--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The secret of life is... everything is…" description: "\"The secret of life is... everything is out of control.\" — Ajahn Brahm" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/ajahn-brahm-22720_control_the-secret-of-life-is-everything-is-out_95462.png" --- # The secret of life is... everything is out of control. ![“The secret of life is... everything is out of control.” quote by Ajahn Brahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/ajahn-brahm-22720_control_the-secret-of-life-is-everything-is-out_95462.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/ajahn-brahm-22720_control_the-secret-of-life-is-everything-is-out_95462.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/ajahn-brahm-22720_control_the-secret-of-life-is-everything-is-out_95462.png) > “The secret of life is... everything is out of control.” [Ajahn Brahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s inherent unpredictability is the core lesson, urging acceptance of chaos rather than futile control. **In simple terms:** Life is uncontrolled Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty Themes philosophy of life impermanence mindfulness acceptance Mood calm thoughtful Type spiritual teaching philosophical insight When to use this quote - stress management - spiritual practice - decision making Key Concepts existential insight Practical Applications - mindfulness coaching - resilience training Questions to Reflect On - What benefits arise from embracing uncertainty? - How does this view affect goal setting? A Different Perspective Some argue structured planning can mitigate chaos. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Secret life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret-life/) [Secret Of Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret-of-life/) ## Related quotes > [The motive, if you are to find inner peace, must be an outgoing motive. Service, of course-service. Giving, not getting. Your motive must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/the-motive-if-you-are-to-find-inner-peace-must-be-an-outgoing-motive/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [The secret of life is not enjoyment but education through experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivananda/the-secret-of-life-is-not-enjoyment-but-education-through-experience/) [Sivananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivananda/) > [It is a bad world, Donatus, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and good people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyprian/it-is-a-bad-world-donatus-an-incredibly-bad-world-but-i-have/) [Cyprian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyprian/) > [The secret of life is to have no fear; it's the only way to function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/the-secret-of-life-is-to-have-no-fear-it-s-the-only-way-to-function/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) > [The secret of Masonry, like the secret of life, can be known only by those who seek it, serve it, live it. It cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-secret-of-masonry-like-the-secret-of-life-can-be-known-only-by/) [William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/) > [We spend our days, each one of us, in looking for the secret of life. Well, the secret of life is in Art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/we-spend-our-days-each-one-of-us-in-looking-for-the-secret-of-life/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The whole secret of life is to be interested in one thing profoundly and in a thousand things well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-walpole/the-whole-secret-of-life-is-to-be-interested-in-one-thing-profoundly/) [Horace Walpole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-walpole/) > [“...And the reason I am the way I am is that I know the secret of life. And the secret of life is this:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-canseco/and-the-reason-i-am-the-way-i-am-is-that-i-know-the-secret-of-life/) [José Canseco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-canseco/) > [Fate is the master secret of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liaqat-ali-khan/fate-is-the-master-secret-of-life/) [Liaqat Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liaqat-ali-khan/) > [We've discovered the secret of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-crick/we-ve-discovered-the-secret-of-life/) [Francis Crick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-crick/) > [From a good teacher you may learn the secret of listening. You will never learn the secret of life. You will have to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/from-a-good-teacher-you-may-learn-the-secret-of-listening-you-will/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [When we first begin fighting for our dreams, we have no experience and make many mistakes. The secret of life, though, is to fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-we-first-begin-fighting-for-our-dreams-we-have-no-experience-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/music-is-the-language-of-the-spirit-it-opens-the-secret-of-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Romance lives by repetition, and repetition converts an appetite into an art. Besides, each time that one loves is the only time one has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/romance-lives-by-repetition-and-repetition-converts-an-appetite-into/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Two girls discover the secret of life in a sudden line of poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/two-girls-discover-the-secret-of-life-in-a-sudden-line-of-poetry/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) ## More by Ajahn Brahm > [Complaining is finding faults, wisdom is finding solutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/complaining-is-finding-faults-wisdom-is-finding-solutions/) [Ajahn Brahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/) > [My first meditation teacher told me that there is no such thing as a bad meditation. He was right. During the difficult meditations you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/my-first-meditation-teacher-told-me-that-there-is-no-such-thing-as-a/) [Ajahn Brahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/) > [The selfless giving, the service, the kindness which you give out into this world that is the currency of (the) meaning (of life).