---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As cliche as it sounds, I've always told…"
description: "\"As cliche as it sounds, I've always told myself, 'Don't worry about the things you can't control. Control the things you can control.' That battle has ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/doug-baldwin-9886_always_as-cliche-as-it-sounds-i-ve-always-told_1327809.jpg"
---

#  As cliche as it sounds, I've always told myself, 'Don't…

![“As cliche as it sounds, I've always told myself, 'Don't worry about the things you can't control. Control the things you can control.' That battle has beat up on me for years.” quote by Doug Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/doug-baldwin-9886_always_as-cliche-as-it-sounds-i-ve-always-told_1327809.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/doug-baldwin-9886_always_as-cliche-as-it-sounds-i-ve-always-told_1327809.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/doug-baldwin-9886_always_as-cliche-as-it-sounds-i-ve-always-told_1327809.jpg)

> “As cliche as it sounds, I've always told myself, 'Don't worry about the things you can't control. Control the things you can control.' That battle has beat up on me for years.”

[Doug Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-baldwin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Focus on agency by accepting limits and directing effort toward controllable aspects of life.

**In simple terms:** Accept what you can control, let go of the rest.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize controllable actions.

Themes

self‑management resilience mindset

Mood

determined calm

Type

advice motivational

When to use this quote

- personal challenges
- work stress
- health issues
- relationship conflicts

Key Concepts

agency acceptance stress reduction

Questions to Reflect On

- What can you control right now?
- How does letting go reduce anxiety?

A Different Perspective

May overlook external factors that also need attention.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Things you can control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-you-can-control/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/)

## Related quotes

> [Don't worry about things you can't control, work on the things you can control and move on there more things you can handle just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rayshawn/don-t-worry-about-things-you-can-t-control-work-on-the-things-you-can/)

[Adrian Rayshawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rayshawn/)

> [I've learned from my time in this sport that you only worry about the things you can control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-bader/i-ve-learned-from-my-time-in-this-sport-that-you-only-worry-about-the/)

[Ryan Bader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-bader/)

> [Worry about the things you can control; the rest will either work themselves out, or they'll kill you. Either way, no more worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/worry-about-the-things-you-can-control-the-rest-will-either-work/)

[Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/)

> [“Control the things you can control, maggot. Let everything else take a flying fuck at you and if you must go down, go down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/control-the-things-you-can-control-maggot-let-everything-else-take-a/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [Control the things you can control. As for the rest - God bless it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/control-the-things-you-can-control-as-for-the-rest-god-bless-it-all/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [Control the things you can control .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-stosur/control-the-things-you-can-control/)

[Samantha Stosur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-stosur/)

> [In this business, you have so little control over things, but one of the things you can control is who you work with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-tenney/in-this-business-you-have-so-little-control-over-things-but-one-of/)

[Jon Tenney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-tenney/)

> [There's only certain things you can control. I know how hard I work, I know how I take care of myself, and those are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lester/there-s-only-certain-things-you-can-control-i-know-how-hard-i-work-i/)

[Jon Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lester/)

> [In football, you only work for the things you can control. You cannot control the outside world: you can only control your preparation; you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petr-cech/in-football-you-only-work-for-the-things-you-can-control-you-cannot/)

[Petr Cech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petr-cech/)

> [I learned early on that there are certain things you can control in the press, and things you cannot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/i-learned-early-on-that-there-are-certain-things-you-can-control-in/)

[John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/)

> [Invest your energy in the things you can control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-backley/invest-your-energy-in-the-things-you-can-control/)

[Steve Backley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-backley/)

> [Focus on things you can control. Things that are out of control, you can't worry about what the result is going to be, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-vogel/focus-on-things-you-can-control-things-that-are-out-of-control-you/)

[Frank Vogel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-vogel/)

> [One of the hard lessons to learn in life is that there are some things you can control and some things you can't. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/one-of-the-hard-lessons-to-learn-in-life-is-that-there-are-some/)

[John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/)

> [You've just got to go out there and try to control the things you can control. Deal with things and stay mentally strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-toews/you-ve-just-got-to-go-out-there-and-try-to-control-the-things-you-can/)

[Jonathan Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-toews/)

> [“Wisdom, someone said, is about knowing the difference between the things you can control and the things you can’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brady/wisdom-someone-said-is-about-knowing-the-difference-between-the/)

[Tom Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brady/)

## More by Doug Baldwin

> [When I was younger, I took everything seriously, and I still do to some degree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-baldwin/when-i-was-younger-i-took-everything-seriously-and-i-still-do-to-some/)

