--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: While there are many problems, if one…" description: "\"While there are many problems, if one focuses on the bigger picture there are numerous reasons to be thankful for living in a time of remarkable progre..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/john-templeton-3668_being-thankful_while-there-are-many-problems-if-one-foc_2630857.png" --- # While there are many problems, if one focuses on the… ![“While there are many problems, if one focuses on the bigger picture there are numerous reasons to be thankful for living in a time of remarkable progress and wonderful possibilities for the future.” quote by John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/john-templeton-3668_being-thankful_while-there-are-many-problems-if-one-foc_2630857.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/john-templeton-3668_being-thankful_while-there-are-many-problems-if-one-foc_2630857.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/john-templeton-3668_being-thankful_while-there-are-many-problems-if-one-foc_2630857.png) > “While there are many problems, if one focuses on the bigger picture there are numerous reasons to be thankful for living in a time of remarkable progress and wonderful possibilities for the future.” [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focusing on the big picture reveals many reasons for gratitude despite numerous problems. **In simple terms:** Seeing the big picture brings gratitude despite problems. Key Takeaway Practice gratitude for progress and possibilities. Themes gratitude optimism future‑oriented progress Mood hopeful inspirational Type philosophical personal When to use this quote - daily gratitude journals - future planning workshops - celebrating scientific advances - community optimism events Key Concepts mindset appreciation visionary thinking Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to address current problems? - How can gratitude coexist with activism? A Different Perspective May ignore urgent crises. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being thankful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-thankful/) [Bigger picture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigger-picture/) [Gratitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gratitude/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Thankful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thankful/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) ## Related quotes > [And so you have a life that you are living only now, now and now and now, gone before you can speak of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/and-so-you-have-a-life-that-you-are-living-only-now-now-and-now-and/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Life is beautiful. You have to be thankful that we are living. Wherever you look is beauty. I know about the bad things, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-herz-sommer/life-is-beautiful-you-have-to-be-thankful-that-we-are-living-wherever/) [Alice Herz-Sommer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-herz-sommer/) > [I think I'm in the best place I've ever been in so many ways. I've just come out of five years of very difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-gray/i-think-i-m-in-the-best-place-i-ve-ever-been-in-so-many-ways-i-ve/) [Erin Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-gray/) > [Warm thoughts and best wishes to you and your family this Thanksgiving. May you continue to have many blessings and many reasons to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/warm-thoughts-and-best-wishes-to-you-and-your-family-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Ain’t got no reason to be complainin’, and I done got me a heap of reasons to be thankful. I reckon that makes me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-gaffney/ain-t-got-no-reason-to-be-complainin-and-i-done-got-me-a-heap-of/) [Virginia Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-gaffney/) > [Pray with and for your wife every day and remember to include the reasons you are thankful to God for her that day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/pray-with-and-for-your-wife-every-day-and-remember-to-include-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are so many reasons to be thankful. Think about them when you're feeling sad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdulbary-yahya/there-are-so-many-reasons-to-be-thankful-think-about-them-when-you-re/) [AbdulBary Yahya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdulbary-yahya/) > [God allowed me to see another day and that's more than enough reasons too be thankful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-s-voice/god-allowed-me-to-see-another-day-and-that-s-more-than-enough-reasons/) Lisa's Voice > [Thanksgiving being thankful or grateful results in more to be thankful for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/thanksgiving-being-thankful-or-grateful-results-in-more-to-be/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [I run into a lot of ignorance and stupidity. It gets really frustrating, but you have to take yourself out of it and realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-carrera/i-run-into-a-lot-of-ignorance-and-stupidity-it-gets-really/) [Carmen Carrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-carrera/) > [People have to understand what my game is. It's not all about numbers. There's a bigger picture here. I don't create off the dribble.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-lobo/people-have-to-understand-what-my-game-is-it-s-not-all-about-numbers/) [Rebecca Lobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-lobo/) > [I am a bigger-picture manager because I've lived through something that's a big picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/i-am-a-bigger-picture-manager-because-i-ve-lived-through-something/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Perhaps there is supranatural: reason beyond the normal definitions of fact or data-based logic; something that only makes sense if you can see a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/perhaps-there-is-supranatural-reason-beyond-the-normal-definitions-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes people can write really great scenes and even a great episode, but they can't see the bigger picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-night-shyamalan/sometimes-people-can-write-really-great-scenes-and-even-a-great/) [M. Night Shyamalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-night-shyamalan/) > [“if you cannot control your hunger and appetite, good luck managing your blood chemistry, metabolism, waistline, and, in the bigger picture, the prospect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-perlmutter/if-you-cannot-control-your-hunger-and-appetite-good-luck-managing/) [David Perlmutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-perlmutter/) ## More by John Templeton > [An attitude of gratitude creates blessings. Help yourself by helping others. You have the most powerful weapons on earth - love and prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/an-attitude-of-gratitude-creates-blessings-help-yourself-by-helping/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [I served for 42 years on the board of trustees of the largest Presbyterian seminary, Princeton Theological Seminary, and we had brilliant people -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/i-served-for-42-years-on-the-board-of-trustees-of-the-largest/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [...Making people get over the concept that they've got the total proof. To get them to feel, 'Gee, I want to learn more. