--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But if we learn to think of it as…" description: "\"But if we learn to think of it as anticipation, as learning, as growing, if we think of the time we spend waiting for the big things of life as an oppo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e67/anna-neagle-35942_anticipation_but-if-we-learn-to-think-of-it-as-antici_1786306.jpg" --- # But if we learn to think of it as anticipation, as… ![“But if we learn to think of it as anticipation, as learning, as growing, if we think of the time we spend waiting for the big things of life as an opportunity instead of a passing of time, what wonderful horizons open out!” quote by Anna Neagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e67/anna-neagle-35942_anticipation_but-if-we-learn-to-think-of-it-as-antici_1786306.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e67/anna-neagle-35942_anticipation_but-if-we-learn-to-think-of-it-as-antici_1786306.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e67/anna-neagle-35942_anticipation_but-if-we-learn-to-think-of-it-as-antici_1786306.jpg) > “But if we learn to think of it as anticipation, as learning, as growing, if we think of the time we spend waiting for the big things of life as an opportunity instead of a passing of time, what wonderful horizons open out!” [Anna Neagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-neagle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Viewing waiting periods as chances to anticipate, learn, and grow transforms idle time into fertile ground for future possibilities. **In simple terms:** Treat waiting as a chance to learn and grow. Key Takeaway Use waiting time for personal development. Themes growth anticipation mindset opportunity patience Mood hopeful reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - education - creative projects - personal relationships Key Concepts learning future orientation psychological resilience Questions to Reflect On - How can you reframe a current wait into a learning opportunity? - What skills could you develop while waiting? A Different Perspective Waiting can still feel stressful and unproductive if mindset doesn’t shift. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anticipation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anticipation/) [Big things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-things/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing/) [Growing Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-think-834757/) [Horizon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horizon/) [Learning Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-growing/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-opportunity/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Passing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passing/) [Passing Of Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passing-of-time/) [Passings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passings/) [Think Anticipation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-anticipation-1906900/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time passing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-passing/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) ## Related quotes > [When you get these franchises with some built in profiles and anticipation... I think the anticipation and the buildup can can exceed the delivery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-reilly/when-you-get-these-franchises-with-some-built-in-profiles-and/) [Kevin Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-reilly/) > [“I avoid looking at the clock, fearing the slow passing of time that will only seem slower if I watch its progress.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-zink/i-avoid-looking-at-the-clock-fearing-the-slow-passing-of-time-that/) [Michelle Zink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-zink/) > [“...the video-game form is incompatible with traditional concepts of narrative progression. Stories are about time passing and narrative progression. Games are about challenge, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-bissell/the-video-game-form-is-incompatible-with-traditional-concepts-of/) [Tom Bissell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-bissell/) > [Love knows not the meaning of time, for the passing of time can not change True Love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyrus/love-knows-not-the-meaning-of-time-for-the-passing-of-time-can-not/) [Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyrus/) > [Life is not just the passing of time. Life is the collection of experiences and their intensity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/life-is-not-just-the-passing-of-time-life-is-the-collection-of/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [People grow and they change, and Im sure in your life there have been times when someone said something to you that made you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfonso-ribeiro/people-grow-and-they-change-and-im-sure-in-your-life-there-have-been/) [Alfonso Ribeiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfonso-ribeiro/) > [I think we need to do as much as we can to give back to these young kids growing up. I think we've done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/i-think-we-need-to-do-as-much-as-we-can-to-give-back-to-these-young/) [Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) > [“I am convinced that most people do not grow up. We find parking spaces and honor our credit cards. We marry and dare to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-am-convinced-that-most-people-do-not-grow-up-we-find-parking-spaces/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Growing up, I think I always knew I was different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-jones/growing-up-i-think-i-always-knew-i-was-different/) [Rosie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-jones/) > [I have a lot of growing up to do. But I think, 'Hell, is it too late?