--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What if you believed that everything in…" description: "\"What if you believed that everything in life was like a prize? What if you thought of the world as a big random drawing, and you were always winning th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/728/dan-chaon-2729_alive_what-if-you-believed-that-everything-in_1481006.png" --- # What if you believed that everything in life was like a… ![“What if you believed that everything in life was like a prize? What if you thought of the world as a big random drawing, and you were always winning things, the world offering them up with a big grin, like an emcee's: Here you go, Hollis. Here is a motorcycle. Here is a little boy who loves you…” quote by Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/728/dan-chaon-2729_alive_what-if-you-believed-that-everything-in_1481006.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/728/dan-chaon-2729_alive_what-if-you-believed-that-everything-in_1481006.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/728/dan-chaon-2729_alive_what-if-you-believed-that-everything-in_1481006.png) > “What if you believed that everything in life was like a prize? What if you thought of the world as a big random drawing, and you were always winning things, the world offering them up with a big grin, like an emcee's: Here you go, Hollis. Here is a motorcycle. Here is a little boy who loves you. Here is a weird experience, here is something bad that you should mull over because it will make you a better person. What if you could think that life was this free vacation you'd won, and you won just because you happened to be alive?” [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Viewing life as a series of gifts encourages optimism and resilience; seeing challenges as opportunities for growth. **In simple terms:** Life is a winning game of gifts. Key Takeaway Adopt a grateful, playful mindset. Themes optimism gratitude resilience Mood hopeful playful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - daily setbacks - health challenges - career setbacks - relationship conflicts Key Concepts psychology mindset positive reframing Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance gratitude with realistic problem solving? - What “gifts” have you found in difficult moments? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on positivity may ignore real problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Better person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-person/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Little boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-boys/) [Motorcycle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motorcycle/) [Prize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prize/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Vacation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vacation/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [When I first heard that I had won the prize, I thought that it was something for myself, that it was something personal, recognition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/when-i-first-heard-that-i-had-won-the-prize-i-thought-that-it-was/) [Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/) > [... but that's what mankind is like: they only prize what they no longer possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/but-that-s-what-mankind-is-like-they-only-prize-what-they-no-longer/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [“It made no sense when he looked at me that way. Like I was the prize rather than the outrageously lucky winner.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/it-made-no-sense-when-he-looked-at-me-that-way-like-i-was-the-prize/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [I'm like a prize fighter. When I'm not on stage, every action that I take has to be focused on my next performance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-ripley/i-m-like-a-prize-fighter-when-i-m-not-on-stage-every-action-that-i/) [Alice Ripley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-ripley/) > [Love is like a prize, it's either you keep and treasure it or forever be alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-ramkaran/love-is-like-a-prize-it-s-either-you-keep-and-treasure-it-or-forever/) Christine Ramkaran > [ I don't remember who wins awards \[Oscars\]. I've won a few but what I really remember are movies. I love films, so I'm not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-don-t-remember-who-wins-awards-oscars-i-ve-won-a-few-but-what-i/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [The victory is always sweeter... winning things with friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-o-driscoll/the-victory-is-always-sweeter-winning-things-with-friends/) [Brian O'Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-o-driscoll/) > [I love football and I love winning, and when things aren't going right I get annoyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-beckham/i-love-football-and-i-love-winning-and-when-things-aren-t-going-right/) [David Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-beckham/) > [Of course I love winning things; I can't tell you how much I enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-fellowes/of-course-i-love-winning-things-i-can-t-tell-you-how-much-i-enjoy-it/) [Julian Fellowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-fellowes/) > [You have to forgive me because I have a habit of not winning things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/you-have-to-forgive-me-because-i-have-a-habit-of-not-winning-things/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [I do not take winning things for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-carrick/i-do-not-take-winning-things-for-granted/) [Michael Carrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-carrick/) > [Football is all about winning things as a team but it's also important to pick up individual awards along the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-gerrard/football-is-all-about-winning-things-as-a-team-but-it-s-also/) [Steven Gerrard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-gerrard/) > [Now began the part of her life where she was just very beautiful, except for nothing. Only winners will know what this feels like.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-july/now-began-the-part-of-her-life-where-she-was-just-very-beautiful/) [Miranda July](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-july/) > [ I think probably winning these things \[an Oscar\] can be a bit of a curse depending on who you are and how you think.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-think-probably-winning-these-things-an-oscar-can-be-a-bit-of-a/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [If the most important thing for your project is to put on a circus, then you have less chance of winning things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-figo/if-the-most-important-thing-for-your-project-is-to-put-on-a-circus/) [Luis Figo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-figo/) ## More by Dan Chaon > [“Maybe love, like suffering, is relative. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/maybe-love-like-suffering-is-relative/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [Even when our death is imminent, we carry the image of ourselves moving forward, alive, into the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/even-when-our-death-is-imminent-we-carry-the-image-of-ourselves/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [For the last few years I've tried to force myself to write at least one page every day, which doesn't sound like much but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/for-the-last-few-years-i-ve-tried-to-force-myself-to-write-at-least/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [“It's hard to believe that this is how it's done. That this is how we get here into the world, by accident or design,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/it-s-hard-to-believe-that-this-is-how-it-s-done-that-this-is-how-we/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [I also have just my own limits about stuff. I'm not interested in writing graphically about sexual assault for example. I feel like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/i-also-have-just-my-own-limits-about-stuff-i-m-not-interested-in/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [“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/) > [“Outside, the sleet had gotten thicker. You could hear it pebbling against the large glass windows, you could see it swirling wildly through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/outside-the-sleet-had-gotten-thicker-you-could-hear-it-pebbling/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [I was worried that, as a college teacher, if I wrote too much about intergenerational sex my students would be creeped out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/i-was-worried-that-as-a-college-teacher-if-i-wrote-too-much-about/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [Plot and scene are still the hardest things for me, though I think they're the building blocks of what makes a story work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/plot-and-scene-are-still-the-hardest-things-for-me-though-i-think/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [“I've been talking to myself a lot lately. I don't know what that's about, but my mother was the same way. She hated to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/i-ve-been-talking-to-myself-a-lot-lately-i-don-t-know-what-that-s/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [“Your Mom's Car. Think about that. Try to wrap your brain around the supernatural and spiritual implications that the name bears down you. Your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/your-mom-s-car-think-about-that-try-to-wrap-your-brain-around-the/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [“He pictures amputated human arms flopping like fish down the center of the road; syringes floating on beds of liposuctioned fat; gelatinous human eyeballs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/he-pictures-amputated-human-arms-flopping-like-fish-down-the-center/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [“In the basement of Sydney's new house is a little room that is about the size and shape of a coffin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/in-the-basement-of-sydney-s-new-house-is-a-little-room-that-is-about/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [“It’s called apophenia. It’s the tendency we humans have to find meaning in disconnected information. For example, some people believe in what’s called the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/it-s-called-apophenia-it-s-the-tendency-we-humans-have-to-find/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [I would say that all short stories have mystery naturally built into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/i-would-say-that-all-short-stories-have-mystery-naturally-built-into/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) [Explore all 152 Dan Chaon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) ## More Alive quotes > [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 feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What if you believed that everything in life was like a prize? What if you thought of the world as a big random drawing, and you were always winning things, the world offering them up with a big grin, like an emcee's: Here you go, Hollis. Here is a motorcycle. Here is a little boy who loves you. Here is a weird experience, here is something bad that you should mull over because it will make you a better person. 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