--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not all about getting your own way…" description: "\"It's not all about getting your own way. Sometimes there's a bigger picture.\" — Charles de Lint" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/charles-de-lint-1481_bigger_it-s-not-all-about-getting-your-own-way_3162626.png" --- # It's not all about getting your own way. Sometimes there's… ![“It's not all about getting your own way. Sometimes there's a bigger picture.” quote by Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/charles-de-lint-1481_bigger_it-s-not-all-about-getting-your-own-way_3162626.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/charles-de-lint-1481_bigger_it-s-not-all-about-getting-your-own-way_3162626.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/charles-de-lint-1481_bigger_it-s-not-all-about-getting-your-own-way_3162626.png) > “It's not all about getting your own way. Sometimes there's a bigger picture.” [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emphasizes that personal goals are secondary to larger, collective concerns. **In simple terms:** Consider the bigger picture beyond personal desires. Key Takeaway Balance personal aims with larger impacts. Themes self‑interest collective good perspective humility Mood thoughtful philosophical Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - team projects - community planning - environmental activism Key Concepts ethical altruism systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - When should you compromise personal goals for the greater good? - How do you identify the “bigger picture” in daily decisions? A Different Perspective Personal ambition can clash with collective needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bigger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigger/) [Bigger picture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigger-picture/) [Getting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting/) [Getting Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-way-1476282/) [Picture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/picture/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [I am a bigger-picture manager because I've lived through something that's a big picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/i-am-a-bigger-picture-manager-because-i-ve-lived-through-something/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [It's funny: your happiness is contingent on a bigger picture besides just yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-granik/it-s-funny-your-happiness-is-contingent-on-a-bigger-picture-besides/) [Debra Granik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-granik/) > [Government can do best by simply getting out of the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-newsom/government-can-do-best-by-simply-getting-out-of-the-way/) [Gavin Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-newsom/) > [Stupidity has a knack of getting its way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/stupidity-has-a-knack-of-getting-its-way/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Sometimes people can write really great scenes and even a great episode, but they can't see the bigger picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-night-shyamalan/sometimes-people-can-write-really-great-scenes-and-even-a-great/) [M. Night Shyamalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-night-shyamalan/) > [When things don't happen in my life, I believe that I've been pushed into another path for a reason, and there's a bigger picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-scott/when-things-don-t-happen-in-my-life-i-believe-that-i-ve-been-pushed/) [Alex Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-scott/) > [I see my songs and shows almost like a mosaic - part of a bigger picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/i-see-my-songs-and-shows-almost-like-a-mosaic-part-of-a-bigger-picture/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [For me, I would say always try to figure out what your why is. For me, a lot of it is being a role…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-belair/for-me-i-would-say-always-try-to-figure-out-what-your-why-is-for-me-a/) [Bianca Belair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-belair/) > [If you're trying to avoid one move that you don't think is going to work out, don't then settle for a different move that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-epstein/if-you-re-trying-to-avoid-one-move-that-you-don-t-think-is-going-to/) [Theo Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-epstein/) > [Because I live in London I'm always at busy places like airports and gigs. When you're up in the mountains the air's so clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/limahl/because-i-live-in-london-i-m-always-at-busy-places-like-airports-and/) [Limahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/limahl/) > [I feel like the Eternals, each of them is a piece of the puzzle. They're part of the bigger picture. I think our individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-ridloff/i-feel-like-the-eternals-each-of-them-is-a-piece-of-the-puzzle-they/) [Lauren Ridloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-ridloff/) > [I'm not a Buddhist, but there is something lovely about thinking of yourself in a bigger picture, and thinking of yourself as part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-owens/i-m-not-a-buddhist-but-there-is-something-lovely-about-thinking-of/) [Rick Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-owens/) > [Game day can be emotional, and there are a lot of ups and downs throughout a game, but as a quarterback, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/game-day-can-be-emotional-and-there-are-a-lot-of-ups-and-downs/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [I run into a lot of ignorance and stupidity. It gets really frustrating, but you have to take yourself out of it and realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-carrera/i-run-into-a-lot-of-ignorance-and-stupidity-it-gets-really/) [Carmen Carrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-carrera/) > [I want my music to be treated as a book or a movie. It's not about the one single: it's about the bigger picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-martinez/i-want-my-music-to-be-treated-as-a-book-or-a-movie-it-s-not-about-the/) [Melanie Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-martinez/) ## More by Charles de Lint > [The family we choose for ourselves is more important than the one we were born into; that people have to earn our respect and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-family-we-choose-for-ourselves-is-more-important-than-the-one-we/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Every time you do a good deed you shine the light a little farther into the dark. And the thing is, when you're