--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This life is not a race or a contest…" description: "\"“This life is not a race or a contest, there is enough abundance to go around, your seat at the table is secure, and you have incredible gifts to offer..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a92/jen-hatmaker-4184_abundance_this-life-is-not-a-race-or-a-contest-the_1276285.png" --- # This life is not a race or a contest, there is enough… ![“This life is not a race or a contest, there is enough abundance to go around, your seat at the table is secure, and you have incredible gifts to offer. You are not in competition with your peers.” quote by Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a92/jen-hatmaker-4184_abundance_this-life-is-not-a-race-or-a-contest-the_1276285.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a92/jen-hatmaker-4184_abundance_this-life-is-not-a-race-or-a-contest-the_1276285.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a92/jen-hatmaker-4184_abundance_this-life-is-not-a-race-or-a-contest-the_1276285.png) > ““This life is not a race or a contest, there is enough abundance to go around, your seat at the table is secure, and you have incredible gifts to offer. You are not in competition with your peers.”” [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is cooperative, not competitive; there is ample abundance and each person has unique gifts to share. **In simple terms:** Life is about sharing, not competing. Key Takeaway Embrace collaboration and value your gifts. Themes abundance collaboration self‑worth community Mood hopeful encouraging Type inspirational motivational When to use this quote - team projects - volunteering - career mentoring - creative collaborations Key Concepts humanism psychology spirituality Questions to Reflect On - How can you shift a competitive mindset to collaborative? - What unique gifts can you share today? A Different Perspective Competition can spur growth; not all contexts reward pure cooperation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abundance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abundance/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Is Not A Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is-not-a-race/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) ## Related quotes > [“If you are willing to let some things go, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the incredible gifts that will take their place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-hays-pisani/if-you-are-willing-to-let-some-things-go-you-ll-be-pleasantly/) [Nadine Hays Pisani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-hays-pisani/) > [Life is not a Race to Chase, but we realize it only when Death comes face-to-face.-RVM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/life-is-not-a-race-to-chase-but-we-realize-it-only-when-death-comes/) RVM > [When you're too fast to get somewhere, you miss the fun of getting there. 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Even the hardest things we do in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-white/i-have-come-to-the-point-in-my-life-that-i-realize-enjoy-every-minute/) Cindy White > [“Cleaning up your body and life is not a race, so you should never feel like it’s an all-or-nothing approach. Do what you can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-the-veggie-goddess-matthews/cleaning-up-your-body-and-life-is-not-a-race-so-you-should-never-feel/) Gina 'The Veggie Goddess' Matthews > [Life is not a Race, but we still continue the Chase and try to be an Ace. Its time to get out of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/life-is-not-a-race-but-we-still-continue-the-chase-and-try-to-be-an/) RVM > [“Life is not a race - but indeed a journey. Be honest. Work hard. Be choosy. 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We’ve been invited into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/we-cannot-carry-the-gospel-to-the-poor-and-lowly-while-emulating-the/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“Desperately wanting God's kingdom to come, we lead with the law, like a sixteen-year-old girl who thought a Bible on a desk corner would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/desperately-wanting-god-s-kingdom-to-come-we-lead-with-the-law-like-a/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“Simply speaking truth out loud is healing in and of itself. When people courageously voice a true, hard thing, they’ve already stolen some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/simply-speaking-truth-out-loud-is-healing-in-and-of-itself-when/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“Jesus operates beyond the tidy boundaries of good behavior. Rather than simply enforce His rules, we should show our kids His kingdom. 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I believe You’re more than enough for me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/believe-you-re-my-healer-i-believe-you-are-all-i-need-i-believe-you/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [Faith does not always demand that God explains Himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/faith-does-not-always-demand-that-god-explains-himself/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“Love refuses to deny or dismantle another’s perspective simply because I don’t share it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/love-refuses-to-deny-or-dismantle-another-s-perspective-simply/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“I've discovered reduced consumption doesn't equal reduced community or reduced contentment. There is something liberating about unplugging the machine to discover the heartbeat of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/i-ve-discovered-reduced-consumption-doesn-t-equal-reduced-community/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“Cooking dinner is a sacred gateway from work to rest, from seven separate lives to one shared table.