In sports like basketball, soccer, and hockey, "a shot" is when you try to get your ball or puck into the net to get a point. Here are some things that you can do with "a shot":

• You can "take" a shot, which means that you try to get some points.
• You can "miss" the shot, which means that your shot didn't succeed.
• You can "make" the shot, which means that you did succeed and got the points.

"Taking a shot" is a common metaphor for things that you try to do in life. For example, if your friend asked a girl out on a date but she said no, you can say:

Well, at least you took a shot.

The quotation in the example at top means "You can't be successful in life if you don't take risks and try to get the things you want."