gone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/every-time-you-do-a-good-deed-you-shine-the-light-a-little-farther/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [The road leading to a goal does not separate you from the destination; it is essentially a part of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-road-leading-to-a-goal-does-not-separate-you-from-the-destination/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [“Maybe she couldn’t go. Maybe she wanted him to stay. But she knew enough not to try to hold him back if he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/maybe-she-couldn-t-go-maybe-she-wanted-him-to-stay-but-she-knew/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [The magic in this world seems to work in whispers and small kindnesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-magic-in-this-world-seems-to-work-in-whispers-and-small-kindnesses/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [You can take the woman outta the trash, but you can't take the trash out a the woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/you-can-take-the-woman-outta-the-trash-but-you-can-t-take-the-trash/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [“You hear this kind of thing, rednecks and their guys and--" "Don't call them that," I say. "They're just assholes. Most people you run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/you-hear-this-kind-of-thing-rednecks-and-their-guys-and-don-t-call/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Fortune-telling doesn't reveal the future; it mirrors the present. It resonates against what your subconscious already knows and hauls it up out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/fortune-telling-doesn-t-reveal-the-future-it-mirrors-the-present-it/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [When you're touched by magic, nothing's ever quite the same again. What really makes me sad is all those people who never have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/when-you-re-touched-by-magic-nothing-s-ever-quite-the-same-again-what/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [There are few joys to compare with the telling of a well-told tale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/there-are-few-joys-to-compare-with-the-telling-of-a-well-told-tale/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [How hard would it be to ask children what they see in their heads? How big should the house be in comparison to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/how-hard-would-it-be-to-ask-children-what-they-see-in-their-heads-how/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [... we chase after ghosts and spirits and are left holding only memories and dreams. It's not that we want what we can't have;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/we-chase-after-ghosts-and-spirits-and-are-left-holding-only-memories/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Writing music uses a whole different process that involves a lot of noodling and just seeing what comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/writing-music-uses-a-whole-different-process-that-involves-a-lot-of/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [The real problem is, people think life is a ladder, and it's really a wheel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-real-problem-is-people-think-life-is-a-ladder-and-it-s-really-a/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Tattoos...are the stories in your heart, written on your skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/tattoos-are-the-stories-in-your-heart-written-on-your-skin/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) [Explore all 237 Charles de Lint quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) ## More Bigger quotes > [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [In China, people are moving from bigger cars to small hatches, and interestingly, the Indian market is graduating to bigger cars and sedans. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfried-vahland/in-china-people-are-moving-from-bigger-cars-to-small-hatches-and/) [Winfried Vahland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winfried-vahland/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [I just think structure can make a book feel so much bigger. It's the architecture. You could use flimsy materials if you wanted to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/i-just-think-structure-can-make-a-book-feel-so-much-bigger-it-s-the/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [I've always thought that the most extraordinary special effect you could do is to buy a child at the moment of its birth, sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-ve-always-thought-that-the-most-extraordinary-special-effect-you/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Max—you have a bigger mission than finding the flock's parents. Focus on helping the whole world, not just your friends. I held my wings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/max-you-have-a-bigger-mission-than-finding-the-flock-s-parents-focus/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [Sometimes people can write really great scenes and even a great episode, but they can't see the bigger picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-night-shyamalan/sometimes-people-can-write-really-great-scenes-and-even-a-great/) [M. Night Shyamalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-night-shyamalan/) > [Never be too busy for the people you love. Never allow pursuits or possessions to become bigger priorities than your relationships. Love is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/never-be-too-busy-for-the-people-you-love-never-allow-pursuits-or/) [Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/) > [If you consider yourself a part of the culture, then finances can't allow you to be bigger than the actual art form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/if-you-consider-yourself-a-part-of-the-culture-then-finances-can-t/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [If we get better our customers will demand we get bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-truett-cathy/if-we-get-better-our-customers-will-demand-we-get-bigger/) [S. Truett Cathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-truett-cathy/) > [ Their \[the U.S.’s\] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/their-the-u-s-s-defense-budget-in-absolute-figures-is-almost-25-times/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [I think everyone has been annoyed at school or in their life, that's a type of bullying. So, you can take those feelings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kodi-smit-mcphee/i-think-everyone-has-been-annoyed-at-school-or-in-their-life-that-s-a/) [Kodi Smit-McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kodi-smit-mcphee/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) [Browse all 3,614 Bigger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's not all about getting your own way. 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