--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What would life be if we had no courage…" description: "\"What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?\" — Vincent Van Gogh" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/vincent-van-gogh-486_attempt_what-would-life-be-if-we-had-no-courage_2710042.jpg" --- # What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything? ![“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” quote by Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/vincent-van-gogh-486_attempt_what-would-life-be-if-we-had-no-courage_2710042.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/vincent-van-gogh-486_attempt_what-would-life-be-if-we-had-no-courage_2710042.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/vincent-van-gogh-486_attempt_what-would-life-be-if-we-had-no-courage_2710042.jpg) > “What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Without courage, life would be stagnant, lacking ambition and achievement. **In simple terms:** Courage drives action. Key Takeaway Cultivate bravery. Themes courage action potential Mood inspirational thoughtful Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career decisions - creative projects - personal growth Key Concepts psychology of risk motivation Questions to Reflect On - What fears hold you back? - How could you act despite uncertainty? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attempt/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Courage Attempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage-attempt-779380/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-courage-751530/) ## Related quotes > [What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything? Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/what-would-life-be-if-we-had-no-courage-to-attempt-anything-taking-a/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift. To handle yourself, use your head, To handle others, use your heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-fairbanks/yesterday-is-history-tomorrow-is-a-mystery-and-today-is-a-gift-to/) [Connie Fairbanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-fairbanks/) > [I feel a certain calm. There is safety in the midst of danger. What would life be if we had no courage to attempt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-feel-a-certain-calm-there-is-safety-in-the-midst-of-danger-what/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Success is less rare than the courage to attempt it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-rossio/success-is-less-rare-than-the-courage-to-attempt-it/) [Terry Rossio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-rossio/) > [“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything? If you hear a voice within saying ‘You are not a painter’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-would-life-be-if-we-had-no-courage-to-attempt-anything-if-you/) [Vincent van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“There is no such thing as colossal failure. There is only colossal courage to attempt the impossible again and again until it becomes possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-sorenson/there-is-no-such-thing-as-colossal-failure-there-is-only-colossal/) [Toni Sorenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-sorenson/) > [The best weapons against the infamies of life are courage, wilfulness and patience. Courage strenthens, wilfulness is fun and patience provides tranquility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-best-weapons-against-the-infamies-of-life-are-courage-wilfulness/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Be not afraid. A kind life, a life of spirit, is fundamentally a life of courage-the courage simply to bring what you have, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-muller/be-not-afraid-a-kind-life-a-life-of-spirit-is-fundamentally-a-life-of/) [Wayne Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-muller/) > [“Simple life Ethos If you must judge. Let your moral beacon guide you to a decision you can live with, If you feel generous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/husam-wafaei/simple-life-ethos-if-you-must-judge-let-your-moral-beacon-guide-you/) [Husam Wafaei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/husam-wafaei/) > [Life is simple yet complex, in the complexity we realize everything is simple for we create our own happiness, our own sadness & our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/life-is-simple-yet-complex-in-the-complexity-we-realize-everything-is/) [Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/) > [Drive away and try to keep smiling. Get a little rock and roll on the radio and go toward life with all the courage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/drive-away-and-try-to-keep-smiling-get-a-little-rock-and-roll-on-the-2/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Would you be willing to give your life to save the world if no one ever knew your name? If anonymity was the price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/would-you-be-willing-to-give-your-life-to-save-the-world-if-no-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life without the courage for death is slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-without-the-courage-for-death-is-slavery/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Give me the patience for the small things of life, courage for the great trials of life. Help me to do my best each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/give-me-the-patience-for-the-small-things-of-life-courage-for-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Drive away and try to keep smiling. Get a little rock and roll on the radio and go toward all the life there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/drive-away-and-try-to-keep-smiling-get-a-little-rock-and-roll-on-the/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) ## More by Vincent Van Gogh > [What am I in most people's eyes? A nonentity or an eccentric and disagreeable man... I should want my work to show what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-am-i-in-most-people-s-eyes-a-nonentity-or-an-eccentric-and/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has its storms, it has its tides and in its depths it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/the-heart-of-man-is-very-much-like-the-sea-it-has-its-storms-it-has/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“I take great care of myself by carefully shutting myself away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-take-great-care-of-myself-by-carefully-shutting-myself-away/) [Vincent van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [There certainly is an affinity between a person and his work, but it is not easy to define what this affinity is, and on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/there-certainly-is-an-affinity-between-a-person-and-his-work-but-it/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [I confess I do not know why, but looking at the stars always makes me dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-confess-i-do-not-know-why-but-looking-at-the-stars-always-makes-me/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Ah, Manet has come very, very close to it and Courbet - the marrying of form and colour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/ah-manet-has-come-very-very-close-to-it-and-courbet-the-marrying-of/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [We must not judge God from this world. It's just a study that didn't come off. It's only a master who could make