--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The times are not so bad as they seem…" description: "\"The times are not so bad as they seem; they couldn't be\" — Jay Franklin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/621/jay-franklin-246533_the-present_the-times-are-not-so-bad-as-they-seem-th_1506742.jpg" --- # The times are not so bad as they seem; they couldn't be ![“The times are not so bad as they seem; they couldn't be” quote by Jay Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/621/jay-franklin-246533_the-present_the-times-are-not-so-bad-as-they-seem-th_1506742.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/621/jay-franklin-246533_the-present_the-times-are-not-so-bad-as-they-seem-th_1506742.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/621/jay-franklin-246533_the-present_the-times-are-not-so-bad-as-they-seem-th_1506742.jpg) > “The times are not so bad as they seem; they couldn't be” [Jay Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-franklin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Current times may seem worse than they are; perspective changes perception. **In simple terms:** Perception alters how bad times feel. Key Takeaway Adjust perspective to see reality. Themes perception time optimism reality psychology Mood reflective hopeful Type The present:1 Time:1 Times:1 Worse:0 Times Bad:0 When to use this quote - daily news - personal setbacks - social media Key Concepts cognitive bias mindset temporal view Questions to Reflect On - How does your view affect your mood? - What evidence challenges your negative outlook? A Different Perspective Bad times may still be harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [The present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-present/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times/) [Times Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-bad-526747/) [Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worse/) ## Related quotes > [Football is like that - sometimes you have good times, sometimes you have bad times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emre-can/football-is-like-that-sometimes-you-have-good-times-sometimes-you/) [Emre Can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emre-can/) > [You've got to have as many good times as bad, or it all becomes too painful and too much work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-day/you-ve-got-to-have-as-many-good-times-as-bad-or-it-all-becomes-too/) [Sylvia Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-day/) > [You can't appreciate the good times without the bad ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/you-can-t-appreciate-the-good-times-without-the-bad-ones/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Be them good times, Be them bad times, I swear to you They never last!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maddy-kobar/be-them-good-times-be-them-bad-times-i-swear-to-you-they-never-last/) [Maddy Kobar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maddy-kobar/) > [A lot of times when something bad happens, you always try to find the good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sale/a-lot-of-times-when-something-bad-happens-you-always-try-to-find-the/) [Chris Sale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sale/) > [I'm La Flame at all times. That, at times, can be bad, at times can be good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-scott/i-m-la-flame-at-all-times-that-at-times-can-be-bad-at-times-can-be/) [Travis Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-scott/) > [There are always good times and bad times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keylor-navas/there-are-always-good-times-and-bad-times/) [Keylor Navas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keylor-navas/) > [You have to go through good times and bad times to get where you're trying to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-iverson/you-have-to-go-through-good-times-and-bad-times-to-get-where-you-re/) [Allen Iverson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-iverson/) > [When times are good, people drink. When times are bad, people drink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rande-gerber/when-times-are-good-people-drink-when-times-are-bad-people-drink/) [Rande Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rande-gerber/) > [The times are never so bad but that a good man can make shift to live in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-more/the-times-are-never-so-bad-but-that-a-good-man-can-make-shift-to-live/) [Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-more/) > [In good times and bad times, I'll be on your side for ever more...that's what friends are for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/in-good-times-and-bad-times-i-ll-be-on-your-side-for-ever-more-that-s/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [The times are very bad. Very well, you are there to make them better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-times-are-very-bad-very-well-you-are-there-to-make-them-better/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Times are bad, God is good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-sibbes/times-are-bad-god-is-good/) [Richard Sibbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-sibbes/) > [England, through good times or bad, was the only place I wanted to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-lynn/england-through-good-times-or-bad-was-the-only-place-i-wanted-to-be/) [Vera Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-lynn/) > [When times were good, we made more money. When times are bad, we make less money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-donnelly/when-times-were-good-we-made-more-money-when-times-are-bad-we-make/) [Declan Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-donnelly/) ## More The present quotes > [Life is like a grammar lesson. You find the past perfect and the present tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/life-is-like-a-grammar-lesson-you-find-the-past-perfect-and-the/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [It's not about the past, and it's not about the future, its about taking this moment you're living in right now, and making it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/it-s-not-about-the-past-and-it-s-not-about-the-future-its-about/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [I am utterly devoted to the present moment. Don't move into the past because that is memory; there is no relevant existence to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/i-am-utterly-devoted-to-the-present-moment-don-t-move-into-the-past/) [OSHO](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [When I was young I was sure of everything; in a few years, having been mistaken a thousand times, I was not half so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/when-i-was-young-i-was-sure-of-everything-in-a-few-years-having-been/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [“The library is a whispering post. You don't need to take a book off a shelf to know there is a voice inside that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/the-library-is-a-whispering-post-you-don-t-need-to-take-a-book-off-a/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [Plant the Future. Care for the Present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/plant-the-future-care-for-the-present/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [The gift is now… That is why we all call it the present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cv-pillay/the-gift-is-now-that-is-why-we-all-call-it-the-present/) [Cv Pillay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cv-pillay/) > [Love is God. Let us be one with ourselves n look past the BS from the past..No need to overwork yourself for the future.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasari/love-is-god-let-us-be-one-with-ourselves-n-look-past-the-bs-from-the/) [Jasari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasari/) > [Our actions of the past should not define who we are today. Our actions of today should help to define who we want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sweeney/our-actions-of-the-past-should-not-define-who-we-are-today-our/) [Ash Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sweeney/) > [Accept the past, manage the present and work really hard towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/accept-the-past-manage-the-present-and-work-really-hard-towards-the/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [People..aggressively defend their..views, because they identify themselves with their mind..once people dis-identify themselves from the mind, they then can express their feelings and views…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/people-aggressively-defend-their-views-because-they-identify/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“MOTHER TIME: Life goes by so very fast, my dears, and taking the time to reflect, even once a year, slows things down. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-depiano/mother-time-life-goes-by-so-very-fast-my-dears-and-taking-the-time-to/) [Hillary DePiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-depiano/) > [“Past and future is determined by what is now…right now! This is why the present is a gift; the only one that ultimately matters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-f-hodge/past-and-future-is-determined-by-what-is-now-right-now-this-is-why/) [T.F. Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-f-hodge/) > [He who doesn't modernize himself doesn't live the present and will not live the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-malfatti/he-who-doesn-t-modernize-himself-doesn-t-live-the-present-and-will/) [Jean-Paul Malfatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-malfatti/) > [“I try to live my life, as if I am 85 or 90 years old in retrospect. I was handsome and young still, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-storrs/i-try-to-live-my-life-as-if-i-am-85-or-90-years-old-in-retrospect-i/) [TIM STORRS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-storrs/) [Browse all 79 The present quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-present/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The times are not so bad as they seem; they couldn't be", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jay Franklin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-franklin/the-times-are-not-so-bad-as-they-seem-they-couldn-t-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "The present" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-franklin/the-times-are-not-so-bad-as-they-seem-they-couldn-t-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/621/jay-franklin-246533_the-present_the-times-are-not-so-bad-as-they-seem-th_1506742.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/621/jay-franklin-246533_the-present_the-times-are-not-so-bad-as-they-seem-th_1506742.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/621/jay-franklin-246533_the-present_the-times-are-not-so-bad-as-they-seem-th_1506742.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The times are not so bad as they seem; they couldn't be” — Jay Franklin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jay Franklin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-franklin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The times are not so bad...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-franklin/the-times-are-not-so-bad-as-they-seem-they-couldn-t-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-franklin/the-times-are-not-so-bad-as-they-seem-they-couldn-t-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```