--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not possible to control the outside…" description: "\"It is not possible to control the outside of yourself until you have mastered your breathing space. It is not possible to change anything until you und..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a92/jeanette-winterson-166_breathing_it-is-not-possible-to-control-the-outsid_1640547.jpg" --- # It is not possible to control the outside of yourself… ![“It is not possible to control the outside of yourself until you have mastered your breathing space. It is not possible to change anything until you understand the substance you wish to change.” quote by Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a92/jeanette-winterson-166_breathing_it-is-not-possible-to-control-the-outsid_1640547.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a92/jeanette-winterson-166_breathing_it-is-not-possible-to-control-the-outsid_1640547.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a92/jeanette-winterson-166_breathing_it-is-not-possible-to-control-the-outsid_1640547.jpg) > “It is not possible to control the outside of yourself until you have mastered your breathing space. It is not possible to change anything until you understand the substance you wish to change.” [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Control over external life follows mastering inner breath and understanding the substance of change. **In simple terms:** Master breath, know what to change. Key Takeaway Focus on inner awareness before external change. Themes self‑growth mindfulness change Mood contemplative motivational Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - meditation - therapy - goal setting - habit formation Key Concepts psychology self‑awareness personal development Questions to Reflect On - What inner patterns limit your external goals? - How can breath awareness reshape your decisions? A Different Perspective Changing external circumstances without inner insight can be ineffective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breathing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) [Breathing space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing-space/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Mastered Breathing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mastered-breathing-563252/) [Possible Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possible-control-563251/) [Self mastery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-mastery/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Substance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/substance/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [My goal was, and still is, to write first, direct my own stuff whenever possible and control my own creative destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-probst/my-goal-was-and-still-is-to-write-first-direct-my-own-stuff-whenever/) [Jeff Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-probst/) > [If we understand the mechanism and motives of the group mind, it is now possible to control and regiment the masses according to our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bernays/if-we-understand-the-mechanism-and-motives-of-the-group-mind-it-is/) [Edward Bernays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bernays/) > [There is an inherent tendency in all governmental power to recognize no restraints on its operation and to extend the sphere of its dominion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/there-is-an-inherent-tendency-in-all-governmental-power-to-recognize/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [It is not possible to control all external events; But, if I simply control my mind what need is there to control other things?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shantideva/it-is-not-possible-to-control-all-external-events-but-if-i-simply/) [Shantideva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shantideva/) > [The eighteen years he has lived seem but a moment, a breathing space in the long march of humanity. Already he hears death calling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/the-eighteen-years-he-has-lived-seem-but-a-moment-a-breathing-space/) [Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/) > [The time in between my clapping is ma. If you just have non-stop action with no breathing space at all, it's just busyness, But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/the-time-in-between-my-clapping-is-ma-if-you-just-have-non-stop/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [“Meditation is to understand that one breath, which connects all beings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-ray/meditation-is-to-understand-that-one-breath-which-connects-all-beings/) [Amit Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-ray/) > [Work before eating, rest after eating. Eat not ravenously, filling the mouth gulp after gulp without breathing space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/work-before-eating-rest-after-eating-eat-not-ravenously-filling-the/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) > [The confined air of a metropolis is hurtful to the minds and bodies of those who have never lived out of it. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-confined-air-of-a-metropolis-is-hurtful-to-the-minds-and-bodies/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Because of my job, my hair gets played with a lot on set, so I try to give it little bit of breathing space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/because-of-my-job-my-hair-gets-played-with-a-lot-on-set-so-i-try-to/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [“That is all life is. Breathing in, breathing out. The space between two breaths.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-raeder/that-is-all-life-is-breathing-in-breathing-out-the-space-between-two/) [Leah Raeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-raeder/) > [“Silence can be breathing space and spawn release and wellness in a time of appalling inflation of words. But silence may be intolerably screaming,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/silence-can-be-breathing-space-and-spawn-release-and-wellness-in-a/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [ \[The public lands represent\] in a sense, the breathing space of the nation. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-public-lands-represent-in-a-sense-the-breathing-space-of-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [You can be happy indeed if you have breathing space from pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/you-can-be-happy-indeed-if-you-have-breathing-space-from-pain/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [“excitement is found along the road, not at the end, and likewise, peace is not a fixed point-except perhaps in the unwanted "rest in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/excitement-is-found-along-the-road-not-at-the-end-and-likewise-peace/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) ## More by Jeanette Winterson > [“After nine nights must come ten and every desperate meeting only leaves you desperate for another. There is never enough to eat, never enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/after-nine-nights-must-come-ten-and-every-desperate-meeting-only/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [You never give away your heart; you lend it from time to time. If it were not so, how could we take it back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/you-never-give-away-your-heart-you-lend-it-from-time-to-time-if-it/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [I have found that I am not a space where people want to live, at least not without decorating first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-have-found-that-i-am-not-a-space-where-people-want-to-live-at-least/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“Yes. Just pass me my leg will you? It's on top of the wardrobe where he threw it, and I think my right arm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/yes-just-pass-me-my-leg-will-you-it-s-on-top-of-the-wardrobe-where-he/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [Every