If— quotes
8 famous lines from If— (1910) by Rudyard Kipling, word for word, with what each means and where it comes from.
1 min read · 32 lines
- 1
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;Meaning: Stay calm when others panic and unfairly hold you responsible.
the poetStanza 1, lines 1 to 2 - 2
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;Meaning: Believe in yourself while remaining willing to consider other people's doubts.
the poetStanza 1, lines 3 to 4 - 3
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim,Meaning: Use imagination and thought to guide action rather than letting them replace it.
the poetStanza 2, lines 9 to 10 - 4
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;Meaning: Meet success and failure with equal composure, since neither defines your true worth.
the poetStanza 2, lines 11 to 12
- 5
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;Meaning: Be prepared to risk your gains, accept losing them, and begin again without complaint.
the poetStanza 3, lines 17 to 20 - 6
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’Meaning: Keep going through exhaustion by relying on determination when physical strength seems spent.
the poetStanza 3, lines 21 to 24 - 7
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,Meaning: Keep your integrity among ordinary people and remain humble among the powerful.
the poetStanza 4, lines 25 to 26 - 8
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,Meaning: Make full use of every moment through purposeful effort.
the poetStanza 4, lines 29 to 30
Questions about these lines
Why does Kipling call Triumph and Disaster impostors?
Success and failure can both distort your judgment and seem more definitive than they are. Kipling urges emotional balance rather than letting either outcome determine your identity.
What does the unforgiving minute mean in If—?
It means time passes without pausing or offering a second chance. The speaker urges his son to use each minute fully and purposefully.
