--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Meaning isn't something we discover, it…" description: "\"Meaning isn't something we discover, it is what we bring to life, either by choice or by chance.\" — Bill Crawford" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/818/bill-crawford-3824_chance_meaning-isn-t-something-we-discover-it-i_2307357.png" --- # Meaning isn't something we discover, it is what we bring… ![“Meaning isn't something we discover, it is what we bring to life, either by choice or by chance.” quote by Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/818/bill-crawford-3824_chance_meaning-isn-t-something-we-discover-it-i_2307357.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/818/bill-crawford-3824_chance_meaning-isn-t-something-we-discover-it-i_2307357.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/818/bill-crawford-3824_chance_meaning-isn-t-something-we-discover-it-i_2307357.png) > “Meaning isn't something we discover, it is what we bring to life, either by choice or by chance.” [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Meaning is not discovered but created through choices or chance, emphasizing personal agency in shaping purpose. **In simple terms:** We create meaning by choices or chance. Key Takeaway Take intentional actions to shape your purpose. Themes purpose agency choice Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - creative projects - daily reflection - mindfulness practice Key Concepts existentialism personal development Questions to Reflect On - What choices have defined your purpose? - How do you handle unexpected meaning? A Different Perspective It may overlook moments where meaning feels imposed rather than chosen. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bring Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bring-life/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning/) [Meaning Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning-isn-5468186/) ## Related quotes > [We seal our fate with the choices we take, but don't give a second thought to the chances we take.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-estefan/we-seal-our-fate-with-the-choices-we-take-but-don-t-give-a-second/) [Gloria Estefan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-estefan/) > [It is by chance that I met you, and by choice I am keeping you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/it-is-by-chance-that-i-met-you-and-by-choice-i-am-keeping-you/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-loren/there-is-a-fountain-of-youth-it-is-your-mind-your-talents-the/) [Sophia Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-loren/) > [That is why we slave away in the studio for years and years and years, to bring something that an audience can bring to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chappell-roan/that-is-why-we-slave-away-in-the-studio-for-years-and-years-and-years/) [Chappell Roan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chappell-roan/) > [To see great actors bring it all to life us exhilerating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-michod/to-see-great-actors-bring-it-all-to-life-us-exhilerating/) [David Michod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-michod/) > [I don't bring my life into a character at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-don-t-bring-my-life-into-a-character-at-all/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Never let anything bring you down in life. Everything that happens, makes us who we are today We learn from our past, our mistakes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-let-anything-bring-you-down-in-life-everything-that-happens/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [DRAMA doesn't just come into your life. You Will Either... Invite it into YOUR life, Create it in YOUR life or Surround yourself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/drama-doesn-t-just-come-into-your-life-you-will-either-invite-it-into/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You need not bring life to the scripture. You should draw life from the scripture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/you-need-not-bring-life-to-the-scripture-you-should-draw-life-from/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“Doona bring me back to life only to destroy me once more.” The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/doona-bring-me-back-to-life-only-to-destroy-me-once-more-the/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [I really wanted to share with people the day-to-day joys that yoga can bring into one's life-not just the physical aspects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-turlington/i-really-wanted-to-share-with-people-the-day-to-day-joys-that-yoga/) [Christy Turlington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-turlington/) > [We have the ability to craft a life where we are completely fulfilled. We think it is dependent on outsiders, and to some extent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srikumar-rao/we-have-the-ability-to-craft-a-life-where-we-are-completely-fulfilled/) [Srikumar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srikumar-rao/) > [“The dead are dead, and talking won't bring them back to life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otfried-preu-ler/the-dead-are-dead-and-talking-won-t-bring-them-back-to-life/) [Otfried Preußler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otfried-preu-ler/) > [It takes a certain kind of person who loves 'Star Trek' to bring it to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-cruz/it-takes-a-certain-kind-of-person-who-loves-star-trek-to-bring-it-to/) [Wilson Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-cruz/) > [Gratitude is absolutely the way to bring more into your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marci-shimoff/gratitude-is-absolutely-the-way-to-bring-more-into-your-life/) [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) ## More by Bill Crawford > [Making changes isn't about stopping the problem, it's about starting the solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/making-changes-isn-t-about-stopping-the-problem-it-s-about-starting/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [Worry, shame, and fear can't be the energy with which we deal with food and weight. It only spurs us to eat more food…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/worry-shame-and-fear-can-t-be-the-energy-with-which-we-deal-with-food/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [One key to creating a meaningful life, is choosing what we want to feel, and for how long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/one-key-to-creating-a-meaningful-life-is-choosing-what-we-want-to/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [The problem with lethargy is that doing nothing validates the fear that nothing can be