---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A great many worries can be diminished by…"
description: "\"A great many worries can be diminished by realizing the unimportance of the matter which is causing anxiety.\" — Bertrand Russell"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0c/bertrand-russell-69_anxiety_a-great-many-worries-can-be-diminished-b_2212131.jpg"
---

#  A great many worries can be diminished by realizing the…

![“A great many worries can be diminished by realizing the unimportance of the matter which is causing anxiety.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0c/bertrand-russell-69_anxiety_a-great-many-worries-can-be-diminished-b_2212131.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0c/bertrand-russell-69_anxiety_a-great-many-worries-can-be-diminished-b_2212131.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0c/bertrand-russell-69_anxiety_a-great-many-worries-can-be-diminished-b_2212131.jpg)

> “A great many worries can be diminished by realizing the unimportance of the matter which is causing anxiety.”

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Realizing that the source of anxiety is often insignificant can greatly reduce worry.

**In simple terms:** Seeing the cause as unimportant eases anxiety.

Key Takeaway

Identify and downsize the source of stress.

Themes

anxiety mindfulness philosophy

Mood

calm thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- stress management
- therapy sessions
- personal journaling
- decision making

Key Concepts

cognitive reframing Stoicism mental health

Questions to Reflect On

- What worries seem disproportionate now?
- How can you reframe a stressful situation?

A Different Perspective

May not apply when the issue is genuinely serious.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/)

## Related quotes

> [Sometimes it's best to keep away from that which is causing you anxiety, in order to keep a clear mind of what is reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/sometimes-it-s-best-to-keep-away-from-that-which-is-causing-you/)

[Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/)

> [“You get anxious about confronting somebody in your life. That anxiety cripples you and you start wondering why you’re so anxious. Now you’re becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/you-get-anxious-about-confronting-somebody-in-your-life-that-anxiety/)

[Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/)

> [“All worries are less with wine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/all-worries-are-less-with-wine/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [What worries me is the professionalism of everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/what-worries-me-is-the-professionalism-of-everything/)

[Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/)

> [I wake up in the morning and one thing that I worry about is maybe I may not have done my best for my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibrahim-jafari/i-wake-up-in-the-morning-and-one-thing-that-i-worry-about-is-maybe-i/)

Ibrahim Jafari

> [A mile of worries wont take you as far as an inch of action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-raphy/a-mile-of-worries-wont-take-you-as-far-as-an-inch-of-action/)

King Raphy

> [“What I'd really hate would be the settled feeling, with nothing but happiness to look forward to. Of course no life is perfectly happy-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/what-i-d-really-hate-would-be-the-settled-feeling-with-nothing-but/)

[Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/)

> [This increasing level of player power worries me. Of course they are the stars but this acquiescence over contracts, transfers, managers and even their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-jordan/this-increasing-level-of-player-power-worries-me-of-course-they-are/)

[Simon Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-jordan/)

> [“When the servants break the cups and saucers, a ‘puzzle’ arises within. Who really breaks the cups and saucers? Who runs this world? One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/when-the-servants-break-the-cups-and-saucers-a-puzzle-arises-within/)

[Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/)

> [“Let go of your worries and focus only on the task at hand. The future will be what it will, and fretting about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/let-go-of-your-worries-and-focus-only-on-the-task-at-hand-the-future/)

[Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/)

> [The richer you are, the more worries you have - problems of security, future. Whatsoever you have, you have to hold it. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-richer-you-are-the-more-worries-you-have-problems-of-security/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [Flying is a man's job and its worries are a man's worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/flying-is-a-man-s-job-and-its-worries-are-a-man-s-worries/)

[Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/)

> [Preachers prepare with this fear: 'Am I going to be able to fill the time?' The audience never worries about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/preachers-prepare-with-this-fear-am-i-going-to-be-able-to-fill-the/)

[Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/)

> [No number of repairs will be able to fix Obamacare. The website is the least of Americans' worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/no-number-of-repairs-will-be-able-to-fix-obamacare-the-website-is-the/)

[Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/)

> [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

## More by Bertrand Russell

> [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/that-the-world-is-in-a-bad-shape-is-undeniable-but-there-is-not-the/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [All movements go too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/all-movements-go-too-far/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [“Such, in outline, but even more purposeless, more void of meaning, is the world which Science presents for our belief. Amid such a world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/such-in-outline-but-even-more-purposeless-more-void-of-meaning-is-the/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [Dr. Arnold . . . the admired reformer of public schools, came across some cranks who thought it a mistake to flog boys. Anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/dr-arnold-the-admired-reformer-of-public-schools-came-across-some/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [Of all evils of war the greatest is the purely spiritual evil: the hatred, the injustice, the repudiation of truth, the artificial conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/of-all-evils-of-war-the-greatest-is-the-purely-spiritual-evil-the/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [Aristotle maintained that women have fewer teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/aristotle-maintained-that-women-have-fewer-teeth-than-men-although-he/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-an-opinion-contrary-to-your-own-makes-you-angry-that-is-a-sign/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [I cannot escape from the conclusion that the great ages of progress have depended upon a small number of individuals of transcendent ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-cannot-escape-from-the-conclusion-that-the-great-ages-of-progress/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest sense to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most-essential-characteristic-of/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [The newspapers at one time said that I was dead but after carefully examining the evidence I came to the conclusion that this statement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-newspapers-at-one-time-said-that-i-was-dead-but-after-carefully/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [“Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/persecution-is-used-in-theology-not-in-arithmetic-because-in/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [“Many orthodox people speak as though it were the business of sceptics to disprove received dogmas rather than of dogmatists to prove them. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/many-orthodox-people-speak-as-though-it-were-the-business-of-sceptics/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [There is no greater reason for children to honour parents than for parents to honour children except, that while the children are young, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/there-is-no-greater-reason-for-children-to-honour-parents-than-for/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

[Explore all 1,620 Bertrand Russell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

## More Anxiety quotes

> [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/)

Nagisa Tatsumi

> [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/)

[Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/)

> [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/)

[Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/)

> [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/)

[Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/)

> [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/)

[Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/)

> [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/)

[Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/)

> [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/)

[Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/)

> [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/)

[Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/)

> [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/)

[Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/)

> [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/)

[Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/)

> [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/)

[Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/)

> [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/)

[Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/)

[Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "A great many worries can be diminished by realizing the unimportance of the matter which is causing anxiety.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bertrand Russell"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/a-great-many-worries-can-be-diminished-by-realizing-the-unimportance/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Anxiety"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/a-great-many-worries-can-be-diminished-by-realizing-the-unimportance/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0c/bertrand-russell-69_anxiety_a-great-many-worries-can-be-diminished-b_2212131.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0c/bertrand-russell-69_anxiety_a-great-many-worries-can-be-diminished-b_2212131.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0c/bertrand-russell-69_anxiety_a-great-many-worries-can-be-diminished-b_2212131.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“A great many worries can be diminished by realizing the unimportance of the matter which is causing anxiety.” — Bertrand Russell",
                "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": "Bertrand Russell",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "A great many worries can be...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/a-great-many-worries-can-be-diminished-by-realizing-the-unimportance/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/a-great-many-worries-can-be-diminished-by-realizing-the-unimportance/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
