--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Look at things as they can be, not as…" description: "\"“Look at things as they can be, not as they are.”\" — David J. Schwartz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/david-j-schwartz-10804_quote_look-at-things-as-they-can-be-not-as-the_1153187.jpg" --- # Look at things as they can be, not as they are. ![“Look at things as they can be, not as they are.” quote by David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/david-j-schwartz-10804_quote_look-at-things-as-they-can-be-not-as-the_1153187.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/david-j-schwartz-10804_quote_look-at-things-as-they-can-be-not-as-the_1153187.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/david-j-schwartz-10804_quote_look-at-things-as-they-can-be-not-as-the_1153187.jpg) > ““Look at things as they can be, not as they are.”” [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Envision possibilities beyond current reality to inspire growth and achievement. **In simple terms:** Imagine what could be, not just what is. Key Takeaway Adopt an optimistic, forward‑looking mindset. Themes optimism vision growth Mood inspirational motivational Type self‑help philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - creative problem solving - entrepreneurship Key Concepts psychology goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What steps turn vision into actionable plans? - How do you balance optimism with realism? A Different Perspective Overly idealistic visions can ignore practical constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [I always try to find a less frustrating way to look at things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-w-k/i-always-try-to-find-a-less-frustrating-way-to-look-at-things/) [Andrew W.K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-w-k/) > [Look at the other side of things even if you know you'll never agree. It creates empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/look-at-the-other-side-of-things-even-if-you-know-you-ll-never-agree/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [“If you look at things from a distance, most anything looks beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-you-look-at-things-from-a-distance-most-anything-looks-beautiful/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [If you look at things that are popular apps, it doesn't mean it's going to stick around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/if-you-look-at-things-that-are-popular-apps-it-doesn-t-mean-it-s/) [Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/) > [“There is no reason why because it is dark you should look at things differently from when it is light.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/there-is-no-reason-why-because-it-is-dark-you-should-look-at-things/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [When you are describing, A shape, or sound, or tint; Don't state the matter plainly, But put it in a hint; And learn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/when-you-are-describing-a-shape-or-sound-or-tint-don-t-state-the/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [You have to look at things that happened in your life and ask why. It comes around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-hoddle/you-have-to-look-at-things-that-happened-in-your-life-and-ask-why-it/) [Glenn Hoddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-hoddle/) > [“I guess we can all look back and see things in our lives that we could or should have done differently—and better—and”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/i-guess-we-can-all-look-back-and-see-things-in-our-lives-that-we/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [I know I'm part of the changing process of the way we look at things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-roy/i-know-i-m-part-of-the-changing-process-of-the-way-we-look-at-things/) [Duncan Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-roy/) > [We look for things I can understand. A lot of businesses I don't understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/we-look-for-things-i-can-understand-a-lot-of-businesses-i-don-t/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [“There are those who look at things the way they are and ask why. I dream of things that never were and ask why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preeti-shenoy/there-are-those-who-look-at-things-the-way-they-are-and-ask-why-i/) [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) > [We are so bemused by our own petard, that we are unable to look at things objectively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-child/we-are-so-bemused-by-our-own-petard-that-we-are-unable-to-look-at/) [Julia Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-child/) > [You know what? You didn't do anything wrong. I did. It's this dumb thing I do. I look into things and see more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/you-know-what-you-didn-t-do-anything-wrong-i-did-it-s-this-dumb-thing/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [Live in the world you inhabit. Look upon things as they are. Take them as you find them. Make the best of them. Turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/live-in-the-world-you-inhabit-look-upon-things-as-they-are-take-them/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [I do have to pinch myself at times when I look back at some of the things I have achieved. I really do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/i-do-have-to-pinch-myself-at-times-when-i-look-back-at-some-of-the/) [Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/) ## More by David J. Schwartz > [“Look at things not as they are, but as they can be. Visualization adds value to everything. A big thinker always visualizes what can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/look-at-things-not-as-they-are-but-as-they-can-be-visualization-adds/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [Attitudes are more important than intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/attitudes-are-more-important-than-intelligence/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [Then it dawned on me that no one else was going to believe in me until I believed in myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/then-it-dawned-on-me-that-no-one-else-was-going-to-believe-in-me/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [Life is too short to waste. Dreams are fulfilled only through action, not through endless planning to take action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/life-is-too-short-to-waste-dreams-are-fulfilled-only-through-action/) [David J. 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Second,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/when-we-do-what-is-known-to-be-wrong-two-negative-things-happened/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [A good idea if not acted upon produces terrible psychological pain. But a good idea acted upon brings enormous mental satisfaction. Got a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/a-good-idea-if-not-acted-upon-produces-terrible-psychological-pain/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [How much we can do, depends on how much we THINK we can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/how-much-we-can-do-depends-on-how-much-we-think-we-can-do/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [Believe it can be done. When you believe something can be done, your mind will find the ways to do it. Believing a solution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/believe-it-can-be-done-when-you-believe-something-can-be-done-your/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [Remind yourself regularly that you are better than you think you are. Successful people are not superhuman. Success does not require a super-intellect. Nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/remind-yourself-regularly-that-you-are-better-than-you-think-you-are/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [“Hope is a start. But hope needs action to win victories”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/hope-is-a-start-but-hope-needs-action-to-win-victories/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [Believe Big. The size of your success is determined by the size of your belief. Think little goals and expect little achievements. 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But you know there comes a time where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-funk/i-m-not-gonna-squeal-out-that-this-is-my-23rd-retirement-my-real-real/) [Terry Funk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-funk/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [That's one of my idols, I really look up to Pacquiao. This guy is everything I would want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-garcia/that-s-one-of-my-idols-i-really-look-up-to-pacquiao-this-guy-is/) [Ryan Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-garcia/) > [What I'd look for are roles in which the heroine's character has substance rather than just glamour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhika-pandit/what-i-d-look-for-are-roles-in-which-the-heroine-s-character-has/) [Radhika Pandit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhika-pandit/) > [If you look at the charts every year, there may be five or ten memorable songs from each year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-jackson/if-you-look-at-the-charts-every-year-there-may-be-five-or-ten/) [Randy Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-jackson/) > [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. 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