--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: don’t let the things you don’t have…" description: "\"“don’t let the things you don’t have prevent you from using the things you do have.”\" — John Locke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4df/john-locke-814_prevent_don-t-let-the-things-you-don-t-have-prev_103835.png" --- # don’t let the things you don’t have prevent you from using… ![“don’t let the things you don’t have prevent you from using the things you do have.” quote by John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4df/john-locke-814_prevent_don-t-let-the-things-you-don-t-have-prev_103835.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4df/john-locke-814_prevent_don-t-let-the-things-you-don-t-have-prev_103835.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4df/john-locke-814_prevent_don-t-let-the-things-you-don-t-have-prev_103835.png) > ““don’t let the things you don’t have prevent you from using the things you do have.”” [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote urges using available resources rather than being limited by what one lacks, promoting resourcefulness and gratitude. **In simple terms:** Use what you have; don’t dwell on what you lack. Key Takeaway Resourcefulness beats scarcity mindset. Themes motivation resourcefulness mindset gratitude Mood encouraging pragmatic Type inspirational advice When to use this quote - entrepreneur launching a startup with limited funds - student studying with library books - chef cooking with pantry staples Key Concepts scarcity vs. abundance pragmatism Practical Applications - focus on existing assets - reframe limitations as opportunities Questions to Reflect On - When is it wise to seek more resources? - How does gratitude affect productivity? A Different Perspective Ignoring genuine needs can lead to suboptimal outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Let Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-things/) [Prevent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prevent/) [Prevent Using](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prevent-using-1251371/) [Using](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/using/) [Using Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/using-things-1251370/) ## Related quotes > [Don't let the things you don't have prevent you from using what you do have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/don-t-let-the-things-you-don-t-have-prevent-you-from-using-what-you/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [And in reaching out and doing these new things you get into this strange kind of shape where you are better off than if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hamilton/and-in-reaching-out-and-doing-these-new-things-you-get-into-this/) [George Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hamilton/) > [There tends to be a sort of mundane quality to what I select - things from around the house, around the studio. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-owens/there-tends-to-be-a-sort-of-mundane-quality-to-what-i-select-things/) [Laura Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-owens/) > [For my art, there is a common theme most of the time: it is using the things we can see to search for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cai-guo-qiang/for-my-art-there-is-a-common-theme-most-of-the-time-it-is-using-the/) [Cai Guo-Qiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cai-guo-qiang/) > [“We should all stop wasting time using things we need, and start using most of our time saving them!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carollynn-lemky/we-should-all-stop-wasting-time-using-things-we-need-and-start-using/) [Carollynn Lemky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carollynn-lemky/) > [The idea of stopping is not unmeaningful to me. I think there might be a time when, in theory at least, you'd say, 'Well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-swift/the-idea-of-stopping-is-not-unmeaningful-to-me-i-think-there-might-be/) [Graham Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-swift/) > [“It is a tragedy, at rate at which EBOLA VIRUS is spreading in West Africa. It is a fatal disease in the history of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/it-is-a-tragedy-at-rate-at-which-ebola-virus-is-spreading-in-west/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [You want a child who never makes you anything but proud? Please. Don't bother taking on parenthood if you can't handle the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dreger/you-want-a-child-who-never-makes-you-anything-but-proud-please-don-t/) [Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dreger/) > [Alternative medicine plays into this exaggerated notion that you can prevent disease simply by doing the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-angell/alternative-medicine-plays-into-this-exaggerated-notion-that-you-can/) [Marcia Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-angell/) > [I think if we can prevent a fatal disease, we should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-pisani/i-think-if-we-can-prevent-a-fatal-disease-we-should/) [Elizabeth Pisani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-pisani/) > [The only way to win World War III is to prevent it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/the-only-way-to-win-world-war-iii-is-to-prevent-it/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [When things don't come so naturally to you, you want to persevere, you want to keep pushing yourself to overcome obstacles that prevent you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-tammet/when-things-don-t-come-so-naturally-to-you-you-want-to-persevere-you/) [Daniel Tammet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-tammet/) > [The only thing to prevent what's past is to put a stop to it before it happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyle-roche/the-only-thing-to-prevent-what-s-past-is-to-put-a-stop-to-it-before/) [Boyle Roche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyle-roche/) > [It is truly vital for the United States to assure that it is not attacked with weapons of mass destruction; to prevent wars in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/it-is-truly-vital-for-the-united-states-to-assure-that-it-is-not/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [The whole nuclear-arms-control and non-proliferation policy of the nuclear powers is a fraud: The Americans could not prevent the Soviets from replicating their weaponry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/the-whole-nuclear-arms-control-and-non-proliferation-policy-of-the/) [Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/) ## More by John Locke > [I thought that I had no time for faith nor time to pray, then I saw an armless man saying his Rosary with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/i-thought-that-i-had-no-time-for-faith-nor-time-to-pray-then-i-saw-an/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [I pretend not to teach, but to inquire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/i-pretend-not-to-teach-but-to-inquire/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [If we trace the progress of our minds, and with attention observe how it repeats, adds together, and unites its simple ideas received from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/if-we-trace-the-progress-of-our-minds-and-with-attention-observe-how/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [Thus parents, by humouring and cockering them when little, corrupt the principles of nature in their children, and wonder afterwards to taste the bitter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/thus-parents-by-humouring-and-cockering-them-when-little-corrupt-the/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [ “\[M\]an is not permitted without censure to follow his own thoughts in the search of truth, when they lead him ever so little out… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/m-an-is-not-permitted-without-censure-to-follow-his-own-thoughts-in/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [Fashion for the most part is nothing but the ostentation of riches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/fashion-for-the-most-part-is-nothing-but-the-ostentation-of-riches/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [When