--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Having cancer empowered me to take more…" description: "\"Having cancer empowered me to take more risks. I knew beating cancer was going to shape me, but it wasnt going to be all of me.\" — Hoda Kotb" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/hoda-kotb-13781_beat-cancer_having-cancer-empowered-me-to-take-more_1839889.png" --- # Having cancer empowered me to take more risks. I knew… ![“Having cancer empowered me to take more risks. I knew beating cancer was going to shape me, but it wasnt going to be all of me.” quote by Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/hoda-kotb-13781_beat-cancer_having-cancer-empowered-me-to-take-more_1839889.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/hoda-kotb-13781_beat-cancer_having-cancer-empowered-me-to-take-more_1839889.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/hoda-kotb-13781_beat-cancer_having-cancer-empowered-me-to-take-more_1839889.png) > “Having cancer empowered me to take more risks. I knew beating cancer was going to shape me, but it wasnt going to be all of me.” [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Surviving cancer gave the speaker confidence to take risks, acknowledging that the experience reshaped but did not define them entirely. **In simple terms:** Cancer experience boosted risk‑taking but isn’t the whole identity. Key Takeaway Use adversity as a catalyst, not a label. Themes resilience risk‑taking identity health growth Mood hopeful determined inspirational Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career decisions - creative projects - personal challenges - public speaking Key Concepts psychology post‑traumatic growth empowerment Questions to Reflect On - How can one balance new risks with health realities? - What parts of identity remain unchanged after trauma? A Different Perspective Risk‑taking may ignore lingering health concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beat cancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beat-cancer/) [Cancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer/) [Empowered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empowered/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) ## Related quotes > [Having cancer empowered me to take more risks. I knew beating cancer was going to shape me, but it wasn't going to be all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/having-cancer-empowered-me-to-take-more-risks-i-knew-beating-cancer/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) > [Beating cancer is personal battle. 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Yet, we would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-eyre/most-risks-we-might-not-take-if-we-could-see-what-we-would-have-to-go/) [Linda Eyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-eyre/) > [We took risks. We knew we took them. Things have come out against us. We have no cause for complaint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-took-risks-we-knew-we-took-them-things-have-come-out-against-us-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“History wasn't made without taking risks, that much he knew. So maybe sometimes you had to take risks to write it, too?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/history-wasn-t-made-without-taking-risks-that-much-he-knew-so-maybe/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [To clear the air once and for all, I don't have cancer. I'm not going through chemotherapy. I have alopecia. 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You feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-sterling/i-know-it-was-harder-for-me-taking-care-of-my-dad-during-his-cancer/) Mindy Sterling > [No cancer is going to tell me when my time is up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-zschech/no-cancer-is-going-to-tell-me-when-my-time-is-up/) [Darlene Zschech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-zschech/) > [I want to know if I look up a whole lot of books about some form of cancer that that's not going to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-berners-lee/i-want-to-know-if-i-look-up-a-whole-lot-of-books-about-some-form-of/) [Tim Berners-Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-berners-lee/) > [Everything's the same; I'm living with cancer and it's not going to stop me. But until you really test yourself and challenge yourself, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-roberts/everything-s-the-same-i-m-living-with-cancer-and-it-s-not-going-to/) [Robin Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-roberts/) > [I'm going to make people happy. I'm going to make them forget about their cancer. I'm going to make them forget about their diabetes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-dale/i-m-going-to-make-people-happy-i-m-going-to-make-them-forget-about/) [Dick Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-dale/) > [When one of your best mates finds out he has cancer and he is going through what he has to go through it's tough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-ingles/when-one-of-your-best-mates-finds-out-he-has-cancer-and-he-is-going/) [Joe Ingles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-ingles/) > [People want the answer to cancer, and they're not going to get it without spending money, because money is frozen energy that unfreezes itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lasker/people-want-the-answer-to-cancer-and-they-re-not-going-to-get-it/) [Mary Lasker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lasker/) ## More by Hoda Kotb > [I try to live in a little bit of my own joy and not let people steal it or take it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/i-try-to-live-in-a-little-bit-of-my-own-joy-and-not-let-people-steal/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) > [I wake up at 4:15 A.M., get some coffee, turn on the news, see what's happening, go clickety-clack on the web to see what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/i-wake-up-at-4-15-a-m-get-some-coffee-turn-on-the-news-see-what-s/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) > [I don't want to be 'the girl with cancer' ... I just didn't want that to be my only thing. But it is part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/i-don-t-want-to-be-the-girl-with-cancer-i-just-didn-t-want-that-to-be/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) > [My style is streamlined, sophisticated and simple, so I usually go for a dress. No matching involved. I am bad at matching! I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/my-style-is-streamlined-sophisticated-and-simple-so-i-usually-go-for/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) > [“He said breast cancer is part of you,’’ Hoda recalled. “He said it's like going to college or getting married or working at NBC.