--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are the sum total of our experiences…" description: "\"“We are the sum total of our experiences. Those experiences – be they positive or negative – make us the person we are, at any given point in our lives..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c0/b-j-neblett-51954_aging_we-are-the-sum-total-of-our-experiences_759527.jpg" --- # We are the sum total of our experiences. Those experiences… ![“We are the sum total of our experiences. Those experiences – be they positive or negative – make us the person we are, at any given point in our lives. And, like a flowing river, those same experiences, and those yet to come, continue to influence and reshape the person we are, and the person we…” quote by B.J. Neblett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c0/b-j-neblett-51954_aging_we-are-the-sum-total-of-our-experiences_759527.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c0/b-j-neblett-51954_aging_we-are-the-sum-total-of-our-experiences_759527.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c0/b-j-neblett-51954_aging_we-are-the-sum-total-of-our-experiences_759527.jpg) > ““We are the sum total of our experiences. Those experiences – be they positive or negative – make us the person we are, at any given point in our lives. And, like a flowing river, those same experiences, and those yet to come, continue to influence and reshape the person we are, and the person we become. None of us are the same as we were yesterday, nor will be tomorrow.”” [B.J. Neblett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-neblett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our identity is continuously reshaped by past, present, and future experiences, making us fluid rather than static **In simple terms:** Experiences constantly change who we are and will become Key Takeaway Embrace change as a path to growth Themes identity growth change Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career development - therapy - education - relationship building Key Concepts psychology experience self‑development Questions to Reflect On - What experience most changed you recently? - How can you use past lessons to shape future goals? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on past identity can hinder adaptation to new possibilities ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aging/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Flowing river](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flowing-river/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow/) [Yesterday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yesterday/) ## Related quotes > [I think that people get experiences, and out of those experiences come meaning and ideas. It's like watching a rose bush grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/i-think-that-people-get-experiences-and-out-of-those-experiences-come/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [“Where does one run to escape from feelings?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-neblett/where-does-one-run-to-escape-from-feelings/) [B.J. Neblett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-neblett/) > [“The past is a hotel. You can visit any time; enjoy the view. But you can't live there. The cost is to high.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-neblett/the-past-is-a-hotel-you-can-visit-any-time-enjoy-the-view-but-you-can/) [B.J. Neblett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-neblett/) > [“A love letter lost in the mail, forgotten, miss delivered and then discovered years later and received by the intended is romantic. A love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-neblett/a-love-letter-lost-in-the-mail-forgotten-miss-delivered-and-then/) [B.J. Neblett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-neblett/) > [“See with your mind, Speak with your heart, Touch with your eyes, Love with your entire being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-neblett/see-with-your-mind-speak-with-your-heart-touch-with-your-eyes-love/) [B.J. Neblett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-neblett/) > [We are the sum total of our experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gilovich/we-are-the-sum-total-of-our-experiences/) [Thomas Gilovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gilovich/) > [I think life is the sum total of your experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-k-davis/i-think-life-is-the-sum-total-of-your-experiences/) [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) > [There's nothing particularly unique about my experiences except that they're my experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mclachlan/there-s-nothing-particularly-unique-about-my-experiences-except-that/) [Sarah McLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mclachlan/) > [Become aware of internal, subjective, sub-verbal experiences, so that these experiences can be brought into the world of abstraction, of conversation, of naming, etc.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/become-aware-of-internal-subjective-sub-verbal-experiences-so-that-2/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [We are all products of our experiences, good and bad. Sometimes you learn as much from the negative experiences as you do from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-garlinghouse/we-are-all-products-of-our-experiences-good-and-bad-sometimes-you/) [Brad Garlinghouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-garlinghouse/) > [Most of my experiences have been positive. I know I live a very good life. I'm severely overpaid, but there are people who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-fuller/most-of-my-experiences-have-been-positive-i-know-i-live-a-very-good/) [Kurt Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-fuller/) > [All experiences are either positive for your brain or negative. If you maximize the positive ones, you are shaping the brain you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/all-experiences-are-either-positive-for-your-brain-or-negative-if-you/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [You are the sum total of everything you've ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot - it's all there. Everything influences each of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-are-the-sum-total-of-everything-you-ve-ever-seen-heard-eaten/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“History is made only by those who oppose history (not by those who insert themselves into it, or even reshape it).