--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For most of my life I had operated under…" description: "\"For most of my life I had operated under a simple schematic of winning and losing, but cancer was teaching me a tolerance for ambiguities.\" — Lance Arm..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e2/lance-armstrong-1639_ambiguity_for-most-of-my-life-i-had-operated-under_3207523.jpg" --- # For most of my life I had operated under a simple… ![“For most of my life I had operated under a simple schematic of winning and losing, but cancer was teaching me a tolerance for ambiguities.” quote by Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e2/lance-armstrong-1639_ambiguity_for-most-of-my-life-i-had-operated-under_3207523.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e2/lance-armstrong-1639_ambiguity_for-most-of-my-life-i-had-operated-under_3207523.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e2/lance-armstrong-1639_ambiguity_for-most-of-my-life-i-had-operated-under_3207523.jpg) > “For most of my life I had operated under a simple schematic of winning and losing, but cancer was teaching me a tolerance for ambiguities.” [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cancer revealed that life isn’t just win/lose; it teaches comfort with uncertainty. **In simple terms:** Cancer taught tolerance for ambiguity. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty as growth. Themes resilience health ambiguity learning Mood reflective motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - health recovery - career decisions - personal development Key Concepts Psychology illness narrative mindset shift Questions to Reflect On - What ambiguities do you resist? - How can uncertainty become a strength? A Different Perspective Ambiguity can cause anxiety without coping strategies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambiguity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambiguity/) [Cancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer/) [Cancer Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer-teaching-5980827/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Losing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/losing/) [Losing Cancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/losing-cancer-5980826/) [Schematic Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/schematic-winning-5980825/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Tolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerance/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) [Winning and losing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning-and-losing/) [Winning losing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning-losing/) ## Related quotes > [If you can react the same way to winning and losing, that's a big accomplishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-evert/if-you-can-react-the-same-way-to-winning-and-losing-that-s-a-big/) [Chris Evert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-evert/) > [It may sound simple, but both winning and losing can become a mind-set, and I won't accept losing - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/it-may-sound-simple-but-both-winning-and-losing-can-become-a-mind-set/) [Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/) > [Only the completely enlightened are beyond winning and losing. Yet, strangely enough, they had to win to get to the point of being beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/only-the-completely-enlightened-are-beyond-winning-and-losing-yet/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Real winning and losing all takes place at the meditation table. This is where the battles are. Winning is stopping thought. Losing is sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/real-winning-and-losing-all-takes-place-at-the-meditation-table-this/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The margin between winning and losing is slim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-murray/the-margin-between-winning-and-losing-is-slim/) [Jamal Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-murray/) > [The whole secret to winning and losing in the stock market is to lose the least amount possible when you're not right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-neil/the-whole-secret-to-winning-and-losing-in-the-stock-market-is-to-lose/) [William O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-neil/) > [Life is a race... winning and losing is a part of it and you gotta accept it. so you'll grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missyrie/life-is-a-race-winning-and-losing-is-a-part-of-it-and-you-gotta/) [Missyrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missyrie/) > [I treat winning and losing exactly the same. I see them both as necessary steps to get us where we are going. Big failures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/i-treat-winning-and-losing-exactly-the-same-i-see-them-both-as/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [A good balance of winning and losing is important. If you just win all the time, you won't get anything out of it; having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shue/a-good-balance-of-winning-and-losing-is-important-if-you-just-win-all/) [Andrew Shue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shue/) > [There's a difference between winning and losing and not trying at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-huelskamp/there-s-a-difference-between-winning-and-losing-and-not-trying-at-all/) [Tim Huelskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-huelskamp/) > [The fun never goes out, but it changes with the years, with winning and losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/the-fun-never-goes-out-but-it-changes-with-the-years-with-winning-and/) [Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/) > [As a tennis player you can win and you can lose, and you have to be ready for both. I practised self-control as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-nadal/as-a-tennis-player-you-can-win-and-you-can-lose-and-you-have-to-be/) [Rafael Nadal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-nadal/) > [Winning and losing are both very temporary things. Having done one or the other, you move ahead. Gloating over a victory or sulking over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-knox/winning-and-losing-are-both-very-temporary-things-having-done-one-or/) [Chuck Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-knox/) > [The difference in winning and losing is most often not quitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-difference-in-winning-and-losing-is-most-often-not-quitting/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My job is to call attention to the things that I think are the difference between winning and losing. If I can't do that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-parcells/my-job-is-to-call-attention-to-the-things-that-i-think-are-the/) [Bill Parcells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-parcells/) ## More by Lance Armstrong > [I raced because I was paid to do a job and I felt like I had to do the job. Number two: I raced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/i-raced-because-i-was-paid-to-do-a-job-and-i-felt-like-i-had-to-do/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [Regardless of one victory, two victories, four victories, there's never been a victory by a cancer survivor. That's a fact that hopefully I'll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/regardless-of-one-victory-two-victories-four-victories-there-s-never/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [Average is Your Enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/average-is-your-enemy/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [Hard work, sacrifice and focus will never show up in tests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/hard-work-sacrifice-and-focus-will-never-show-up-in-tests/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [Hope that is the only antidote to fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/hope-that-is-the-only-antidote-to-fear/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [Evan Handler is a man who’s looked into the abyss and laughed. His book, It’s Only Temporary, made me laugh along with him. