--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first step is you have to say that…" description: "\"The first step is you have to say that you can.\" — Will Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b12/will-smith-1021_bad-day_the-first-step-is-you-have-to-say-that-y_2068638.jpg" --- # The first step is you have to say that you can. ![“The first step is you have to say that you can.” quote by Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b12/will-smith-1021_bad-day_the-first-step-is-you-have-to-say-that-y_2068638.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b12/will-smith-1021_bad-day_the-first-step-is-you-have-to-say-that-y_2068638.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b12/will-smith-1021_bad-day_the-first-step-is-you-have-to-say-that-y_2068638.jpg) > “The first step is you have to say that you can.” [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑belief is the first prerequisite for any achievement; confidence initiates action. **In simple terms:** You must first believe you can. Key Takeaway Believe in yourself to start. Themes confidence action belief Mood encouraging optimistic Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - goal setting - public speaking - learning new skills - starting a project - overcoming fear Key Concepts self‑efficacy mindset motivation Questions to Reflect On - What can you do today to prove your belief? - How will you sustain confidence after setbacks? 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He knew every one of Ty's quirks and weak spots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-roux/he-had-no-doubt-that-he-knew-who-ty-was-now-inside-and-out-he-knew/) [Abigail Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-roux/) > [Whenever I'm stressed out or having a bad day, the one thing that gets me happy or back into like a good place of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paige-spiranac/whenever-i-m-stressed-out-or-having-a-bad-day-the-one-thing-that-gets/) [Paige Spiranac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paige-spiranac/) > [But just remember, the next time you see a person, do not judge whats on the outside, we could be having a bad day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/but-just-remember-the-next-time-you-see-a-person-do-not-judge-whats/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [To be tested is good. The challenged life may be the best therapist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/to-be-tested-is-good-the-challenged-life-may-be-the-best-therapist/) [Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/) > [If you're having a bad day already and everybody is just asking you petty questions, it drives people to the edge, or something really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-weixler/if-you-re-having-a-bad-day-already-and-everybody-is-just-asking-you/) [Jess Weixler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-weixler/) ## More by Will Smith > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Goofy was the word that was used most often by my sisters because I've been this tall ever since I was 12 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/goofy-was-the-word-that-was-used-most-often-by-my-sisters-because-i/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Everybody need a partner to stand right by their side. Not only down for the good times. But also down through the bad times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/everybody-need-a-partner-to-stand-right-by-their-side-not-only-down/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Thomas Jefferson was a real poet. He was slick with that 'pursuit' of happiness because the 'pursuit' puts it back on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/thomas-jefferson-was-a-real-poet-he-was-slick-with-that-pursuit-of/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I have fun. I enjoy my life. And I was hardwired for a deep connection between service, God, and happiness. You kind of need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/i-have-fun-i-enjoy-my-life-and-i-was-hardwired-for-a-deep-connection/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Believing in yourself is the first step to accomplishing any goal. If you think you're going to fail, you probably will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/believing-in-yourself-is-the-first-step-to-accomplishing-any-goal-if/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [ You might be \[outshining me in many ways\]. But if we get on a treadmill, there are two things: you're getting off first or… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/you-might-be-outshining-me-in-many-ways-but-if-we-get-on-a-treadmill/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Black people playing tennis, next white people will be tap dancing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/black-people-playing-tennis-next-white-people-will-be-tap-dancing/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Anything can go away. There's no such thing as safety and security. You can do things that give you the illusion of safety and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/anything-can-go-away-there-s-no-such-thing-as-safety-and-security-you/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [You be as truthful as you can to a specific situation, and it will become universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/you-be-as-truthful-as-you-can-to-a-specific-situation-and-it-will/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Listen to these words, they are very inspirational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/listen-to-these-words-they-are-very-inspirational/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Life is lived on the edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/life-is-lived-on-the-edge/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [You dont try to build a well, you dont set out to build a wall, you dont say I am going to build the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/you-dont-try-to-build-a-well-you-dont-set-out-to-build-a-wall-you/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [While the other guy's sleeping? I'm working. While the other guy's eatin'? I'm working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/while-the-other-guy-s-sleeping-i-m-working-while-the-other-guy-s/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [“Too many people are buying things they can't afford, with money that they don't have... to impress people that they don't like!" Nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/too-many-people-are-buying-things-they-can-t-afford-with-money-that/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) [Explore all 305 Will Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) ## More Bad day quotes > [“When you have a bad day, a really bad day, try and treat the world better than it treated you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-stump/when-you-have-a-bad-day-a-really-bad-day-try-and-treat-the-world/) [Patrick Stump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-stump/) > [Everybody has bad days, but how you respond to it is a testament to whether you are a winner or a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gordon/everybody-has-bad-days-but-how-you-respond-to-it-is-a-testament-to/) [Aaron Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gordon/) > [“My mum always taught me the value of knowing, recognizing and acknowledging when you had a good day. There are so many bad days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/my-mum-always-taught-me-the-value-of-knowing-recognizing-and/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [Today I will do my best.If I have a good day,i will be pruod of myself.If I have a bad day,I will not dwell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix-mae/today-i-will-do-my-best-if-i-have-a-good-day-i-will-be-pruod-of/) [Nix Mae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix-mae/) > [Inspiration comes from so many sources. Music, other fiction, the non-fiction I read, TV shows, films, news reports, people I know, stories I hear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/inspiration-comes-from-so-many-sources-music-other-fiction-the-non/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) > [If you're having a bad day already and everybody is just asking you petty questions, it drives people to the edge, or something really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-weixler/if-you-re-having-a-bad-day-already-and-everybody-is-just-asking-you/) [Jess Weixler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-weixler/) > [Remember, success is not measured by heights attained but by obstacles overcome. We're going to pass through many obstacles in our lives: good days,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-jenner/remember-success-is-not-measured-by-heights-attained-but-by-obstacles/) [Bruce Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-jenner/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [The whole secret to mastering the game of golf - and this applies to the beginner as well as the pro - is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/the-whole-secret-to-mastering-the-game-of-golf-and-this-applies-to/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [“Thus in the bad days, in the dark swampy times.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-russ/thus-in-the-bad-days-in-the-dark-swampy-times/) [Joanna Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-russ/) > [Take a deep breath. It,s just a bad day not a bad life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/take-a-deep-breath-it-s-just-a-bad-day-not-a-bad-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To be tested is good. The challenged life may be the best therapist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/to-be-tested-is-good-the-challenged-life-may-be-the-best-therapist/) [Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/) > [But just remember, the next time you see a person, do not judge whats on the outside, we could be having a bad day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/but-just-remember-the-next-time-you-see-a-person-do-not-judge-whats/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [Every night I go to sleep smiling, even when I have a bad day. I'm just thankful that God allowed me to live it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-night-i-go-to-sleep-smiling-even-when-i-have-a-bad-day-i-m-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you have a bad day,pray. If you have a good day,pray. Pray for the best. Pray with the best. Prayer is the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/if-you-have-a-bad-day-pray-if-you-have-a-good-day-pray-pray-for-the/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) [Browse all 1,054 Bad day quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-day/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first step is you have to say that you can.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Will Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/the-first-step-is-you-have-to-say-that-you-can/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad day" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/the-first-step-is-you-have-to-say-that-you-can/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b12/will-smith-1021_bad-day_the-first-step-is-you-have-to-say-that-y_2068638.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b12/will-smith-1021_bad-day_the-first-step-is-you-have-to-say-that-y_2068638.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b12/will-smith-1021_bad-day_the-first-step-is-you-have-to-say-that-y_2068638.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first step is you have to say that you can.” — Will Smith", "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": "Will Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first step is you have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/the-first-step-is-you-have-to-say-that-you-can/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/the-first-step-is-you-have-to-say-that-you-can/#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 } } ] } ```