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze-f-lix-guattari/history-is-made-only-by-those-who-oppose-history-not-by-those-who/) Gilles Deleuze, Félix Guattari > [I realise I would not be the bowler I am today without the experiences, positive and negative, that I have had in Australia down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anderson/i-realise-i-would-not-be-the-bowler-i-am-today-without-the/) [James Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anderson/) ## More by B.J. Neblett > [“The past is a hotel. You can visit any time; enjoy the view. But you can't live there. The cost is to high.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-neblett/the-past-is-a-hotel-you-can-visit-any-time-enjoy-the-view-but-you-can/) [B.J. Neblett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-neblett/) > [“That's No Ordinary Girl”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-neblett/that-s-no-ordinary-girl/) [B.J. Neblett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-neblett/) > [“A love letter lost in the mail, forgotten, miss delivered and then discovered years later and received by the intended is romantic. A love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-neblett/a-love-letter-lost-in-the-mail-forgotten-miss-delivered-and-then/) [B.J. Neblett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-neblett/) > [“Fantasies... who needs fantasies? I have memories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-neblett/fantasies-who-needs-fantasies-i-have-memories/) [B.J. Neblett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-neblett/) > [“See with your mind, Speak with your heart, Touch with your eyes, Love with your entire being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-neblett/see-with-your-mind-speak-with-your-heart-touch-with-your-eyes-love/) [B.J. Neblett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-neblett/) > [“Where does one run to escape from feelings?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-neblett/where-does-one-run-to-escape-from-feelings/) [B.J. Neblett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-neblett/) [Explore all 7 B.J. Neblett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-neblett/) ## More Aging quotes > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [In the past 40 years, the United States lost more than a million farmers and ranchers. Many of our farmers are aging. Today, only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/in-the-past-40-years-the-united-states-lost-more-than-a-million/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [We'll never be as young as we are tonight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/we-ll-never-be-as-young-as-we-are-tonight/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“Prayer of an Anonymous Abbess: Lord, thou knowest better than myself that I am growing older and will soon be old. Keep me from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prayer-of-an-anonymous-abbess-lord-thou-knowest-better-than-myself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The more I produce, the less I am certain. On the road along which the artist walks, night falls ever more densely. Finally, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-more-i-produce-the-less-i-am-certain-on-the-road-along-which-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [So often do you see collegians enter life with high resolve and lofty purpose and then watch them shrink and shrink to sordid, selfish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/so-often-do-you-see-collegians-enter-life-with-high-resolve-and-lofty/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [All the dangers in our world are like a blessed wake up call. They tell us to live life NOW... not tomorrow, not when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/all-the-dangers-in-our-world-are-like-a-blessed-wake-up-call-they/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [“You could see the signs of female aging as diseased, especially if you had a vested interest in making women too see them your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/you-could-see-the-signs-of-female-aging-as-diseased-especially-if-you/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) > [“It takes maturity to be able to laugh like a child again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moffat-machingura/it-takes-maturity-to-be-able-to-laugh-like-a-child-again/) [Moffat Machingura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moffat-machingura/) > [Seek ye counsel of the aged for their eyes have looked on the faces of the years and their ears have hardened to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/seek-ye-counsel-of-the-aged-for-their-eyes-have-looked-on-the-faces/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Growing old-it's not nice, but it's interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/growing-old-it-s-not-nice-but-it-s-interesting/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [Anything is possible in the life of a man if he lives long enough. Even maturity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howell-raines/anything-is-possible-in-the-life-of-a-man-if-he-lives-long-enough/) [Howell Raines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howell-raines/) > [I just want to be Patty McCormack. I want to spend every year aging the way she has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/i-just-want-to-be-patty-mccormack-i-want-to-spend-every-year-aging/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [Maturity is reached the day we don't need to be lied to about anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-yerby/maturity-is-reached-the-day-we-don-t-need-to-be-lied-to-about-anything/) [Frank Yerby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-yerby/) [Browse all 2,792 Aging quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aging/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We are the sum total of our experiences. 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