--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only way things will happen is if…" description: "\"The only way things will happen is if people get over the notion that they must see immediate success. If they get over that notion and persist, then t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1d/howard-zinn-576_get-over_the-only-way-things-will-happen-is-if-pe_248561.jpg" --- # The only way things will happen is if people get over the… ![“The only way things will happen is if people get over the notion that they must see immediate success. If they get over that notion and persist, then they will see things happen before they even realize it.” quote by Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1d/howard-zinn-576_get-over_the-only-way-things-will-happen-is-if-pe_248561.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1d/howard-zinn-576_get-over_the-only-way-things-will-happen-is-if-pe_248561.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1d/howard-zinn-576_get-over_the-only-way-things-will-happen-is-if-pe_248561.jpg) > “The only way things will happen is if people get over the notion that they must see immediate success. If they get over that notion and persist, then they will see things happen before they even realize it.” [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success often requires patience; people must let go of instant results and persist to see outcomes unfold naturally. **In simple terms:** Patience and persistence lead to real results. Key Takeaway Embrace long‑term effort. Themes patience perseverance expectations Mood determined hopeful Type motivational practical When to use this quote - career development - personal goals - learning new skills Key Concepts delayed gratification growth mindset Questions to Reflect On - How can you reframe setbacks as progress? - What small steps sustain your persistence? A Different Perspective Immediate pressure can cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) ## Related quotes > [Almost all European are before the Renaissance was created by people for whom the notion of art did not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/almost-all-european-are-before-the-renaissance-was-created-by-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There are people who seem to have no notion of sketching a character, or observing and describing salient points, either in persons or things:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/there-are-people-who-seem-to-have-no-notion-of-sketching-a-character/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“Long habit had accustomed the American people to the notion of a party in power, and of a President as its creature and organ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/long-habit-had-accustomed-the-american-people-to-the-notion-of-a/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [The world is full of people whose notion of a satisfactory future is, in fact, a return to the idealized past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/the-world-is-full-of-people-whose-notion-of-a-satisfactory-future-is/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [The world is full of people whose notion of a satisfactory future is, in fact, a return to the idealised past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/the-world-is-full-of-people-whose-notion-of-a-satisfactory-future-is-2/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [Eventually, one of these two things will happen, he will realize your worth it, or you'll realize he isn't...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-morgan/eventually-one-of-these-two-things-will-happen-he-will-realize-your/) [Harriet Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-morgan/) > [Eventually, one of two things will happen. He will realize you're worth it, or you'll realize that he isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/eventually-one-of-two-things-will-happen-he-will-realize-you-re-worth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Eventually, one of two things will happen. Either he will realize your worth it or you'll realize he isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/eventually-one-of-two-things-will-happen-either-he-will-realize-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Eventually one of two things will happen; either they will realize you're worth it or you'll realize they aren't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/eventually-one-of-two-things-will-happen-either-they-will-realize-you/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Don't wait for something big to happen to realize the more important things in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlene05/don-t-wait-for-something-big-to-happen-to-realize-the-more-important/) Sharlene05 > [ You need to find the power within to make \[things\] happen for yourself. When you realize this, you are unstoppable. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-aguilera/you-need-to-find-the-power-within-to-make-things-happen-for-yourself/) [Christina Aguilera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-aguilera/) > [I know little stories that happen to people around me, and I can repeat that in a way that has some color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-know-little-stories-that-happen-to-people-around-me-and-i-can/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [There are three kinds of people in this world: people who make it happen, people who watch what happens, and people who wonder what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lasorda/there-are-three-kinds-of-people-in-this-world-people-who-make-it/) [Tommy Lasorda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lasorda/) > [Things may happen and often do to people as brainy and footsy as you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/things-may-happen-and-often-do-to-people-as-brainy-and-footsy-as-you/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [“Some people make things happen. Some people watch things happen. And then there are those who wonder, 'What the hell just happened?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-bryant/some-people-make-things-happen-some-people-watch-things-happen-and/) [Carroll Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-bryant/) ## More by Howard Zinn > [“A black man, Benjamin Banneker, who taught himself mathematics and astronomy, predicted accurately a solar eclipse, and was appointed to plan the new city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/a-black-man-benjamin-banneker-who-taught-himself-mathematics-and/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/there-is-no-flag-large-enough-to-cover-the-shame-of-killing-innocent/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“a good education is a synthesis of book learning and involvement in social action, because each enrich the other. The accumulation of knowledge, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/a-good-education-is-a-synthesis-of-book-learning-and-involvement-in/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [The mountain of history books under which we all stand leans so heavily in the other direction-so tremblingly respectful of states and statesmen and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-mountain-of-history-books-under-which-we-all-stand-leans-so/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Let's face a historical truth: we have never had a "free market", we have always had government intervention in the economy, and indeed that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/let-s-face-a-historical-truth-we-have-never-had-a-free-market-we-have/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [I