--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think sometimes my controlling…" description: "\"I think sometimes my controlling instincts came out of a fear of other people.\" — Gary Kemp" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/gary-kemp-15911_controlling_i-think-sometimes-my-controlling-instinc_2456007.png" --- # I think sometimes my controlling instincts came out of a… ![“I think sometimes my controlling instincts came out of a fear of other people.” quote by Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/gary-kemp-15911_controlling_i-think-sometimes-my-controlling-instinc_2456007.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/gary-kemp-15911_controlling_i-think-sometimes-my-controlling-instinc_2456007.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/gary-kemp-15911_controlling_i-think-sometimes-my-controlling-instinc_2456007.png) > “I think sometimes my controlling instincts came out of a fear of other people.” [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker acknowledges that controlling behavior often stems from fear of others. **In simple terms:** Controlling instincts arise from fear of others. Key Takeaway Address underlying fears to reduce control. Themes psychology relationships self‑awareness Mood introspective cautious Type personal psychological When to use this quote - personal relationships - team dynamics - leadership Key Concepts fear of abandonment control mechanisms Questions to Reflect On - What fears drive your controlling actions? - How can you build trust instead of control? A Different Perspective Control can strain relationships if unaddressed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Controlling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controlling/) [Controlling Instincts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controlling-instincts-609626/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Instincts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instincts/) [Instincts Came](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instincts-came-609628/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Think Controlling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-controlling-609627/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“She was not prepared to say every man was the same, but the majority were, because the instincts came with the package. With the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/she-was-not-prepared-to-say-every-man-was-the-same-but-the-majority/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I just think that also controlling women is a way to control the whole narrative. And so I think when you've oppressed a people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizz-winstead/i-just-think-that-also-controlling-women-is-a-way-to-control-the/) [Lizz Winstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizz-winstead/) > [I don't think we can do anything about controlling what our climate is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/i-don-t-think-we-can-do-anything-about-controlling-what-our-climate-is/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [When I've acted, and it's not been something I've written or have had at least a hand in writing, I do think there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/when-i-ve-acted-and-it-s-not-been-something-i-ve-written-or-have-had/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [Just when you think you've got your kids figured out, they change on you. For somebody who's controlling, you can't control it. Of course,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-pfeiffer/just-when-you-think-you-ve-got-your-kids-figured-out-they-change-on/) [Michelle Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-pfeiffer/) > [“I liked the way the old instincts came back—how when one idea bloomed, others started growing until things started to seem connected, everything related.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-t-reade/i-liked-the-way-the-old-instincts-came-back-how-when-one-idea-bloomed/) [P.T. Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-t-reade/) > [“I’d learned from Hobbes that feelings, or instincts, came from the subconscious and should not be ignored since they were often more reliable than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-martin/i-d-learned-from-hobbes-that-feelings-or-instincts-came-from-the/) [Wilkie Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-martin/) > [My instinct is to be very controlling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/my-instinct-is-to-be-very-controlling/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [“...because you have been purifying your fields for many incarnations so you no longer belong in the heavy density of the third dimension and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-rangel-gerry-o-malley/because-you-have-been-purifying-your-fields-for-many-incarnations-so/) [Ana Rangel & Gerry O'malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-rangel-gerry-o-malley/) > [I will follow my instincts, be myself for good or ill, and see what will be the upshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/i-will-follow-my-instincts-be-myself-for-good-or-ill-and-see-what/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [“Sometimes you just have to trust your instincts; it may be all you have to trust.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocelyn-murray/sometimes-you-just-have-to-trust-your-instincts-it-may-be-all-you/) [Jocelyn Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocelyn-murray/) > [My instincts are always against people who want to fasten some sort of hegemony onto things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-geertz/my-instincts-are-always-against-people-who-want-to-fasten-some-sort/) [Clifford Geertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-geertz/) > [Trust your instincts: they tend to see you right. By listening to them, at least you can sleep at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/trust-your-instincts-they-tend-to-see-you-right-by-listening-to-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't know if I'm teaching my kids right, but you have to go with your own instincts. You can't be so sure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/i-don-t-know-if-i-m-teaching-my-kids-right-but-you-have-to-go-with/) [Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) ## More by Gary Kemp > [Pop music should be about young people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/pop-music-should-be-about-young-people/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [Road cycling, especially up mountains. It's the heady mixture of endorphins and aesthetics that I love. My wife does it too, and being with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/road-cycling-especially-up-mountains-it-s-the-heady-mixture-of/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [It's always an honour doing anything for your country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/it-s-always-an-honour-doing-anything-for-your-country/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [My brother Martin is two years younger than me. There has never been any competition between us - clearly he was the good-looking one;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/my-brother-martin-is-two-years-younger-than-me-there-has-never-been/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [We were on the cover of Women's Wear Daily, which was hardly rock 'n' roll, but it pleased me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/we-were-on-the-cover-of-women-s-wear-daily-which-was-hardly-rock-n/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [Why do I find it hard to write the next line?