--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We weigh ourselves down with so many…" description: "\"“We weigh ourselves down with so many obstacles we can't even buy a goldfish bowl.”\" — Barbara Sher" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/barbara-sher-7313_obstacles_we-weigh-ourselves-down-with-so-many-obs_2408070.png" --- # We weigh ourselves down with so many obstacles we can't… ![“We weigh ourselves down with so many obstacles we can't even buy a goldfish bowl.” quote by Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/barbara-sher-7313_obstacles_we-weigh-ourselves-down-with-so-many-obs_2408070.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/barbara-sher-7313_obstacles_we-weigh-ourselves-down-with-so-many-obs_2408070.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/barbara-sher-7313_obstacles_we-weigh-ourselves-down-with-so-many-obs_2408070.png) > ““We weigh ourselves down with so many obstacles we can't even buy a goldfish bowl.”” [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often create unnecessary barriers that prevent simple joys and progress. **In simple terms:** We make too many obstacles for ourselves. Key Takeaway Identify and remove self‑imposed limits. Themes self‑limiting beliefs obstacles personal growth Mood reflective determined Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - relationship building - creative projects - daily routines Key Concepts psychology self‑sabotage mindset Questions to Reflect On - What unnecessary obstacle can you let go of? - How can you simplify your goals? A Different Perspective Even small obstacles can accumulate into overwhelming barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Buy Goldfish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buy-goldfish-4692520/) [Goldfish Bowl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goldfish-bowl-855951/) [Obstacles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obstacles/) [Obstacles Buy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obstacles-buy-6053302/) [Weigh Obstacles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weigh-obstacles-6053303/) ## Related quotes > [So I went in to a pet shop. I said, "Can I buy a goldfish?" The guy said, "Do you want an aquarium?" I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/so-i-went-in-to-a-pet-shop-i-said-can-i-buy-a-goldfish-the-guy-said/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) > [“Circumstances that weigh you down and obstacles that block your path are God's way of building spiritual muscle. Shortcuts and escape routes won't build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-brammer/circumstances-that-weigh-you-down-and-obstacles-that-block-your-path/) [Deb Brammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-brammer/) > [I have as much privacy as a goldfish in a bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/princess-margaret/i-have-as-much-privacy-as-a-goldfish-in-a-bowl/) [Princess Margaret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/princess-margaret/) > [“All our family acquaintances have followed the same path: their youth spent trying to make the most of their intelligence, squeezing their studies like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/all-our-family-acquaintances-have-followed-the-same-path-their-youth/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [If you have any interests you can gain a wider audience for those interests while the goldfish bowl is yours!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/if-you-have-any-interests-you-can-gain-a-wider-audience-for-those/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [I couldn't be a royal. It's like living in a supersonic goldfish bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/i-couldn-t-be-a-royal-it-s-like-living-in-a-supersonic-goldfish-bowl/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [“I want to pour your voice into a goldfish bowl before flushing it down the toilet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-want-to-pour-your-voice-into-a-goldfish-bowl-before-flushing-it/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Liberation was in the very scale of the city: a goldfish bowl one could never grow to fit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheridan-hay/liberation-was-in-the-very-scale-of-the-city-a-goldfish-bowl-one/) [Sheridan Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheridan-hay/) > [I can't moan about any of it. I had a great time in the goldfish bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/i-can-t-moan-about-any-of-it-i-had-a-great-time-in-the-goldfish-bowl/) [Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/) > [“People aim for the stars and they end up like goldfish in a bowl.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/people-aim-for-the-stars-and-they-end-up-like-goldfish-in-a-bowl/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [I hate reality shows like Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity. I'd rather watch a goldfish bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-street-porter/i-hate-reality-shows-like-big-brother-and-i-m-a-celebrity-i-d-rather/) [Janet Street-Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-street-porter/) > [We all live in a televised goldfish bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingman-brewster-jr/we-all-live-in-a-televised-goldfish-bowl/) [Kingman Brewster, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingman-brewster-jr/) > [Tony Fernandes is in that goldfish bowl and he's swimming against the tide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-quinn/tony-fernandes-is-in-that-goldfish-bowl-and-he-s-swimming-against-the/) [Niall Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-quinn/) > [Very few of us have any idea whatsoever of what life is like living in a goldfish bowl,except, of course, for those of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-taylor/very-few-of-us-have-any-idea-whatsoever-of-what-life-is-like-living/) [Graham Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-taylor/) > [Imaginary obstacles are insurmountable. Real ones aren't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/imaginary-obstacles-are-insurmountable-real-ones-aren-t/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) ## More by Barbara Sher > [Imaginary obstacles are insurmountable. Real ones aren't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/imaginary-obstacles-are-insurmountable-real-ones-aren-t/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [A direct statement about yourself is considered objective only if it is negative. If it's positive, it is considered subjective. And 'objective' means it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/a-direct-statement-about-yourself-is-considered-objective-only-if-it/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [“You just have to forget whatever you were taught about “meaningful work” and start noticing whatever has meaning to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/you-just-have-to-forget-whatever-you-were-taught-about-meaningful/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [We are like violins. We can be used as doorstops, or we can make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/we-are-like-violins-we-can-be-used-as-doorstops-or-we-can-make-music/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [What you love is as unique to you as your fingerprints. You need to know that because nothing will make you really happy but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/what-you-love-is-as-unique-to-you-as-your-fingerprints-you-need-to/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [Human beings are not comparable. You can't compare us any more than you can compare roses and oranges, or mountains and the sea. