--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We spend so much time being afraid of…" description: "\"“We spend so much time being afraid of failure, afraid of rejection. But regret is the thing we should fear most. Failure is an answer. Rejection is an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c0/trevor-noah-1603_afraid-of-failure_we-spend-so-much-time-being-afraid-of-fa_1412953.jpg" --- # We spend so much time being afraid of failure, afraid of… ![“We spend so much time being afraid of failure, afraid of rejection. But regret is the thing we should fear most. Failure is an answer. Rejection is an answer. Regret is an eternal question you will never have the answer to. "What if..." "If only..." "I wonder what would have..." You will never…” quote by Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c0/trevor-noah-1603_afraid-of-failure_we-spend-so-much-time-being-afraid-of-fa_1412953.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c0/trevor-noah-1603_afraid-of-failure_we-spend-so-much-time-being-afraid-of-fa_1412953.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c0/trevor-noah-1603_afraid-of-failure_we-spend-so-much-time-being-afraid-of-fa_1412953.jpg) > ““We spend so much time being afraid of failure, afraid of rejection. But regret is the thing we should fear most. Failure is an answer. Rejection is an answer. Regret is an eternal question you will never have the answer to. "What if..." "If only..." "I wonder what would have..." You will never, never know, and it will haunt you for the rest of your days.”” [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fear of failure and rejection is common, but regret from inaction is worse; act despite uncertainty. **In simple terms:** Act now to avoid future regret. Key Takeaway Take decisive action despite fear. Themes fear regret action Mood cautious motivated Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career choices - personal relationships - creative endeavors - entrepreneurship Key Concepts psychology of decision making risk tolerance Questions to Reflect On - What small step can you take today? - How do you reframe failure as feedback? A Different Perspective Overcoming fear can be difficult and may lead to mistakes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-failure-346269/) [Afraid of failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-of-failure/) [Afraid Rejection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-rejection-671897/) [Answer Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer-regret-910081/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Heartbreak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heartbreak/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Rejection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejection/) [Rejection Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejection-regret-4983750/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“I don't regret anything I've ever done in life, any choice that I've made. But I'm consumed with regret for the things I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/i-don-t-regret-anything-i-ve-ever-done-in-life-any-choice-that-i-ve/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [“Marisa replied: If you sit on the couch all day and do nothing, it is precisely because you don’t think you’re enough. You’re afraid.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishen-lakhiani/marisa-replied-if-you-sit-on-the-couch-all-day-and-do-nothing-it-is/) [Vishen Lakhiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishen-lakhiani/) > [“But regret is the thing we should fear most. Failure is an answer. Rejection is an answer. Regret is an eternal question you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/but-regret-is-the-thing-we-should-fear-most-failure-is-an-answer/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [We often missed the chance of good things might happen to us. we sometimes hesitate because of being afraid of rejection, but we'll never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hottiedevil/we-often-missed-the-chance-of-good-things-might-happen-to-us-we/) [HOttieDeviL](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hottiedevil/) > [You are not afraid of the people arround you, you are afraid of rejection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-not-afraid-of-the-people-arround-you-you-are-afraid-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never be afraid of failure. And don't stop yourself from doing something you want to do because of what others might think. Only you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suki-waterhouse/never-be-afraid-of-failure-and-don-t-stop-yourself-from-doing/) [Suki Waterhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suki-waterhouse/) > [Sometimes we're afraid of failure so therefore we miss out on opportunities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surgeo-bell/sometimes-we-re-afraid-of-failure-so-therefore-we-miss-out-on/) [Surgeo Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surgeo-bell/) > [“Pushing myself, I knew, would cause me serious discomfort. It's a Secret of Adulthood: Happiness doesn't always make you feel happy. When I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/pushing-myself-i-knew-would-cause-me-serious-discomfort-it-s-a-secret/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I'm not the guy who's afraid of failure. I like to take risks, take the big shot and all that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-curry/i-m-not-the-guy-who-s-afraid-of-failure-i-like-to-take-risks-take-the/) [Stephen Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-curry/) > [I was very afraid of failure because if you fail at something you love, then you ruin what you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimbal-musk/i-was-very-afraid-of-failure-because-if-you-fail-at-something-you/) [Kimbal Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimbal-musk/) > [If you show me someone who's afraid of failure, I'll show you someone who is not a groundbreaking, innovative pioneer of a certain industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-heyman/if-you-show-me-someone-who-s-afraid-of-failure-i-ll-show-you-someone/) [Paul Heyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-heyman/) > [If you're so afraid of failure, you will never succeed. You have to take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-re-so-afraid-of-failure-you-will-never-succeed-you-have-to/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [“I was never afraid of failure; for I would sooner fail than not be among the greatest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/i-was-never-afraid-of-failure-for-i-would-sooner-fail-than-not-be/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [Don't be afraid of failure, be afraid of not trying in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-forleo/don-t-be-afraid-of-failure-be-afraid-of-not-trying-in-the-first-place/) [Marie Forleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-forleo/) > [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/) ## More by Trevor Noah > [“My family had been denied the things his family had taken for granted. I had a natural talent for selling to people, but without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/my-family-had-been-denied-the-things-his-family-had-taken-for-granted/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [When you see someone as a human being, you begin to understand most people are doing what they believe is right. I ask myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/when-you-see-someone-as-a-human-being-you-begin-to-understand-most/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [I guess that is the strange part of the human brain that people have studied for eons - is hatred and self-hatred. You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/i-guess-that-is-the-strange-part-of-the-human-brain-that-people-have/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [“Whilst my mother couldn't give me access to the world, she at least made sure to let me know it existed. A kid cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/whilst-my-mother-couldn-t-give-me-access-to-the-world-she-at-least/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [“When you make the effort to speak someone else’s language, even if it’s just basic phrases here and there, you are saying to them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/when-you-make-the-effort-to-speak-someone-else-s-language-even-if-it/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [I want to be in a position where I get to start off fresh. 