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-wood/i-have-a-lot-of-growing-up-to-do-but-i-think-hell-is-it-too-late/) [Ronnie Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-wood/) > [Growing up, I would think I want to do this, I want to do that. You change your mind a million times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kim/growing-up-i-would-think-i-want-to-do-this-i-want-to-do-that-you/) [Gail Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kim/) > [I'm a perfectionist and I've always been interested in growing and I think that has given me the mental fortitude to continue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omarion/i-m-a-perfectionist-and-i-ve-always-been-interested-in-growing-and-i/) [Omarion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omarion/) > [I have a lot of growing up to do, or a lot of growing down. I think that's probably more appropriate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macaulay-culkin/i-have-a-lot-of-growing-up-to-do-or-a-lot-of-growing-down-i-think/) [Macaulay Culkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macaulay-culkin/) > [“When business owners focus on learning and growing, money follows by default.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshad-wahedna/when-business-owners-focus-on-learning-and-growing-money-follows-by/) [Arshad Wahedna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshad-wahedna/) > [You should never stop learning, or growing until you check outta here. If you want to certain things, you have to surround yourself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-should-never-stop-learning-or-growing-until-you-check-outta-here/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Anna Neagle > [If we fix a goal and work towards it, then we are never just passing time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-neagle/if-we-fix-a-goal-and-work-towards-it-then-we-are-never-just-passing/) [Anna Neagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-neagle/) > [But the delights of solitude don't only consist of dreaming. Next in enjoyment, I think, comes planning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-neagle/but-the-delights-of-solitude-don-t-only-consist-of-dreaming-next-in/) [Anna Neagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-neagle/) > [What, I sometimes wonder, would it be like if I lived in a country where winter is a matter of a few chilly days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-neagle/what-i-sometimes-wonder-would-it-be-like-if-i-lived-in-a-country/) [Anna Neagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-neagle/) > [No matter how much we love our family and friends, a part of us needs the occasional moment of solitude as a plant needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-neagle/no-matter-how-much-we-love-our-family-and-friends-a-part-of-us-needs/) [Anna Neagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-neagle/) > [So it is necessary that we should learn to be alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-neagle/so-it-is-necessary-that-we-should-learn-to-be-alone/) [Anna Neagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-neagle/) > [But the important thing about learning to wait, I feel sure, is to know what you are waiting for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-neagle/but-the-important-thing-about-learning-to-wait-i-feel-sure-is-to-know/) [Anna Neagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-neagle/) > [Solitude is pleasant. Loneliness is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-neagle/solitude-is-pleasant-loneliness-is-not/) [Anna Neagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-neagle/) > [I have always found it difficult to wait for things - whether it was to see my father or sailor brother, Alan, again after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-neagle/i-have-always-found-it-difficult-to-wait-for-things-whether-it-was-to/) [Anna Neagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-neagle/) > [The most brilliant actor that I have ever worked with. I've liked others very much more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-neagle/the-most-brilliant-actor-that-i-have-ever-worked-with-i-ve-liked/) [Anna Neagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-neagle/) > [Naturally enough when I was a young dancer, I was terribly anxious to get ahead, and to get ahead quickly. I was impatient with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-neagle/naturally-enough-when-i-was-a-young-dancer-i-was-terribly-anxious-to/) [Anna Neagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-neagle/) > [The time I had waited probably made the difference between success and failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-neagle/the-time-i-had-waited-probably-made-the-difference-between-success/) [Anna Neagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-neagle/) > [Everyone needs some time to themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-neagle/everyone-needs-some-time-to-themselves/) [Anna Neagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-neagle/) [Explore all 13 Anna Neagle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-neagle/) ## More Anticipation quotes > [There is something to be said though when you have 4 or 5 guys playing with no net, there is a sense of urgency,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-mendoza/there-is-something-to-be-said-though-when-you-have-4-or-5-guys/) [Marco Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-mendoza/) > [Long intros are cool because there's a little bit of