--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whatever you think the world is…" description: "\"Whatever you think the world is withholding from you, you are withholding from the world.\" — Eckhart Tolle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/eckhart-tolle-81_attitude_whatever-you-think-the-world-is-withhold_184907.jpg" --- # Whatever you think the world is withholding from you, you… ![“Whatever you think the world is withholding from you, you are withholding from the world.” quote by Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/eckhart-tolle-81_attitude_whatever-you-think-the-world-is-withhold_184907.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/eckhart-tolle-81_attitude_whatever-you-think-the-world-is-withhold_184907.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/eckhart-tolle-81_attitude_whatever-you-think-the-world-is-withhold_184907.jpg) > “Whatever you think the world is withholding from you, you are withholding from the world.” [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We project onto the world what we expect, and in turn the world reflects back our own expectations. **In simple terms:** Our expectations shape what we receive. Key Takeaway Align expectations with reality to change outcomes. Themes mindset expectations reflection Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal goals - relationships - career planning - spiritual practice Key Concepts self‑fulfilling prophecy perception consciousness Questions to Reflect On - What expectations are you projecting? - How can you adjust them for better outcomes? A Different Perspective If expectations are unrealistic, they can create disappointment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Have a great day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/have-a-great-day/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I feel very strongly that we make decisions about what we're giving to the world, what we're withholding from the world, by virtue of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/i-feel-very-strongly-that-we-make-decisions-about-what-we-re-giving/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [You cannot receive what you don't give. Outflow determines inflow. Whatever you think the world is withholding from you, you already have, but unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/you-cannot-receive-what-you-don-t-give-outflow-determines-inflow-2/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Whatever you think people are withholding from you-praise, appreciation, assistance, loving care, and so on-give it to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/whatever-you-think-people-are-withholding-from-you-praise/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [The moment love is equated with happiness, it is satisfied — and is no longer love. The satisfied, the happy ones, do not love;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/the-moment-love-is-equated-with-happiness-it-is-satisfied-and-is-no/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [With out passion you don't have energy, with out energy you have nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/with-out-passion-you-don-t-have-energy-with-out-energy-you-have/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [You can have a Great Day, or a Lousy Day; it's totally up to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-foreman/you-can-have-a-great-day-or-a-lousy-day-it-s-totally-up-to-you/) [Ed Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-foreman/) > [The darkness has departed and the night stars have passed by, you have touched my life like never before and I cannot stop thanking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wallace/the-darkness-has-departed-and-the-night-stars-have-passed-by-you-have/) James Wallace > [Sometimes I have a great day of filming and sometimes the theater strikes me better. It just depends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/sometimes-i-have-a-great-day-of-filming-and-sometimes-the-theater/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [When you are balancing perfectly in a tree pose, everything is easy; your breath is deep and relaxed, and your muscles are working for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-stiles/when-you-are-balancing-perfectly-in-a-tree-pose-everything-is-easy/) [Tara Stiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-stiles/) > [It's a very valuable function and requirement that you're performing, so have a great day and keep a stiff upper lip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-quayle/it-s-a-very-valuable-function-and-requirement-that-you-re-performing/) [Dan Quayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-quayle/) > [We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/we-who-lived-in-concentration-camps-can-remember-the-men-who-walked/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [Have a great day. Note: does not apply to my enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/have-a-great-day-note-does-not-apply-to-my-enemies/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [I hope everyone that is reading this is having a really good day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-anderson/i-hope-everyone-that-is-reading-this-is-having-a-really-good-day/) [Gillian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-anderson/) > [I'm busy. Thank you very much. Have a great day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-miles/i-m-busy-thank-you-very-much-have-a-great-day/) [Les Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-miles/) > [Every time I get sexually harassed, I'm supposed to turn around and yell at the person, but there are safety issues. Sometimes the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/every-time-i-get-sexually-harassed-i-m-supposed-to-turn-around-and/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) ## More by Eckhart Tolle > [“The voice in the head that never stops speaking becomes a civilization that is obsessed with form and therefore knows nothing of the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-voice-in-the-head-that-never-stops-speaking-becomes-a/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Thinking, or more precisely identification with thinking, gives rise to and maintains the ego, which, in our Western society in particular, is out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/thinking-or-more-precisely-identification-with-thinking-gives-rise-to/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“A powerful spiritual practice is consciously to allow the diminishment of ego when it happens without attempting to restore it. I recommend that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/a-powerful-spiritual-practice-is-consciously-to-allow-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [To become aware of the subtlety of nature you need to be alert. The moment you become alert you become still... thinking subsides. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/to-become-aware-of-the-subtlety-of-nature-you-need-to-be-alert-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [When you are not honoring the present moment by allowing it to be, you are creating drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-you-are-not-honoring-the-present-moment-by-allowing-it-to-be-you/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [On a deeper level you are already complete. When you realize that, there is a joyous energy behind what you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/on-a-deeper-level-you-are-already-complete-when-you-realize-that/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/life-will-give-you-whatever-experience-is-most-helpful-for-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [You may not yet be able to bring your unconscious mind activity into awareness as thoughts, but it will always be reflected in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/you-may-not-yet-be-able-to-bring-your-unconscious-mind-activity-into/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“War is a mind-set, and all action that comes out of such a mind-set will either strengthen the enemy, the perceived evil, or, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/war-is-a-mind-set-and-all-action-that-comes-out-of-such-a-mind-set/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Whenever you step out of the noise of thinking, that is meditation, and a different state of consciousness arises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/whenever-you-step-out-of-the-noise-of-thinking-that-is-meditation-and/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Get the inside right, and the outside will take care of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/get-the-inside-right-and-the-outside-will-take-care-of-itself/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [It is very hard to tell when I started to be a spiritual teacher. There was a time when occasionally somebody would come and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/it-is-very-hard-to-tell-when-i-started-to-be-a-spiritual-teacher/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Most people spend their entire life imprisoned within the confines of their own thoughts. They never go beyond a narrow, mind-made, personalized sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/most-people-spend-their-entire-life-imprisoned-within-the-confines-of/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Let the end of the world be inside you, then you don't need to fear the end of the world out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/let-the-end-of-the-world-be-inside-you-then-you-don-t-need-to-fear/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Jeste li zabrinuti? Razmišljate li često: »Što bi bilo da sam...?« To znači da ste se poistovjetili s umom, koji se projicira u neku…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/jeste-li-zabrinuti-razmi-ljate-li-esto-to-bi-bilo-da-sam-to-zna-i-da/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) [Explore all 1,493 Eckhart Tolle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) ## More Attitude quotes > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [Vow to be valiant. Resolve to be radiant. Determine to be dynamic. Strive to be sincere. Aspire to be attuned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/vow-to-be-valiant-resolve-to-be-radiant-determine-to-be-dynamic/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [Don't judge me because I'm stupid. Don't judge me because I'm, mean. Don't judge me because I'm weird. Don't judge me for mistakes. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-harden-me/don-t-judge-me-because-i-m-stupid-don-t-judge-me-because-i-m-mean-don/) Isaiah Harden (Me > [Your feelings (mood) dictate your thought, your thought determines your attitude (reactions) and your attitude describes your lifestyle, so: be careful how you feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheye-hassan/your-feelings-mood-dictate-your-thought-your-thought-determines-your/) Sheye Hassan > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [“Good Seeds! Gratitude is the Greatest Attitude that has no Substitute.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-kelvin-clive/good-seeds-gratitude-is-the-greatest-attitude-that-has-no-substitute/) [Bernard Kelvin Clive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-kelvin-clive/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [One genuine reason to feel jealous of my parents:-) I will never ever have a kid as awesome as their's...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-genuine-reason-to-feel-jealous-of-my-parents-i-will-never-ever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [My attitude it that you don't give in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-taylor/my-attitude-it-that-you-don-t-give-in/) [Phil Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-taylor/) > [Transparency pertains to impartial behavior, implies openness, communication, and accountability. Inculcate transparency in attitude and experience a life free of controversy and blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/transparency-pertains-to-impartial-behavior-implies-openness/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) [Browse all 9,543 Attitude quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whatever you think the world is withholding from you, you are withholding from the world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eckhart Tolle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/whatever-you-think-the-world-is-withholding-from-you-you-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attitude" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/whatever-you-think-the-world-is-withholding-from-you-you-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/eckhart-tolle-81_attitude_whatever-you-think-the-world-is-withhold_184907.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/eckhart-tolle-81_attitude_whatever-you-think-the-world-is-withhold_184907.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/eckhart-tolle-81_attitude_whatever-you-think-the-world-is-withhold_184907.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Whatever you think the world is withholding from you, you are withholding from the world.” — Eckhart Tolle", "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": "Eckhart Tolle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Whatever you think the world is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/whatever-you-think-the-world-is-withholding-from-you-you-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/whatever-you-think-the-world-is-withholding-from-you-you-are/#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 } } ] } ```