--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [When anything happens, we interpret it…" description: "\"[When anything happens, we interpret it as good or bad, but...] We do not know what is really good or bad fortune. [Only the future can decide. For exa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_anticipation_when-anything-happens-we-interpret-it-as_1541428.png" --- # \[When anything happens, we interpret it as good or bad… ![“[When anything happens, we interpret it as good or bad, but...] We do not know what is really good or bad fortune. [Only the future can decide. For example, what appears to be bad today may in fact lead us to a greater good tomorrow and by the very act of thinking and planning in that positive…” quote by Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_anticipation_when-anything-happens-we-interpret-it-as_1541428.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_anticipation_when-anything-happens-we-interpret-it-as_1541428.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_anticipation_when-anything-happens-we-interpret-it-as_1541428.png) > “\[When anything happens, we interpret it as good or bad, but...\] We do not know what is really good or bad fortune. \[Only the future can decide. For example, what appears to be bad today may in fact lead us to a greater good tomorrow and by the very act of thinking and planning in that positive way, we can help make that good future come true.\]” [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our judgments of events as good or bad are limited; only time reveals true value, and positive intent can shape outcomes. **In simple terms:** We can’t know if something is truly good or bad until later, and hopeful thinking helps create better futures. Key Takeaway Adopt a hopeful mindset and act positively. Themes perception future optimism Mood reflective hopeful cautious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal decisions - career setbacks - health diagnoses - financial losses - relationship conflicts Key Concepts subjectivity causality self‑fulfilling prophecy Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate genuine optimism from wishful thinking? - What past “bad” events turned out beneficial? A Different Perspective Positive thinking may ignore real risks or lead to denial. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anticipation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anticipation/) [Bad fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-fortune/) [Example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/example/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) [Fortune Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune-future-5741567/) [Future Decide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-decide-2874271/) [Good future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-future/) [Greater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater/) [Greater good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater-good/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Interpret Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interpret-good-5741566/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [We do not know what really good or bad fortune is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/we-do-not-know-what-really-good-or-bad-fortune-is/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“In the future system, you will decide how your bodies look and feel, but only til then will you have the choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-l-lloyd/in-the-future-system-you-will-decide-how-your-bodies-look-and-feel/) [David L Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-l-lloyd/) > [The truth is my idea has been to always stay at Barcelona and see out the rest of my career here. Like I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-messi/the-truth-is-my-idea-has-been-to-always-stay-at-barcelona-and-see-out/) [Lionel Messi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-messi/) > [I decide my future. I decide what I want to do. Nobody else. If I decide this will be my last year, maybe it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zlatan-ibrahimovic/i-decide-my-future-i-decide-what-i-want-to-do-nobody-else-if-i-decide/) [Zlatan Ibrahimovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zlatan-ibrahimovic/) > [I can't fight forever. I've gotta fight and secure my future and decide what I'm gonna do with my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-dillashaw/i-can-t-fight-forever-i-ve-gotta-fight-and-secure-my-future-and/) [T.J. Dillashaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-dillashaw/) > [People dont desire their future, they decide their habits and their habits decide their future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/people-dont-desire-their-future-they-decide-their-habits-and-their/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“...the future is not written. It lies in the choices you make. Our future is ours to decide. Always.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-myklusch/the-future-is-not-written-it-lies-in-the-choices-you-make-our-future/) [Matt Myklusch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-myklusch/) > [“Why had she imagined he was attractive? He was absolutely the biggest, most complete and utter jackass she'd ever had the bad fortune to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-dodd/why-had-she-imagined-he-was-attractive-he-was-absolutely-the-biggest/) [Christina Dodd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-dodd/) > [The good or the bad fortune of men depends not less upon their own dispositions than upon fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-good-or-the-bad-fortune-of-men-depends-not-less-upon-their-own/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“Life, Rose well knew, could throw some hard punches at you, but nothing hurt as much as losing a child, or seeing one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/life-rose-well-knew-could-throw-some-hard-punches-at-you-but-nothing/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [“Single Mothers will NOT be single forever. There is TIME for EVERYTHING including their marriages too... Because I have always believed, and I still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nana-adu-boafo-jnr/single-mothers-will-not-be-single-forever-there-is-time-for/) [Nana Adu-Boafo Jnr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nana-adu-boafo-jnr/) > [Granny knew all about bad fortune-telling. It was harder than the real thing. You needed a good imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/granny-knew-all-about-bad-fortune-telling-it-was-harder-than-the-real/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [But remember, child, we may all have our own story and destiny, and sometimes our seemingly bad fortune, but we're all part of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/but-remember-child-we-may-all-have-our-own-story-and-destiny-and/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [All of us have bad luck and good luck. The man who persists through the bad luck - who keeps right on going -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/all-of-us-have-bad-luck-and-good-luck-the-man-who-persists-through/) [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) > [“Hurry up!” everyone in the room seemed to shriek at the same time. It didn’t matter to us that all over Pittsburgh, in every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-beard/hurry-up-everyone-in-the-room-seemed-to-shriek-at-the-same-time-it/) [Philip Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-beard/) ## More by Jean-Jacques Rousseau > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Take the course opposite to custom and you will almost always do well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/take-the-course-opposite-to-custom-and-you-will-almost-always-do-well/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Everything we do not have at our birth and which we need when we are grown is given to us by education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/everything-we-do-not-have-at-our-birth-and-which-we-need-when-we-are/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The