Familiar Quote by Chang-Rae Lee
“We have hopes and make plans, and if they are dashed or waylaid, we naturally rationalize and redraw the map to locate ourselves anew. Or else we brood and too firmly root. Very few can step forward again and again in what amounts to veritable leaps into the void, where there are no ready holds, where little is familiar, where you get constantly stuck in the thickets of your uncertainties and fears.”
About This Quote
When plans fail, we either rationalize and adapt or become stuck in fear; only a few repeatedly venture into uncertainty, confronting the unknown despite lacking clear footholds.
In simple terms: Adapt or stagnate when hopes crumble.
Key Takeaway
Courage to face the unknown.
Themes
resilience
uncertainty
growth
Mood
reflective
determined
Type
motivational
When to use this quote
- career pivots
- creative projects
- personal loss recovery
Key Concepts
psychological flexibility
Practical Applications
- practice incremental risk‑taking to build confidence
Questions to Reflect On
- What habits help transform fear into curiosity?
- When is it better to pause than to leap?
A Different Perspective
Constantly leaping can lead to burnout; sometimes strategic pause is wiser.
![“There was another reason [she] took her books whenever they went away. They were her home when she was somewhere strange. They were familiar voices, friends that never quarreled with her, clever, powerful friends -- daring and knowledgeable, tried and tested adventurers who had traveled far and…” quote by Cornelia Funke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/639/cornelia-funke-908_adventurer_there-was-another-reason-she-took-her-bo_3074.jpg)
