--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was clear that the will to achieve…" description: "\"“It was clear that the will to achieve could not help you and confidence in yourself meant nothing.”\" — W. Somerset Maugham" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/w-somerset-maugham-237_confidence_it-was-clear-that-the-will-to-achieve-co_1923596.jpg" --- # It was clear that the will to achieve could not help you… ![“It was clear that the will to achieve could not help you and confidence in yourself meant nothing.” quote by W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/w-somerset-maugham-237_confidence_it-was-clear-that-the-will-to-achieve-co_1923596.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/w-somerset-maugham-237_confidence_it-was-clear-that-the-will-to-achieve-co_1923596.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/w-somerset-maugham-237_confidence_it-was-clear-that-the-will-to-achieve-co_1923596.jpg) > ““It was clear that the will to achieve could not help you and confidence in yourself meant nothing.”” [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Will alone is insufficient; self‑confidence without skill or opportunity yields little success. **In simple terms:** Will isn’t enough without ability. Key Takeaway Develop skills alongside confidence. Themes will confidence skill achievement self‑efficacy Mood reflective cautious realistic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career advancement - academic pursuits - creative projects Key Concepts psychology personal development motivation Questions to Reflect On - What skills must you acquire to match your ambition? - How do you assess whether confidence is justified? A Different Perspective Confidence can be misplaced without competence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Confidence in yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence-in-yourself/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [“Philip looked at his own work. How could you tell whether there was anything in it or whether you were wasting your time? It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/philip-looked-at-his-own-work-how-could-you-tell-whether-there-was/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [There is nothing you can't achieve if you help other people get what they want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-carpenter/there-is-nothing-you-can-t-achieve-if-you-help-other-people-get-what/) Dave Carpenter > [The club continued to make significant player decisions without involving me. In the end, such a breach of trust and confidence meant that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-curbishley/the-club-continued-to-make-significant-player-decisions-without/) Alan Curbishley > [I remember my mother saying to me on one occasion, 'Mel, I know that I can count on you.' I resolved that she would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-melvin-hammond/i-remember-my-mother-saying-to-me-on-one-occasion-mel-i-know-that-i/) F. Melvin Hammond > [“He was a man whose calmness reflected his confidence that he meant whatever he did-- which is different... from confidence that whatever he did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-mendelson/he-was-a-man-whose-calmness-reflected-his-confidence-that-he-meant/) [Cheryl Mendelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-mendelson/) > [Exercise also relieves tension and stress which will help anyone's confidence. Don't think about exercising anymore, just do it. - adaeze don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adaeze-don/exercise-also-relieves-tension-and-stress-which-will-help-anyone-s/) [Adaeze Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adaeze-don/) > [Everybody is trying to help me, to give me confidence, telling me that I'm a good player. Because I look shy on the court.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bojan-bogdanovic/everybody-is-trying-to-help-me-to-give-me-confidence-telling-me-that/) [Bojan Bogdanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bojan-bogdanovic/) > [A layup or two early will help your confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-laettner/a-layup-or-two-early-will-help-your-confidence/) [Christian Laettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-laettner/) > [Inspiration is not the one who will help us perform our obligations or responsibilities but to help us have our confidence for us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rona-dela-torre/inspiration-is-not-the-one-who-will-help-us-perform-our-obligations/) Rona Dela Torre > [Expected to meet someone for help, keep your confidence tends to dilute the](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/expected-to-meet-someone-for-help-keep-your-confidence-tends-to/) Mak\_786 > [You have to experiment and that's gonna help your confidence so much when you step out and try things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zendaya/you-have-to-experiment-and-that-s-gonna-help-your-confidence-so-much/) [Zendaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zendaya/) > [I think imagination can be an incredibly powerful tool and it can help you get more confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-nash/i-think-imagination-can-be-an-incredibly-powerful-tool-and-it-can/) [Kate Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-nash/) > [In the end, the most important thing is not to do things for people who are poor and in distress, but to enter into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/in-the-end-the-most-important-thing-is-not-to-do-things-for-people/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [Even when I was in the orphanage, when I was roaming the street trying to find enough to eat, even then I thought of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-chaplin/even-when-i-was-in-the-orphanage-when-i-was-roaming-the-street-trying/) [Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-chaplin/) > [Belief, confidence in yourself.. the world’s your playground. Limitless. My question is... will you be remembered?