first person who, having enclosed a plot of land, took it into his head to say this is mine and found people simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-first-person-who-having-enclosed-a-plot-of-land-took-it-into-his/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [...in respect of riches, no citizen shall ever be wealthy enough to buy another, and none poor enough to be forced to sell himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/in-respect-of-riches-no-citizen-shall-ever-be-wealthy-enough-to-buy/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Take from the philosopher the pleasure of being heard and his desire for knowledge ceases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/take-from-the-philosopher-the-pleasure-of-being-heard-and-his-desire/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Men, in general, are not this or that, they are what they are made to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/men-in-general-are-not-this-or-that-they-are-what-they-are-made-to-be/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [I would rather be a man of paradoxes than a man of prejudices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/i-would-rather-be-a-man-of-paradoxes-than-a-man-of-prejudices/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“O Fabricius! What would your great soul have thought, if to your own misfortune you had been called back to life and had seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/o-fabricius-what-would-your-great-soul-have-thought-if-to-your-own/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“The sword wears out its sheath, as it is sometimes said. That is my story. My passions have made me live, and my passions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-sword-wears-out-its-sheath-as-it-is-sometimes-said-that-is-my/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Whence do I get my rules of conduct? I find them in my heart. Whatever I feel to be good is good. Whatever I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/whence-do-i-get-my-rules-of-conduct-i-find-them-in-my-heart-whatever/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“If one divided all of human science into two parts - the one common to all men, the other particular to the learned -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/if-one-divided-all-of-human-science-into-two-parts-the-one-common-to/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The social compact sets up among the citizens as equality of such kind, that they all bind themselves to observe the same conditions and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-social-compact-sets-up-among-the-citizens-as-equality-of-such/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [I do not know is a phrase which becomes us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/i-do-not-know-is-a-phrase-which-becomes-us/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“How could I become wicked, when I had nothing but examples of gentleness before my eyes, and none around me but the best people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/how-could-i-become-wicked-when-i-had-nothing-but-examples-of/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) [Explore all 518 Jean-Jacques Rousseau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) ## More Anticipation quotes > [There is something to be said though when you have 4 or 5 guys playing with no net, there is a sense of urgency,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-mendoza/there-is-something-to-be-said-though-when-you-have-4-or-5-guys/) [Marco Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-mendoza/) > [Long intros are cool because there's a little bit of anticipation, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-lambert/long-intros-are-cool-because-there-s-a-little-bit-of-anticipation-you/) [Miranda Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-lambert/) > [Playing shortstop is 75 to 80 percent anticipation, knowing the hitter and the pitch being thrown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-boudreau/playing-shortstop-is-75-to-80-percent-anticipation-knowing-the-hitter/) [Lou Boudreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-boudreau/) > [Marriages are always moving from one season to another. Sometimes we find ourselves in winter--discouraged, detached, and dissatisfied; other times we experience springtime, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/marriages-are-always-moving-from-one-season-to-another-sometimes-we/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [“O I'm so afraid that it's true about to travel hopefully being better than to arrive. It might be all in the quest, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-brophy/o-i-m-so-afraid-that-it-s-true-about-to-travel-hopefully-being-better/) [Brigid Brophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-brophy/) > [“If you come at four in the afternoon, I'll begin to be happy by three.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-come-at-four-in-the-afternoon-i-ll-begin-to-be-happy-by-three/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Science is not a system of certain, or -established, statements; nor is it a system which steadily advances towards a state of finality... And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/science-is-not-a-system-of-certain-or-established-statements-nor-is/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [\[It is hard to know what is good luck and what isn't and therefore whether we should be happy or sad about it. Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zelig-pliskin/it-is-hard-to-know-what-is-good-luck-and-what-isn-t-and-therefore/) [Zelig Pliskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zelig-pliskin/) > [The so called unconscious inferences can be traced back to the all-preserving memory, which presents us with parallel experiences and hence already knows the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-so-called-unconscious-inferences-can-be-traced-back-to-the-all/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [ The only thing is that ordinarily when I do dance with \[women\] they think I am suddenly going to throw them over a table… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/the-only-thing-is-that-ordinarily-when-i-do-dance-with-women-they/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [Many live in dread of what is coming. Why should we? The unknown puts adventure into life. ... The unexpected around the corner gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-stanley-jones/many-live-in-dread-of-what-is-coming-why-should-we-the-unknown-puts/) [E. Stanley Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-stanley-jones/) > [The pilot who is always dreading a rock or a tempest must not complain if he remain a poor fisherman. We must at times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-metastasio/the-pilot-who-is-always-dreading-a-rock-or-a-tempest-must-not/) [Pietro Metastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-metastasio/) > [I am honoured to be asked to take on this role, especially as it comes at such an integral time for our relationship with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-boateng/i-am-honoured-to-be-asked-to-take-on-this-role-especially-as-it-comes/) [Paul Boateng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-boateng/) > [“I can handle Evil, but I cannot handle Anticipation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabbo-de-la-parra/i-can-handle-evil-but-i-cannot-handle-anticipation/) [Gabbo De La Parra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabbo-de-la-parra/) > [Hope is itself a species of happiness...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/hope-is-itself-a-species-of-happiness/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Browse all 758 Anticipation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anticipation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[When anything happens, we interpret it as good or bad, but...] We do not know what is really good or bad fortune. 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