done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/the-problem-with-lethargy-is-that-doing-nothing-validates-the-fear/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [Want to change your experience of life? Change the problem to the practice field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/want-to-change-your-experience-of-life-change-the-problem-to-the/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [Becoming critical in the face of criticism, only inspires more criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/becoming-critical-in-the-face-of-criticism-only-inspires-more/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [Children don't know that they are lovable until they are loved. They need to see it in our eyes before they can accept it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/children-don-t-know-that-they-are-lovable-until-they-are-loved-they/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [Creating a meaningful life has less to do with how we feel about our past than what we do about our future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/creating-a-meaningful-life-has-less-to-do-with-how-we-feel-about-our/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [There are only three things we 'have to' do in this world we have to be born, we have to die, and we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/there-are-only-three-things-we-have-to-do-in-this-world-we-have-to-be/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [Stress is an indicator of our belief in the value and validity of our worries and fears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/stress-is-an-indicator-of-our-belief-in-the-value-and-validity-of-our/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [You can't use stress, anxiety, frustration, and worry to deal with your stress, anxiety, frustration, and worry. It's like pulling up to a burning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/you-can-t-use-stress-anxiety-frustration-and-worry-to-deal-with-your/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [You can't 'cope with' change anymore than you can 'manage' stress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/you-can-t-cope-with-change-anymore-than-you-can-manage-stress/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [When faced with conflicting thoughts and emotions, we must decide what to trust, what we fear, or what we know. What's important is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/when-faced-with-conflicting-thoughts-and-emotions-we-must-decide-what/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [To spank or not to spank isn't the question the question is whether whether we are teaching a quality we want our kids to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/to-spank-or-not-to-spank-isn-t-the-question-the-question-is-whether/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [Love will keep us safe when we commit to choosing the kind of qualities, characteristics, and relationships that we would recommend to someone we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/love-will-keep-us-safe-when-we-commit-to-choosing-the-kind-of/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) [Explore all 121 Bill Crawford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) ## More Chance quotes > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I understand it's promotion, but no one ever gave me a chance. No one ever thought I'd be the champ, and look where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stipe-miocic/i-understand-it-s-promotion-but-no-one-ever-gave-me-a-chance-no-one/) [Stipe Miocic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stipe-miocic/) > [I might, by chance, write something just as shoddy; But then I wouldn't show it to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/i-might-by-chance-write-something-just-as-shoddy-but-then-i-wouldn-t/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I have heard that if you pull a bent breath through the second hole of a harmonica tuned to the key of Georgia while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-wakefield/i-have-heard-that-if-you-pull-a-bent-breath-through-the-second-hole/) [Buddy Wakefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-wakefield/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Love changes people, for better or for worse. You could look at it as a chance for you to change. The best kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-changes-people-for-better-or-for-worse-you-could-look-at-it-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's not who, it's when”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-taubas/it-s-not-who-it-s-when/) [Alejandro Taubas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-taubas/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I thought my first few jobs would just be off, off, off, off, off broadway. And by chance and how the world works, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-dorfman/i-thought-my-first-few-jobs-would-just-be-off-off-off-off-off/) [Tommy Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-dorfman/) > [If you’re worrying about the past, you’ve got a good chance of screwing up the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-a-tullman/if-you-re-worrying-about-the-past-you-ve-got-a-good-chance-of/) [Howard A. Tullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-a-tullman/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) [Browse all 12,460 Chance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Meaning isn't something we discover, it is what we bring to life, either by choice or by chance.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Crawford" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/meaning-isn-t-something-we-discover-it-is-what-we-bring-to-life/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/meaning-isn-t-something-we-discover-it-is-what-we-bring-to-life/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/818/bill-crawford-3824_chance_meaning-isn-t-something-we-discover-it-i_2307357.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/818/bill-crawford-3824_chance_meaning-isn-t-something-we-discover-it-i_2307357.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/818/bill-crawford-3824_chance_meaning-isn-t-something-we-discover-it-i_2307357.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Meaning isn't something we discover, it is what we bring to life, either by choice or by chance.” — Bill Crawford", "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": "Bill Crawford", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Meaning isn't something we discover, it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/meaning-isn-t-something-we-discover-it-is-what-we-bring-to-life/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/meaning-isn-t-something-we-discover-it-is-what-we-bring-to-life/#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 } } ] } ```