second the Universe divides into possibilities and most of those possibilities never happen. It is not a uni-verse -- there is more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/every-second-the-universe-divides-into-possibilities-and-most-of/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [You are a pool of clear water where the light plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/you-are-a-pool-of-clear-water-where-the-light-plays/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“It's the cliches that cause the trouble. A precise emotion seeks a precise expression. If what I feel is not precise than how should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/it-s-the-cliches-that-cause-the-trouble-a-precise-emotion-seeks-a/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [What would it have meant to be happy? What would it have meant if things had been bright, clear, good between us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/what-would-it-have-meant-to-be-happy-what-would-it-have-meant-if/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“Mrs Ratlow was a widow, and she was head of English, but she still did all the cooking and cleaning for her two sons,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/mrs-ratlow-was-a-widow-and-she-was-head-of-english-but-she-still-did/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“I shall have nowt to talk to now the baby is boiled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-shall-have-nowt-to-talk-to-now-the-baby-is-boiled/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“What art does is to coax us away from the mechanical and towards the miraculous. The so-called uselessness of art is a clue to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/what-art-does-is-to-coax-us-away-from-the-mechanical-and-towards-the/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [Happy Valentines Day to those who have found love, in whatever shape or form, and to those who are still hunting, don’t give up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/happy-valentines-day-to-those-who-have-found-love-in-whatever-shape/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“It took me a long time to realise that there are two kinds of writing: the one you write and the one that writes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/it-took-me-a-long-time-to-realise-that-there-are-two-kinds-of-writing/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [A curse on this game. How can you stick at a game when the rules keep on changing? I shall call myself Alice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/a-curse-on-this-game-how-can-you-stick-at-a-game-when-the-rules-keep/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“He turned away and I turned to him in vivid heat to look on the sun-dried world. The groves and towers were gone. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/he-turned-away-and-i-turned-to-him-in-vivid-heat-to-look-on-the-sun/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) [Explore all 1,016 Jeanette Winterson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) ## More Breathing quotes > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [“As long as we’re breathing, we have a chance to start over and build a stable future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ha-campbell/as-long-as-we-re-breathing-we-have-a-chance-to-start-over-and-build-a/) [Kim Ha Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ha-campbell/) > [People don't think much about breathing. Of all the things we take for granted, breathing has to be number one - even though it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/people-don-t-think-much-about-breathing-of-all-the-things-we-take-for/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [I wish," Jared began, and stopped, breathing in. "Do you remember how you used to believe I wasn't real? Sometimes I wish that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-wish-jared-began-and-stopped-breathing-in-do-you-remember-how-you/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Breathing is give(carbon dioxide) and take(oxygen), such is life, find balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-williams/breathing-is-give-carbon-dioxide-and-take-oxygen-such-is-life-find/) [Marcel Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-williams/) > [I'll probably be writing as long as I'm breathing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kristofferson/i-ll-probably-be-writing-as-long-as-i-m-breathing/) [Kris Kristofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kristofferson/) > [For me writing is like breathing. I could not live without breathing and I could not live without writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/for-me-writing-is-like-breathing-i-could-not-live-without-breathing/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [I’m in, Cat. I’d never leave you. Especially when you’ve got death breathing down your neck.” “Very funny,” I retorted, since Bones was inches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/i-m-in-cat-i-d-never-leave-you-especially-when-you-ve-got-death/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [He’d moved toward me again. His hands released mine and moved to my waist, and I noticed I wasn’t the only one breathing heavily.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/he-d-moved-toward-me-again-his-hands-released-mine-and-moved-to-my/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [My worry is that opera will become an historic art form as opposed to a living, breathing thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-fleming/my-worry-is-that-opera-will-become-an-historic-art-form-as-opposed-to/) [Renee Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-fleming/) > [I'm really fascinated and you know I've been wondering about that usage of language, various breathing techniques and why in these practices language is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-acker/i-m-really-fascinated-and-you-know-i-ve-been-wondering-about-that/) [Kathy Acker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-acker/) > [I’m exactly right for you, Bella. It would have been effortless for us — comfortable, easy as breathing. I was the natural path your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-m-exactly-right-for-you-bella-it-would-have-been-effortless-for-us/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) [Browse all 1,666 Breathing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is not possible to control the outside of yourself until you have mastered your breathing space. It is not possible to change anything until you understand the substance you wish to change.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeanette Winterson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/it-is-not-possible-to-control-the-outside-of-yourself-until-you-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Breathing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/it-is-not-possible-to-control-the-outside-of-yourself-until-you-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a92/jeanette-winterson-166_breathing_it-is-not-possible-to-control-the-outsid_1640547.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a92/jeanette-winterson-166_breathing_it-is-not-possible-to-control-the-outsid_1640547.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a92/jeanette-winterson-166_breathing_it-is-not-possible-to-control-the-outsid_1640547.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is not possible to control the outside of yourself until you have mastered your breathing space. It is…” — Jeanette Winterson", "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": "Jeanette Winterson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is not possible to control...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/it-is-not-possible-to-control-the-outside-of-yourself-until-you-have/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/it-is-not-possible-to-control-the-outside-of-yourself-until-you-have/#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 } } ] } ```