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-plitt/belief-confidence-in-yourself-the-world-s-your-playground-limitless/) [Greg Plitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-plitt/) ## More by W. Somerset Maugham > [“A man thinks it quite natural that he should fall out of love with a woman, but it never strikes him for a moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-thinks-it-quite-natural-that-he-should-fall-out-of-love-with-a/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“A man's work reveals him. In social intercourse he gives you the surface that he wishes the world to accept, but in his book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-s-work-reveals-him-in-social-intercourse-he-gives-you-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Love is only a dirty trick played on us to achieve continuation of the species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/love-is-only-a-dirty-trick-played-on-us-to-achieve-continuation-of/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [The world is hard and cruel. We are here none knows why, and we go none knows whither. We must be very humble. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/the-world-is-hard-and-cruel-we-are-here-none-knows-why-and-we-go-none/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“There is no more merit in having read a thousand books than in having ploughed a thousand fields.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/there-is-no-more-merit-in-having-read-a-thousand-books-than-in-having/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“I wanted to live again and again. I was willing to accept every sort of life, no matter what its pain and sorrow; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-wanted-to-live-again-and-again-i-was-willing-to-accept-every-sort/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [In Hollywood, the women are all peaches. It makes one long for an apple occasionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/in-hollywood-the-women-are-all-peaches-it-makes-one-long-for-an-apple/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Follow your inclinations with due regard to the policeman round the corner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/follow-your-inclinations-with-due-regard-to-the-policeman-round-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“His love became a prison from which he longed to escape, but he had not the strength merely to open the door-that was all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/his-love-became-a-prison-from-which-he-longed-to-escape-but-he-had/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [I did not believe him capable of love. That is an emotion in which tenderness is an essential part, but Strickland had no tenderness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-did-not-believe-him-capable-of-love-that-is-an-emotion-in-which/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [If only the good were a little less heavy-footed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/if-only-the-good-were-a-little-less-heavy-footed/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Perfection has one grave defect: it is apt to be dull.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/perfection-has-one-grave-defect-it-is-apt-to-be-dull/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“A God that can be understood is no God. Who can explain the Infinite in words?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-god-that-can-be-understood-is-no-god-who-can-explain-the-infinite/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“My dear, you used to be quite a dish; now you're quite a tureen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/my-dear-you-used-to-be-quite-a-dish-now-you-re-quite-a-tureen/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“When people say they do not care what others thing of them, for the most part they deceive themselves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/when-people-say-they-do-not-care-what-others-thing-of-them-for-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) [Explore all 840 W. Somerset Maugham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## More Confidence quotes > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [I was just confident my work was good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bunny-yeager/i-was-just-confident-my-work-was-good/) [Bunny Yeager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bunny-yeager/) > [I am confident when I take the penalty otherwise I would pass for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-am-confident-when-i-take-the-penalty-otherwise-i-would-pass-for/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [Confidence comes from cutting yourself some slack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/confidence-comes-from-cutting-yourself-some-slack/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/i-would-rather-regret-the-things-that-i-have-done-than-the-things/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [Get to know yourself well enough to not only expect, but also control, your response to the unexpected challenges in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/get-to-know-yourself-well-enough-to-not-only-expect-but-also-control/) Senoraroy > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I look for someone who has confidence. Also someone whose energetic, cause I'm NOT that energetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-jonas/i-look-for-someone-who-has-confidence-also-someone-whose-energetic/) [Nick Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-jonas/) > [Why shouldn't I be confident? I'm well educated, I can deliver a line, and I have more than three expressions. That's good right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/why-shouldn-t-i-be-confident-i-m-well-educated-i-can-deliver-a-line/) [Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/) > [I was very confident on the stage, and I stood out in a red gown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-johnson/i-was-very-confident-on-the-stage-and-i-stood-out-in-a-red-gown/) [Nicole Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-johnson/) > [If you go to any nunnery and ask them what the main obstacle is, they'll always say low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-you-go-to-any-nunnery-and-ask-them-what-the-main-obstacle-is-they/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) [Browse all 11,290 Confidence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It was clear that the will to achieve could not help you and confidence in yourself meant nothing.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. 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