"I don't always succeed, but I like to think I try"
About this Quote
"I don't always succeed" is disarmingly plain, almost anti-PR. It preempts the glossy celebrity narrative that talent guarantees outcomes, and it smuggles in humility without self-pity. The pivot, "but I like to think I try", is where the subtext sharpens. "Like to think" signals self-awareness: even trying can be a story we tell ourselves, a moral identity we cling to when results dont cooperate. Its a small admission that grit is partly performance, too.
The intent feels cultural as much as personal. In an era obsessed with metrics - box office, followers, clout, endless comparisons - Quinto chooses a metric that cant be quantified but can be repeated. The line also nudges against the cruelty of effortless excellence. It makes room for imperfect persistence, the kind that builds careers, relationships, and self-respect in incremental takes.
Its modest, but thats the point: a practiced actor offering a credo that sounds simple because it needs to be usable on the bad days.
Quote Details
| Topic | Perseverance |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite | Cite this Quote |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Quinto, Zachary. (n.d.). I don't always succeed, but I like to think I try. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-always-succeed-but-i-like-to-think-i-try-168750/
Chicago Style
Quinto, Zachary. "I don't always succeed, but I like to think I try." FixQuotes. Accessed February 2, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-always-succeed-but-i-like-to-think-i-try-168750/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I don't always succeed, but I like to think I try." FixQuotes, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-always-succeed-but-i-like-to-think-i-try-168750/. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.













