--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can’t always control what happens in…" description: "\"“We can’t always control what happens in our lives- things will go well, things will go poorly-but what we can control is our response to those events...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/kenneth-blanchard-253251_attitude_we-can-t-always-control-what-happens-in_102448.jpg" --- # We can’t always control what happens in our lives- things… ![“We can’t always control what happens in our lives- things will go well, things will go poorly-but what we can control is our response to those events.” quote by Kenneth Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/kenneth-blanchard-253251_attitude_we-can-t-always-control-what-happens-in_102448.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/kenneth-blanchard-253251_attitude_we-can-t-always-control-what-happens-in_102448.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/kenneth-blanchard-253251_attitude_we-can-t-always-control-what-happens-in_102448.jpg) > ““We can’t always control what happens in our lives- things will go well, things will go poorly-but what we can control is our response to those events.”” Kenneth Blanchard ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We cannot control events, but we can control our reactions, shaping outcomes. **In simple terms:** Control your response, not events. Key Takeaway Choose your reaction wisely. Themes resilience control mindset emotional intelligence Mood calm empowering Type Attitude:1 Response:1 Control Response:0 Control Happens:0 Poorly Control:0 Things Poorly:0 When to use this quote - workplace - personal crises - health challenges Key Concepts stress management personal agency adaptive coping Questions to Reflect On - How do you practice emotional control? - What limits your response choices? A Different Perspective Focusing only on response may ignore systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) ## Related quotes > [We can't always control what happens but we can control our response](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-harding/we-can-t-always-control-what-happens-but-we-can-control-our-response/) [Phil Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-harding/) > [He who leaves nothing to chance will do few things poorly, but he will do few things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-who-leaves-nothing-to-chance-will-do-few-things-poorly-but-he-will/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I just see things that are so poorly run, and they could be done a lot better. It might come down to, 'if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lindell/i-just-see-things-that-are-so-poorly-run-and-they-could-be-done-a-lot/) [Mike Lindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lindell/) > [Life is about having a good time, and it was a good time. 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Don't let a negative outlook kill your joy today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/today-s-circumstances-are-out-of-your-control-but-you-can-control/) [LeCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [You might not be able to control your circumstances, but you can control your response to your circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-might-not-be-able-to-control-your-circumstances-but-you-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We can't control what other people do and how they treat us, but we can control our response to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/we-can-t-control-what-other-people-do-and-how-they-treat-us-but-we/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Since you cannot control the weather, or the traffic, or the one you love, or your neighbors, or your boss, then you must learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/since-you-cannot-control-the-weather-or-the-traffic-or-the-one-you/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [“Control of what happens is the ultimate solution to life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/control-of-what-happens-is-the-ultimate-solution-to-life/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [“You may not be able to control what happens to you but you can control what happens within you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-augustine/you-may-not-be-able-to-control-what-happens-to-you-but-you-can/) [Sue Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-augustine/) > [Being irrational and out of control is what happens in real life. Not cautiously choreographing your anger or your emotions, losing yourself in them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-robbie/being-irrational-and-out-of-control-is-what-happens-in-real-life-not/) [Margot Robbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-robbie/) > [“That is one of the patterns: when nothing is happening, nothing continues to happen, but after a while the lull becomes too much and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-haig/that-is-one-of-the-patterns-when-nothing-is-happening-nothing/) [Matt Haig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-haig/) > [We cannot always control everything that happens to us in this life, but we can control how we respond. Many struggles come as problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-lionel-kendrick/we-cannot-always-control-everything-that-happens-to-us-in-this-life/) [L. Lionel Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-lionel-kendrick/) ## More Attitude quotes > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [Vow to be valiant. Resolve to be radiant. Determine to be dynamic. Strive to be sincere. Aspire to be attuned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/vow-to-be-valiant-resolve-to-be-radiant-determine-to-be-dynamic/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [Don't judge me because I'm stupid. Don't judge me because I'm, mean. Don't judge me because I'm weird. Don't judge me for mistakes. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-harden-me/don-t-judge-me-because-i-m-stupid-don-t-judge-me-because-i-m-mean-don/) Isaiah Harden (Me > [Your feelings (mood) dictate your thought, your thought determines your attitude (reactions) and your attitude describes your lifestyle, so: be careful how you feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheye-hassan/your-feelings-mood-dictate-your-thought-your-thought-determines-your/) Sheye Hassan > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [“Good Seeds! Gratitude is the Greatest Attitude that has no Substitute.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-kelvin-clive/good-seeds-gratitude-is-the-greatest-attitude-that-has-no-substitute/) [Bernard Kelvin Clive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-kelvin-clive/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [One genuine reason to feel jealous of my parents:-) I will never ever have a kid as awesome as their's...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-genuine-reason-to-feel-jealous-of-my-parents-i-will-never-ever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [My attitude it that you don't give in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-taylor/my-attitude-it-that-you-don-t-give-in/) [Phil Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-taylor/) > [Transparency pertains to impartial behavior, implies openness, communication, and accountability. Inculcate transparency in attitude and experience a life free of controversy and blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/transparency-pertains-to-impartial-behavior-implies-openness/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) [Browse all 9,543 Attitude quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We can’t always control what happens in our lives- things will go well, things will go poorly-but what we can control is our response to those events.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kenneth Blanchard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-blanchard/we-can-t-always-control-what-happens-in-our-lives-things-will-go-well/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attitude" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-blanchard/we-can-t-always-control-what-happens-in-our-lives-things-will-go-well/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/kenneth-blanchard-253251_attitude_we-can-t-always-control-what-happens-in_102448.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/kenneth-blanchard-253251_attitude_we-can-t-always-control-what-happens-in_102448.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/kenneth-blanchard-253251_attitude_we-can-t-always-control-what-happens-in_102448.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We can’t always control what happens in our lives- things will go well, things will go poorly-but what we…” — Kenneth Blanchard", "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": "Kenneth Blanchard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-blanchard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We can’t always control what happens...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-blanchard/we-can-t-always-control-what-happens-in-our-lives-things-will-go-well/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-blanchard/we-can-t-always-control-what-happens-in-our-lives-things-will-go-well/#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 } } ] } ```