--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can have anything you want, but not…" description: "\"You can have anything you want, but not everything. If it was really important to spend an afternoon at my daughter's school, I had to think, how was I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/laura-lang-38713_afternoon_you-can-have-anything-you-want-but-not-e_2000108.jpg" --- # You can have anything you want, but not everything. If it… ![“You can have anything you want, but not everything. If it was really important to spend an afternoon at my daughter's school, I had to think, how was I going to organize my life to do that? How could I become more efficient? I always tried to put my priorities on the table, personal and…” quote by Laura Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/laura-lang-38713_afternoon_you-can-have-anything-you-want-but-not-e_2000108.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/laura-lang-38713_afternoon_you-can-have-anything-you-want-but-not-e_2000108.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/laura-lang-38713_afternoon_you-can-have-anything-you-want-but-not-e_2000108.jpg) > “You can have anything you want, but not everything. If it was really important to spend an afternoon at my daughter's school, I had to think, how was I going to organize my life to do that? How could I become more efficient? I always tried to put my priorities on the table, personal and professional, and work around them.” [Laura Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lang/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prioritizing personal and professional goals demands efficient time management and clear decision‑making. **In simple terms:** Set priorities, organize life efficiently. Key Takeaway Plan, prioritize, and align actions with values. Themes prioritization efficiency work‑life balance decision‑making Mood focused balanced Type advisory inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - family events - project deadlines - daily scheduling Key Concepts time management goal setting boundary setting Questions to Reflect On - What tasks can you delegate? - How do you protect personal time? A Different Perspective Balancing can lead to burnout if boundaries blur. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Daughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daughter/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Personal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal/) [Priorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priorities/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [As an artist you organize your life so that you get a chance to paint, a window of time, but that's no guarantee you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/as-an-artist-you-organize-your-life-so-that-you-get-a-chance-to-paint/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Your toddler will be "good" if he feels like doing what you happen to want him to do and does not happen to feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-leach/your-toddler-will-be-good-if-he-feels-like-doing-what-you-happen-to/) [Penelope Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-leach/) > [Very few people know this, but I love organizational products and tools. One of my favorite places to shop are container stores where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimora-lee-simmons/very-few-people-know-this-but-i-love-organizational-products-and/) [Kimora Lee Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimora-lee-simmons/) > [...decide for yourself what makes you truly happy and then organize your life around it. Write down your goals and make plans to achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/decide-for-yourself-what-makes-you-truly-happy-and-then-organize-your/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [As much as you try to organize your life, life will surprise you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/as-much-as-you-try-to-organize-your-life-life-will-surprise-you/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [If you organize your life around your passion, you can turn your passion into your story and then turn your story into something bigger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/if-you-organize-your-life-around-your-passion-you-can-turn-your/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [“No one has truly become successful on life without having to organize his life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/no-one-has-truly-become-successful-on-life-without-having-to-organize/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [A man will strategically organize his life in boxes and then spend most of his time in the boxes he can succeed in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-farrel/a-man-will-strategically-organize-his-life-in-boxes-and-then-spend/) [Pam Farrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-farrel/) > [“To organize our life in such a way that it becomes a mystery to others, that those who are closest to us will only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/to-organize-our-life-in-such-a-way-that-it-becomes-a-mystery-to/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [Most people travel with a good book, but I also keep my agenda with me; I'll flip through the pages and take a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolina-herrera/most-people-travel-with-a-good-book-but-i-also-keep-my-agenda-with-me/) [Carolina Herrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolina-herrera/) > [“Goebbels famously remarked that “men organize life: women are their support and implement their decisions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-lower/goebbels-famously-remarked-that-men-organize-life-women-are-their/) [Wendy Lower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-lower/) > [“Life has a complex plan that involves you and me. While we dream, work and organize, life makes its own tweaks—and many times circumstances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-buckley/life-has-a-complex-plan-that-involves-you-and-me-while-we-dream-work/) [Jaime Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-buckley/) > [“To organize our life in such a way that it becomes a mystery to others, that those who are closest to us will only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/to-organize-our-life-in-such-a-way-that-it-becomes-a-mystery-to-2/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“If I organize my life in such a way that I get lots of long, consecutive, uninterrupted time-chunks, I can write novels. \[If