--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The universe hands you opportunities for…" description: "\"The universe hands you opportunities for a while, and if you don't take them, the universe says to itself, 'Oh I see, this person doesn't like opportun..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6d/douglas-coupland-305_giving_the-universe-hands-you-opportunities-for_596850.jpg" --- # The universe hands you opportunities for a while, and if… ![“The universe hands you opportunities for a while, and if you don't take them, the universe says to itself, 'Oh I see, this person doesn't like opportunities' and stops giving them to you.” quote by Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6d/douglas-coupland-305_giving_the-universe-hands-you-opportunities-for_596850.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6d/douglas-coupland-305_giving_the-universe-hands-you-opportunities-for_596850.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6d/douglas-coupland-305_giving_the-universe-hands-you-opportunities-for_596850.jpg) > “The universe hands you opportunities for a while, and if you don't take them, the universe says to itself, 'Oh I see, this person doesn't like opportunities' and stops giving them to you.” [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The universe offers chances, but ignoring them leads to fewer future opportunities. **In simple terms:** Ignore opportunities, and they stop coming. Key Takeaway Act on chances when they appear. Themes opportunity choice consequence Mood reflective motivational Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - personal projects - networking events - daily choices Key Concepts Existentialism self‑fulfilling prophecy Questions to Reflect On - What opportunities have you missed? - How can you become more proactive? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex life circumstances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [Generally, when you let go of your vision of how something is supposed to be, the universe hands you exactly what you need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-crow/generally-when-you-let-go-of-your-vision-of-how-something-is-supposed/) [Sheryl Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-crow/) > [I would like to have opportunities in my career to do parts that people would remember - either the whole character or certain moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-peck/i-would-like-to-have-opportunities-in-my-career-to-do-parts-that/) [Austin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-peck/) > [“When I make a photograph I feel that I hold a piece of the universe in my hands.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-chaplo/when-i-make-a-photograph-i-feel-that-i-hold-a-piece-of-the-universe/) Paul Chaplo > [As an actor, there's always the question, especially for someone like me: Will I ever get more opportunities? You don't want to address the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/as-an-actor-there-s-always-the-question-especially-for-someone-like/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/all-the-powers-in-the-universe-are-already-ours-it-is-we-who-have-put/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I have been fortunate to get different types of work, but by and large till 90s for actors like me there were not many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-kapur/i-have-been-fortunate-to-get-different-types-of-work-but-by-and-large/) [Pankaj Kapur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-kapur/) > [“a open pot can't hide, a inch-opened door can't hide much, but an open man is hiding the universe. she says something else, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jordan/a-open-pot-can-t-hide-a-inch-opened-door-can-t-hide-much-but-an-open/) [robert jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jordan/) > [“The world says fit in; the universe says stand out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/the-world-says-fit-in-the-universe-says-stand-out/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Whereas it (modern science) does say that we are an accident in an indifferent universe, it also says that we are a rare accident…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcelo-gleiser/whereas-it-modern-science-does-say-that-we-are-an-accident-in-an/) [Marcelo Gleiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcelo-gleiser/) > [The universe never says no to your thought about yourself. It only grows it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/the-universe-never-says-no-to-your-thought-about-yourself-it-only/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [If a man stops giving you the same attention, it's because another woman already has his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-tomasello/if-a-man-stops-giving-you-the-same-attention-it-s-because-another/) [Mario Tomasello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-tomasello/) > [“Breast milk is like the well that never stops giving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/titilayo-medunoye/breast-milk-is-like-the-well-that-never-stops-giving/) Titilayo Medunoye > [We seem to have reached the age where life stops giving us things and starts taking them away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-broadbent/we-seem-to-have-reached-the-age-where-life-stops-giving-us-things-and/) [Jim Broadbent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-broadbent/) > [We have reached an age where life stops giving and starts taking...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-have-reached-an-age-where-life-stops-giving-and-starts-taking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God keeps giving Himself as long as we bring that into which He can pour Himself. And when we stop bringing, He stops giving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/god-keeps-giving-himself-as-long-as-we-bring-that-into-which-he-can/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) ## More by Douglas Coupland > [And in your new lives you'll have to live entirely for that one sensation-that of imminent truth. And you're going to have to holler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-in-your-new-lives-you-ll-have-to-live-entirely-for-that-one/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [A man in a bookstore buys a book on loneliness and every woman in the store hits on him. A woman buys a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/a-man-in-a-bookstore-buys-a-book-on-loneliness-and-every-woman-in-the/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [The future and eternity are two entirely