--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You might as well aim high. Why shoot…" description: "\"You might as well aim high. Why shoot yourself in the foot when you can shoot yourself in the head?\" — William Shatner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f12/william-shatner-1304_aim_you-might-as-well-aim-high-why-shoot-you_36145.jpg" --- # You might as well aim high. Why shoot yourself in the foot… ![“You might as well aim high. Why shoot yourself in the foot when you can shoot yourself in the head?” quote by William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f12/william-shatner-1304_aim_you-might-as-well-aim-high-why-shoot-you_36145.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f12/william-shatner-1304_aim_you-might-as-well-aim-high-why-shoot-you_36145.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f12/william-shatner-1304_aim_you-might-as-well-aim-high-why-shoot-you_36145.jpg) > “You might as well aim high. Why shoot yourself in the foot when you can shoot yourself in the head?” [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages bold ambition over self-sabotage, urging people to aim for the highest goals rather than limiting themselves with mediocre choices. **In simple terms:** Aim high, avoid self‑limiting actions. Key Takeaway Bold goals beat cautious mediocrity. Themes ambition self‑sabotage risk‑taking confidence Mood determined challenging Type motivational advice When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - creative projects - entrepreneurial ventures Key Concepts goal setting psychology of choice Practical Applications - strategic goal setting - risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - What limits your aspirations? - How can you replace fear with purposeful action? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aim high](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim-high/) ## Related quotes > [Aim high, and you won't shoot your foot off. - Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/aim-high-and-you-won-t-shoot-your-foot-off-phyllis-diller/) [Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/) > [Aim high, and you won't shoot your foot off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/aim-high-and-you-won-t-shoot-your-foot-off/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [Aim high. You may still miss the target, but at least you won't shoot your foot off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/aim-high-you-may-still-miss-the-target-but-at-least-you-won-t-shoot/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [Needless to say, I don't want a woman working for me who's waiting for me to shoot myself in the foot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-trump-barry/needless-to-say-i-don-t-want-a-woman-working-for-me-who-s-waiting-for/) [Maryanne Trump Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-trump-barry/) > [“C makes it easy to shoot yourself in the foot; C++ makes it harder, but when you do it blows your whole leg off.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/c-makes-it-easy-to-shoot-yourself-in-the-foot-c-makes-it-harder-but-2/) [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) > [I can't shoot myself in the foot before I get in the chorus line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-pearce/i-can-t-shoot-myself-in-the-foot-before-i-get-in-the-chorus-line/) [Lindsay Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-pearce/) > [C makes it easy to shoot yourself in the foot; C++ makes it harder, but when you do, it blows away your whole leg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjarne-stroustrup/c-makes-it-easy-to-shoot-yourself-in-the-foot-c-makes-it-harder-but/) [Bjarne Stroustrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjarne-stroustrup/) > [It's one thing to shoot yourself in the foot. Just don't reload the gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/it-s-one-thing-to-shoot-yourself-in-the-foot-just-don-t-reload-the-gun/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) > [“I could shoot you in the foot." "Please do. At least then I wouldn't have to endure this sock humiliation any longer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kessler/i-could-shoot-you-in-the-foot-please-do-at-least-then-i-wouldn-t-have/) [Lisa Kessler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kessler/) > [“Aim high, for if you aim low you won't have a chance at hitting the high mark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-van-rooyen/aim-high-for-if-you-aim-low-you-won-t-have-a-chance-at-hitting-the/) Tanya van Rooyen > [“Aim high, hit high.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-delinsky/aim-high-hit-high/) [Barbara Delinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-delinsky/) > [In the long run, men hit only what they aim at. Therefore, they had better aim at something high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-the-long-run-men-hit-only-what-they-aim-at-therefore-they-had/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I love to kill people. I love to watch them die. I would shoot them in the head and they would wiggle and squirm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ramirez/i-love-to-kill-people-i-love-to-watch-them-die-i-would-shoot-them-in/) [Richard Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ramirez/) > [When an archer desires to shoot his arrows successfully, he first takes great pains over his posture and aligns himself accurately with his mark.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/when-an-archer-desires-to-shoot-his-arrows-successfully-he-first/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [I am not afraid to stop the puck with my head. I try to do it sometimes even in practice; not everyday but once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominik-hasek/i-am-not-afraid-to-stop-the-puck-with-my-head-i-try-to-do-it/) Dominik Hasek ## More by William Shatner > [My dad died of a stroke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/my-dad-died-of-a-stroke/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [We were basically one and the same, although Jim Kirk was just about perfect, and, of course, I am perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/we-were-basically-one-and-the-same-although-jim-kirk-was-just-about/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [It's irksome to read about someone I don't recognize. It frightens me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/it-s-irksome-to-read-about-someone-i-don-t-recognize-it-frightens-me/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I think the supernatural is a catch-all for everything we don't understand about the vast other parts of life that we cannot perceive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-think-the-supernatural-is-a-catch-all-for-everything-we-don-t/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I always thought that the spine of a character was awe and wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-always-thought-that-the-spine-of-a-character-was-awe-and-wonder/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [We live in grief for having left the womb, for having left the teat, then school, then home. In my case, it was leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/we-live-in-grief-for-having-left-the-womb-for-having-left-the-teat/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I love cameras but I find myself reluctantly taking pictures because what's past is past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-love-cameras-but-i-find-myself-reluctantly-taking-pictures-because/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I have been accused of never saying no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-have-been-accused-of-never-saying-no/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [If you make a fool of yourself, you can do it with dignity, without taking your pants down. And if you do take your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/if-you-make-a-fool-of-yourself-you-can-do-it-with-dignity-without/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I played comedies and dramas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-played-comedies-and-dramas/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I spent years doing 'Star Trek' bits and things, and a lot of people loved it, a lot of people mocked it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-spent-years-doing-star-trek-bits-and-things-and-a-lot-of-people/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I watch movies and sports. I can count on the fingers of my hand the number of times I have watched an hour show.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-watch-movies-and-sports-i-can-count-on-the-fingers-of-my-hand-the/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [Marriage is a reflection of your life in general: how you treat people, how you argue, how secure you are in your own thoughts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/marriage-is-a-reflection-of-your-life-in-general-how-you-treat-people/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [Nature is perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/nature-is-perfect/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [Avatar is a watershed movie. We'll always refer to Lawrence of Arabia in the same way. We'll always look at Avatar and say, "That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/avatar-is-a-watershed-movie-we-ll-always-refer-to-lawrence-of-arabia/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) [Explore all 259 William Shatner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) ## More Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You might as well aim high. 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