--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If, from time to time, you give up…" description: "\"If, from time to time, you give up expectation, you will be able to perceive what it is you are getting.\" — Idries Shah" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/idries-shah-450_able_if-from-time-to-time-you-give-up-expecta_1227576.jpg" --- # If, from time to time, you give up expectation, you will… ![“If, from time to time, you give up expectation, you will be able to perceive what it is you are getting.” quote by Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/idries-shah-450_able_if-from-time-to-time-you-give-up-expecta_1227576.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/idries-shah-450_able_if-from-time-to-time-you-give-up-expecta_1227576.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/idries-shah-450_able_if-from-time-to-time-you-give-up-expecta_1227576.jpg) > “If, from time to time, you give up expectation, you will be able to perceive what it is you are getting.” [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Releasing expectations opens perception to unexpected gifts and realities. **In simple terms:** Let go of expectations to see what comes. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty to discover new possibilities. Themes mindfulness acceptance perception Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - creative work - relationships - spiritual practice Key Concepts Sufism psychology expectation Questions to Reflect On - What expectations are you holding that block clarity? - How might letting go change your experience? A Different Perspective Expectations can still limit insight if not balanced with discernment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Able Perceive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able-perceive-278333/) [Expectation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectation/) [Expectation Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectation-able-3782971/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Giving up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-up/) [Perceive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perceive/) [Perceive Getting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perceive-getting-3782972/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [It may be that DMT makes us able to perceive what the physicist call "dark matter" - the 95 per cent of the universe's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-hancock/it-may-be-that-dmt-makes-us-able-to-perceive-what-the-physicist-call/) [Graham Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-hancock/) > [It's one of the saving graces in a life, to be able to perceive one's own and others' absurdity, to notice our shared human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-hirshfield/it-s-one-of-the-saving-graces-in-a-life-to-be-able-to-perceive-one-s/) [Jane Hirshfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-hirshfield/) > [“One cannot simply perceive everything, to be able to perceive everything would be to tedious”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-thomas/one-cannot-simply-perceive-everything-to-be-able-to-perceive/) [Isaac Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-thomas/) > [One of the kinds of things I'm consistently interested in is what the border between the seen and not seen is and the border…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-paglen/one-of-the-kinds-of-things-i-m-consistently-interested-in-is-what-the/) [Trevor Paglen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-paglen/) > [“None of us is fully able to perceive the truth that shines through another person’s window, nor the falsehood that we may perceive as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-church/none-of-us-is-fully-able-to-perceive-the-truth-that-shines-through/) [Forrest Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-church/) > [“She wondered if she was in the midst of an anecdote that, for reasons of proximity, she was not yet able to perceive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/she-wondered-if-she-was-in-the-midst-of-an-anecdote-that-for-reasons/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [“I have every expectation that we will see the following become a recognized human disease in the future: Metal Sickness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-have-every-expectation-that-we-will-see-the-following-become-a/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“It felt civilised and modern. It felt refined and tantalising, all at once, like a polite collective pre-orgasm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-haig/it-felt-civilised-and-modern-it-felt-refined-and-tantalising-all-at/) [Matt Haig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-haig/) > [Treat the people the way you expect them to treat you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishchal-ningleku/treat-the-people-the-way-you-expect-them-to-treat-you/) [Nishchal Ningleku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishchal-ningleku/) > [“Expectation and fact are two different things that people usually cannot differentiate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-suggs/expectation-and-fact-are-two-different-things-that-people-usually/) [Lionel Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-suggs/) > [Uncertainty and expectation are the joys of life. Security is an insipid thing, through the overtaking and possessing of a wish discovers the folly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/uncertainty-and-expectation-are-the-joys-of-life-security-is-an/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [Never depend on anyone else's strength but God's strength to help you through and nor expect from anyone except God to be with you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/never-depend-on-anyone-else-s-strength-but-god-s-strength-to-help-you/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Representing the Selecao is a very great expectation, being able to play is even greater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/representing-the-selecao-is-a-very-great-expectation-being-able-to/) [Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/) > [The night is saturated with inspiration¦ I cant imagine wasting a minute of it with my eyes or ears closed. I live dreams, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-timbre/the-night-is-saturated-with-inspiration-i-cant-imagine-wasting-a/) [Jamie Timbre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-timbre/) > [Keeping up with everybody's expectation is soooo hard!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi/keeping-up-with-everybody-s-expectation-is-soooo-hard/) [Naomi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi/) ## More by Idries Shah > [“To be a Sufi is to detach from fixed ideas and from preconceptions; and not to try to avoid what is your lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/to-be-a-sufi-is-to-detach-from-fixed-ideas-and-from-preconceptions/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Teach honesty by all means - you do know what it is, don't you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/teach-honesty-by-all-means-you-do-know-what-it-is-don-t-you/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Sufism is transmitted by means of the human exemplar, the teacher.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/sufism-is-transmitted-by-means-of-the-human-exemplar-the-teacher/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“No existe práctica en aislamiento.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/no-existe-pr-ctica-en-aislamiento/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [A king who feared wasps once decreed that they were abolished. As it happened, they did him no harm. 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But Truth is always being shown there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/yes-the-world-is-an-illusion-but-truth-is-always-being-shown-there/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [It is the message, not the man, which is important to the Sufis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/it-is-the-message-not-the-man-which-is-important-to-the-sufis/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [The human being, whether he realises it or not, is trusting someone or something every moment of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/the-human-being-whether-he-realises-it-or-not-is-trusting-someone-or/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Who is the wrong person to criticise? You”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/who-is-the-wrong-person-to-criticise-you/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“You may be able to get the bone down your throat But if it reaches your stomach it will tear your navel. (Gulistan)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/you-may-be-able-to-get-the-bone-down-your-throat-but-if-it-reaches/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“People are always trying to understand. There is only one way to do that. It is to discover < + i + >why< +…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/people-are-always-trying-to-understand-there-is-only-one-way-to-do/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [We view Sufism not as an ideology that molds people to the right way of belief or action, but as an art or science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/we-view-sufism-not-as-an-ideology-that-molds-people-to-the-right-way/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) [Explore all 365 Idries Shah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. 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