---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Success. I don't believe it has any…"
description: "\"Success. I don't believe it has any effect on me. For one thing I always expected it.\" — W. Somerset Maugham"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/396/w-somerset-maugham-237_believe_success-i-don-t-believe-it-has-any-effec_191481.jpg"
---

#  Success. I don't believe it has any effect on me. For one…

![“Success. I don't believe it has any effect on me. For one thing I always expected it.” quote by W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/396/w-somerset-maugham-237_believe_success-i-don-t-believe-it-has-any-effec_191481.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/396/w-somerset-maugham-237_believe_success-i-don-t-believe-it-has-any-effec_191481.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/396/w-somerset-maugham-237_believe_success-i-don-t-believe-it-has-any-effec_191481.jpg)

> “Success. I don't believe it has any effect on me. For one thing I always expected it.”

[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.

Success is expected and thus has no impact on the speaker's self‑perception.

**In simple terms:** Success feels neutral because it was anticipated.

Key Takeaway

Recognize how expectations shape your reactions.

Themes

expectations success self‑perception

Mood

reflective neutral

Type

philosophical observational

When to use this quote

- career advancement
- personal goals
- achievement
- self‑esteem

Key Concepts

psychology anticipation

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you value success for its own sake?
- How do expectations affect your motivation?

A Different Perspective

If you always expect success, you may miss its lessons.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/)

## Related quotes

> [“All day he had gone up to people, fallen into conversation with them, listened to their troubles, and then quietly uttered those three magic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/all-day-he-had-gone-up-to-people-fallen-into-conversation-with-them/)

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

> [The last thing I expected in the world was to end up being involved in a presidential campaign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lindell/the-last-thing-i-expected-in-the-world-was-to-end-up-being-involved/)

[Mike Lindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lindell/)

> [Music is much more of a multimedia sort of thing than I expected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-cole-smith/music-is-much-more-of-a-multimedia-sort-of-thing-than-i-expected/)

[Zachary Cole Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-cole-smith/)

> [This was the last thing I expected. You destroy my life and then feed me some inspiratonal philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/this-was-the-last-thing-i-expected-you-destroy-my-life-and-then-feed/)

[Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/)

> [“He was prepared, he thought, for any wonder. The only thing he had never expected was the utterly commonplace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/he-was-prepared-he-thought-for-any-wonder-the-only-thing-he-had-never/)

[Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/)

> [It is better to be the cause of an effect rather than be the effect that was caused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-machowicz/it-is-better-to-be-the-cause-of-an-effect-rather-than-be-the-effect/)

[Richard Machowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-machowicz/)

> [The "Lucifer Effect" describes the point in time when an ordinary, normal person first crosses the boundary between good and evil to engage in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/the-lucifer-effect-describes-the-point-in-time-when-an-ordinary/)

[Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/)

> [The first effect of adjusting to other people is that one becomes boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/the-first-effect-of-adjusting-to-other-people-is-that-one-becomes/)

[Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/)

> [Like so many Boomers, I saw 'Lawrence of Arabia' in 1962 when it was first released and when we were young teenagers. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-doria-russell/like-so-many-boomers-i-saw-lawrence-of-arabia-in-1962-when-it-was/)

[Mary Doria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-doria-russell/)

> [I think you can go back in history and look at what the effect in Asia and the world was of a divided, fractured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-c-blair/i-think-you-can-go-back-in-history-and-look-at-what-the-effect-in/)

[Dennis C. Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-c-blair/)

> [The worst thing that can happen is that the effect that they create behind you is bigger than the performance you're putting out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-hiroyuki-tagawa/the-worst-thing-that-can-happen-is-that-the-effect-that-they-create/)

[Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-hiroyuki-tagawa/)

> [Joy is the effect which comes when we use our powers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/joy-is-the-effect-which-comes-when-we-use-our-powers/)

[Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/)

> [I read neither good nor bad about me. I let it not even in my life, so it has no effect on me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/i-read-neither-good-nor-bad-about-me-i-let-it-not-even-in-my-life-so/)

[Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/)

> [You don't want people to look at something and think that was a fantastic special effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gale-anne-hurd/you-don-t-want-people-to-look-at-something-and-think-that-was-a/)

[Gale Anne Hurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gale-anne-hurd/)

> [Elegance has a bad effect on my constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/elegance-has-a-bad-effect-on-my-constitution/)

[Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/)

## 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 Believe quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/)

[Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

> [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/)

[Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/)

> [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/)

[Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/)

Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Success. I don't believe it has any effect on me. For one thing I always expected it.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "W. Somerset Maugham"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/success-i-don-t-believe-it-has-any-effect-on-me-for-one-thing-i/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Believe"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/success-i-don-t-believe-it-has-any-effect-on-me-for-one-thing-i/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/396/w-somerset-maugham-237_believe_success-i-don-t-believe-it-has-any-effec_191481.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/396/w-somerset-maugham-237_believe_success-i-don-t-believe-it-has-any-effec_191481.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/396/w-somerset-maugham-237_believe_success-i-don-t-believe-it-has-any-effec_191481.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Success. I don't believe it has any effect on me. For one thing I always expected it.” — W. Somerset Maugham",
                "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": "W. Somerset Maugham",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Success. I don't believe it has...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/success-i-don-t-believe-it-has-any-effect-on-me-for-one-thing-i/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/success-i-don-t-believe-it-has-any-effect-on-me-for-one-thing-i/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
