--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think life would be much . . . simpler…" description: "\"“I think life would be much . . . simpler . . . if a man could believe in one solid thing,” he answered, still not looking at her. “Bits and pieces her..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/167/charlie-n-holmberg-18802_bits-and-pieces_i-think-life-would-be-much-simpler-if-a_589960.jpg" --- # I think life would be much . . . simpler . . . if a man… ![“I think life would be much . . . simpler . . . if a man could believe in one solid thing,” he answered, still not looking at her. “Bits and pieces here and there do no good for a man’s soul. Thinking all of it is right or all of it is wrong does no good, either. Just as a magician cannot work all…” quote by Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/167/charlie-n-holmberg-18802_bits-and-pieces_i-think-life-would-be-much-simpler-if-a_589960.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/167/charlie-n-holmberg-18802_bits-and-pieces_i-think-life-would-be-much-simpler-if-a_589960.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/167/charlie-n-holmberg-18802_bits-and-pieces_i-think-life-would-be-much-simpler-if-a_589960.jpg) > ““I think life would be much . . . simpler . . . if a man could believe in one solid thing,” he answered, still not looking at her. “Bits and pieces here and there do no good for a man’s soul. Thinking all of it is right or all of it is wrong does no good, either. Just as a magician cannot work all materials. He must choose one. But how does he know? How do these people believe in this faith, but not the others? Yet they are happy.”” [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A man should choose a single, solid belief rather than juggling many conflicting ideas, as scattered thoughts dilute purpose. **In simple terms:** Pick one core belief to guide you. Key Takeaway Commit to a clear, guiding principle. Themes belief focus simplicity purpose choice Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - personal relationships - spiritual practice - creative projects - daily routines Key Concepts philosophy psychology spirituality Questions to Reflect On - What core belief could anchor your life? - How do you stay flexible while staying committed? A Different Perspective Choosing one belief may limit openness to new ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-faith/) [Bits and pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits-and-pieces/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Man Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-believe-345113/) [People Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-believe-230719/) [Soul Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul-thinking-1020084/) ## Related quotes > [“It was as if my soul were thinking separately from the body: she looked upon the body as a foreign substance, as we look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/it-was-as-if-my-soul-were-thinking-separately-from-the-body-she/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“I wasn’t religious. Didn’t believe in a higher power. Mundane government was crappy enough, the idea of a divine one simultaneously scared me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wildbow/i-wasn-t-religious-didn-t-believe-in-a-higher-power-mundane/) [wildbow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wildbow/) > [I can get very philosophical and ask the questions Keats was asking as a young guy. What are we here for? What's a soul?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-campion/i-can-get-very-philosophical-and-ask-the-questions-keats-was-asking/) [Jane Campion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-campion/) > [Some think they are seeking their own soul's truth but the greater Soul is thinking and seeking through them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-hellinger/some-think-they-are-seeking-their-own-soul-s-truth-but-the-greater/) [Bert Hellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-hellinger/) > [Doubts may happen. But if you surround yourself with like-minded people who believe in you and who you believe in, and you have faith,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-james/doubts-may-happen-but-if-you-surround-yourself-with-like-minded/) [Luke James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-james/) > [“When I think about it . . . I guess I’ve just taken what bits and pieces I felt were right for me and made my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-n-holmberg/when-i-think-about-it-i-guess-i-ve-just-taken-what-bits-and-pieces-i/) [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) > [“If you believe, have faith and hope then you'll discover love”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-raye/if-you-believe-have-faith-and-hope-then-you-ll-discover-love/) [Donna Raye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-raye/) > [...it may be that there is no God, that the existence of all that is beautiful and in any sense good is but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-m-mcmurrin/it-may-be-that-there-is-no-god-that-the-existence-of-all-that-is/) [Sterling M. McMurrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-m-mcmurrin/) > [A man must not only have faith but intellectual faith too. To make a man take up everything and believe it, would be to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/a-man-must-not-only-have-faith-but-intellectual-faith-too-to-make-a/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I