anticipation, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-lambert/long-intros-are-cool-because-there-s-a-little-bit-of-anticipation-you/) [Miranda Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-lambert/) > [Playing shortstop is 75 to 80 percent anticipation, knowing the hitter and the pitch being thrown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-boudreau/playing-shortstop-is-75-to-80-percent-anticipation-knowing-the-hitter/) [Lou Boudreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-boudreau/) > [Marriages are always moving from one season to another. Sometimes we find ourselves in winter--discouraged, detached, and dissatisfied; other times we experience springtime, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/marriages-are-always-moving-from-one-season-to-another-sometimes-we/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [“O I'm so afraid that it's true about to travel hopefully being better than to arrive. It might be all in the quest, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-brophy/o-i-m-so-afraid-that-it-s-true-about-to-travel-hopefully-being-better/) [Brigid Brophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-brophy/) > [“If you come at four in the afternoon, I'll begin to be happy by three.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-come-at-four-in-the-afternoon-i-ll-begin-to-be-happy-by-three/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Science is not a system of certain, or -established, statements; nor is it a system which steadily advances towards a state of finality... And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/science-is-not-a-system-of-certain-or-established-statements-nor-is/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [\[It is hard to know what is good luck and what isn't and therefore whether we should be happy or sad about it. Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zelig-pliskin/it-is-hard-to-know-what-is-good-luck-and-what-isn-t-and-therefore/) [Zelig Pliskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zelig-pliskin/) > [The so called unconscious inferences can be traced back to the all-preserving memory, which presents us with parallel experiences and hence already knows the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-so-called-unconscious-inferences-can-be-traced-back-to-the-all/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [ The only thing is that ordinarily when I do dance with \[women\] they think I am suddenly going to throw them over a table… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/the-only-thing-is-that-ordinarily-when-i-do-dance-with-women-they/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [Many live in dread of what is coming. Why should we? The unknown puts adventure into life. ... The unexpected around the corner gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-stanley-jones/many-live-in-dread-of-what-is-coming-why-should-we-the-unknown-puts/) [E. Stanley Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-stanley-jones/) > [The pilot who is always dreading a rock or a tempest must not complain if he remain a poor fisherman. We must at times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-metastasio/the-pilot-who-is-always-dreading-a-rock-or-a-tempest-must-not/) [Pietro Metastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-metastasio/) > [I am honoured to be asked to take on this role, especially as it comes at such an integral time for our relationship with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-boateng/i-am-honoured-to-be-asked-to-take-on-this-role-especially-as-it-comes/) [Paul Boateng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-boateng/) > [“I can handle Evil, but I cannot handle Anticipation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabbo-de-la-parra/i-can-handle-evil-but-i-cannot-handle-anticipation/) [Gabbo De La Parra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabbo-de-la-parra/) > [Hope is itself a species of happiness...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/hope-is-itself-a-species-of-happiness/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Browse all 758 Anticipation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anticipation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But if we learn to think of it as anticipation, as learning, as growing, if we think of the time we spend waiting for the big things of life as an opportunity instead of a passing of time, what wonderful horizons open out!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anna Neagle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-neagle/but-if-we-learn-to-think-of-it-as-anticipation-as-learning-as-growing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anticipation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-neagle/but-if-we-learn-to-think-of-it-as-anticipation-as-learning-as-growing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e67/anna-neagle-35942_anticipation_but-if-we-learn-to-think-of-it-as-antici_1786306.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e67/anna-neagle-35942_anticipation_but-if-we-learn-to-think-of-it-as-antici_1786306.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e67/anna-neagle-35942_anticipation_but-if-we-learn-to-think-of-it-as-antici_1786306.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But if we learn to think of it as anticipation, as learning, as growing, if we think of the time we spend…” — Anna Neagle", "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": "Anna Neagle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-neagle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "But if we learn to think...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-neagle/but-if-we-learn-to-think-of-it-as-anticipation-as-learning-as-growing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-neagle/but-if-we-learn-to-think-of-it-as-anticipation-as-learning-as-growing/#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 } } ] } ```