--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We’ve all seen the same situation happen…" description: "\"We’ve all seen the same situation happen to two people. One looks for the lesson, sets their shoulders back and presses on while the other asks ‘why do..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cc/gail-kelly-27344_asks_we-ve-all-seen-the-same-situation-happen_2206236.jpg" --- # We’ve all seen the same situation happen to two people… ![“We’ve all seen the same situation happen to two people. One looks for the lesson, sets their shoulders back and presses on while the other asks ‘why does it always happen to me?’ You can choose not to sit on the fence. You can choose not to criticise. You must stand as guard at the door of your…” quote by Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cc/gail-kelly-27344_asks_we-ve-all-seen-the-same-situation-happen_2206236.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cc/gail-kelly-27344_asks_we-ve-all-seen-the-same-situation-happen_2206236.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cc/gail-kelly-27344_asks_we-ve-all-seen-the-same-situation-happen_2206236.jpg) > “We’ve all seen the same situation happen to two people. One looks for the lesson, sets their shoulders back and presses on while the other asks ‘why does it always happen to me?’ You can choose not to sit on the fence. You can choose not to criticise. You must stand as guard at the door of your own mind and choose to be positive.” [Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing a proactive mindset over victimhood determines personal growth and resilience. **In simple terms:** Pick a positive stance instead of blaming. Key Takeaway Adopt a constructive attitude. Themes mindset resilience choice positivity self‑control Mood determined optimistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career challenges - relationship conflicts - health setbacks - daily stress - personal development Key Concepts personal growth psychology agency Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn setbacks into learning? - What habits support a positive mindset? A Different Perspective Positive thinking alone may not change external circumstances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-positive/) [Lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessons/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [You can choose not to sit on the fence. You can choose not to criticise. You must stand as guard at the door of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kelly/you-can-choose-not-to-sit-on-the-fence-you-can-choose-not-to/) [Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) > [You must stand as guard at the door of your own mind and choose to be positive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kelly/you-must-stand-as-guard-at-the-door-of-your-own-mind-and-choose-to-be/) [Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) > [“Don't sit on the fence; break it and move out! Don’t be confined to the little things you do; the sky should be below…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/don-t-sit-on-the-fence-break-it-and-move-out-don-t-be-confined-to-the/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [India cannot sit on the fence anymore. It may have to make a choice. Either way it is going face problems,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/india-cannot-sit-on-the-fence-anymore-it-may-have-to-make-a-choice/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [I don't think we can sit on the fence anymore. We have to make up our minds. And if one wants to choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seal/i-don-t-think-we-can-sit-on-the-fence-anymore-we-have-to-make-up-our/) [Seal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seal/) > [I try and sit on the fence because as soon as you voice any kind of opinion, people begin to think you're an idiot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-harris/i-try-and-sit-on-the-fence-because-as-soon-as-you-voice-any-kind-of/) [Calvin Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-harris/) > [In any organization there ought to be the possibility of discussion... fence sitting is an art, and it's difficult, and it's important to do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/in-any-organization-there-ought-to-be-the-possibility-of-discussion/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [“that if you were offered the choice between a splendid body or a splendid mind you would choose the mind, because it would long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgette-heyer/that-if-you-were-offered-the-choice-between-a-splendid-body-or-a/) [Georgette Heyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgette-heyer/) > [“Circumstances and situations do color life, but you have been given the mind to choose what the color shall be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-holden/circumstances-and-situations-do-color-life-but-you-have-been-given/) [Robert Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-holden/) > [No matter your position, circumstances, or opportunities in life, you always have the freedom of mind to choose how you experience, interpret, and, ultimately,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendon-burchard/no-matter-your-position-circumstances-or-opportunities-in-life-you/) [Brendon Burchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendon-burchard/) > [If you choose to have a closed mind, please choose to have a closed mouth as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/if-you-choose-to-have-a-closed-mind-please-choose-to-have-a-closed/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [I've made up my mind!.. I choose to believe God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rev-run-2/i-ve-made-up-my-mind-i-choose-to-believe-god/) [Rev Run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rev-run-2/) > [The most characteristic mark of a great mind is to choose some one important object, and pursue it for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-letitia-barbauld/the-most-characteristic-mark-of-a-great-mind-is-to-choose-some-one/) [Anna Letitia Barbauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-letitia-barbauld/) > [You choose to shine with the light of your own divinity, or you hide it with the shadows you create in your mind. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmalananda/you-choose-to-shine-with-the-light-of-your-own-divinity-or-you-hide/) Nirmalananda > [“always free            to change your mind and                choose a different future, or                  a different                      past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/always-free-to-change-your-mind-and-choose-a-different-future-or-a/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) ## More by Gail Kelly > [I have certainly been very front footed about increasing our gender representation at Westpac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kelly/i-have-certainly-been-very-front-footed-about-increasing-our-gender/) [Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) > [Nelson Mandela was an outstanding leader and a mentor for me. I was in South Africa at the time he was released. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kelly/nelson-mandela-was-an-outstanding-leader-and-a-mentor-for-me-i-was-in/) [Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) > [If you believe in practising generosity of spirit, at heart you believe in the power of an individual to make a difference and at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kelly/if-you-believe-in-practising-generosity-of-spirit-at-heart-you/) [Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) > [I grew up in a very strong, nuclear family. My father was a sportsman. He represented South Africa in a couple of sports, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kelly/i-grew-up-in-a-very-strong-nuclear-family-my-father-was-a-sportsman/) [Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) > [You can choose not to sit on the fence. You can choose not to criticise. You must stand as guard at the door of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kelly/you-can-choose-not-to-sit-on-the-fence-you-can-choose-not-to/) [Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) > [One of the joys of being at St. George is you were operating under the radar screen a lot of the time, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kelly/one-of-the-joys-of-being-at-st-george-is-you-were-operating-under-the/) [Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) > [I'm a big believer you should design work around a vast majority of people who want to do the right thing rather than around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kelly/i-m-a-big-believer-you-should-design-work-around-a-vast-majority-of/) [Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) > [Often really what you need is someone who will believe in you, who will encourage you to believe in yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kelly/often-really-what-you-need-is-someone-who-will-believe-in-you-who/) [Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) > [I don’t waste time. I move. I finish things. I don’t try and do things to the nth degree. I know what’s important and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kelly/i-don-t-waste-time-i-move-i-finish-things-i-don-t-try-and-do-things/) [Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) > [Living in South Africa has had a very profound impact on my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kelly/living-in-south-africa-has-had-a-very-profound-impact-on-my-career/) [Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) > [42% of our management team are women. So we've reset the goal to 50% by 2017. Because that's when Westpac becomes 200 years old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kelly/42-of-our-management-team-are-women-so-we-ve-reset-the-goal-to-50-by/) [Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) > [Whatever you are doing, give it all of your attention. Prioritise what you're going to do carefully, and then be in the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kelly/whatever-you-are-doing-give-it-all-of-your-attention-prioritise-what/) [Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) > [In this digital age, there is no place to hide behind public relations people. This digital age requires leaders to be visible and authentic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kelly/in-this-digital-age-there-is-no-place-to-hide-behind-public-relations/) [Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) > [I have a very genuine care for individuals; I have a very genuine sense of the power of individuals to make a difference, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kelly/i-have-a-very-genuine-care-for-individuals-i-have-a-very-genuine/) [Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) > [I'm a very consistent leader, and people won't find me different day to day. You won't have to have the sort of conversation that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kelly/i-m-a-very-consistent-leader-and-people-won-t-find-me-different-day/) [Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) [Explore all 20 Gail Kelly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [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/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We’ve all seen the same situation happen to two people. One looks for the lesson, sets their shoulders back and presses on while the other asks ‘why does it always happen to me?’ You can choose not to sit on the fence. You can choose not to criticise. 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