have believed the best of every man. And find that to believe is enough to make a bad man show him at his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/i-have-believed-the-best-of-every-man-and-find-that-to-believe-is/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Man believe to have 1 Partner to show to the society, and more than 1 to hide from society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael/man-believe-to-have-1-partner-to-show-to-the-society-and-more-than-1/) [Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael/) > [The deceit, the lie of the Devil consists of this, that he wishes to make man believe that he can live without God's Word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-deceit-the-lie-of-the-devil-consists-of-this-that-he-wishes-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“A man without god is a lost man. Every man believe in something. We CANT live by ourselves thinking only in money and possesions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar/a-man-without-god-is-a-lost-man-every-man-believe-in-something-we/) [Cesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar/) > [It isn't bad judgment to make a man believe he is something. He is by nature inclined to it, and a little encouragement is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-langley-bosher/it-isn-t-bad-judgment-to-make-a-man-believe-he-is-something-he-is-by/) [Kate Langley Bosher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-langley-bosher/) > [Oh mortal man, is there anything you cannot be made to believe?. Of all the means I know to lead men, the most effectual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-weishaupt/oh-mortal-man-is-there-anything-you-cannot-be-made-to-believe-of-all/) [Adam Weishaupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-weishaupt/) ## More by Charlie N. Holmberg > [“whose dark eyes narrowed to lightless almonds,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-n-holmberg/whose-dark-eyes-narrowed-to-lightless-almonds/) [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) > [“She believed in Him; she always had. To think He didn’t exist . . . she’d be a shell empty of its nut. God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-n-holmberg/she-believed-in-him-she-always-had-to-think-he-didn-t-exist-she-d-be/) [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) > [“He was still as an oak trunk, silent as a candle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-n-holmberg/he-was-still-as-an-oak-trunk-silent-as-a-candle/) [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) > [“Jaska straightened, though his whole person seemed to wilt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-n-holmberg/jaska-straightened-though-his-whole-person-seemed-to-wilt/) [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) > [“Mad Olia had a lot to say, and most of it was nonsensical, if it could be understood at all. Like bad poetry spoken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-n-holmberg/mad-olia-had-a-lot-to-say-and-most-of-it-was-nonsensical-if-it-could/) [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) > [“Faith is a very personal thing, really. Just because you don’t meet with a group of people once a week who believe everything exactly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-n-holmberg/faith-is-a-very-personal-thing-really-just-because-you-don-t-meet/) [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) > [“Condemned by your people. Opened the second. Condemned by yourself. Opened the third. To see who you were. Opened the fourth. To see who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-n-holmberg/condemned-by-your-people-opened-the-second-condemned-by-yourself/) [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) > [“Six days. The man had been gone six days, and that was all he had to say about it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-n-holmberg/six-days-the-man-had-been-gone-six-days-and-that-was-all-he-had-to/) [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) > [“Her entire body became a heartbeat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-n-holmberg/her-entire-body-became-a-heartbeat/) [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) > [“I’d say, Ceony,” he said after swallowing, “had I not been present for the lessons, I’d think you’d found a way to enchant pasta.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-n-holmberg/i-d-say-ceony-he-said-after-swallowing-had-i-not-been-present-for-the/) [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) > [“Before she went to bed, she loaded her Tatham percussion-lock pistol and added its weight to her bounty of spells. One didn’t always need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-n-holmberg/before-she-went-to-bed-she-loaded-her-tatham-percussion-lock-pistol/) [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) > [“It’s my business to know,” Mg. Aviosky said, pointing her nose slightly closer to the ceiling. She”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-n-holmberg/it-s-my-business-to-know-mg-aviosky-said-pointing-her-nose-slightly/) [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) > [“Jaska’s rotted to the core For Jaska has denied the Lord His mum is mad, his dad is sad His soul is very, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-n-holmberg/jaska-s-rotted-to-the-core-for-jaska-has-denied-the-lord-his-mum-is/) [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) > [“They’re such little thoughts”—Matrona