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/making-people-get-over-the-concept-that-they-ve-got-the-total-proof/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [I have no quarrel with what I learned in the Presbyterian church - I am still an enthusiastic Christian. But why shouldn't I try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/i-have-no-quarrel-with-what-i-learned-in-the-presbyterian-church-i-am/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [Anybody who had come up with a new concept would have been under suspicion for being out of step with the tradition or out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/anybody-who-had-come-up-with-a-new-concept-would-have-been-under/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [Suppose you went to your priest and asked for help; he would refer you to the Bible. But if you went the next day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/suppose-you-went-to-your-priest-and-asked-for-help-he-would-refer-you/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [Help yourself by helping others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/help-yourself-by-helping-others/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [Many media commercials encourage us to believe that if we buy a certain product, we can be physically appealing, or popular, or successful. According…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/many-media-commercials-encourage-us-to-believe-that-if-we-buy-a/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [The idea that an individual can find God is terribly self-centered. It is like a wave thinking it can find the sea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/the-idea-that-an-individual-can-find-god-is-terribly-self-centered-it/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [I never ask if the market is going to go up or down because I don't know, and besides it doesn't matter. I search…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/i-never-ask-if-the-market-is-going-to-go-up-or-down-because-i-don-t/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [Many of us understand giving, but some of us may still be confused about the meaning of forgiveness. Some people may go through life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/many-of-us-understand-giving-but-some-of-us-may-still-be-confused/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [Not yet have I found any better method to prosper during the future financial chaos, which is likely to last many years, than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/not-yet-have-i-found-any-better-method-to-prosper-during-the-future/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [The best investment with the least risk and the greatest dividend is giving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/the-best-investment-with-the-least-risk-and-the-greatest-dividend-is/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [True peace is a quality you carry within yourself, regardless of external circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/true-peace-is-a-quality-you-carry-within-yourself-regardless-of/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [The other boys at Yale came from wealthy families, and none of them were investing outside the United States, and I thought, 'That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/the-other-boys-at-yale-came-from-wealthy-families-and-none-of-them/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) [Explore all 125 John Templeton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) ## More Being thankful quotes > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Be in a state of gratitude for everything that shows up in your life. Be thankful for the storms as well as the smooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/be-in-a-state-of-gratitude-for-everything-that-shows-up-in-your-life/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Stop chasing the things you want and embrace all that you already have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stop-chasing-the-things-you-want-and-embrace-all-that-you-already-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Many of us rely on our own illusion of control. But when God makes it known to you that you're not the one steering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/many-of-us-rely-on-our-own-illusion-of-control-but-when-god-makes-it/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [God, help me to focus on Truth instead of the trial. Help me to give thanks instead of giving into fear. Help me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-daugherty/god-help-me-to-focus-on-truth-instead-of-the-trial-help-me-to-give/) Whitney Daugherty > [Be Thankful for all things in life. Even for the bad things. SOMETIMES the worst situations in life turn out to be the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-thankful-for-all-things-in-life-even-for-the-bad-things-sometimes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Learn to be thankful in your trials, because in order to get your breakthrough, you need a trial to break through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-williams/learn-to-be-thankful-in-your-trials-because-in-order-to-get-your/) [Craig Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-williams/) > [Every night I go to sleep smiling, even when I have a bad day. I'm just thankful that God allowed me to live it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-night-i-go-to-sleep-smiling-even-when-i-have-a-bad-day-i-m-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Always respect, honour And Pray for those who helped you in your bad time. Also be thankful to bad time, For showing you those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/always-respect-honour-and-pray-for-those-who-helped-you-in-your-bad/) Pacifiersucker > [Some people do not appreciates when you help them but expecting you to always grant you help with open arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/some-people-do-not-appreciates-when-you-help-them-but-expecting-you/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [Be thankful for problems. If they were less difficult, someone with less ability might have your job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lovell/be-thankful-for-problems-if-they-were-less-difficult-someone-with/) [Jim Lovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lovell/) > [I just wanted to remind you that I love you alot and thank God everyday for blessing me with a friend that is just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-just-wanted-to-remind-you-that-i-love-you-alot-and-thank-god/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every night I thank God for giving me you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-night-i-thank-god-for-giving-me-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I get hit everyday with people everyday saying I remember this record from that, this changed my life or this record was playing when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mic-geronimo/i-get-hit-everyday-with-people-everyday-saying-i-remember-this-record/) [Mic Geronimo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mic-geronimo/) [Browse all 832 Being thankful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-thankful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "While there are many problems, if one focuses on the bigger picture there are numerous reasons to be thankful for living in a time of remarkable progress and wonderful possibilities for the future.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Templeton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/while-there-are-many-problems-if-one-focuses-on-the-bigger-picture/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being thankful" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/while-there-are-many-problems-if-one-focuses-on-the-bigger-picture/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/john-templeton-3668_being-thankful_while-there-are-many-problems-if-one-foc_2630857.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/john-templeton-3668_being-thankful_while-there-are-many-problems-if-one-foc_2630857.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/947/john-templeton-3668_being-thankful_while-there-are-many-problems-if-one-foc_2630857.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“While there are many problems, if one focuses on the bigger picture there are numerous reasons to be…” — John Templeton", "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 Templeton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "While there are many problems, if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/while-there-are-many-problems-if-one-focuses-on-the-bigger-picture/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/while-there-are-many-problems-if-one-focuses-on-the-bigger-picture/#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 } } ] } ```