--- 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 wasn't going to be all of me.\" — Hoda Kotb" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/hoda-kotb-13781_beating_having-cancer-empowered-me-to-take-more_858435.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 wasn't going to be all of me.” quote by Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/hoda-kotb-13781_beating_having-cancer-empowered-me-to-take-more_858435.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/hoda-kotb-13781_beating_having-cancer-empowered-me-to-take-more_858435.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/hoda-kotb-13781_beating_having-cancer-empowered-me-to-take-more_858435.png) > “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 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. Facing cancer taught risk‑taking, but identity remains broader than illness. **In simple terms:** Cancer taught risk, not identity. Key Takeaway Embrace risk, stay whole. Themes health risk identity Mood reflective empowering Type inspirational personal When to use this quote - starting a new venture - health recovery - life planning Key Concepts personal growth adversity self‑concept Questions to Reflect On - How does illness reshape priorities? - What risks feel most vital now? A Different Perspective May underplay ongoing health challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer/) [Empowered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empowered/) [Risks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risks/) ## Related quotes > [Having cancer empowered me to take more risks. I knew beating cancer was going to shape me, but it wasnt going to be all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/having-cancer-empowered-me-to-take-more-risks-i-knew-beating-cancer-2/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) > [Beating cancer is personal battle. It was one of the toughest opponents I have faced so far, and I think I did reasonably well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuvraj-singh/beating-cancer-is-personal-battle-it-was-one-of-the-toughest/) [Yuvraj Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuvraj-singh/) > [I feel I have got away with beating cancer so I am now living life to the full and not worrying about whether it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-boorman/i-feel-i-have-got-away-with-beating-cancer-so-i-am-now-living-life-to/) [Charley Boorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-boorman/) > [I'm an optimist, so I think everything can be worked out and fixed. But from having cancer I learned that even if you're even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/i-m-an-optimist-so-i-think-everything-can-be-worked-out-and-fixed-but/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) > [“Most risks we might not take if we could see what we would have to go through to reach our goal. 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/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [To clear the air once and for all, I don't have cancer. I'm not going through chemotherapy. I have alopecia. Alopecia areata, to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-carrigan/to-clear-the-air-once-and-for-all-i-don-t-have-cancer-i-m-not-going/) [Anthony Carrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-carrigan/) > [I know it was harder for me taking care of my dad during his cancer than it was going through my own. 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 > [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/) > [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/) > [I'm an optimist, so I think everything can be worked out and fixed. But from having cancer I learned that even if you're even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoda-kotb/i-m-an-optimist-so-i-think-everything-can-be-worked-out-and-fixed-but/) [Hoda Kotb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) [Explore all 49 Hoda Kotb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoda-kotb/) ## More Beating quotes > [Sometimes the challenge of beating the jet lag and getting a decent sleep can be as hard to solve as finding the right setup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-grosjean/sometimes-the-challenge-of-beating-the-jet-lag-and-getting-a-decent/) [Romain Grosjean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-grosjean/) > [There's nothing worse than a violent beating from an unremarkable person. Physical violence with someone is too much like shagging them. Too much id…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-violent-beating-from-an-unremarkable/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [Until your heart stops beating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-black/until-your-heart-stops-beating/) [Jacob Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-black/) > [Its beating for you.. but now its beating for someone else. -.-](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexia/its-beating-for-you-but-now-its-beating-for-someone-else/) [Alexia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexia/) > [Beating yourself up about a mistake you made is only going to make you more inclined to do it again. Just accept that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/beating-yourself-up-about-a-mistake-you-made-is-only-going-to-make/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) > [Some prescient American collectors, including Vicki and Kent Logan and Mera and Donald Rubell, began collecting Chinese art before 2000 with a genuine passion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-glimcher/some-prescient-american-collectors-including-vicki-and-kent-logan-and/) [Arne Glimcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-glimcher/) > [Beating somebody up and dominating them, it's fun. It's sick. But it's fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/beating-somebody-up-and-dominating-them-it-s-fun-it-s-sick-but-it-s/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Were all given some sort of skill in life. Mine just happens to be beating up on people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/were-all-given-some-sort-of-skill-in-life-mine-just-happens-to-be/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [ “Bear ‘beating’ in this world. Therein is the taste of the Soul \[the Atma\]. There is no taste \[feeling of goodness, happiness\] in giving… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/bear-beating-in-this-world-therein-is-the-taste-of-the-soul-the-atma/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [If you feel more emotion looking at a picture of queuing lorries than a picture of desperate humans living in a lay-by, you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-boyle/if-you-feel-more-emotion-looking-at-a-picture-of-queuing-lorries-than/) [Frankie Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-boyle/) > [Beating a women is unacceptable. Period. She tries to hit you first, do like I do and tickle her until she pisses herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/beating-a-women-is-unacceptable-period-she-tries-to-hit-you-first-do/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [If you have a beating heart, that's good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-druyan/if-you-have-a-beating-heart-that-s-good-enough/) [Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) > [I love beating up on heavyweights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-toney/i-love-beating-up-on-heavyweights/) [James Toney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-toney/) > [“If you even dream of beating me, you better wake up and apologise!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-even-dream-of-beating-me-you-better-wake-up-and-apologise/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Here were these college kids beating the Soviets and going on to the Olympic Gold Medal. 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