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/the-selfless-giving-the-service-the-kindness-which-you-give-out-into/) [Ajahn Brahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/) > [Love, oneness, is no separation between you and life. It is a progressive letting go, a progressive not fault finding. Just do nothing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/love-oneness-is-no-separation-between-you-and-life-it-is-a/) [Ajahn Brahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/) > [Meditation is like a gym in which you develop the powerful mental muscles of calm and insight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/meditation-is-like-a-gym-in-which-you-develop-the-powerful-mental/) [Ajahn Brahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/) > [“Another simile is that of the man who was born and raised in a prison and who has never set foot outside. All he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/another-simile-is-that-of-the-man-who-was-born-and-raised-in-a-prison/) [Ajahn Brahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/) > [How many times have you tried to solve “the problem”? you’ll be trying to solve it not just until you die but for many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/how-many-times-have-you-tried-to-solve-the-problem-you-ll-be-trying/) [Ajahn Brahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/) > [Understand the place of love in a spiritual life. A powerful and blissful type of love has no conditions, no ownership and no people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/understand-the-place-of-love-in-a-spiritual-life-a-powerful-and/) [Ajahn Brahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/) > [“We should always be grateful for the faults in our partner because if they didn't have those faults from the start, they would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/we-should-always-be-grateful-for-the-faults-in-our-partner-because-if/) [Ajahn Brahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/) > [Silence is so much more productive of wisdom and clarity in thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/silence-is-so-much-more-productive-of-wisdom-and-clarity-in-thinking/) [Ajahn Brahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/) > [Peace is the most valuable commodity. And it's free!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/peace-is-the-most-valuable-commodity-and-it-s-free/) [Ajahn Brahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/) > [Why seek revenge? Karma is going to get the bastards anyway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/why-seek-revenge-karma-is-going-to-get-the-bastards-anyway/) [Ajahn Brahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/) > [“Better lite a candle than complain about the darkness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/better-lite-a-candle-than-complain-about-the-darkness/) [Ajahn Brahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/) > [Love is not liking somebody. Anyone can do that. Love is loving things that sometimes you don't like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/love-is-not-liking-somebody-anyone-can-do-that-love-is-loving-things/) [Ajahn Brahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/) > [What are people searching for in life? God. In the christian scriptures, it says 'Be still and know you are God.' What is this?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/what-are-people-searching-for-in-life-god-in-the-christian-scriptures/) [Ajahn Brahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/) [Explore all 25 Ajahn Brahm quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/) ## More Control quotes > [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“You can't control who loves you...you can't let someone love you anymore than you can make someone love you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/you-can-t-control-who-loves-you-you-can-t-let-someone-love-you/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) > [Don't think you can...know you can! You human body is the most impressive tool you'll ever own. Even if you can't control everything, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/don-t-think-you-can-know-you-can-you-human-body-is-the-most/) [Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/) > [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [“Without time management, you lose control of your life and do what other people tell you to do. You lose control and become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-miller/without-time-management-you-lose-control-of-your-life-and-do-what/) Thomas Miller > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Many of us rely on our own illusion of control. But when God makes it known to you that you're not the one steering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/many-of-us-rely-on-our-own-illusion-of-control-but-when-god-makes-it/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [Some nights I'm funny with the between-song commentary, some nights I'm not. I have no control over this. I pace the stage a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/some-nights-i-m-funny-with-the-between-song-commentary-some-nights-i/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [“Control never be a means to any practical end. It can never be a means to anything but more control… Like punk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/control-never-be-a-means-to-any-practical-end-it-can-never-be-a-means/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Browse all 6,032 Control quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The secret of life is... everything is out of control.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ajahn Brahm" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/the-secret-of-life-is-everything-is-out-of-control/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Control" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/the-secret-of-life-is-everything-is-out-of-control/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/ajahn-brahm-22720_control_the-secret-of-life-is-everything-is-out_95462.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/ajahn-brahm-22720_control_the-secret-of-life-is-everything-is-out_95462.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/ajahn-brahm-22720_control_the-secret-of-life-is-everything-is-out_95462.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The secret of life is... everything is out of control.” — Ajahn Brahm", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ajahn Brahm", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The secret of life is... everything...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/the-secret-of-life-is-everything-is-out-of-control/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/the-secret-of-life-is-everything-is-out-of-control/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```