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/why-do-i-find-it-hard-to-write-the-next-line/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [I think my younger self would be more amazed to know I was doing an interview for 'The Spectator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/i-think-my-younger-self-would-be-more-amazed-to-know-i-was-doing-an/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [The thought of going on tour with people like Toyah Wilcox is just appalling. I'm certainly not tempted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/the-thought-of-going-on-tour-with-people-like-toyah-wilcox-is-just/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [I've been through Hell with some of the members of my old band, and Hell is highly stressful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/i-ve-been-through-hell-with-some-of-the-members-of-my-old-band-and/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [We never had books at home, but my dad, seeing how keen I was to read, took me to Islington Library when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/we-never-had-books-at-home-but-my-dad-seeing-how-keen-i-was-to-read/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [I've always thought that actors wanted to be pop musicians and pop musicians wanted to be actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/i-ve-always-thought-that-actors-wanted-to-be-pop-musicians-and-pop/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [I certainly wasn't a fan of Thatcher's politics. People liked to label us as children of Thatcher. What nonsense. The real children of Thatcher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/i-certainly-wasn-t-a-fan-of-thatcher-s-politics-people-liked-to-label/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [My life is routine-obsessed. I'm OCD, and if I'm not at home, I always get up early and exercise. I don't crash and burn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/my-life-is-routine-obsessed-i-m-ocd-and-if-i-m-not-at-home-i-always/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [Love is family, support, priority, and understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/love-is-family-support-priority-and-understanding/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [I love my children unconditionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/i-love-my-children-unconditionally/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) [Explore all 41 Gary Kemp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) ## More Controlling quotes > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [When you have solved the problem of controlling the attention of the child, you have solved the entire problem of its education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/when-you-have-solved-the-problem-of-controlling-the-attention-of-the/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [“I hope I can never trust my wife. If I trust her it means I know her. If I know her it means I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mitchell/i-hope-i-can-never-trust-my-wife-if-i-trust-her-it-means-i-know-her/) [Ben Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mitchell/) > [We're failing when it comes to controlling spending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/we-re-failing-when-it-comes-to-controlling-spending/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) > [There's so many things you can't account for that can happen during each race. I just focus on controlling what I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chase-elliott/there-s-so-many-things-you-can-t-account-for-that-can-happen-during/) [Chase Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chase-elliott/) > [Because I was a shy and awkward child, I used humour to deflect attention. It was a controlling mechanism. Because I could use it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-tate/because-i-was-a-shy-and-awkward-child-i-used-humour-to-deflect/) [Catherine Tate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-tate/) > [It only lasted 4months but those months were intense, we were amazing 2 begin with, then we were in deep & nearer the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-shipman/it-only-lasted-4months-but-those-months-were-intense-we-were-amazing/) [Samantha Shipman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-shipman/) > [I do have a temper, but am good at controlling it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-vaidya/i-do-have-a-temper-but-am-good-at-controlling-it/) [Rahul Vaidya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-vaidya/) > [When a person feels powerless in regard to controlling his life, he can defend against the discomfort of such an experience by asserting control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-nicholas-groth/when-a-person-feels-powerless-in-regard-to-controlling-his-life-he/) [A. Nicholas Groth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-nicholas-groth/) > [Shift your focus from controlling others to creating your own happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/shift-your-focus-from-controlling-others-to-creating-your-own/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [“I am not a thing to be controlled by you,' Nesta said icily. Everything in her life, from the moment she was born, had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/i-am-not-a-thing-to-be-controlled-by-you-nesta-said-icily-everything/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“It comforts us to think that we have control when we don’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-coben/it-comforts-us-to-think-that-we-have-control-when-we-don-t/) [Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-coben/) > [I try and not be the controlling woman I can probably be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/i-try-and-not-be-the-controlling-woman-i-can-probably-be/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [My father was actually controlling and abusive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vidya-vox/my-father-was-actually-controlling-and-abusive/) [Vidya Vox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vidya-vox/) > [Look at what happened in the 1990s: when they balanced the federal budget, it was through growth in the economy and controlling spending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-scalise/look-at-what-happened-in-the-1990s-when-they-balanced-the-federal/) [Steve Scalise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-scalise/) [Browse all 401 Controlling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controlling/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think sometimes my controlling instincts came out of a fear of other people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gary Kemp" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/i-think-sometimes-my-controlling-instincts-came-out-of-a-fear-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Controlling" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/i-think-sometimes-my-controlling-instincts-came-out-of-a-fear-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/gary-kemp-15911_controlling_i-think-sometimes-my-controlling-instinc_2456007.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/gary-kemp-15911_controlling_i-think-sometimes-my-controlling-instinc_2456007.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/gary-kemp-15911_controlling_i-think-sometimes-my-controlling-instinc_2456007.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think sometimes my controlling instincts came out of a fear of other people.” — Gary Kemp", "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": "Gary Kemp", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think sometimes my controlling instincts...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/i-think-sometimes-my-controlling-instincts-came-out-of-a-fear-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/i-think-sometimes-my-controlling-instincts-came-out-of-a-fear-of/#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 } } ] } ```