[Doug Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-baldwin/)

> [My father's a police officer, and he's told me numerous times about his training and how they've gone through what they call verbal judo,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-baldwin/my-father-s-a-police-officer-and-he-s-told-me-numerous-times-about/)

[Doug Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-baldwin/)

> [Anytime you get to go up against guys that have done well in this league, who have dominated in this league, you have got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-baldwin/anytime-you-get-to-go-up-against-guys-that-have-done-well-in-this/)

[Doug Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-baldwin/)

> [I appreciate the fans who come out here, and they support us, but it's football. We're not saving lives. We're not police officers. We're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-baldwin/i-appreciate-the-fans-who-come-out-here-and-they-support-us-but-it-s/)

[Doug Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-baldwin/)

> [The route may, say, go across the field for 22 yards. I know I have to be there, but how I get there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-baldwin/the-route-may-say-go-across-the-field-for-22-yards-i-know-i-have-to/)

[Doug Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-baldwin/)

> [I loved playing video games when I was younger, loved playing with Legos - the tech nerd, that was me for sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-baldwin/i-loved-playing-video-games-when-i-was-younger-loved-playing-with/)

[Doug Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-baldwin/)

> [I'm a religious man. I believe in God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-baldwin/i-m-a-religious-man-i-believe-in-god/)

[Doug Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-baldwin/)

> [I've always been the type that's more about academics and technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-baldwin/i-ve-always-been-the-type-that-s-more-about-academics-and-technology/)

[Doug Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-baldwin/)

> [We are kind of in a false reality here, playing football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-baldwin/we-are-kind-of-in-a-false-reality-here-playing-football/)

[Doug Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-baldwin/)

> [I support Kam Chancellor as a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-baldwin/i-support-kam-chancellor-as-a-person/)

[Doug Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-baldwin/)

> [It's easy in this world, in this business, to get caught up and get jealous of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-baldwin/it-s-easy-in-this-world-in-this-business-to-get-caught-up-and-get/)

[Doug Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-baldwin/)

> [I'm not one of those typical receivers who's like a robot in the slot or outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-baldwin/i-m-not-one-of-those-typical-receivers-who-s-like-a-robot-in-the-slot/)

[Doug Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-baldwin/)

> [I've got a chip on my shoulder, and honestly, I've always had it, but I don't think about it in those terms, like I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-baldwin/i-ve-got-a-chip-on-my-shoulder-and-honestly-i-ve-always-had-it-but-i/)

[Doug Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-baldwin/)

> [Here in Washington State, I've supported efforts to provide our law enforcement with the proper training and resources required to meet their changing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-baldwin/here-in-washington-state-i-ve-supported-efforts-to-provide-our-law/)

[Doug Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-baldwin/)

> [My motivation comes from the plays I didn't make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-baldwin/my-motivation-comes-from-the-plays-i-didn-t-make/)

[Doug Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-baldwin/)

[Explore all 69 Doug Baldwin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-baldwin/)

## More Always quotes

> [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/)

[Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/)

> [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/)

[Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/)

> [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/)

[Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/)

> [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/)

[William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/)

> [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/)

[Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/)

> [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/)

[Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/)

> [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/)

[Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/)

> [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/)

[Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/)

> [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/)

[Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/)

> [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/)

[Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/)

> [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/)

[Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/)

> [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/)

[Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/)

> [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/)

[Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/)

> [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/)

[Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/)

Browse all 36,048 Always quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "As cliche as it sounds, I've always told myself, 'Don't worry about the things you can't control. Control the things you can control.' That battle has beat up on me for years.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Doug Baldwin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-baldwin/as-cliche-as-it-sounds-i-ve-always-told-myself-don-t-worry-about-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Always"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-baldwin/as-cliche-as-it-sounds-i-ve-always-told-myself-don-t-worry-about-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/doug-baldwin-9886_always_as-cliche-as-it-sounds-i-ve-always-told_1327809.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/doug-baldwin-9886_always_as-cliche-as-it-sounds-i-ve-always-told_1327809.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/doug-baldwin-9886_always_as-cliche-as-it-sounds-i-ve-always-told_1327809.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“As cliche as it sounds, I've always told myself, 'Don't worry about the things you can't control. Control…” — Doug Baldwin",
                "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": "Doug Baldwin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-baldwin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "As cliche as it sounds, I've...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-baldwin/as-cliche-as-it-sounds-i-ve-always-told-myself-don-t-worry-about-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-baldwin/as-cliche-as-it-sounds-i-ve-always-told-myself-don-t-worry-about-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
