--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can alter my life by altering my…" description: "\"I can alter my life by altering my attitude. He who would have nothing to do with thorns must never attempt to gather flowers.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/303/henry-david-thoreau-20_altering_i-can-alter-my-life-by-altering-my-attit_2795344.jpg" --- # I can alter my life by altering my attitude. He who would… ![“I can alter my life by altering my attitude. He who would have nothing to do with thorns must never attempt to gather flowers.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/303/henry-david-thoreau-20_altering_i-can-alter-my-life-by-altering-my-attit_2795344.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/303/henry-david-thoreau-20_altering_i-can-alter-my-life-by-altering-my-attit_2795344.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/303/henry-david-thoreau-20_altering_i-can-alter-my-life-by-altering-my-attit_2795344.jpg) > “I can alter my life by altering my attitude. He who would have nothing to do with thorns must never attempt to gather flowers.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Changing attitude reshapes life; avoiding pain requires avoiding effort. **In simple terms:** Change attitude, change life. Key Takeaway Adjust mindset to transform circumstances. Themes mindset change resilience Mood hopeful introspective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - conflict resolution - goal setting Key Concepts Self-determination philosophy of happiness Questions to Reflect On - What attitude shifts could improve your life? - When is it okay to accept discomfort? A Different Perspective Positive thinking alone may not solve structural problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Altering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/altering/) [Altering Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/altering-attitude-363632/) [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Attitude Thorns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude-thorns-3409093/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life altering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-altering/) [My attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-attitude/) [Thorns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thorns/) [Thorns Attempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thorns-attempt-3409094/) ## Related quotes > [The greatest discovery of my generation is that man can alter his life simply by altering his attitude of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-truslow-adams/the-greatest-discovery-of-my-generation-is-that-man-can-alter-his/) [James Truslow Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-truslow-adams/) > [“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude.-WILLIAM JAMES”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-discovery-of-my-generation-is-that-a-human-being-can-4/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The greatest discovery of any generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-greatest-discovery-of-any-generation-is-that-a-human-being-can/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [“The greatest discovery of any generation is that a human can alter his life by altering his attitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-greatest-discovery-of-any-generation-is-that-a-human-can-alter/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [You can alter your life by altering the state of your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/you-can-alter-your-life-by-altering-the-state-of-your-mind/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Man can alter his life by altering his thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/man-can-alter-his-life-by-altering-his-thinking/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Being on a television series is sort of life-altering on every level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-garber/being-on-a-television-series-is-sort-of-life-altering-on-every-level/) [Victor Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-garber/) > [Every change in human attitude must come through internal understanding and acceptance. Man is the only known creature who can reshape and remould himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/every-change-in-human-attitude-must-come-through-internal/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [I like to cook with the philosophy of using great ingredients and not altering them too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sanchez/i-like-to-cook-with-the-philosophy-of-using-great-ingredients-and-not/) [Aaron Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sanchez/) > [Sometimes altering your position is the right thing. Sometimes it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ll-cool-j/sometimes-altering-your-position-is-the-right-thing-sometimes-it-s-not/) [LL Cool J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ll-cool-j/) > [We go in there and we work on altering those ideas and in many cases go in different directions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-paul/we-go-in-there-and-we-work-on-altering-those-ideas-and-in-many-cases/) [Les Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-paul/) > [Unlike traditional nursing homes, Green House homes provide elders with a high quality of life and quality of care in a setting that feels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/risa-lavizzo-mourey/unlike-traditional-nursing-homes-green-house-homes-provide-elders/) [Risa Lavizzo-Mourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/risa-lavizzo-mourey/) > [I love altering my stuff and that's something I've learned over time: You don't have to buy a shirt and just wear it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andi-dorfman/i-love-altering-my-stuff-and-that-s-something-i-ve-learned-over-time/) [Andi Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andi-dorfman/) > [When you have an operation, you are altering the body. You are going into a perfectly fine piece of tissue and when you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jofra-archer/when-you-have-an-operation-you-are-altering-the-body-you-are-going/) [Jofra Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jofra-archer/) > [Technology by default became the thing that was a new thing that had swept in and was altering it everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-brooker/technology-by-default-became-the-thing-that-was-a-new-thing-that-had/) [Charlie Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-brooker/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Altering quotes > [Technology by default became the thing that was a new thing that had swept in and was altering it everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-brooker/technology-by-default-became-the-thing-that-was-a-new-thing-that-had/) [Charlie Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-brooker/) > [When you have an operation, you are altering the body. You are going into a perfectly fine piece of tissue and when you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jofra-archer/when-you-have-an-operation-you-are-altering-the-body-you-are-going/) [Jofra Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jofra-archer/) > [I love altering my stuff and that's something I've learned over time: You don't have to buy a shirt and just wear it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andi-dorfman/i-love-altering-my-stuff-and-that-s-something-i-ve-learned-over-time/) [Andi Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andi-dorfman/) > [Unlike traditional nursing homes, Green House homes provide elders with a high quality of life and quality of care in a setting that feels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/risa-lavizzo-mourey/unlike-traditional-nursing-homes-green-house-homes-provide-elders/) [Risa Lavizzo-Mourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/risa-lavizzo-mourey/) > [We go in there and we work on altering those ideas and in many cases go in different directions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-paul/we-go-in-there-and-we-work-on-altering-those-ideas-and-in-many-cases/) [Les Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-paul/) > [Sometimes altering your position is the right thing. Sometimes it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ll-cool-j/sometimes-altering-your-position-is-the-right-thing-sometimes-it-s-not/) [LL Cool J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ll-cool-j/) > [I like to cook with the philosophy of using great ingredients and not altering them too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sanchez/i-like-to-cook-with-the-philosophy-of-using-great-ingredients-and-not/) [Aaron Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sanchez/) > [Being on a television series is sort of life-altering on every level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-garber/being-on-a-television-series-is-sort-of-life-altering-on-every-level/) [Victor Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-garber/) > [There is only one way in which you can "change your luck" and that is by altering your thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-butterworth/there-is-only-one-way-in-which-you-can-change-your-luck-and-that-is/) [Eric Butterworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-butterworth/) > [The greatest discovery of my generation is that man can alter his life simply by altering his attitude of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-truslow-adams/the-greatest-discovery-of-my-generation-is-that-man-can-alter-his/) [James Truslow Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-truslow-adams/) > [The United States has means to wound Latin American countries deeply, chiefly by altering trade policies to cut imports in ways that would throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/the-united-states-has-means-to-wound-latin-american-countries-deeply/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [“We would not be able to impact future generations if family was not one of our top priorities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-s-works/we-would-not-be-able-to-impact-future-generations-if-family-was-not/) [Gregory S. Works](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-s-works/) > [I'm always altering things to try and get better. It's not always about the darts too, I'm trying to eat healthier and look after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-cross/i-m-always-altering-things-to-try-and-get-better-it-s-not-always/) [Rob Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-cross/) > [That is what I was more drawn to - creating stories while changing and altering reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/that-is-what-i-was-more-drawn-to-creating-stories-while-changing-and/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“To alter the universe, alter your thoughts, because the only universe you will ever know is in your mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/to-alter-the-universe-alter-your-thoughts-because-the-only-universe/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) [Browse all 37 Altering quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/altering/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can alter my life by altering my attitude. 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