and delivering my lines. It was minus 17 degrees and I had gone there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek/i-was-near-the-niagara-falls-where-i-was-shivering-and-delivering-my/) [Vivek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek/) > [“She stands on the doorstep. She’s shivering. She isn’t wearing a coat and I can see the outline of her breasts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-renham/she-stands-on-the-doorstep-she-s-shivering-she-isn-t-wearing-a-coat/) [Lynda Renham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-renham/) > [“Stephen, why are you shivering?' 'I don't know, my darling.' 'Mary, why are you crying?' 'I don't know, Stephen.' p424”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radclyffe-hall/stephen-why-are-you-shivering-i-don-t-know-my-darling-mary-why-are/) [Radclyffe Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radclyffe-hall/) > [“Next up, The Winds of Winter. Wherein, I hope, everybody will be shivering together once again.… —George R. R. Martin    April 2011 ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/next-up-the-winds-of-winter-wherein-i-hope-everybody-will-be/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Shivering as she gripped the handle, she looked around the cabin one last time. The uneasiness was still there. Why wouldn’t it leave her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-grace-staley/shivering-as-she-gripped-the-handle-she-looked-around-the-cabin-one/) Deborah Grace Staley > [“He is shivering, probably going into deep shock.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-ee/he-is-shivering-probably-going-into-deep-shock/) [Susan Ee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-ee/) > [Never film yourself having sex. You think you'll look powerful and vital, but you don't. You look like a sick, shivering polar bear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/never-film-yourself-having-sex-you-think-you-ll-look-powerful-and/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) ## More by Sydney Smith > [Live always in the best company when you read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/live-always-in-the-best-company-when-you-read/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [Scotland: That garret of the earth - that knuckle-end of England - that land of Calvin, oatcakes, and sulfur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/scotland-that-garret-of-the-earth-that-knuckle-end-of-england-that/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [My living in Yorkshire was so far out of the way, that it was eleven miles away from a lemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/my-living-in-yorkshire-was-so-far-out-of-the-way-that-it-was-eleven/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [Poverty is no disgrace to a man, but it is confoundedly inconvenient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/poverty-is-no-disgrace-to-a-man-but-it-is-confoundedly-inconvenient/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [A comfortable house is a great source of happiness. It ranks immediately after health and a good conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/a-comfortable-house-is-a-great-source-of-happiness-it-ranks/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [How can a bishop marry? How can he flirt? The most he can say is "I will see you in the vestry after service."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/how-can-a-bishop-marry-how-can-he-flirt-the-most-he-can-say-is-i-will/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little - do what you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/it-is-the-greatest-of-all-mistakes-to-do-nothing-because-you-can-only/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [Silence is a girl's loudest shout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/silence-is-a-girl-s-loudest-shout/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [A great deal of talent is lost to the world for want of a little courage. Every day sends to their graves obscure men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/a-great-deal-of-talent-is-lost-to-the-world-for-want-of-a-little/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [A man who wishes to make his way in life could do no better than go through the world with a boiling tea-kettle in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/a-man-who-wishes-to-make-his-way-in-life-could-do-no-better-than-go/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [ \[T\]he 47th proposition in Euclid might now be voted down with as much ease as any proposition in politics; and therefore if Lord Hawkesbury… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/t-he-47th-proposition-in-euclid-might-now-be-voted-down-with-as-much/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [Be what nature intended you for, and you will succeed; be anything else and you will be ten thousand times worse than nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/be-what-nature-intended-you-for-and-you-will-succeed-be-anything-else/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [To business that we love we rise bedtime, and go to't with delight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/to-business-that-we-love-we-rise-bedtime-and-go-to-t-with-delight/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [The schoolboy whips his taxed top; the beardless youth manages his taxed horse with a taxed bridle on a taxed road; and the dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/the-schoolboy-whips-his-taxed-top-the-beardless-youth-manages-his/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [I always fear that creation will expire before teatime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/i-always-fear-that-creation-will-expire-before-teatime/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) [Explore all 98 Sydney Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [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/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. 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