I’ve had this quote taped inside my notebook since college right next to a half-finished to-do list I never got around to. Every time I chickened out of something, I’d read it again. You Miss Every Shot You Don’t Take Quotes are everywhere online now but almost nobody knows where the original line actually came from or that a certain paper company salesman made it famous for all the wrong reasons.
The quote “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” is credited to Wayne Gretzky, the legendary hockey player. It became a pop culture phrase after Michael Scott (from The Office) said it and wrongly credited it to Michael Jordan, turning it into one of the show’s most iconic jokes.
Who Really Said “You Miss Every Shot You Don’t Take”?
This is the part everyone gets wrong and honestly, it’s a fun mix-up. Let’s clear it up for good so you’re not the one misquoting it at your next group chat debate.
The original line is attributed to Wayne Gretzky, widely considered the greatest hockey player of all time. He reportedly said something close to “you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take” while talking about why he took so many risky shots on goal during his career he figured a missed shot was still better than a shot never attempted.
Gretzky’s dad, Walter Gretzky, is sometimes credited too, since Wayne mentioned in interviews that his father used to say similar things to him growing up. So the wisdom may have started at home before it ever hit the ice.
What’s interesting is that Gretzky never trademarked the line or built a brand around it, it just spread naturally because it’s simple, true and applies to literally everything, not just hockey.
What Does “You Miss 100% of the Shots You Don’t Take” Actually Mean?
Strip away the sports talk and this quote is really about fear, the fear of trying and failing versus the guaranteed failure of never trying at all.
At its core, it means: if you don’t act, you’ve already lost. Not trying isn’t a neutral choice, it’s a decision to fail by default. Whether it’s a job application, a text you’re scared to send or a business idea sitting in your notes app, staying still guarantees a “no.”
I think that’s why it resonates so much outside of sports. Nobody’s really talking about basketball or hockey when they post this quote they’re talking about the interview they didn’t apply for, the person they didn’t ask out, the idea they sat on for a year. The “shot” is a metaphor and everyone’s got one they’re avoiding.
The quote doesn’t promise you’ll succeed if you try. It just promises you’ll definitely fail if you don’t. That distinction is the whole point.
Alt text suggestion: “motivational quote meaning about taking chances and avoiding regret”
Michael Scott, “The Office” and the Michael Jordan Mix-Up
If you searched for this quote because of The Office, you’re not alone. This is honestly how most people found it in the first place.
In the show, Michael Scott delivers the line with total confidence, crediting it to Michael Jordan instead of Wayne Gretzky. It’s played as one of his classic, well-meaning-but-wrong moments and it stuck so hard that “Wayne Gretzky, Michael Scott” became its own meme format online.
The joke works because it’s almost right. Jordan is famous, athletic, quotable but it’s still wrong, which is peak Michael Scott. Fans loved it so much that “Wayne Gretzky, Michael Scott” is now often typed together as a joint attribution, half as a tribute to the scene and half as an inside joke.
So if you’ve seen the quote formatted like:
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Wayne Gretzky, Michael Scott
Now you know exactly why and you can drop that context the next time someone brings it up.
Similar Quotes About Taking Chances
If this quote hit home, these carry the same energy, a gentle push to stop overthinking and just go for it.
- “A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” John A. Shedd
- “The biggest risk is not taking any risk.” Mark Zuckerberg
- “You can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.”
- “Not going all the way, that’s what kills people.”
- “If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.”
- “Fortune favors the bold.” Latin proverb
- “The only way to fail is to never try.”
- “What if I fall? Oh, but my darling, what if you fly?” Erin Hanson
- “Do the one thing you think you cannot do.” Eleanor Roosevelt
- “A year from now you’ll wish you had started today.”
How to Use This Quote (Captions, Reminders and More)
This one’s incredibly versatile, it works as a caption, a sticky note or a reply to a friend who’s stuck overthinking a decision.
- Instagram caption after finally posting that thing you were scared to share
- A sticky note on your laptop before a big application deadline
- A reply when a friend says “I don’t think I should even try”
- Gym or sports captions before a game or competition
- A journal entry heading when you’re working through fear of failure
- Text message signature before a job interview
- Slide in a presentation about risk-taking or entrepreneurship
- Wall art or desk quote for motivation at work
FAQs About You Miss Every Shot You Don’t Take Quotes
Who actually said “you miss every shot you don’t take”?
Wayne Gretzky is the widely credited source, based on comments he made about his hockey career. Some also credit his father, Walter Gretzky, who reportedly said something similar to him growing up.
Did Michael Jordan say this quote?
No, that’s a common mix-up caused by Michael Scott’s character in The Office, who misattributed the quote to Jordan instead of Gretzky.
What does “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” mean?
It means that not trying is a guaranteed failure, while trying at least gives you a chance. It’s usually used to encourage people to take action despite fear.
Is this quote from The Office originally?
No, the quote existed before the show. The Office just made it a pop culture moment by having Michael Scott say it and credit the wrong athlete.
What’s a similar quote to this one?
“The biggest risk is not taking any risk” by Mark Zuckerberg carries a very similar message about action versus inaction.
Final Thought
At the end of the day, whether it’s Gretzky, his dad or Michael Scott getting it hilariously wrong, the message hasn’t changed trying beats staying still, every time.
My name is Harry Aaron. I am a full-time blogger / content creator with over two years of experience writing quotes and captions. I started Gooltik with one simple belief: that the right words at the right moment can change how someone feels about their day, their relationships and even themselves.