--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a person feels powerless in regard…" description: "\"When a person feels powerless in regard to controlling his life, he can defend against the discomfort of such an experience by asserting control over s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4d/a-nicholas-groth-215595_controlling_when-a-person-feels-powerless-in-regard_110095.jpg" --- # When a person feels powerless in regard to controlling his… ![“When a person feels powerless in regard to controlling his life, he can defend against the discomfort of such an experience by asserting control over someone else.” quote by A. Nicholas Groth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4d/a-nicholas-groth-215595_controlling_when-a-person-feels-powerless-in-regard_110095.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4d/a-nicholas-groth-215595_controlling_when-a-person-feels-powerless-in-regard_110095.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4d/a-nicholas-groth-215595_controlling_when-a-person-feels-powerless-in-regard_110095.jpg) > “When a person feels powerless in regard to controlling his life, he can defend against the discomfort of such an experience by asserting control over someone else.” A. Nicholas Groth ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When powerless, people may assert control over others to avoid discomfort of helplessness. **In simple terms:** Powerlessness leads to controlling others. Key Takeaway Seek healthy coping instead of domination. Themes Power Control Helplessness Psychology Ethics Mood serious analytical Type academic reflective When to use this quote - Workplace management - Family relationships - Therapeutic settings - Legal contexts Key Concepts Power dynamics Coping mechanisms Moral psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can one regain agency without dominating? - What ethical limits exist on control? A Different Perspective Control can cause harm to others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [So much of life is happenstance. It makes me laugh when I go to a bookstore and see all those titles about controlling your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/so-much-of-life-is-happenstance-it-makes-me-laugh-when-i-go-to-a/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [If controlling my life is the only way to make you satisfied, I'll just get you a Barbie. Cause I gotta a life of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-controlling-my-life-is-the-only-way-to-make-you-satisfied-i-ll/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't be too controlling or life will change when you least expect it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-be-too-controlling-or-life-will-change-when-you-least-expect-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Avoid letting circumstances control your decisions and dictate your actions, thereby controlling your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/avoid-letting-circumstances-control-your-decisions-and-dictate-your/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [Eating was my only way of controlling my life, or so I thought. When you are addicted or suffering from a mental illness, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-gregoire-trudeau/eating-was-my-only-way-of-controlling-my-life-or-so-i-thought-when/) [Sophie Gregoire Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-gregoire-trudeau/) > [“Until you realize you need to stop controlling my life, you can't be a part of it, and I can't be a part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-timoti/until-you-realize-you-need-to-stop-controlling-my-life-you-can-t-be-a/) Cynthia Timoti > [Too many people are letting their enemies control their life. Their opinions of you should NOT be controlling your life or your happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/too-many-people-are-letting-their-enemies-control-their-life-their/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [How to become a really modern society when today we are so - as a human being, we feel so powerful. We have high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/how-to-become-a-really-modern-society-when-today-we-are-so-as-a-human/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [I think vegetarians - for a lot of them - it's about a lack of commitment to life and relationships. There are some who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-dunst/i-think-vegetarians-for-a-lot-of-them-it-s-about-a-lack-of-commitment/) [Kirsten Dunst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-dunst/) > [“There’s nothing more tedious than pretending happiness when your world is upside down. Don’t pretend. It’s ok not to smile when anxiety is controlling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhuwan-thapaliya/there-s-nothing-more-tedious-than-pretending-happiness-when-your/) [Bhuwan Thapaliya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhuwan-thapaliya/) > [“Falling into the trap of self-pity will get you no where in life. It's sorrowful endless cycle will keep you from reaching your goals.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/falling-into-the-trap-of-self-pity-will-get-you-no-where-in-life-it-s/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [“Do not let your negative thoughts have power over you because those thoughts will end up controlling your life. No one can live a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/do-not-let-your-negative-thoughts-have-power-over-you-because-those/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [“I hope I can never trust my wife. If I trust her it means I know her. If I know her it means I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mitchell/i-hope-i-can-never-trust-my-wife-if-i-trust-her-it-means-i-know-her/) [Ben Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mitchell/) > [When you have solved the problem of controlling the attention of the child, you have solved the entire problem of its education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/when-you-have-solved-the-problem-of-controlling-the-attention-of-the/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) ## More Controlling quotes > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [When you have solved the problem of controlling the attention of the child, you have solved the entire problem of its education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/when-you-have-solved-the-problem-of-controlling-the-attention-of-the/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [“I hope I can never trust my wife. If I trust her it means I know her. If I know her it means I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mitchell/i-hope-i-can-never-trust-my-wife-if-i-trust-her-it-means-i-know-her/) [Ben Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mitchell/) > [We're failing when it comes to controlling spending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/we-re-failing-when-it-comes-to-controlling-spending/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) > [There's so many things you can't account for that can happen during each race. I just focus on controlling what I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chase-elliott/there-s-so-many-things-you-can-t-account-for-that-can-happen-during/) [Chase Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chase-elliott/) > [Because I was a shy and awkward child, I used humour to deflect attention. It was a controlling mechanism. Because I could use it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-tate/because-i-was-a-shy-and-awkward-child-i-used-humour-to-deflect/) [Catherine Tate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-tate/) > [It only lasted 4months but those months were intense, we were amazing 2 begin with, then we were in deep & nearer the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-shipman/it-only-lasted-4months-but-those-months-were-intense-we-were-amazing/) [Samantha Shipman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-shipman/) > [I do have a temper, but am good at controlling it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-vaidya/i-do-have-a-temper-but-am-good-at-controlling-it/) [Rahul Vaidya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-vaidya/) > [Shift your focus from controlling others to creating your own happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/shift-your-focus-from-controlling-others-to-creating-your-own/) Senoraroy > [“I am not a thing to be controlled by you,' Nesta said icily. Everything in her life, from the moment she was born, had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/i-am-not-a-thing-to-be-controlled-by-you-nesta-said-icily-everything/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“It comforts us to think that we have control when we don’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-coben/it-comforts-us-to-think-that-we-have-control-when-we-don-t/) [Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-coben/) > [I try and not be the controlling woman I can probably be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/i-try-and-not-be-the-controlling-woman-i-can-probably-be/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [My father was actually controlling and abusive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vidya-vox/my-father-was-actually-controlling-and-abusive/) [Vidya Vox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vidya-vox/) > [Look at what happened in the 1990s: when they balanced the federal budget, it was through growth in the economy and controlling spending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-scalise/look-at-what-happened-in-the-1990s-when-they-balanced-the-federal/) [Steve Scalise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-scalise/) > [One of the ways that we cope with anxiety is by over planning and over controlling. If we know where it's going to, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/one-of-the-ways-that-we-cope-with-anxiety-is-by-over-planning-and/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) Browse all 401 Controlling quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When a person feels powerless in regard to controlling his life, he can defend against the discomfort of such an experience by asserting control over someone else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "A. 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