can UNDERSTAND pessimism, but I don't BELIEVE in it. It's not simply a matter of faith, but of historical EVIDENCE. Not overwhelming evidence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/i-can-understand-pessimism-but-i-don-t-believe-in-it-it-s-not-simply/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Protest beyond the law is not a departure from democracy; it is absolutely essential to it. It is a corrective to the sluggishness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/protest-beyond-the-law-is-not-a-departure-from-democracy-it-is/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Now I have been studying very closely what happens every day in the courts in Boston, Massachusetts. You would be astounded--maybe you wouldn't, maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/now-i-have-been-studying-very-closely-what-happens-every-day-in-the/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [They were not mentioned in the Declaration of Independence, they were absent in the Constitution and they were invisible in the new political democracy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/they-were-not-mentioned-in-the-declaration-of-independence-they-were/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“Sexual purity was to be the special virtue of a woman. It was assumed that men, as a matter of biological nature, would sin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/sexual-purity-was-to-be-the-special-virtue-of-a-woman-it-was-assumed/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“Middle-class Americans might be invited to join a new elite by attacks against the corruption of the established rich. The New Yorker Cadwallader Colden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/middle-class-americans-might-be-invited-to-join-a-new-elite-by/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [If those in charge of our society - politicians, corporate executives, and owners of press and television - can dominate our ideas, they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/if-those-in-charge-of-our-society-politicians-corporate-executives/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [We were not born critical of existing society. There was a moment in our lives (or a month, or a year) when certain facts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/we-were-not-born-critical-of-existing-society-there-was-a-moment-in/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Behind the deceptive words designed to entice people into supporting violence -- words like democracy, freedom, self-defense, national security -- there is the reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/behind-the-deceptive-words-designed-to-entice-people-into-supporting/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“George Washington had turned down the requests of blacks, seeking freedom, to fight in the Revolutionary army. So when the British military commander in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/george-washington-had-turned-down-the-requests-of-blacks-seeking/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) [Explore all 461 Howard Zinn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) ## More Get over quotes > [You get through it, you just never get over it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-get-through-it-you-just-never-get-over-it/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [I think that one of the hardest things in the world to be is a black male. I mean everyone hates your guts. White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-think-that-one-of-the-hardest-things-in-the-world-to-be-is-a-black/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [A girl who would fall in love so easily or want a man to love her so easily would probably get over it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-girl-who-would-fall-in-love-so-easily-or-want-a-man-to-love-her-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You ask everybody you know: How long does it usually take to get over it? There are many formulas. One year for every year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/you-ask-everybody-you-know-how-long-does-it-usually-take-to-get-over/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Forgiveness ... is a willingness to get over what you think should have happened and an acceptance of the reality of what actually happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/forgiveness-is-a-willingness-to-get-over-what-you-think-should-have/) [Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/) > [We tend to think of orphans as being the protagonist of stories we read when we're kids, and yet here you are: you're an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/we-tend-to-think-of-orphans-as-being-the-protagonist-of-stories-we/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [When I look at the human brain I'm still in awe of it. Every single time you lift off the bone and open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/when-i-look-at-the-human-brain-i-m-still-in-awe-of-it-every-single/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [Start enjoying the things you like about yourself, and if there are things you want to change, either get to work on it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/start-enjoying-the-things-you-like-about-yourself-and-if-there-are/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [When you get over the anxiety, you discover you should have been mad a long time ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-clampitt/when-you-get-over-the-anxiety-you-discover-you-should-have-been-mad-a/) [Amy Clampitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-clampitt/) > [I'm going to insist that we've got decent funding, enough teachers, and computers in the classroom, but unless you turn off the television set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-m-going-to-insist-that-we-ve-got-decent-funding-enough-teachers-and/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So I grew up feeling that I wasn't good enough, and that no-one would love me unless I was perfect. But no-one's perfect, we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/so-i-grew-up-feeling-that-i-wasn-t-good-enough-and-that-no-one-would/) [Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/) > [I can't get over this. Dad isn't Sam's dad? Dad is a friend? How was I supposed to know that? People shouldn't be allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kinsella/i-can-t-get-over-this-dad-isn-t-sam-s-dad-dad-is-a-friend-how-was-i/) [Sophie Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kinsella/) > [I've seen people recover physical abilities, yet never get over emotional trauma after a serious accident. I've seen other people overcome the psychological and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/i-ve-seen-people-recover-physical-abilities-yet-never-get-over/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [ As you kind of get over the anxiety about \[science and evolution\], it actually adds to your sense of awe about this amazing universe… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/as-you-kind-of-get-over-the-anxiety-about-science-and-evolution-it/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Tomorrow I'll get over you if I just get through tonight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lila-mccann/tomorrow-i-ll-get-over-you-if-i-just-get-through-tonight/) Lila McCann Browse all 523 Get over quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only way things will happen is if people get over the notion that they must see immediate success. 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