--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought I could start over, you see…" description: "\"I thought I could start over, you see. But now I know you can never start over. Not really. You think you have control, but you are like a fly in someb..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce9/barack-obama-17_accounting_i-thought-i-could-start-over-you-see-but_975592.jpg" --- # I thought I could start over, you see. But now I know you… ![“I thought I could start over, you see. But now I know you can never start over. Not really. You think you have control, but you are like a fly in somebody else's web. Sometimes I think that's why I like accounting. All day, you are only dealing with numbers. You add them, multiply them, and if you…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce9/barack-obama-17_accounting_i-thought-i-could-start-over-you-see-but_975592.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce9/barack-obama-17_accounting_i-thought-i-could-start-over-you-see-but_975592.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce9/barack-obama-17_accounting_i-thought-i-could-start-over-you-see-but_975592.jpg) > “I thought I could start over, you see. But now I know you can never start over. Not really. You think you have control, but you are like a fly in somebody else's web. Sometimes I think that's why I like accounting. All day, you are only dealing with numbers. You add them, multiply them, and if you are careful, you will always have a solution. There's a sequence there. An order. With numbers, you can have control.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects on the illusion of control, comparing life to accounting where numbers provide order and certainty. **In simple terms:** Life feels chaotic, but numbers give a sense of control. Key Takeaway Find structured activities to manage uncertainty. Themes control illusion order Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career choices - stress management - financial planning - creative projects Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What areas of your life feel out of control? - How can you balance structure with spontaneity? A Different Perspective Reliance on structure may limit flexibility and creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accounting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accounting/) [Add](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/add/) [Careful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careful/) [Dealing Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dealing-numbers-1903319/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Like Accounting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-accounting-1159371/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Numbers Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers-control-1903318/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Over you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/over-you/) [Sequence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sequence/) [Solutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solutions/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Starting over](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting-over/) [Think Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-control/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [There's no business like show business, but there are several businesses like accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/there-s-no-business-like-show-business-but-there-are-several/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Just as black anger often proved counterproductive, so have these white resentments distracted attention from the real culprits of the middle class squeeze -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/just-as-black-anger-often-proved-counterproductive-so-have-these/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The study of law can be disappointing at times, a matter of applying narrow rules and arcane procedure to an uncooperative reality; a sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-study-of-law-can-be-disappointing-at-times-a-matter-of-applying-2/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I don't think I'm a great songwriter, but I think I've learned a lot about it, and I don't think there's any one way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-jones/i-don-t-think-i-m-a-great-songwriter-but-i-think-i-ve-learned-a-lot/) [Norah Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-jones/) > [“In retrospect, the word “remote control” was ultimately a misnomer. 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I can't control any of that. I can only control what I do on the field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-machado/i-can-t-control-what-people-think-of-me-i-can-t-control-any-of-that-i/) [Manny Machado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-machado/) > [“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/) > [The big, big record labels have so much control. I think too much control that it actually made their artists scared to not do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stone/the-big-big-record-labels-have-so-much-control-i-think-too-much/) [Joss Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stone/) > [“I don't think happiness is something that comes or doesn't; I think it's something you have a control over”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabine-durant/i-don-t-think-happiness-is-something-that-comes-or-doesn-t-i-think-it/) [Sabine Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabine-durant/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. 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I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Accounting quotes > [We do not know enough about how the present will lead into the future. We shall never be able to say, "Ha! My perception,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-bateson/we-do-not-know-enough-about-how-the-present-will-lead-into-the-future/) [Gregory Bateson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-bateson/) > [“Outer happiness has Diminishing Marginal Utility; the more it grows, the satisfaction decreases. Resort to inner happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/outer-happiness-has-diminishing-marginal-utility-the-more-it-grows/) [Vikrmn: CA Vikram Verma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/) > [Regulations for international accounting and funding will have to be examined to identify policies that inadvertently discourage institutional investors from putting their resources into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-angel-gurria/regulations-for-international-accounting-and-funding-will-have-to-be/) [Jose Angel Gurria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-angel-gurria/) > [There is no business like show business. There is also no business like certified public accounting, but that doesn't rhyme as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-shaw-gardner/there-is-no-business-like-show-business-there-is-also-no-business/) [Craig Shaw Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-shaw-gardner/) > [“With great goals, comes the high costs; both fixed and variable. Time is the fixed cost; efforts, variable. Spend passionately.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/with-great-goals-comes-the-high-costs-both-fixed-and-variable-time-is/) [Vikrmn: CA Vikram Verma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/) > [The reaction of weak management to weak operations is often weak accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-reaction-of-weak-management-to-weak-operations-is-often-weak/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [“Financial statements are my novels, I am a Chartered Accountant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/financial-statements-are-my-novels-i-am-a-chartered-accountant/) [Vikrmn: CA Vikram Verma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/) > [The religious hypothesis, therefore, must be considered only as a particular method of accounting for the visible phenomena of the universe: but no just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-religious-hypothesis-therefore-must-be-considered-only-as-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [Accounting consequences do not influence our operating or capital-allocation decisions. When acquisition costs are similar, we much prefer to purchase $2 of earnings that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/accounting-consequences-do-not-influence-our-operating-or-capital/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [By their victory, the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions and other units of the Fifth Amphibious Corps have made an accounting to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/by-their-victory-the-3rd-4th-and-5th-marine-divisions-and-other-units/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [“Invest in self-improvement, be it for learning, be it for earning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/invest-in-self-improvement-be-it-for-learning-be-it-for-earning/) [Vikrmn: CA Vikram Verma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/) > [“In the race to scale a startup, overlooking financial planning is like to building a skyscraper on shaky ground. True growth stems from decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-hishmeh/in-the-race-to-scale-a-startup-overlooking-financial-planning-is-like/) [Jason Hishmeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-hishmeh/) > [One of the things that we're missing from our political dialogue right now is the idea that the United States is a home. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-miller/one-of-the-things-that-we-re-missing-from-our-political-dialogue/) [Stephen Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-miller/) > [There's no business like show business, but there are several businesses like accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/there-s-no-business-like-show-business-but-there-are-several/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [“Debit the knowledge; credit the books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/debit-the-knowledge-credit-the-books/) [Vikrmn: CA Vikram Verma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/) [Browse all 352 Accounting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accounting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I thought I could start over, you see. But now I know you can never start over. Not really. 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