different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/the-future-and-eternity-are-two-entirely-different-things/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Do you remember how you felt at seventeen? I do and I don't (...) Imagine you came from outer space and someone showed you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/do-you-remember-how-you-felt-at-seventeen-i-do-and-i-don-t-imagine/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [You can't fake competence, creativity, or sexual arousal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/you-can-t-fake-competence-creativity-or-sexual-arousal/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“But Dag, for all of his efforts, might as well have been talking to a cat. Our parents’ generation seems neither able nor interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/but-dag-for-all-of-his-efforts-might-as-well-have-been-talking-to-a/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Negative? Moi? I think realistic might be a better word. You mean to tell me we can drive all the way here from L.A.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/negative-moi-i-think-realistic-might-be-a-better-word-you-mean-to/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [It was pivotal in making you but you don't remember it. Or do you? Do we understand the events that make us who we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/it-was-pivotal-in-making-you-but-you-don-t-remember-it-or-do-you-do/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Your ability to rationalize your own bad deeds makes you believe that the whole world is as amoral as you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/your-ability-to-rationalize-your-own-bad-deeds-makes-you-believe-that/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“I like to go beach-combing, and I like to find interestingly shaped rocks. When I really get into the groove I start finding beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/i-like-to-go-beach-combing-and-i-like-to-find-interestingly-shaped/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“You know, Dag and Claire smile a lot, as do many people I know. But I always wondered if there is something either mechanical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/you-know-dag-and-claire-smile-a-lot-as-do-many-people-i-know-but-i/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Brain research tells us that only twenty percent of human beings have a sense of irony, which means that eighty percent of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/brain-research-tells-us-that-only-twenty-percent-of-human-beings-have/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [I keep vampire hours, going to bed at 2 A.M. and waking up at about 10:30-11 A.M.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/i-keep-vampire-hours-going-to-bed-at-2-a-m-and-waking-up-at-about-10/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“Anna-Louise leans over and whispers in my ear. "This is so surreal," she says, "I think I'm turning into a melting clock.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/anna-louise-leans-over-and-whispers-in-my-ear-this-is-so-surreal-she/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [When you grow up these days, you're told you're going to have four or five different careers during your lifetime. But what they don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/when-you-grow-up-these-days-you-re-told-you-re-going-to-have-four-or/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) [Explore all 704 Douglas Coupland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) ## More Giving quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [You've touched people and known it. You've touched people and never may know it. Either way, you have something to give. It is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/you-ve-touched-people-and-known-it-you-ve-touched-people-and-never/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [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 received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) Riffat Hassan > [Grandma, please. It’s okay. Dad’s doing a great job. I give him kudos for at least being calm and rational, and not losing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/grandma-please-it-s-okay-dad-s-doing-a-great-job-i-give-him-kudos-for/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [Give me strength to walk the soft earth, a relative to all that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/give-me-strength-to-walk-the-soft-earth-a-relative-to-all-that-is/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [I don't think my relationship with the idea of womanhood is that attached to giving birth... like, I'm fully aware that I'll never give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-harrison/i-don-t-think-my-relationship-with-the-idea-of-womanhood-is-that/) [Patti Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-harrison/) [Browse all 39,303 Giving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The universe hands you opportunities for a while, and if you don't take them, the universe says to itself, 'Oh I see, this person doesn't like opportunities' and stops giving them to you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Douglas Coupland" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/the-universe-hands-you-opportunities-for-a-while-and-if-you-don-t/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Giving" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/the-universe-hands-you-opportunities-for-a-while-and-if-you-don-t/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6d/douglas-coupland-305_giving_the-universe-hands-you-opportunities-for_596850.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6d/douglas-coupland-305_giving_the-universe-hands-you-opportunities-for_596850.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6d/douglas-coupland-305_giving_the-universe-hands-you-opportunities-for_596850.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The universe hands you opportunities for a while, and if you don't take them, the universe says to itself…” — Douglas Coupland", "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": "Douglas Coupland", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The universe hands you opportunities for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/the-universe-hands-you-opportunities-for-a-while-and-if-you-don-t/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/the-universe-hands-you-opportunities-for-a-while-and-if-you-don-t/#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 } } ] } ```