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/human-beings-are-not-comparable-you-can-t-compare-us-any-more-than/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [Sometimes life isn't about who you were or are, but it's about who you are becoming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/sometimes-life-isn-t-about-who-you-were-or-are-but-it-s-about-who-you/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [“Let’s end the notion that ideas have no value unless they turn into a business or have some other practical use.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/let-s-end-the-notion-that-ideas-have-no-value-unless-they-turn-into-a/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [Find out what you love. Do it because you love it. Stick with it. Start now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/find-out-what-you-love-do-it-because-you-love-it-stick-with-it-start/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [“Scanners can’t choose one direction. It’s like telling a parent to choose one child to feed. It’s just not possible. A parent knows she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/scanners-can-t-choose-one-direction-it-s-like-telling-a-parent-to/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [You must go after your wish. As soon as you start to pursue a dream, your life wakes up and everything has meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/you-must-go-after-your-wish-as-soon-as-you-start-to-pursue-a-dream/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [Change is not only likely, it's inevitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/change-is-not-only-likely-it-s-inevitable/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [Not fulfilling your dreams will be a loss to the world, because the world needs everyone's gift - yours and mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/not-fulfilling-your-dreams-will-be-a-loss-to-the-world-because-the/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [What you want is what you need. Your dearest wish comes straight from your core, loaded with vital information about who you are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/what-you-want-is-what-you-need-your-dearest-wish-comes-straight-from/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [“I imagine there are orderly, well-organized Scanners in the world, but there can't be very many of them. It's far more common to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/i-imagine-there-are-orderly-well-organized-scanners-in-the-world-but/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) [Explore all 92 Barbara Sher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) ## More Obstacles quotes > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [“We don't need to strive towards balance, we rather need to work on the obstacles that are preventing the natural flow of balance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-alebraheem/we-don-t-need-to-strive-towards-balance-we-rather-need-to-work-on-the/) [A.A. Alebraheem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-alebraheem/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [When life gives you lemons, make orange juice and leave people wondering how you did it...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-williams/when-life-gives-you-lemons-make-orange-juice-and-leave-people/) [Jade Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-williams/) > [If you go to any nunnery and ask them what the main obstacle is, they'll always say low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-you-go-to-any-nunnery-and-ask-them-what-the-main-obstacle-is-they/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [I take up the standpoint that the tendency to aggression is an innate, independent, instinctual disposition in man, and I come back now to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/i-take-up-the-standpoint-that-the-tendency-to-aggression-is-an-innate/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [Remember, success is not measured by heights attained but by obstacles overcome. We're going to pass through many obstacles in our lives: good days,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-jenner/remember-success-is-not-measured-by-heights-attained-but-by-obstacles/) [Bruce Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-jenner/) > [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Probably the greatest single obstacle to the progress and happiness of the American people lies in the willingness of so many men to invest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/probably-the-greatest-single-obstacle-to-the-progress-and-happiness/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [Despite the reams of paperwork, obstacles worthy of a horse show, and a wait that can rival an elephant's gestation, adoption feels no different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-simon/despite-the-reams-of-paperwork-obstacles-worthy-of-a-horse-show-and-a/) [Scott Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-simon/) > [Be of good cheer. Do not think of today's failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/be-of-good-cheer-do-not-think-of-today-s-failures-but-of-the-success/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/) [Chris Kirubi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kirubi/) > [There is a grand design hidden behind the obstacles , they are inevitable in everybodys life, they are not without purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/there-is-a-grand-design-hidden-behind-the-obstacles-they-are/) [Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/) [Browse all 2,245 Obstacles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obstacles/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We weigh ourselves down with so many obstacles we can't even buy a goldfish bowl.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barbara Sher" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/we-weigh-ourselves-down-with-so-many-obstacles-we-can-t-even-buy-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Obstacles" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/we-weigh-ourselves-down-with-so-many-obstacles-we-can-t-even-buy-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/barbara-sher-7313_obstacles_we-weigh-ourselves-down-with-so-many-obs_2408070.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/barbara-sher-7313_obstacles_we-weigh-ourselves-down-with-so-many-obs_2408070.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/barbara-sher-7313_obstacles_we-weigh-ourselves-down-with-so-many-obs_2408070.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We weigh ourselves down with so many obstacles we can't even buy a goldfish bowl.” — Barbara Sher", "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": "Barbara Sher", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We weigh ourselves down with so...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/we-weigh-ourselves-down-with-so-many-obstacles-we-can-t-even-buy-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/we-weigh-ourselves-down-with-so-many-obstacles-we-can-t-even-buy-a/#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 } } ] } ```