--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Look if you like, but you will have to…" description: "\"Look if you like, but you will have to leap.\" — W. H. Auden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d4/w-h-auden-856_crafts_look-if-you-like-but-you-will-have-to-le_703359.png" --- # Look if you like, but you will have to leap. ![“Look if you like, but you will have to leap.” quote by W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d4/w-h-auden-856_crafts_look-if-you-like-but-you-will-have-to-le_703359.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d4/w-h-auden-856_crafts_look-if-you-like-but-you-will-have-to-le_703359.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d4/w-h-auden-856_crafts_look-if-you-like-but-you-will-have-to-le_703359.png) > “Look if you like, but you will have to leap.” [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. You may observe, but action requires a decisive leap. **In simple terms:** Observation alone isn’t enough; you must act. Key Takeaway Take the leap, don’t just watch. Themes courage action risk decision Mood determined inspired Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career change - starting a business - personal growth - creative projects Key Concepts Existentialism agency Questions to Reflect On - What leap are you hesitating to take? - How can you prepare before leaping? A Different Perspective Leaps can be reckless without preparation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crafts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafts/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Leap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leap/) ## Related quotes > [I shift, an infinitesimal movement, towards him. It is like the leap from a waterfall. I do not know, until then, what I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-shift-an-infinitesimal-movement-towards-him-it-is-like-the-leap/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [“When there was nothing but space between you, everything felt like a leap.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/when-there-was-nothing-but-space-between-you-everything-felt-like-a/) [Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/) > [“The sky all at once is overhead dim and grey, puzzle of blocks sprawl, their own horizon; the city looks like a cemetery full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cisco/the-sky-all-at-once-is-overhead-dim-and-grey-puzzle-of-blocks-sprawl/) [Michael Cisco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cisco/) > [Although knowledge of structure is helpful, real creativity comes from leaps of faith in which you jump to something illogical. But those leaps form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/although-knowledge-of-structure-is-helpful-real-creativity-comes-from/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [I still don't look like what I think I look like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-parker/i-still-don-t-look-like-what-i-think-i-look-like/) [Molly Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-parker/) > [“If sin were a woman, there would be no doubt what she'd look like.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-folsom/if-sin-were-a-woman-there-would-be-no-doubt-what-she-d-look-like/) [Tina Folsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-folsom/) > [Do I look like a fool to you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/do-i-look-like-a-fool-to-you/) [Tamika-leeigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamika-leeigh/) > [People are obviously going to mention what I look like, but it's a shame it has to be a key part. I can't just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-hart/people-are-obviously-going-to-mention-what-i-look-like-but-it-s-a/) [Miranda Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-hart/) > [I'm 25, but I look like I'm 16 so I don't really don't consider age personally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-barden/i-m-25-but-i-look-like-i-m-16-so-i-don-t-really-don-t-consider-age/) [Jessica Barden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-barden/) > [Look at her like she's the only one you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewshy/look-at-her-like-she-s-the-only-one-you-see/) Ewshy > [“do i look like i can't hear you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanenbaum/do-i-look-like-i-can-t-hear-you/) Tanenbaum > [It wouldn't be bad to look like a cross between Rita Hayworth and Elizabeth Taylor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-bleeth/it-wouldn-t-be-bad-to-look-like-a-cross-between-rita-hayworth-and/) [Yasmine Bleeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-bleeth/) > [If you actually look like your passport photo, you aren't well enough to travel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-fuchs/if-you-actually-look-like-your-passport-photo-you-aren-t-well-enough/) Vivian Fuchs > [I'm not great about putting on make-up, I look like a wreck half the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwyneth-paltrow/i-m-not-great-about-putting-on-make-up-i-look-like-a-wreck-half-the/) [Gwyneth Paltrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwyneth-paltrow/) > [Look, I come from vaudeville, I come from burlesque, I come from heartaches, I come from sadness, I come from gladness, I come from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/look-i-come-from-vaudeville-i-come-from-burlesque-i-come-from/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) ## More by W. H. Auden > [Pleasure is by no means an infallible critical guide, but it is the least fallible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/pleasure-is-by-no-means-an-infallible-critical-guide-but-it-is-the/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Why doesn't the United States take over the monarchy and unite with England? England does have important assets. Naturally the longer you wait, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/why-doesn-t-the-united-states-take-over-the-monarchy-and-unite-with/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [The commonest ivory tower is that of the average man, the state of passivity towards experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/the-commonest-ivory-tower-is-that-of-the-average-man-the-state-of/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Harrow the house of the dead; look shining at New styles of architecture, a change of heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/harrow-the-house-of-the-dead-look-shining-at-new-styles-of/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Most poetry is the utterance of a man in some state of passion, love, joy, grief, rage, etc., and no doubt this is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/most-poetry-is-the-utterance-of-a-man-in-some-state-of-passion-love/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Men will pay large sums to whores for telling them they are not bores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/men-will-pay-large-sums-to-whores-for-telling-them-they-are-not-bores/) [W. H. 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Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [One cannot walk through an assembly factory and not feel that one is in Hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/one-cannot-walk-through-an-assembly-factory-and-not-feel-that-one-is/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [How happy the lot of the mathematician. He is judged solely by his peers, and the standard is so high that no colleague or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/how-happy-the-lot-of-the-mathematician-he-is-judged-solely-by-his/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Perhaps there is only one cardinal sin: impatience. Because of impatience we were driven out of Paradise, because of impatience we cannot return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/perhaps-there-is-only-one-cardinal-sin-impatience-because-of/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [The windiest militant trash Important Persons shout Is not so crude as our wish: What mad Nijinsky wrote About Diaghilev Is true of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/the-windiest-militant-trash-important-persons-shout-is-not-so-crude/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Time and fevers burn away Individual beauty from Thoughtful children, and the grave Proves the child ephemeral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/time-and-fevers-burn-away-individual-beauty-from-thoughtful-children/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [To hunt for symbols in a fairy tale is absolutely fatal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/to-hunt-for-symbols-in-a-fairy-tale-is-absolutely-fatal/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) [Explore all 344 W. H. 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I do - writing plays - is that a poll is not taken before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-wasserstein/one-of-the-things-about-what-i-do-writing-plays-is-that-a-poll-is-not/) [Wendy Wasserstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-wasserstein/) > [Look, I come from vaudeville, I come from burlesque, I come from heartaches, I come from sadness, I come from gladness, I come from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/look-i-come-from-vaudeville-i-come-from-burlesque-i-come-from/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [All the craft skills that I have, I feel like I developed and honed in drama school. It's the most important thing for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-holland/all-the-craft-skills-that-i-have-i-feel-like-i-developed-and-honed-in/) [Andre Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-holland/) > [A first novel of astonishing force, craft and beauty, The Headmaster's Wager conjures up a dizzyingly evocative wartime Saigon in the story of Percival…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-y-k-lee-2/a-first-novel-of-astonishing-force-craft-and-beauty-the-headmaster-s/) Janice Y. K. Lee > [This element of surprise or mystery - the detective element as it is sometimes rather emptily called - is of great importance in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/this-element-of-surprise-or-mystery-the-detective-element-as-it-is/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [The craft's occupants clutched their armrests, and more than one of them closed their eyes. But not Artemis. He couldn't. 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