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/he-said-breast-cancer-is-part-of-you-hoda-recalled-he-said-it-s-like/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) > [Life's not perfect. Some loose ends may never get trimmed up and tidied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/life-s-not-perfect-some-loose-ends-may-never-get-trimmed-up-and-tidied/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) > [I'm a disorganized mess. My purse is gross: I once found a shoulder pad, string cheese, and a Christmas ornament in it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/i-m-a-disorganized-mess-my-purse-is-gross-i-once-found-a-shoulder-pad/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) > [From time to time, I'll look back through the personal journals I've scribbled in throughout my life, the keepers of my raw thoughts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/from-time-to-time-i-ll-look-back-through-the-personal-journals-i-ve/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) > [If you fall-and trust me, you will- make sure you fall on your back. Because if you fall on your back, you can see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/if-you-fall-and-trust-me-you-will-make-sure-you-fall-on-your-back/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) > [Having cancer empowered me to take more risks. I knew beating cancer was going to shape me, but it wasn't going to be all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/having-cancer-empowered-me-to-take-more-risks-i-knew-beating-cancer/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) > [I think credibility is one of those things that, if you work hard and you get it by standing in the trenches and traveling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/i-think-credibility-is-one-of-those-things-that-if-you-work-hard-and/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) > [I've had weight issues all my life. I've been on all the diets: Atkins, liquid protein, Scarsdale diet. Now I go to the gym…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/i-ve-had-weight-issues-all-my-life-i-ve-been-on-all-the-diets-atkins/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) > [I run in Central Park as the sun comes up. Some may mistake it for walking, but I swear I am running. I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/i-run-in-central-park-as-the-sun-comes-up-some-may-mistake-it-for/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) > [When my shoes are killing me, I take a maxi pad and put it in the bottom of my shoe. It is better than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/when-my-shoes-are-killing-me-i-take-a-maxi-pad-and-put-it-in-the/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) > [I'm good at picking friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/i-m-good-at-picking-friends/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) [Explore all 49 Hoda Kotb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) ## More Beat cancer quotes > [Ever since I lost my mom, I'm really just trying to give back. At first, we were doing screenings and paying for surgeries, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/ever-since-i-lost-my-mom-i-m-really-just-trying-to-give-back-at-first/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [My nutritionist read my pathology report and said, "There's only one way you can beat your cancer." "What's that?" 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(Which meant there was quite a lot of competitiveness about it, with everybody wanting to beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/most-would-live-into-adulthood-as-patrick-had-which-meant-there-was/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I was inspired a lot by Swami Vivekananda, and cricketer Yuvraj Singh who beat cancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arunima-sinha/i-was-inspired-a-lot-by-swami-vivekananda-and-cricketer-yuvraj-singh/) [Arunima Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arunima-sinha/) > [“Which meant there was quite a lot of competitiveness about it, with everybody wanting to beat not only cancer itself, but also the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/which-meant-there-was-quite-a-lot-of-competitiveness-about-it-with/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I'm going to beat this cancer or die trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-landon/i-m-going-to-beat-this-cancer-or-die-trying/) [Michael Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-landon/) > [When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer, you beat cancer by how you live, why you live and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-scott/when-you-die-it-does-not-mean-that-you-lose-to-cancer-you-beat-cancer/) [Stuart Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-scott/) > [I'm not sure I'd classify any topics as off-limits, but I don't look for new territories to offend. There's my joke about when my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/i-m-not-sure-i-d-classify-any-topics-as-off-limits-but-i-don-t-look/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [One time for my granny up in the sky and young boy from Fayetteville, told me that my song was the reason he beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-cole/one-time-for-my-granny-up-in-the-sky-and-young-boy-from-fayetteville/) [J Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-cole/) > [I'm not going to beat the cancer. I tried really hard... but sometimes you're just not going to beat the thing... 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