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/evan-handler-is-a-man-who-s-looked-into-the-abyss-and-laughed-his/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [My cocktail, so to speak, was only EPO, but not a lot, transfusions and testosterone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/my-cocktail-so-to-speak-was-only-epo-but-not-a-lot-transfusions-and/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [I love this race from the very depths of my heart. It gives me motivation and it transcendsme like nothing else in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/i-love-this-race-from-the-very-depths-of-my-heart-it-gives-me/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [Nothing goes to waste, you put it all to use, the old wounds and long-ago slights become the stuff of competitive energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/nothing-goes-to-waste-you-put-it-all-to-use-the-old-wounds-and-long/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [ I spent a long time trying to build up an organisation \[the Lance Armstrong Foundation that changed its name to Livestrong after his confession\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/i-spent-a-long-time-trying-to-build-up-an-organisation-the-lance/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [A bicycle is the long-sought means of transportation for all of us who have runaway hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/a-bicycle-is-the-long-sought-means-of-transportation-for-all-of-us/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [You know what they say, the high trees get the wind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/you-know-what-they-say-the-high-trees-get-the-wind/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [Live strong is exactly I guess what it says. It's one thing to live, but it's another thing to live strong, to attack the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/live-strong-is-exactly-i-guess-what-it-says-it-s-one-thing-to-live/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [I've committed to surfing the rest of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/i-ve-committed-to-surfing-the-rest-of-my-life/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [I would love to be in a place, and I may never get there, where I can help people. It's something that I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/i-would-love-to-be-in-a-place-and-i-may-never-get-there-where-i-can/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) [Explore all 220 Lance Armstrong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) ## More Ambiguity quotes > [The position is clear - there is no ambiguity in Sinn Fein's position. We, along with all the other parties, have signed up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/the-position-is-clear-there-is-no-ambiguity-in-sinn-fein-s-position/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [Ambiguity is necessary in some of my stories, not in all. In those, it certainly contributes to the richness of the story. I doubt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/ambiguity-is-necessary-in-some-of-my-stories-not-in-all-in-those-it/) [Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/) > [During the Cold War, we lived in coded times when it wasn't easy and there were shades of grey and ambiguity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/during-the-cold-war-we-lived-in-coded-times-when-it-wasn-t-easy-and/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [You cannot grow in the integrative dance of action and contemplation without a strong tolerance for ambiguity, an ability to allow, forgive, and contain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/you-cannot-grow-in-the-integrative-dance-of-action-and-contemplation/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [I blame my grandfather 100 percent for his oldest son's death. I don't think there's any ambiguity there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-l-trump/i-blame-my-grandfather-100-percent-for-his-oldest-son-s-death-i-don-t/) [Mary L. Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-l-trump/) > [I think the relationship between social-dominance orientation in people and the extent to which they're made uncomfortable by ambiguity and novelty is really important.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/i-think-the-relationship-between-social-dominance-orientation-in/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [Yet again, an ancient answer echoes across the centuries: Listen! Listen to stories! For what stories do, above all else, is hold up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-kurtz/yet-again-an-ancient-answer-echoes-across-the-centuries-listen-listen/) [Ernest Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-kurtz/) > [My path to wisdom began when I stopped pretending to know things I didn't know. When I explicitly admitted to the limits of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-max/my-path-to-wisdom-began-when-i-stopped-pretending-to-know-things-i/) [Tucker Max](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-max/) > [If there is a single tragic flaw that mars our biggest enterprises, it is conservatism - the failure to fail, and fail big, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-there-is-a-single-tragic-flaw-that-mars-our-biggest-enterprises-it/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [In order to be as free as I possibly can, in my own imagination, I can't take positions that are closed. Everything I've ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-order-to-be-as-free-as-i-possibly-can-in-my-own-imagination-i-can/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [I've always been drawn to ambiguity in pop music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-furman/i-ve-always-been-drawn-to-ambiguity-in-pop-music/) [Ezra Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-furman/) > [I believe that we can still have a genre of scientific books suitable for and accessible alike to professionals and interested laypeople. The concepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-believe-that-we-can-still-have-a-genre-of-scientific-books-suitable/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [I am in the utmost perplexity, yand have wished a hundred times, that if there is a A God, nature would manifest him without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/i-am-in-the-utmost-perplexity-yand-have-wished-a-hundred-times-that/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [There's a lot of ambiguity in life, and so often, our art is very neatly wrapped up at the end, when our lives never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-coon/there-s-a-lot-of-ambiguity-in-life-and-so-often-our-art-is-very/) [Carrie Coon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-coon/) > [“Man must not attempt to dispel the ambiguity of his being but, on the contrary, accept the task of realizing it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/man-must-not-attempt-to-dispel-the-ambiguity-of-his-being-but-on-the/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) [Browse all 431 Ambiguity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambiguity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For most of my life I had operated under a simple schematic of winning and losing, but cancer was teaching me a tolerance for ambiguities.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lance Armstrong" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/for-most-of-my-life-i-had-operated-under-a-simple-schematic-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambiguity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/for-most-of-my-life-i-had-operated-under-a-simple-schematic-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e2/lance-armstrong-1639_ambiguity_for-most-of-my-life-i-had-operated-under_3207523.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e2/lance-armstrong-1639_ambiguity_for-most-of-my-life-i-had-operated-under_3207523.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e2/lance-armstrong-1639_ambiguity_for-most-of-my-life-i-had-operated-under_3207523.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For most of my life I had operated under a simple schematic of winning and losing, but cancer was teaching…” — Lance Armstrong", "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": "Lance Armstrong", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For most of my life I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/for-most-of-my-life-i-had-operated-under-a-simple-schematic-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/for-most-of-my-life-i-had-operated-under-a-simple-schematic-of/#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 } } ] } ```