--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know how to dance with the wind, I can…" description: "\"I know how to dance with the wind, I can use its power by sailing this way, then that way, and again this way, till finally I get to you. With rowing, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eda/jeff-bridges-1213_arms_i-know-how-to-dance-with-the-wind-i-can_233629.jpg" --- # I know how to dance with the wind, I can use its power by… ![“I know how to dance with the wind, I can use its power by sailing this way, then that way, and again this way, till finally I get to you. With rowing, you're working primarily with your arms and shoulders. But with sailing, you're making bigger use of the wind and the waves.” quote by Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eda/jeff-bridges-1213_arms_i-know-how-to-dance-with-the-wind-i-can_233629.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eda/jeff-bridges-1213_arms_i-know-how-to-dance-with-the-wind-i-can_233629.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eda/jeff-bridges-1213_arms_i-know-how-to-dance-with-the-wind-i-can_233629.jpg) > “I know how to dance with the wind, I can use its power by sailing this way, then that way, and again this way, till finally I get to you. With rowing, you're working primarily with your arms and shoulders. But with sailing, you're making bigger use of the wind and the waves.” [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker contrasts rowing and sailing as metaphors for using effort versus harnessing natural forces to reach a goal. **In simple terms:** Rowing uses effort; sailing uses wind to reach goals. Key Takeaway Choose methods that leverage natural forces when possible. Themes metaphor effort nature goal pursuit Mood inspirational thoughtful Type strategic philosophical When to use this quote - planning projects - team leadership - personal development Key Concepts physics strategy mindset Questions to Reflect On - When should you rely on effort versus external help? - How do you balance control and surrender? A Different Perspective Relying on external forces can be unpredictable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Rowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rowing/) [Sailing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sailing/) [Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wind/) ## Related quotes > ["Summer Sisters" is probably my least autobiographical book. The whole idea started with rowing down the pond. And I heard an explosion. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/summer-sisters-is-probably-my-least-autobiographical-book-the-whole/) [Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/) > [Rowing provided a place to go, a community where people cared about what I did and what I achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-greene/rowing-provided-a-place-to-go-a-community-where-people-cared-about/) [Nancy Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-greene/) > [“Rowing is perhaps the toughest of sports. Once the race starts, there are no time-outs, no substitutions. It calls upon the limits of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-james-brown/rowing-is-perhaps-the-toughest-of-sports-once-the-race-starts-there/) [Daniel James Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-james-brown/) > [To follow the drops sliding from a lifting oar, Head up, while the rower breathes, and the small boat drifts quietly shoreward...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roethke/to-follow-the-drops-sliding-from-a-lifting-oar-head-up-while-the/) [Theodore Roethke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roethke/) > [Mileage makes champions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-fairbairn/mileage-makes-champions/) Steve Fairbairn > [Make sure everybody in your boat is rowing and not drilling holes when you're not looking.know your circle ..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/make-sure-everybody-in-your-boat-is-rowing-and-not-drilling-holes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Unless you've also had some experience dragging around a boat trailer, \[topping off the gas tank\] may not sound important. But trailer driver's know:… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-alan-lewis/unless-you-ve-also-had-some-experience-dragging-around-a-boat-trailer/) [Brad Alan Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-alan-lewis/) > [Osho used me and Shunyo (my girlfriend at the time) as an example of how he envisioned men and women should relate. He shared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-anand-milarepa/osho-used-me-and-shunyo-my-girlfriend-at-the-time-as-an-example-of/) Swami Anand Milarepa > [On one of our very first days when we tried rowing, our coach, James Mangan, showed us a video of the Boat Race. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-winklevoss/on-one-of-our-very-first-days-when-we-tried-rowing-our-coach-james/) [Tyler Winklevoss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-winklevoss/) > [“This is very simple in the world of chicks: some are hoochies, some are not, and some should never try to be. It's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/this-is-very-simple-in-the-world-of-chicks-some-are-hoochies-some-are/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [You need flawless balance on the recovery. You need white hot focus and the concentration to row square blades cleanly for seven miles. Smooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-alan-lewis/you-need-flawless-balance-on-the-recovery-you-need-white-hot-focus/) [Brad Alan Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-alan-lewis/) > [“There's no earthly way of knowing Which direction we are going There's no knowing where we're rowing Or which way the river's flowing Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/there-s-no-earthly-way-of-knowing-which-direction-we-are-going-there/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [Immediately upon entering the weighing-in zone, I sensed an oppressive tension in the air, the lightweights staring and glaring at each other, snarling like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-alan-lewis/immediately-upon-entering-the-weighing-in-zone-i-sensed-an-oppressive/) [Brad Alan Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-alan-lewis/) > [Big guys like you and me aren't allowed to whine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-alan-lewis/big-guys-like-you-and-me-aren-t-allowed-to-whine/) [Brad Alan Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-alan-lewis/) > [The Greek in me wanted to know what it felt like to pull an oar. The intellectual wondered about how to get eight individuals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-s-strauss/the-greek-in-me-wanted-to-know-what-it-felt-like-to-pull-an-oar-the/) [Barry S. Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-s-strauss/) ## More by Jeff Bridges > [Nowadays, in the contract that actors sign, you have to agree that you're going to do a certain amount of publicity-the hard part they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/nowadays-in-the-contract-that-actors-sign-you-have-to-agree-that-you/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [Work takes me away from my wife, Sue, and my life in Santa Barbara.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/work-takes-me-away-from-my-wife-sue-and-my-life-in-santa-barbara/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [What are the aspects of yourself that line up with the character? You magnify those, and the ones that don't match up you kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/what-are-the-aspects-of-yourself-that-line-up-with-the-character-you/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [We're here for such a short period of time. Live like you're already dead, man. Have a good time. Do your best. Let it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/we-re-here-for-such-a-short-period-of-time-live-like-you-re-already/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [You know, it's kind of a shame in a way but the more seasoned directors a lot of times have more difficult getting a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/you-know-it-s-kind-of-a-shame-in-a-way-but-the-more-seasoned/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [I just find my creativity manifesting a bunch of different ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/i-just-find-my-creativity-manifesting-a-bunch-of-different-ways/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [You know, ballet might be too formal of a title for the type of dance I do, but I love to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/you-know-ballet-might-be-too-formal-of-a-title-for-the-type-of-dance/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [Like most kids, you don't want to do what your folks want you to do. You've got your own thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/like-most-kids-you-don-t-want-to-do-what-your-folks-want-you-to-do/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [You prep, you prep, you prep. And on the day that you film, you let all of that go. I try to achieve emptiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/you-prep-you-prep-you-prep-and-on-the-day-that-you-film-you-let-all/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [The Oscar nomination is great. It's a great pat on the back. And I like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/the-oscar-nomination-is-great-it-s-a-great-pat-on-the-back-and-i-like/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [When you start to engage with your creative processes, it shakes up all your impulses, and they all kind of inform one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/when-you-start-to-engage-with-your-creative-processes-it-shakes-up/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [There's lots of good movies where you feel that the dialogue could be improvised, but very little was. The "Big Lebowski" was like that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/there-s-lots-of-good-movies-where-you-feel-that-the-dialogue-could-be/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [It's not enough just to treat women well. We have to work to make sure all men treat women well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/it-s-not-enough-just-to-treat-women-well-we-have-to-work-to-make-sure/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [Ballet might be too formal of a title for the type of dance I do, but I love to dance. I love to draw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/ballet-might-be-too-formal-of-a-title-for-the-type-of-dance-i-do-but/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [It was fortunate for all of us to have Joaquin Jackson, who is a very renowned Texas Ranger, on board. He spent quite a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/it-was-fortunate-for-all-of-us-to-have-joaquin-jackson-who-is-a-very/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) [Explore all 273 Jeff Bridges quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) ## More Arms quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) Brian Reade > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Are we fighting?" I asked Morelli. "No. Were discussing." "Are you sure?" "Am I yelling?" Morelli asked. "Is my face purple? Are the cords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/are-we-fighting-i-asked-morelli-no-were-discussing-are-you-sure-am-i/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Comerado, this is no book,Who touches this, touches a man,(Is it night? Are we here alone?)It is I you hold, and who holds you,I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/comerado-this-is-no-book-who-touches-this-touches-a-man-is-it-night/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Even the stove and the refrigerator looked human, I mean good human - they seemed to have arms and voices and they said, hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/even-the-stove-and-the-refrigerator-looked-human-i-mean-good-human/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I separated the joints, the arm joints, the leg joints, and had to do two boilings. I think I used four boxes of Soilex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dahmer/i-separated-the-joints-the-arm-joints-the-leg-joints-and-had-to-do/) [Jeffrey Dahmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dahmer/) > [More courage is required to forgive than is required to take up arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ramos-horta/more-courage-is-required-to-forgive-than-is-required-to-take-up-arms/) [Jose Ramos-Horta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ramos-horta/) > [It's been a long time since I asked anything of heaven, and my arms still haven't come down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/it-s-been-a-long-time-since-i-asked-anything-of-heaven-and-my-arms/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [How shall freedom be defended? By arms when it is attacked by arms, by truth when it is attacked by lies, by faith when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-macleish/how-shall-freedom-be-defended-by-arms-when-it-is-attacked-by-arms-by/) [Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-macleish/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Another step had her backed up against the wall, and he braced his arms on both sides of her. "I'm beginning to look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/another-step-had-her-backed-up-against-the-wall-and-he-braced-his/) [Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/) Browse all 4,470 Arms quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know how to dance with the wind, I can use its power by sailing this way, then that way, and again this way, till finally I get to you. With rowing, you're working primarily with your arms and shoulders. 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