--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Control and surrender have to be kept in…" description: "\"Control and surrender have to be kept in balance. That's what surfers do - take control of the situation, then be carried, then take control. In the la..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ec/brian-eno-776_adept_control-and-surrender-have-to-be-kept-in_1458973.jpg" --- # Control and surrender have to be kept in balance. That's… ![“Control and surrender have to be kept in balance. That's what surfers do - take control of the situation, then be carried, then take control. In the last few thousand years, we've become incredibly adept technically. We've treasured the controlling part of ourselves and neglected the surrendering…” quote by Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ec/brian-eno-776_adept_control-and-surrender-have-to-be-kept-in_1458973.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ec/brian-eno-776_adept_control-and-surrender-have-to-be-kept-in_1458973.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ec/brian-eno-776_adept_control-and-surrender-have-to-be-kept-in_1458973.jpg) > “Control and surrender have to be kept in balance. That's what surfers do - take control of the situation, then be carried, then take control. In the last few thousand years, we've become incredibly adept technically. We've treasured the controlling part of ourselves and neglected the surrendering part.” [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balance control and surrender for optimal performance. **In simple terms:** Control and letting go must be balanced. Key Takeaway Practice both control and surrender. Themes balance control surrender Mood reflective calm Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - sports - creative work - leadership Key Concepts psychology performance mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - When have you surrendered successfully? - How do you regain control after surrender? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on control can cause rigidity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adept/) [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Become](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/become/) [Carried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carried/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Control Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control-situation-403139/) [Control Surrender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control-surrender-1174727/) [Controlling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controlling/) [Few](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/few/) [Incredibly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incredibly/) [Kept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kept/) [Last](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last/) [Neglected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neglected/) [Ourselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ourselves/) [Part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/part/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situation/) [Surfers Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surfers-control-5266478/) [Surrender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrender/) [Take](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take/) [Technically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technically/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand/) [Thousand years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand-years/) [Treasured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treasured/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [Things don't spiral out of control when we surrender them; they spiral out of control when we try to control them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/things-don-t-spiral-out-of-control-when-we-surrender-them-they-spiral/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I'm not technically adept at music, but I'd love to be part of a discussion of where progressive rock ends and country music begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-m-not-technically-adept-at-music-but-i-d-love-to-be-part-of-a/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I was relatively technically adept. I can edit and wire up a light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hart/i-was-relatively-technically-adept-i-can-edit-and-wire-up-a-light/) [Ian Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hart/) > [Lyrics are the only thing to do with music that haven't been made easier technically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/lyrics-are-the-only-thing-to-do-with-music-that-haven-t-been-made/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [Unfortunately, we can never truly know if we're making the right decision. What we do know is that wherever we are, that's where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yehuda-berg/unfortunately-we-can-never-truly-know-if-we-re-making-the-right/) [Yehuda Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yehuda-berg/) > [It's inevitable that you feel scared when you don't have control of a situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronaldo/it-s-inevitable-that-you-feel-scared-when-you-don-t-have-control-of-a/) [Ronaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronaldo/) > [That is always our problem, not how to get control of people, but how all together we can get control of a situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-parker-follett/that-is-always-our-problem-not-how-to-get-control-of-people-but-how/) [Mary Parker Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-parker-follett/) > [“It was typical of her character that she simply assumed she would, eventually, gain control over the situation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-carriger/it-was-typical-of-her-character-that-she-simply-assumed-she-would/) [Gail Carriger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-carriger/) > [“You don’t control the situation, but you control what you think about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/you-don-t-control-the-situation-but-you-control-what-you-think-about/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [You may not be able to control every situation and its outcome, but you can control your attitude and how you deal with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-may-not-be-able-to-control-every-situation-and-its-outcome-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As an athlete, I feel like I have a little bit of control - or a lot of control - of the situation. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-ertz/as-an-athlete-i-feel-like-i-have-a-little-bit-of-control-or-a-lot-of/) [Zach Ertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-ertz/) > [“IF YOU CAN’T CONTROL PEOPLE, THEN CONTROL YOUR REACTION TO THEM. IF YOU CAN’T CONTROL A SITUATION, THEN PREPARE FOR IT.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilly-singh/if-you-can-t-control-people-then-control-your-reaction-to-them-if-you/) [Lilly Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilly-singh/) > [I call myself taking control of a situation, but sometimes you really have to learn to humble yourself and to submit yourself. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tichina-arnold/i-call-myself-taking-control-of-a-situation-but-sometimes-you-really/) [Tichina Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tichina-arnold/) > [The only thing you sometimes have control over is perspective. You don't have control over your situation. But you have a choice about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/the-only-thing-you-sometimes-have-control-over-is-perspective-you-don/) [Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/) > [“Baby, this is who I am. I'm hardwired this way. And if I'm trying to take control over the situation, please understand that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-wild/baby-this-is-who-i-am-i-m-hardwired-this-way-and-if-i-m-trying-to/) [Meredith Wild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-wild/) ## More by Brian Eno > [I have lived in countries that were coming out of conflict: Ireland, South Africa, the Czech republic. People there are overflowing with energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-have-lived-in-countries-that-were-coming-out-of-conflict-ireland/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [The lyrics are constructed as empirically as the music. I don't set out to say anything very important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/the-lyrics-are-constructed-as-empirically-as-the-music-i-don-t-set/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [Admirers can be a tremendous force for conservatism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/admirers-can-be-a-tremendous-force-for-conservatism/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [The whole history of pop music had rested on the first person singular, with occasional intrusions of the second person singular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/the-whole-history-of-pop-music-had-rested-on-the-first-person/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [You can't really imagine music without technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/you-can-t-really-imagine-music-without-technology/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [Robert Fripp and I will be recording another LP very soon. It should be even more monotonous than the first one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/robert-fripp-and-i-will-be-recording-another-lp-very-soon-it-should/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [I despise computers in many ways. I think they’re hopelessly underevolved and overrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-despise-computers-in-many-ways-i-think-they-re-hopelessly/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [I think very often producers are really trying to repeat things. When they hear something in the new songs that they recognize as being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-think-very-often-producers-are-really-trying-to-repeat-things-when/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [I think that's very significant that we're so attached to the idea now of - it was something I advocated for years, that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-think-that-s-very-significant-that-we-re-so-attached-to-the-idea/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [If you watch any good player, they're using different parts of their body and working with instruments that respond to those movements. They're moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/if-you-watch-any-good-player-they-re-using-different-parts-of-their/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [Songs that don't depend on composition depend instead on performance - so the fire has to be there in the playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/songs-that-don-t-depend-on-composition-depend-instead-on-performance/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [I can see the use and value of religion, just as I can see the use of mud wrestling, yoga, astronomy and sadomasochism. but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-can-see-the-use-and-value-of-religion-just-as-i-can-see-the-use-of/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [I wanted to get rid of the element that had been considered essential in pop music: the voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-wanted-to-get-rid-of-the-element-that-had-been-considered-essential/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [At the beginning of the 20th century, the ambition of the great painters was to make paintings that were like music, which was then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/at-the-beginning-of-the-20th-century-the-ambition-of-the-great/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [I had an interesting day. I was in the studio with a group of musicians, who shall remain nameless, and I said to them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-had-an-interesting-day-i-was-in-the-studio-with-a-group-of/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) [Explore all 373 Brian Eno quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) ## More Adept quotes > [You see, years ago I was just an ordinary bee minding my own business, smelling flowers all day, and occasionally picking up part-time work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/you-see-years-ago-i-was-just-an-ordinary-bee-minding-my-own-business/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [Obama is a very good actor. He knows how to play it. 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But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-clark/we-humans-have-indeed-always-been-adept-at-dovetailing-our-minds-and/) [Andy Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-clark/) > [“ADEPT ADAPTATION Potholes on the road of life sharpen our maneuverability skills Kamil Ali”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/adept-adaptation-potholes-on-the-road-of-life-sharpen-our/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [I'm blessed that I can leave it to the pros at work and red-carpet events, because I can't say I'm adept. Still, I'm definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becki-newton/i-m-blessed-that-i-can-leave-it-to-the-pros-at-work-and-red-carpet/) [Becki Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becki-newton/) > [To waste! You are unknown and unwanted, save by me. 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Those who were quick and nimble I have made herders of horses.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genghis-khan/those-who-were-adept-and-brave-fellows-i-have-made-military/) [Genghis Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genghis-khan/) [Browse all 115 Adept quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adept/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Control and surrender have to be kept in balance. That's what surfers do - take control of the situation, then be carried, then take control. In the last few thousand years, we've become incredibly adept technically. 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