--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're used to having nothing, the…" description: "\"When you're used to having nothing, the first time you have something, you get really focused. You know if you lose it, it may not be easy to get it ba..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/599/francis-ngannou-29060_easy_when-you-re-used-to-having-nothing-the-f_351549.jpg" --- # When you're used to having nothing, the first time you… ![“When you're used to having nothing, the first time you have something, you get really focused. You know if you lose it, it may not be easy to get it back.” quote by Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/599/francis-ngannou-29060_easy_when-you-re-used-to-having-nothing-the-f_351549.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/599/francis-ngannou-29060_easy_when-you-re-used-to-having-nothing-the-f_351549.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/599/francis-ngannou-29060_easy_when-you-re-used-to-having-nothing-the-f_351549.jpg) > “When you're used to having nothing, the first time you have something, you get really focused. You know if you lose it, it may not be easy to get it back.” [Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Having scarcity sharpens focus and appreciation for new gains. **In simple terms:** Scarcity fuels focus. Key Takeaway Value and protect what you have. Themes focus appreciation scarcity Mood focused grateful Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - career advancement - financial planning - personal health Key Concepts motivation psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does scarcity affect your performance? - What steps protect you from losing what you’ve earned? A Different Perspective Abundance can also breed complacency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [First time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-time/) [Focused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focused/) [Know Lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-lose/) [Lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lose/) [Lose Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lose-easy-2050656/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Really Focused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-focused/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Jim Rohrbach sticks to his rules. You can learn from him and win, or ignore him and lose. It's an easy choice. He gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-covel/jim-rohrbach-sticks-to-his-rules-you-can-learn-from-him-and-win-or/) [Michael Covel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-covel/) > [The men up on the news. They try to tell us all that we will lose. But it's so easy in this blue. Where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/the-men-up-on-the-news-they-try-to-tell-us-all-that-we-will-lose-but/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [“When you have nothing left to lose, it's easy to dive deep into those deep, dark hidden places and write your truth. I'm there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lesko/when-you-have-nothing-left-to-lose-it-s-easy-to-dive-deep-into-those/) [Lori Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lesko/) > [The artists of the past who impressed me were the ones who really focused their work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/the-artists-of-the-past-who-impressed-me-were-the-ones-who-really/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [I'm really focused on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-cargill/i-m-really-focused-on-myself/) [Jade Cargill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-cargill/) > [Defense is gonna help me in particular and help my team, so that's what I've really focused on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-adams/defense-is-gonna-help-me-in-particular-and-help-my-team-so-that-s/) [Steven Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-adams/) > [I'm really focused on my research almost 100 percent. That, and my family and kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-derisi/i-m-really-focused-on-my-research-almost-100-percent-that-and-my/) [Joseph DeRisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-derisi/) > [If you love something, you have to stay really focused and can't let outside things distract you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-justice/if-you-love-something-you-have-to-stay-really-focused-and-can-t-let/) [Victoria Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-justice/) > [I haven't really focused so much on getting acting work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlene-tilton/i-haven-t-really-focused-so-much-on-getting-acting-work/) [Charlene Tilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlene-tilton/) > [You never know what you have until you lose it, and once you lose it, you can never get it back. ~ This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candy/you-never-know-what-you-have-until-you-lose-it-and-once-you-lose-it/) [CANDY](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candy/) > [I know how to lose and I know how to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-massa/i-know-how-to-lose-and-i-know-how-to-win/) [Felipe Massa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-massa/) > [Sometimes we should be hurt in order to grow, sometimes we must fail in order to know, sometimes we must lose in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wil/sometimes-we-should-be-hurt-in-order-to-grow-sometimes-we-must-fail/) [Wil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wil/) > [You never know what you have until you lose it. WRONG. you always know what you have.. but. you never thought that you'd lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megannn/you-never-know-what-you-have-until-you-lose-it-wrong-you-always-know/) [Megannn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megannn/) > [“To know too much is to lose the wonder of mystery. In answering every question we forget the value of not knowing.’ ‘There”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/to-know-too-much-is-to-lose-the-wonder-of-mystery-in-answering-every/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [Nobody can ask me more when I try all my best all the time, no? So, you know, if I lose another time in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-nadal/nobody-can-ask-me-more-when-i-try-all-my-best-all-the-time-no-so-you/) [Rafael Nadal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-nadal/) ## More by Francis Ngannou > [People easily quit their dream because it's not easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/people-easily-quit-their-dream-because-it-s-not-easy/) [Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/) > [Just do what you do. Sometimes you do well, and sometimes you do wrong, but you have to just be able to deal with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/just-do-what-you-do-sometimes-you-do-well-and-sometimes-you-do-wrong/) [Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/) > [The one who intimidates me is myself. I'm scared to fail. That is the thing that makes me the most afraid, to fail. Just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/the-one-who-intimidates-me-is-myself-i-m-scared-to-fail-that-is-the/) [Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/) > [I've been in this sport only four years, and I know that I'll keep learning and improving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/i-ve-been-in-this-sport-only-four-years-and-i-know-that-i-ll-keep/) [Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/) > [I keep my head straight toward my goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/i-keep-my-head-straight-toward-my-goal/) [Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/) > [Listen to what I'm saying: I'm back. Junior Dos Santos, Alexander Volkov, or revenge against Stipe Miocic. That fight, I didn't do well, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/listen-to-what-i-m-saying-i-m-back-junior-dos-santos-alexander-volkov/) [Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/) > [I am building a foundation in Cameroon, and it's not just about the sport. The goal of the foundation is not to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/i-am-building-a-foundation-in-cameroon-and-it-s-not-just-about-the/) [Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/) > [Watching some heavyweights like Mike Tyson, he inspired me to work with my speed because he beat people with power, but most of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/watching-some-heavyweights-like-mike-tyson-he-inspired-me-to-work/) [Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/) > [At the beginning, my dream was to become a world-class boxer, but then I stepped into MMA. And when I stepped into MMA, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/at-the-beginning-my-dream-was-to-become-a-world-class-boxer-but-then/) [Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/) > [Speed is something that, in the heavyweight division, we don't have a lot of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/speed-is-something-that-in-the-heavyweight-division-we-don-t-have-a/) [Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/) > [There are a lot of people out there who want to fight me. I saw Mark Hunt; he would be a great one. By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/there-are-a-lot-of-people-out-there-who-want-to-fight-me-i-saw-mark/) [Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/) > [As a challenger, I need and want to fight some people because that would give me the opportunity to get to the title shot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/as-a-challenger-i-need-and-want-to-fight-some-people-because-that/) [Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/) > [The most important thing for me is to win the fight and not what people are going to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/the-most-important-thing-for-me-is-to-win-the-fight-and-not-what/) [Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/) > [The biggest win of my career is coming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/the-biggest-win-of-my-career-is-coming/) [Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/) > [I'm going to make my own heaven. I'm going to struggle for it. I'm going to fight to earn everything I dream about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/i-m-going-to-make-my-own-heaven-i-m-going-to-struggle-for-it-i-m/) [Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/) [Explore all 18 Francis Ngannou quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/) ## More Easy quotes > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [I don't want easy success. It's boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudeep/i-don-t-want-easy-success-it-s-boring/) [Sudeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudeep/) > [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/) > [she got a reputation for an easy smile and a sharp tongue, and using one to balance the other, she seemed friendly but distant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/she-got-a-reputation-for-an-easy-smile-and-a-sharp-tongue-and-using/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [People think that the Club World Cup is an easy competition, but it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keylor-navas/people-think-that-the-club-world-cup-is-an-easy-competition-but-it-s/) [Keylor Navas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keylor-navas/) > [New York is large, glamorous, easy-going, kindly and incurious, but above all it is a crucible - because it is large enough to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/new-york-is-large-glamorous-easy-going-kindly-and-incurious-but-above/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [Sometimes life can suck and not be fair ,but we have to deal with it,because we feel we cant do anything but,we can.We have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-life-can-suck-and-not-be-fair-but-we-have-to-deal-with-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Mortals are such fragile things. Just tender feelings walking around exposed in their delicate shells...Easy to crush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/mortals-are-such-fragile-things-just-tender-feelings-walking-around/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [I don't know why, but I'm an easy target. And I don't do anything to dispel it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-mcginley/i-don-t-know-why-but-i-m-an-easy-target-and-i-don-t-do-anything-to/) [Ted McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-mcginley/) > [I know that I'm going to have to work hard, keep working hard, and not because of this victory think, "I'm back." I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-clijsters/i-know-that-i-m-going-to-have-to-work-hard-keep-working-hard-and-not/) [Kim Clijsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-clijsters/) > [It's easy to make mistakes. It's living with the consequences of them that's the hardest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/it-s-easy-to-make-mistakes-it-s-living-with-the-consequences-of-them/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [In business, as in politics, it is never easy to go against the beliefs and attitudes held by the majority. The businessman who moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-business-as-in-politics-it-is-never-easy-to-go-against-the-beliefs/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) [Browse all 14,306 Easy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you're used to having nothing, the first time you have something, you get really focused. 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