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I have friends of almost every single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/when-i-first-came-to-the-u-s-because-i-do-accents-and-i-ve-traveled/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [If the police believed that they were planning any form of resistance against the state, then you were just gone. Nobody knew where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/if-the-police-believed-that-they-were-planning-any-form-of-resistance/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [“I remember the thing that caused the trauma, but I don't hold on to the trauma. I never let the memory of something painful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/i-remember-the-thing-that-caused-the-trauma-but-i-don-t-hold-on-to/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [“Language brings with it an identity and a culture, or at least the perception of it. A shared language says “We’re the same.” A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/language-brings-with-it-an-identity-and-a-culture-or-at-least-the/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [My mom would spend a week in jail. She would spend a day in jail here - a week again, a week and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/my-mom-would-spend-a-week-in-jail-she-would-spend-a-day-in-jail-here/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [I knew of like - I remember, for most of my life, I grew up, and "Knight Rider" was, you know - David Hasselhoff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/i-knew-of-like-i-remember-for-most-of-my-life-i-grew-up-and-knight/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [“The hood was strangely comforting, but comfort can be dangerous. Comfort provides a floor but also a ceiling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/the-hood-was-strangely-comforting-but-comfort-can-be-dangerous/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) [Explore all 224 Trevor Noah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) ## More Afraid of failure quotes > [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/) > [Don't be afraid of failure, be afraid of not trying in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-forleo/don-t-be-afraid-of-failure-be-afraid-of-not-trying-in-the-first-place/) [Marie Forleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-forleo/) > [“I was never afraid of failure; for I would sooner fail than not be among the greatest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/i-was-never-afraid-of-failure-for-i-would-sooner-fail-than-not-be/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [“The coward and the ignorant are equally afraid of failure and humiliation. Escape is not a choice for them, as they find themselves having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/the-coward-and-the-ignorant-are-equally-afraid-of-failure-and/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“Our fear is free-floating. We’re afraid this isn’t the right relationship or we’re afraid it is. We’re afraid they won’t like us or we’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/our-fear-is-free-floating-we-re-afraid-this-isn-t-the-right/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [If you're so afraid of failure, you will never succeed. You have to take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-re-so-afraid-of-failure-you-will-never-succeed-you-have-to/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [If you show me someone who's afraid of failure, I'll show you someone who is not a groundbreaking, innovative pioneer of a certain industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-heyman/if-you-show-me-someone-who-s-afraid-of-failure-i-ll-show-you-someone/) [Paul Heyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-heyman/) > [“Never be afraid to wish for what you really want in life. Wishes are possible manifestation of thoughts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/never-be-afraid-to-wish-for-what-you-really-want-in-life-wishes-are/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I was very afraid of failure because if you fail at something you love, then you ruin what you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimbal-musk/i-was-very-afraid-of-failure-because-if-you-fail-at-something-you/) [Kimbal Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimbal-musk/) > [I'm not the guy who's afraid of failure. I like to take risks, take the big shot and all that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-curry/i-m-not-the-guy-who-s-afraid-of-failure-i-like-to-take-risks-take-the/) [Stephen Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-curry/) > [“Pushing myself, I knew, would cause me serious discomfort. It's a Secret of Adulthood: Happiness doesn't always make you feel happy. When I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/pushing-myself-i-knew-would-cause-me-serious-discomfort-it-s-a-secret/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“He was like a jazz musician, joyfully improvising, imagining tastes that ordinary people could not. He pulled ingredients apart and reconstructed them in endlessly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-reichl/he-was-like-a-jazz-musician-joyfully-improvising-imagining-tastes/) [Ruth Reichl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-reichl/) > [Sometimes we're afraid of failure so therefore we miss out on opportunities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surgeo-bell/sometimes-we-re-afraid-of-failure-so-therefore-we-miss-out-on/) [Surgeo Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surgeo-bell/) > [Never be afraid of failure. And don't stop yourself from doing something you want to do because of what others might think. Only you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suki-waterhouse/never-be-afraid-of-failure-and-don-t-stop-yourself-from-doing/) [Suki Waterhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suki-waterhouse/) > [“I don't care about the good grades in school, I'm not afraid of failures. All I want is to do what I want because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-ricafort/i-don-t-care-about-the-good-grades-in-school-i-m-not-afraid-of/) [Evan Ricafort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-ricafort/) [Browse all 98 Afraid of failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-of-failure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We spend so much time being afraid of failure, afraid of rejection. But regret is the thing we should fear most. Failure is an answer. Rejection is an answer. 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