we know our own strength, we shall the better know what to undertake with hopes of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/when-we-know-our-own-strength-we-shall-the-better-know-what-to/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [Every man has a property in his own person. This nobody has a right to, but himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/every-man-has-a-property-in-his-own-person-this-nobody-has-a-right-to/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [“Earthly minds, like mud-walls, resist the strongest batteries: And though perhaps sometimes the force of a clear argument may make some impression, yet they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/earthly-minds-like-mud-walls-resist-the-strongest-batteries-and/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [“To avoid this state of war (wherein there is no appeal but to heaven, and wherein every the least difference is apt to end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/to-avoid-this-state-of-war-wherein-there-is-no-appeal-but-to-heaven/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [If by gaining knowledge we destroy our health, we labour for a thing that will be useless in our hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/if-by-gaining-knowledge-we-destroy-our-health-we-labour-for-a-thing/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [Power to do good is the true and lawful act of aspiring; for good thoughts (though God accept them), yet towards men are little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/power-to-do-good-is-the-true-and-lawful-act-of-aspiring-for-good/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [The body of People may with Respect resist intolerable Tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/the-body-of-people-may-with-respect-resist-intolerable-tyranny/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [Anger is uneasiness or discomposure of the mind upon the receipt of any injury, with a present purpose of revenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/anger-is-uneasiness-or-discomposure-of-the-mind-upon-the-receipt-of/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [“Beasts abstract not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/beasts-abstract-not/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) [Explore all 355 John Locke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) ## More Prevent quotes > [The whole nuclear-arms-control and non-proliferation policy of the nuclear powers is a fraud: The Americans could not prevent the Soviets from replicating their weaponry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/the-whole-nuclear-arms-control-and-non-proliferation-policy-of-the/) [Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/) > [It is truly vital for the United States to assure that it is not attacked with weapons of mass destruction; to prevent wars in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/it-is-truly-vital-for-the-united-states-to-assure-that-it-is-not/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [The only thing to prevent what's past is to put a stop to it before it happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyle-roche/the-only-thing-to-prevent-what-s-past-is-to-put-a-stop-to-it-before/) [Boyle Roche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyle-roche/) > [When things don't come so naturally to you, you want to persevere, you want to keep pushing yourself to overcome obstacles that prevent you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-tammet/when-things-don-t-come-so-naturally-to-you-you-want-to-persevere-you/) [Daniel Tammet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-tammet/) > [The only way to win World War III is to prevent it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/the-only-way-to-win-world-war-iii-is-to-prevent-it/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [I think if we can prevent a fatal disease, we should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-pisani/i-think-if-we-can-prevent-a-fatal-disease-we-should/) [Elizabeth Pisani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-pisani/) > [Alternative medicine plays into this exaggerated notion that you can prevent disease simply by doing the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-angell/alternative-medicine-plays-into-this-exaggerated-notion-that-you-can/) [Marcia Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-angell/) > [You want a child who never makes you anything but proud? Please. Don't bother taking on parenthood if you can't handle the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dreger/you-want-a-child-who-never-makes-you-anything-but-proud-please-don-t/) [Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dreger/) > [“It is a tragedy, at rate at which EBOLA VIRUS is spreading in West Africa. It is a fatal disease in the history of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/it-is-a-tragedy-at-rate-at-which-ebola-virus-is-spreading-in-west/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [The idea of stopping is not unmeaningful to me. I think there might be a time when, in theory at least, you'd say, 'Well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-swift/the-idea-of-stopping-is-not-unmeaningful-to-me-i-think-there-might-be/) [Graham Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-swift/) > [We now know that gun-free zones, though well intentioned, do not prevent attacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-prince/we-now-know-that-gun-free-zones-though-well-intentioned-do-not/) [Erik Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-prince/) > [I certainly would like to prevent, if I could legally, anybody having an abortion, a rich woman, a middle-class woman, or a poor woman.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hyde/i-certainly-would-like-to-prevent-if-i-could-legally-anybody-having/) [Henry Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hyde/) > [What has not yet emerged is easy to prevent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-has-not-yet-emerged-is-easy-to-prevent/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [During a color consultation, I like to reference food as a visual. Hot fudge and orange marmalade paint a clearer picture and helps prevent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabatha-coffey/during-a-color-consultation-i-like-to-reference-food-as-a-visual-hot/) [Tabatha Coffey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabatha-coffey/) > [We're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-re-going-to-have-to-come-together-and-take-meaningful-action-to/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Browse all 269 Prevent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prevent/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“don’t let the things you don’t have prevent you from using the things you do have.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Locke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/don-t-let-the-things-you-don-t-have-prevent-you-from-using-the-things/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Prevent" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/don-t-let-the-things-you-don-t-have-prevent-you-from-using-the-things/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4df/john-locke-814_prevent_don-t-let-the-things-you-don-t-have-prev_103835.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4df/john-locke-814_prevent_don-t-let-the-things-you-don-t-have-prev_103835.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4df/john-locke-814_prevent_don-t-let-the-things-you-don-t-have-prev_103835.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“don’t let the things you don’t have prevent you from using the things you do have.” — John Locke", "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": "John Locke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“don’t let the things you don’t...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/don-t-let-the-things-you-don-t-have-prevent-you-from-using-the-things/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/don-t-let-the-things-you-don-t-have-prevent-you-from-using-the-things/#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 } } ] } ```