--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes in life, when we really want…" description: "\"Sometimes in life, when we really want something, we can approach it in a way that might actually be closing us off from achieving it.\" — Gretchen Bleiler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/gretchen-bleiler-4516_closing_sometimes-in-life-when-we-really-want-so_2330680.jpg" --- # Sometimes in life, when we really want something, we can… ![“Sometimes in life, when we really want something, we can approach it in a way that might actually be closing us off from achieving it.” quote by Gretchen Bleiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/gretchen-bleiler-4516_closing_sometimes-in-life-when-we-really-want-so_2330680.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/gretchen-bleiler-4516_closing_sometimes-in-life-when-we-really-want-so_2330680.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/gretchen-bleiler-4516_closing_sometimes-in-life-when-we-really-want-so_2330680.jpg) > “Sometimes in life, when we really want something, we can approach it in a way that might actually be closing us off from achieving it.” [Gretchen Bleiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-bleiler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desire can blind us to the best approach, causing self‑sabotage. **In simple terms:** Wanting something can block the way to get it. Key Takeaway Recognize and adjust strategies. Themes self‑sabotage desire strategy Mood reflective cautious Type advice psychological When to use this quote - career decisions - relationships - personal goals - health plans Key Concepts psychology behavioral economics Questions to Reflect On - How does your desire shape your actions? - What alternative paths could you try? A Different Perspective Overcoming may be ignoring better alternatives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [“Rather than going into all of this thinking "I can be anything I want to be" the approach…is "I don't know yet what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-puett/rather-than-going-into-all-of-this-thinking-i-can-be-anything-i-want/) Michael Puett > [“Some people say, “Give the customers what they want.” But that’s not my approach. Our job is to figure out what they’re going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/some-people-say-give-the-customers-what-they-want-but-that-s-not-my-3/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“When you want the absolute best chance to succeed at anything you want, your approach should always be the same. 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I am closing the door on managing the Mets and probably everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/i-won-t-be-managing-the-mets-i-am-closing-the-door-on-managing-the/) [Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/) > [It lies around us like a cloud- A world we do not see; Yet the sweet closing of an eye May bring us there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/it-lies-around-us-like-a-cloud-a-world-we-do-not-see-yet-the-sweet/) [Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) ## More by Gretchen Bleiler > [Lots of times, people go to the mountains and feel like it's not cool to wear a beanie and goggles and neck gaiter. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-bleiler/lots-of-times-people-go-to-the-mountains-and-feel-like-it-s-not-cool/) [Gretchen Bleiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-bleiler/) > [I've been a vegetarian, I've been a Paleo, and now I believe in the everything-in-moderation diet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-bleiler/i-ve-been-a-vegetarian-i-ve-been-a-paleo-and-now-i-believe-in-the/) [Gretchen Bleiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-bleiler/) > [There will always be another email to get through; something to clean up, file, and organize; more errands to do. Which is why balance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-bleiler/there-will-always-be-another-email-to-get-through-something-to-clean/) [Gretchen Bleiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-bleiler/) > [When you choose to take the road less traveled, it can sometimes be a bumpy ride along the way, but if you're doing it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-bleiler/when-you-choose-to-take-the-road-less-traveled-it-can-sometimes-be-a/) [Gretchen Bleiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-bleiler/) > [I love dried mangoes, walnuts, and goji berries. The mix provides iron, antioxidants, and omega-3s and really kicks up my energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-bleiler/i-love-dried-mangoes-walnuts-and-goji-berries-the-mix-provides-iron/) [Gretchen Bleiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-bleiler/) > [Being at the top means never being satisfied with what you're comfortable with - comfortable means you've stopped pushing, and you're either going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-bleiler/being-at-the-top-means-never-being-satisfied-with-what-you-re/) [Gretchen Bleiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-bleiler/) > [As a professional snowboarder, my livelihood obviously depends on snow. 