such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/we-must-not-judge-god-from-this-world-it-s-just-a-study-that-didn-t/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/our-goals-can-only-be-reached-through-a-vehicle-of-a-plan-in-which-we/) [Vincent van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [One can never study nature too much and too hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/one-can-never-study-nature-too-much-and-too-hard/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [But by fighting the difficulties in which one finds oneself, an inner strength develops from within our heart, which improves in life's fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/but-by-fighting-the-difficulties-in-which-one-finds-oneself-an-inner/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Ah! My dear friend painting is to us what the music of Berlioz and Wagner was before us - a consolatory art for sore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/ah-my-dear-friend-painting-is-to-us-what-the-music-of-berlioz-and/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Painting demands an intelligent model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/painting-demands-an-intelligent-model/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [That this awareness of my own fallibility will prevent me from making many mistakes doesn't alter the fact that I'm bound to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/that-this-awareness-of-my-own-fallibility-will-prevent-me-from-making/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [What is drawing? It is working oneself through an invisible iron wall that seems to stand between what one feels and what one can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-is-drawing-it-is-working-oneself-through-an-invisible-iron-wall/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [You will say that everyone has seen landscapes and figures from childhood on. The question is: Has everybody also been reflexive as a child?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/you-will-say-that-everyone-has-seen-landscapes-and-figures-from/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) [Explore all 508 Vincent Van Gogh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) ## More Attempt quotes > [Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt. That's morality, that's religion. That's art. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/even-though-you-can-t-expect-to-defeat-the-absurdity-of-the-world-you/) [Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/) > [I'm not technically proficient enough to attempt all kinds of music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/i-m-not-technically-proficient-enough-to-attempt-all-kinds-of-music/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [Realizing that they can't get their agenda across: against religious liberty, against a culture of life, they can't get those issues across through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-parsley/realizing-that-they-can-t-get-their-agenda-across-against-religious/) [Rod Parsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-parsley/) > [It is sometimes a mistake to climb. It is always a mistake never even to make the attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-sometimes-a-mistake-to-climb-it-is-always-a-mistake-never-even/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I will never attempt to even begin to make excuses for what I did in football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-storey/i-will-never-attempt-to-even-begin-to-make-excuses-for-what-i-did-in/) [Peter Storey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-storey/) > [“We all perish in our last attempt to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/we-all-perish-in-our-last-attempt-to-live/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [There was an attempt on my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jovenel-moise/there-was-an-attempt-on-my-life/) [Jovenel Moise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovenel-moise/) > [The publishing of a book is a worldwide event. The attempt to suppress a book is a worldwide event.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/the-publishing-of-a-book-is-a-worldwide-event-the-attempt-to-suppress/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Advocacy groups in the USA, as in other countries, may not be able to silence this hateful, cowardly and deceitful attack upon people’s humanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/advocacy-groups-in-the-usa-as-in-other-countries-may-not-be-able-to/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [There are many things that seem impossible only so long as one does not attempt them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/there-are-many-things-that-seem-impossible-only-so-long-as-one-does/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [For purposes of marketing, writers are designated as poets, novelists, or something else. But writing is about matchmaking, an attempt to marry sensations with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/for-purposes-of-marketing-writers-are-designated-as-poets-novelists/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [It's my first sort of commercial attempt, but it made sense for me because I'm not that kind of guy and I'm not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/it-s-my-first-sort-of-commercial-attempt-but-it-made-sense-for-me/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [In all civilizations we've studied, all cultures that we know of across the Earth and across time have invested some kind of attempt to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-all-civilizations-we-ve-studied-all-cultures-that-we-know-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [It is sometimes a mistake to climb. It is always a mistake to never make the attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/it-is-sometimes-a-mistake-to-climb-it-is-always-a-mistake-to-never/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [My explanation remains the same: It was an attempt to make the point that anyone who opposed the war can achieve their objective by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-p-moran/my-explanation-remains-the-same-it-was-an-attempt-to-make-the-point/) [James P. Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-p-moran/) [Browse all 516 Attempt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attempt/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vincent Van Gogh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-would-life-be-if-we-had-no-courage-to-attempt-anything/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attempt" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-would-life-be-if-we-had-no-courage-to-attempt-anything/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/vincent-van-gogh-486_attempt_what-would-life-be-if-we-had-no-courage_2710042.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/vincent-van-gogh-486_attempt_what-would-life-be-if-we-had-no-courage_2710042.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/vincent-van-gogh-486_attempt_what-would-life-be-if-we-had-no-courage_2710042.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” — Vincent Van Gogh", "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": "Vincent Van Gogh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What would life be if we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-would-life-be-if-we-had-no-courage-to-attempt-anything/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-would-life-be-if-we-had-no-courage-to-attempt-anything/#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 } } ] } ```