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/cooking-dinner-is-a-sacred-gateway-from-work-to-rest-from-seven/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“The boys organized air-soft gun wars, so eight sweaty, stinky boys are running through my house wielding semiautomatic pellet guns dressed in sweatshirts though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/the-boys-organized-air-soft-gun-wars-so-eight-sweaty-stinky-boys-are/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) [Explore all 114 Jen Hatmaker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) ## More Abundance quotes > [ When the fountains of government \[borrowing\] abundance began to dry up, when through lack of funds and the impossibility of negotiating fresh loans the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-flynn/when-the-fountains-of-government-borrowing-abundance-began-to-dry-up/) [John T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-flynn/) > [ We have no clear ideas of the agency of \[demonic\] spirits, nor is it necessary. The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/we-have-no-clear-ideas-of-the-agency-of-demonic-spirits-nor-is-it/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“Life is open to us all. No one will ever see life exactly the same as another. Some folks will argue that one who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sereda-aleta-dailey/life-is-open-to-us-all-no-one-will-ever-see-life-exactly-the-same-as/) [Sereda Aleta Dailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sereda-aleta-dailey/) > [Our obsession with material things and lack of self-worth is evident in our need for an abundance of momentary luxuries and must-have amenities that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-i/our-obsession-with-material-things-and-lack-of-self-worth-is-evident/) T.I > [Like the sea itself, the unconscious yields an endless and self-replenishing abundance of creatures, a wealth beyond our fathoming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/like-the-sea-itself-the-unconscious-yields-an-endless-and-self/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [There are times when born hollandaise heads, as well as nouveaux turbot freaks and recherche escargotphiles alike crave the saignet abundance of a New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gael-greene/there-are-times-when-born-hollandaise-heads-as-well-as-nouveaux/) [Gael Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gael-greene/) > [I always tell Asian actors, especially Filipinos wanting to break into Hollywood, to study, study and study and show their best. I haven't stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/i-always-tell-asian-actors-especially-filipinos-wanting-to-break-into/) [Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/) > [“Without darkness, we may never know how bright the stars shine. Without battles, we could not know what victory feels like. Without adversity, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-anne/without-darkness-we-may-never-know-how-bright-the-stars-shine-without/) [Julie-Anne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-anne/) > [It is no small honour that God for our sake has so magnificently adorned the world, in order that we may not only be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/it-is-no-small-honour-that-god-for-our-sake-has-so-magnificently/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [frustration, complication and misery are available in abundance, but so is God's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/frustration-complication-and-misery-are-available-in-abundance-but-so/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [I dreamt a limitless book, A book unbound, Its leaves scattered in fantastic abundance On every line there was a new horizon drawn, New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-dreamt-a-limitless-book-a-book-unbound-its-leaves-scattered-in/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I used to be a columnist for 'Golf Monthly' and have contributed articles for national newspapers based on the humour that is in abundance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-carrott/i-used-to-be-a-columnist-for-golf-monthly-and-have-contributed/) [Jasper Carrott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-carrott/) > [Remember, whatever you focus upon, increases...When you focus on the things you need, you'll find those needs increasing. If you concentrate your thoughts on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-andrews/remember-whatever-you-focus-upon-increases-when-you-focus-on-the/) [Andy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-andrews/) > [Don't measure the height of your Christmas tree. Measure the abundance of the love present in your heart! Have a Blessed Christmas!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-measure-the-height-of-your-christmas-tree-measure-the-abundance/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 1,251 Abundance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abundance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This life is not a race or a contest, there is enough abundance to go around, your seat at the table is secure, and you have incredible gifts to offer. 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