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You want to have a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-bleiler/the-olympics-you-re-in-front-of-the-world-and-yeah-you-re-competing/) [Gretchen Bleiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-bleiler/) > [Every year, I push myself to do something different - and push the boundaries a little bit more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-bleiler/every-year-i-push-myself-to-do-something-different-and-push-the/) [Gretchen Bleiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-bleiler/) > [Imagine if the whole point of this experience on planet Earth was to just open ourselves up more fully to who we really are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-bleiler/imagine-if-the-whole-point-of-this-experience-on-planet-earth-was-to/) [Gretchen Bleiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-bleiler/) > [Eliminate the energy vampires in your house. Connect all of your appliances to power strips and turn them off they're when not in use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-bleiler/eliminate-the-energy-vampires-in-your-house-connect-all-of-your/) [Gretchen Bleiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-bleiler/) > [I'm a Midwestern girl; I was born in Toledo, Ohio, and grew up in Dayton until I was ten years old. Then my whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-bleiler/i-m-a-midwestern-girl-i-was-born-in-toledo-ohio-and-grew-up-in-dayton/) [Gretchen Bleiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-bleiler/) > [When I started snowboarding, I was looking for success to bring me identity. I still love to win, but at the same time, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-bleiler/when-i-started-snowboarding-i-was-looking-for-success-to-bring-me/) [Gretchen Bleiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-bleiler/) [Explore all 110 Gretchen Bleiler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-bleiler/) ## More Closing quotes > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. 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And we have this thing called science,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-idea-that-god-resides-in-the-unknown-is-what-philosophers-call/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [My walls are closing in, and I'm still wondering how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/my-walls-are-closing-in-and-i-m-still-wondering-how/) Patience > [As an actor, you know that every act has a closing curtain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-ziering/as-an-actor-you-know-that-every-act-has-a-closing-curtain/) [Ian Ziering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-ziering/) > [For the first time in longer than I can remember, I feel peaceful. Not happy. Not sad. Not anxious. Not horny. Just all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/for-the-first-time-in-longer-than-i-can-remember-i-feel-peaceful-not/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Don´t be unnecessarily burdened by the past. Go on closing the chapters that you have read; there is no need to go back again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/don-t-be-unnecessarily-burdened-by-the-past-go-on-closing-the/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [In my head, at least, the business of spinning stories has no closing time. Twists in my characters' lives, glimpses of their secrets, obstacles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/in-my-head-at-least-the-business-of-spinning-stories-has-no-closing/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) > [I always ask two questions when we are closing in on a deal: What currency are we dealing in and how many people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-pardew/i-always-ask-two-questions-when-we-are-closing-in-on-a-deal-what/) [Alan Pardew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-pardew/) > [Ignorantly is how we all fall in love; for it is a kind of fall. Closing our eyes, we leap from that cliff in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/ignorantly-is-how-we-all-fall-in-love-for-it-is-a-kind-of-fall/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [During the 1970s and 1980s, the popular television soap opera As The World Turns portrayed sunrise during the opening credits and sunset during the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/during-the-1970s-and-1980s-the-popular-television-soap-opera-as-the/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“There’s an air of things closing down. Teachers wear shorts and T-shirts to class. They show movies while they clean out their desks. Nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/there-s-an-air-of-things-closing-down-teachers-wear-shorts-and-t/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) Browse all 543 Closing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sometimes in life, when we really want something, we can approach it in a way that might actually be closing us off from achieving it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gretchen Bleiler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-bleiler/sometimes-in-life-when-we-really-want-something-we-can-approach-it-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Closing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-bleiler/sometimes-in-life-when-we-really-want-something-we-can-approach-it-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/gretchen-bleiler-4516_closing_sometimes-in-life-when-we-really-want-so_2330680.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/gretchen-bleiler-4516_closing_sometimes-in-life-when-we-really-want-so_2330680.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/gretchen-bleiler-4516_closing_sometimes-in-life-when-we-really-want-so_2330680.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sometimes in life, when we really want something, we can approach it in a way that might actually be closing…” — Gretchen Bleiler", "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": "Gretchen Bleiler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-bleiler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sometimes in life, when we really...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-bleiler/sometimes-in-life-when-we-really-want-something-we-can-approach-it-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-bleiler/sometimes-in-life-when-we-really-want-something-we-can-approach-it-in/#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 } } ] } ```