--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ultimate stupidity: Mistakenly thinking…" description: "\"Ultimate stupidity: Mistakenly thinking you will get what you want by complaining about and focusing on exactly what you don't want.\" — John Phillips" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad8/john-phillips-29691_complaining_ultimate-stupidity-mistakenly-thinking-y_3076799.png" --- # Ultimate stupidity: Mistakenly thinking you will get what… ![“Ultimate stupidity: Mistakenly thinking you will get what you want by complaining about and focusing on exactly what you don't want.” quote by John Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad8/john-phillips-29691_complaining_ultimate-stupidity-mistakenly-thinking-y_3076799.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad8/john-phillips-29691_complaining_ultimate-stupidity-mistakenly-thinking-y_3076799.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad8/john-phillips-29691_complaining_ultimate-stupidity-mistakenly-thinking-y_3076799.png) > “Ultimate stupidity: Mistakenly thinking you will get what you want by complaining about and focusing on exactly what you don't want.” [John Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Complaining about what you lack reinforces that lack, preventing you from attracting what you truly want. **In simple terms:** Focusing on lack blocks success. Key Takeaway Shift focus to desired outcomes. Themes mindset goal-setting psychology Mood motivational thoughtful Type self‑help philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - goal achievement Key Concepts law of attraction negative focus Questions to Reflect On - What do you truly want? - How can you reframe your thoughts toward positivity? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on avoidance can cause anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidity/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [What you want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-you-want/) ## Related quotes > [“To believe whatever is said without investigating the truth behind them is the ultimate stupidity of all the majority in all the eras!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/to-believe-whatever-is-said-without-investigating-the-truth-behind/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [But, how many times can you get exactly what you want, when you want it? Not very often. So, why not have it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/but-how-many-times-can-you-get-exactly-what-you-want-when-you-want-it/) [Jenji Kohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenji-kohan/) > [Nothing was ever in any man that is not in you; no man ever had more spiritual or mental power than you can attain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-d-wattles/nothing-was-ever-in-any-man-that-is-not-in-you-no-man-ever-had-more/) [Wallace D. Wattles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-d-wattles/) > [Once you run for office, you're in it - sort of like going into the military. You'd better be damned sure it is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy-jr/once-you-run-for-office-you-re-in-it-sort-of-like-going-into-the/) [John F. Kennedy Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy-jr/) > [Every vampire fiction reinvents vampires to its own needs. You take what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/every-vampire-fiction-reinvents-vampires-to-its-own-needs-you-take/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [One set of messages of the society we live in is: Consume. Grow. Do what you want. Amuse yourselves. The very working of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/one-set-of-messages-of-the-society-we-live-in-is-consume-grow-do-what/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [You work hard for what you want in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/you-work-hard-for-what-you-want-in-life/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [One of the principal reasons why so many fail to get what they want is because they do not definitely know what they want,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/one-of-the-principal-reasons-why-so-many-fail-to-get-what-they-want/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) > [Donald Trump said he will not decide about a possible run for the presidency until after the current season of Celebrity Apprentice wraps up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/donald-trump-said-he-will-not-decide-about-a-possible-run-for-the/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [“You deicde, and you make our night what you want. Brilliant and ours. Stupid and theirs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-phillips/you-deicde-and-you-make-our-night-what-you-want-brilliant-and-ours/) [Arthur Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-phillips/) > [You can’t have what you want to have, without doing what you need to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-connolly/you-can-t-have-what-you-want-to-have-without-doing-what-you-need-to-do/) [Jim Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-connolly/) > [If you don't know what you want, you will probably never get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/if-you-don-t-know-what-you-want-you-will-probably-never-get-it/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [Never, ever, sacrifice what you want the most, for what you want the most at that moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-owen/never-ever-sacrifice-what-you-want-the-most-for-what-you-want-the/) [James A. Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-owen/) > [One of our big goals in search is to make search that really understands exactly what you want, understands everything in the world. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-page/one-of-our-big-goals-in-search-is-to-make-search-that-really/) [Larry Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-page/) > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) ## More by John Phillips > [Well, one doesn't try to hold Cass and Denny and Michelle together. It's a useless task to start with. You just sort of stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/well-one-doesn-t-try-to-hold-cass-and-denny-and-michelle-together-it/) [John Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/) > [We will continue to see a convergence of the digital and physical world. Those who conquer that trend will be market leaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/we-will-continue-to-see-a-convergence-of-the-digital-and-physical/) [John Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/) > [Should and should not's are the furthest form or non-reality there is even the best scientists can't track what does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/should-and-should-not-s-are-the-furthest-form-or-non-reality-there-is/) [John Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/) > [It's thrilling. There's birth and death and frustration and victory in raising horses. It's like a little microcosm of life is built into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/it-s-thrilling-there-s-birth-and-death-and-frustration-and-victory-in/) [John Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/) > [The way you can recognize to what you are committed to is by your actual results. What you have gotten in life is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/the-way-you-can-recognize-to-what-you-are-committed-to-is-by-your/) [John Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/) > [Happy the Man, who void of Cares and Strife, In Silken, or in Leathern Purse retains A Splendid Shilling: He nor hears with Pain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/happy-the-man-who-void-of-cares-and-strife-in-silken-or-in-leathern/) [John Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/) > [Technology makes things faster and more cost-effective, but it's not perfect. It requires you to be as flexible as you can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/technology-makes-things-faster-and-more-cost-effective-but-it-s-not/) [John Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/) > [No