winced, fingers returning to her temples—“often passing as quickly as they came, or after a good night’s rest. Only, imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-n-holmberg/they-re-such-little-thoughts-matrona-winced-fingers-returning-to-her/) [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) > [“she turned the page and scanned them again, committing them to memory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-n-holmberg/she-turned-the-page-and-scanned-them-again-committing-them-to-memory/) [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) [Explore all 33 Charlie N. Holmberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) ## More Bits and pieces quotes > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [You can't fool an audience with lots of bits and pieces. You have to lead them somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-rampling/you-can-t-fool-an-audience-with-lots-of-bits-and-pieces-you-have-to/) [Charlotte Rampling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-rampling/) > [ Our revolution is like Wikipedia, okay? Everyone is contributing content, \[but\] you don't know the names of the people contributing the content. This is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wael-ghonim/our-revolution-is-like-wikipedia-okay-everyone-is-contributing/) [Wael Ghonim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wael-ghonim/) > [“I sat at her desk and turned one page after another, staring at what looked like bits and pieces of black lace laid cross…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/i-sat-at-her-desk-and-turned-one-page-after-another-staring-at-what/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“Someone who is reinventing always has spare time. Part of reinvention is collecting little bits and pieces of time and carving them the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/someone-who-is-reinventing-always-has-spare-time-part-of-reinvention/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“A clearing of a gravelly throat pulled him from his thoughts. He turned and looked at Thomas, the boat captain, who was seventy if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-kauffman/a-clearing-of-a-gravelly-throat-pulled-him-from-his-thoughts-he/) [Donna Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-kauffman/) > [At this point we've answered about every question you could possibly imagine about Deep Space Nine, so we do this thing called Theatrical Jazz,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-auberjonois/at-this-point-we-ve-answered-about-every-question-you-could-possibly/) [Rene Auberjonois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-auberjonois/) > [ I missed the whole thing \[X-files series\]. And I know it went for nine seasons, and I think I saw bits and pieces of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-darby/i-missed-the-whole-thing-x-files-series-and-i-know-it-went-for-nine/) [Rhys Darby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-darby/) > [“Novelist Sinclair Lewis was supposed to deliver an hour-long lecture to a group of college students who planned to be writers. Lewis opened his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-prichard/novelist-sinclair-lewis-was-supposed-to-deliver-an-hour-long-lecture/) [Peter Prichard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-prichard/) > [If you can't imagine it, think clumsy silence. Think bits and pieces of floating despair. And drowning in a train.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/if-you-can-t-imagine-it-think-clumsy-silence-think-bits-and-pieces-of/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“I knew that in the last few minutes everything had changed. I'd tried to hold myself apart, showing only what I wanted, doling out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-knew-that-in-the-last-few-minutes-everything-had-changed-i-d-tried/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“But everyone remembered; what she loved was this, here, now, in front of her; the fat lady in the cab. Did it matter then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/but-everyone-remembered-what-she-loved-was-this-here-now-in-front-of/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Growing up, for years and years I had no idea what the plots of operas were, and that's part of what fascinated me -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/growing-up-for-years-and-years-i-had-no-idea-what-the-plots-of-operas/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [“I have to admit that most of the time I read in the same way that I smoke and chew gum and jiggle my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/i-have-to-admit-that-most-of-the-time-i-read-in-the-same-way-that-i/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [I take little bits and pieces of ideas that I may or may not believe in but I give them to this character and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhonen-vasquez/i-take-little-bits-and-pieces-of-ideas-that-i-may-or-may-not-believe/) [Jhonen Vasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhonen-vasquez/) [Browse all 259 Bits and pieces quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits-and-pieces/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I think life would be much . . . simpler . . . if a man could believe in one solid thing,” he answered, still not looking at her. “Bits and pieces here and there do no good for a man’s soul. 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