--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ... it struck me as so hard to believe I…" description: "\"... it struck me as so hard to believe I was really getting what I wanted; it was always easier to feel the lack of something than the thing itself.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a24/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_believe_it-struck-me-as-so-hard-to-believe-i-was_1923082.png" --- # ... it struck me as so hard to believe I was really… ![“... it struck me as so hard to believe I was really getting what I wanted; it was always easier to feel the lack of something than the thing itself.” quote by Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a24/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_believe_it-struck-me-as-so-hard-to-believe-i-was_1923082.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a24/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_believe_it-struck-me-as-so-hard-to-believe-i-was_1923082.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a24/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_believe_it-struck-me-as-so-hard-to-believe-i-was_1923082.png) > “... it struck me as so hard to believe I was really getting what I wanted; it was always easier to feel the lack of something than the thing itself.” [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing that desire often feels more tangible than the actual achievement, leading to a paradox of satisfaction. **In simple terms:** Wanting feels easier than having. Key Takeaway Appreciate the present, not just the longing. Themes desire perception contentment Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - goal pursuit - mindfulness - gratitude - self‑reflection Key Concepts psychology cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - What do you value more: the chase or the catch? - How can you savor progress before completion? A Different Perspective It may overlook the effort needed to attain the goal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Easier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easier/) [Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/) [Feel Lack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-lack-658509/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Hard Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-believe/) [Hard to believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-to-believe/) [Lack Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lack-thing-2965253/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wanted Easier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-easier-2965252/) ## Related quotes > [It's hard to believe sometimes that I am the world record holder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armand-duplantis/it-s-hard-to-believe-sometimes-that-i-am-the-world-record-holder/) [Armand Duplantis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armand-duplantis/) > [“It's hard to believe that something that seems so permanent was once so different”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/it-s-hard-to-believe-that-something-that-seems-so-permanent-was-once/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) > [Its hard to believe that the person who love and care for others is the most lonely person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/its-hard-to-believe-that-the-person-who-love-and-care-for-others-is/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Baby your all I want, when you're laying here in my arms, I'm finding it hard to believe, we're in heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/baby-your-all-i-want-when-you-re-laying-here-in-my-arms-i-m-finding/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [What one heart finds hard to believe, a hundred find easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-willard/what-one-heart-finds-hard-to-believe-a-hundred-find-easy/) [Nancy Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-willard/) > [It's hard to believe that you're really here, so I just pretend that you're not here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edie-brickell/it-s-hard-to-believe-that-you-re-really-here-so-i-just-pretend-that/) [Edie Brickell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edie-brickell/) > [I was born in the USA, which many people still find hard to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-romero/i-was-born-in-the-usa-which-many-people-still-find-hard-to-believe/) [Cesar Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-romero/) > [Yes, in fact, it's hard to believe this, but it was almost 18 years ago when I first got the idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/yes-in-fact-it-s-hard-to-believe-this-but-it-was-almost-18-years-ago/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [“People believe what they want to believe, lad. It’s very hard to believe in anything that will make you unhappy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-duncan/people-believe-what-they-want-to-believe-lad-it-s-very-hard-to/) [Dave Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-duncan/) > [If you're going to be unreligious, it's likely going to be due to reflecting on it and finding some things that are hard to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/if-you-re-going-to-be-unreligious-it-s-likely-going-to-be-due-to/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [Realest nigga out, it ain't hard to believe me. Thats why all the people that you know try they hardest to be me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/realest-nigga-out-it-ain-t-hard-to-believe-me-thats-why-all-the/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [“to somebody. It’s hard to believe he’d get a break”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sandford/to-somebody-it-s-hard-to-believe-he-d-get-a-break/) [John Sandford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sandford/) > [Its hard to believe someone, when they make so many excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vannyrae/its-hard-to-believe-someone-when-they-make-so-many-excuses/) [VannyRae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannyrae/) > [If you stumble over mere believability, what are you living for? Love is hard to believe, ask any lover. Life is hard to believe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/if-you-stumble-over-mere-believability-what-are-you-living-for-love/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [“Sometimes it's hard to believe what we are really.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riyadh-razzaq/sometimes-it-s-hard-to-believe-what-we-are-really/) [Riyadh Razzaq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riyadh-razzaq/) ## More by Curtis Sittenfeld > [The best part of being a writer for me is immersing myself in a fictional world, which is the opposite of being on social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/the-best-part-of-being-a-writer-for-me-is-immersing-myself-in-a/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“I think adults forget just how much faith teenagers can have in them, just how willing to believe that adults, by virtue of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/i-think-adults-forget-just-how-much-faith-teenagers-can-have-in-them/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“She came down to my dorm that night, knocking on the door around nine o'clock. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/i-should-probably-be-careful-admitting-this-but-sometimes-when-my/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“Approaching each other, him from the gym, me from the library- this was when I walked down the aisle and he was waiting, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/approaching-each-other-him-from-the-gym-me-from-the-library-this-was/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [After I’d told her – the mall, the taxi, Cross stroking my hair – she said, ‘Did he kiss you?’ ‘John and Martin totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/after-i-d-told-her-the-mall-the-taxi-cross-stroking-my-hair-she-said/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [There's an ongoing 'water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink' situation at my house in terms of both pens and paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/there-s-an-ongoing-water-water-everywhere-and-not-a-drop-to-drink/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [She opened her mouth but did not immediately speak, and I felt, simultaneously, the impulse to coax the words from her and the impulse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/she-opened-her-mouth-but-did-not-immediately-speak-and-i-felt/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“But the truth was that I didn't want to stay in Riley. The pulls of familial love and obligation could not, for the moment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/but-the-truth-was-that-i-didn-t-want-to-stay-in-riley-the-pulls-of/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“Profii de aici le-au vazut pe toate. Noi ne percepem ca individualitati distincte, dar in ochii lor nu suntem decat o masa de nevoi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/profii-de-aici-le-au-vazut-pe-toate-noi-ne-percepem-ca/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [When I was writing my first two books I was also freelancing and teaching and doing other odd jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/when-i-was-writing-my-first-two-books-i-was-also-freelancing-and/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“When I think of Henry and Oliver and Mike, I feel as if they are three different models - templates, almost - and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/when-i-think-of-henry-and-oliver-and-mike-i-feel-as-if-they-are-three/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) [Explore all 212 Curtis Sittenfeld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. 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Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "... it struck me as so hard to believe I was really getting what I wanted; it was always easier to feel the lack of something than the thing itself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Curtis Sittenfeld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/it-struck-me-as-so-hard-to-believe-i-was-really-getting-what-i-wanted/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/it-struck-me-as-so-hard-to-believe-i-was-really-getting-what-i-wanted/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a24/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_believe_it-struck-me-as-so-hard-to-believe-i-was_1923082.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a24/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_believe_it-struck-me-as-so-hard-to-believe-i-was_1923082.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a24/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_believe_it-struck-me-as-so-hard-to-believe-i-was_1923082.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“... it struck me as so hard to believe I was really getting what I wanted; it was always easier to feel the…” — Curtis Sittenfeld", "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": "Curtis Sittenfeld", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "... it struck me as so...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/it-struck-me-as-so-hard-to-believe-i-was-really-getting-what-i-wanted/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/it-struck-me-as-so-hard-to-believe-i-was-really-getting-what-i-wanted/#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 } } ] } ```