amount of anxiety or worry is going to make any difference to anything that's going to happen anyway, so why let yourself feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/no-amount-of-anxiety-or-worry-is-going-to-make-any-difference-to/) [John Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/) > [My galligaskins, that have long withstood The winter's fury, and encroaching frosts, By time subdued (what will not time subdue!), A horrid chasm disclosed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/my-galligaskins-that-have-long-withstood-the-winter-s-fury-and/) [John Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/) > [We constantly learn new lessons up here. The experiences we gather will enable us to establish a long-term station on the moon and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/we-constantly-learn-new-lessons-up-here-the-experiences-we-gather/) [John Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/) > [It's been a great adventure, everything I hoped for. But it's time to go home. I miss my family. I miss the Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/it-s-been-a-great-adventure-everything-i-hoped-for-but-it-s-time-to/) [John Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/) > [If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair, if you're going to San Francisco, you're gonna meet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/if-you-re-going-to-san-francisco-be-sure-to-wear-some-flowers-in-your/) [John Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/) > [We're loving something to death in a way, which Americans tend to do a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/we-re-loving-something-to-death-in-a-way-which-americans-tend-to-do-a/) [John Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/) > [Faith is a reality and it reaches out to facts that are more solid, more real, more substantial, and more eternal than anything registered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/faith-is-a-reality-and-it-reaches-out-to-facts-that-are-more-solid/) [John Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/) > [If I told you the tragedy parts, we'd all sit here and cry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/if-i-told-you-the-tragedy-parts-we-d-all-sit-here-and-cry/) [John Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/) [Explore all 18 John Phillips quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/) ## More Complaining quotes > [And you can't complain about kissing Emma Watson. Isn't that what everyone in the world wants to do? I've known Emma for a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-redmayne/and-you-can-t-complain-about-kissing-emma-watson-isn-t-that-what/) [Eddie Redmayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-redmayne/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [People who are complaining about the Fed are people who've been predicting runaway inflation for five and six years, and it hasn't happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/people-who-are-complaining-about-the-fed-are-people-who-ve-been/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [The one thing I absolutely hate about social media are the people who abuse it. Whenever I see a person who constantly posts negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmin-garcia/the-one-thing-i-absolutely-hate-about-social-media-are-the-people-who/) [Jazmin Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmin-garcia/) > [They have no right to complain! If women were cool with knowing their man is cheating on them then they have no right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-williams/they-have-no-right-to-complain-if-women-were-cool-with-knowing-their/) [Eric Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-williams/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Do not complain of life's unfairness. It is never fair - at best it is impartial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/do-not-complain-of-life-s-unfairness-it-is-never-fair-at-best-it-is/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [But if people will laugh at my work and keep a sound roof over my head, who am I to complain?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-burke/but-if-people-will-laugh-at-my-work-and-keep-a-sound-roof-over-my/) [Billie Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-burke/) > [I think we need to talk about mental illness a lot more. People complain about tax dollars and say we don't have the money.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-think-we-need-to-talk-about-mental-illness-a-lot-more-people/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [Instead of complaining about your circumstances, get busy creating new ones. You either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-complaining-about-your-circumstances-get-busy-creating-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To become a celebrity is to become a brand name. There is Ivory Soap, Rice Krispies, and Philip Roth. Ivory is the soap that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/to-become-a-celebrity-is-to-become-a-brand-name-there-is-ivory-soap/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [You shouldn't get to live in society and give nothing back. People complain about their taxes, yet they do nothing for the community. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-turner/you-shouldn-t-get-to-live-in-society-and-give-nothing-back-people/) [Kathleen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-turner/) > [I was so drunk last night I fell down and missed the floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-martin/i-was-so-drunk-last-night-i-fell-down-and-missed-the-floor/) [Dean Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-martin/) > [Once the war began, the government could do anything 'necessary' to win it; so it was with the 'final solution of the Jewish problem,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-mayer/once-the-war-began-the-government-could-do-anything-necessary-to-win/) [Milton Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-mayer/) > [I'll tell you that the dog whistle politics is badly missing the mark. Because, you know, as I've been speaking about it, sure, I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naheed-nenshi/i-ll-tell-you-that-the-dog-whistle-politics-is-badly-missing-the-mark/) [Naheed Nenshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naheed-nenshi/) Browse all 1,994 Complaining quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ultimate stupidity: Mistakenly thinking you will get what you want by complaining about and focusing on exactly what you don't want.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Phillips" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/ultimate-stupidity-mistakenly-thinking-you-will-get-what-you-want-by/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Complaining" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/ultimate-stupidity-mistakenly-thinking-you-will-get-what-you-want-by/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad8/john-phillips-29691_complaining_ultimate-stupidity-mistakenly-thinking-y_3076799.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad8/john-phillips-29691_complaining_ultimate-stupidity-mistakenly-thinking-y_3076799.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad8/john-phillips-29691_complaining_ultimate-stupidity-mistakenly-thinking-y_3076799.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ultimate stupidity: Mistakenly thinking you will get what you want by complaining about and focusing on…” — John Phillips", "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 Phillips", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-phillips/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Ultimate stupidity: Mistakenly thinking you will...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/ultimate-stupidity-mistakenly-thinking-you-will-get-what-you-want-by/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-phillips/ultimate-stupidity-mistakenly-thinking-you-will-get-what-you-want-by/#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 } } ] } ```