I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/if-i-organize-my-life-in-such-a-way-that-i-get-lots-of-long/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [I've tried as much as possible to avoid the standard nine-to-five thing. I've tried to organize my life so that I can move around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/i-ve-tried-as-much-as-possible-to-avoid-the-standard-nine-to-five/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) ## More by Laura Lang > [I'm not a Pollyanna; I'm a pragmatist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lang/i-m-not-a-pollyanna-i-m-a-pragmatist/) [Laura Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lang/) > [To me, success in the job is setting a vision, guiding an organization through change - which is exactly what I did at Digitas,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lang/to-me-success-in-the-job-is-setting-a-vision-guiding-an-organization/) [Laura Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lang/) > [When I joined Time Inc., one of the things that was important to me was ensuring that our content is where consumers want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lang/when-i-joined-time-inc-one-of-the-things-that-was-important-to-me-was/) [Laura Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lang/) > [I'm very fortunate. I have a wonderful family, lots of hobbies and athletic pursuits. I always wanted to have a very well-rounded life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lang/i-m-very-fortunate-i-have-a-wonderful-family-lots-of-hobbies-and/) [Laura Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lang/) > [In the broader sense at Digitas, I've been very involved in media and publishing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lang/in-the-broader-sense-at-digitas-i-ve-been-very-involved-in-media-and/) [Laura Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lang/) > [Early in my career, I sometimes found it difficult to make the tough people decisions - I had to learn that. In business, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lang/early-in-my-career-i-sometimes-found-it-difficult-to-make-the-tough/) [Laura Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lang/) > [Digitas is a company that's very rapidly changing - the digital world changes every day. It's important we hire people who are curious about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lang/digitas-is-a-company-that-s-very-rapidly-changing-the-digital-world/) [Laura Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lang/) > [My mission is to become part of Time Inc. and push the business forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lang/my-mission-is-to-become-part-of-time-inc-and-push-the-business-forward/) [Laura Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lang/) > [Time Inc. has amazing titles - really great content.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lang/time-inc-has-amazing-titles-really-great-content/) [Laura Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lang/) > [I've always been about how will digital be transforming established businesses, and that's what I've done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lang/i-ve-always-been-about-how-will-digital-be-transforming-established/) [Laura Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lang/) [Explore all 11 Laura Lang quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lang/) ## More Afternoon quotes > [I didn't grow up thinking of movies as film, or art, but as movies, something to do on a Saturday afternoon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-pollack/i-didn-t-grow-up-thinking-of-movies-as-film-or-art-but-as-movies/) [Sydney Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-pollack/) > [My dental hygienist is cute. Every time I visit, I eat a whole package of Oreo cookies while waiting in the lobby. Sometimes she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/my-dental-hygienist-is-cute-every-time-i-visit-i-eat-a-whole-package/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Honestly, I'm living my fantasy. It's being with my family, preferably on a snowy afternoon with a fire going, cuddled up in blankets, playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-vieira/honestly-i-m-living-my-fantasy-it-s-being-with-my-family-preferably/) [Meredith Vieira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-vieira/) > [It was a very intense and stressful situation. There was playing in the Johnny-pump (an opened fire hydrant) and the ice-cream man coming around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/it-was-a-very-intense-and-stressful-situation-there-was-playing-in/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Sunday afternoon is for papers and writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-haslam/sunday-afternoon-is-for-papers-and-writing/) [Nicholas Haslam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-haslam/) > [I think that if most guys in America could somehow get their fave-rave poster girl in bed and have total license to do whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-bangs/i-think-that-if-most-guys-in-america-could-somehow-get-their-fave/) [Lester Bangs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-bangs/) > [“If you come at four in the afternoon, I'll begin to be happy by three.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-come-at-four-in-the-afternoon-i-ll-begin-to-be-happy-by-three/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [At five in the afternoon. It was exactly five in the afternoon. A boy brought the white sheet at five in the afternoon. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-five-in-the-afternoon-it-was-exactly-five-in-the-afternoon-a-boy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The shadows in the early morning don't tell much. The shadows rest at that time. So it's useless to gaze very early in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/the-shadows-in-the-early-morning-don-t-tell-much-the-shadows-rest-at/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [“I discovered windows one afternoon and after that, nothing was ever the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-spollen/i-discovered-windows-one-afternoon-and-after-that-nothing-was-ever/) [Anne Spollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-spollen/) > [Look, science is hard, it has a reputation of being hard, and the facts are, it is hard, and that's the result of 400…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/look-science-is-hard-it-has-a-reputation-of-being-hard-and-the-facts/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [What'll we do with ourselves this afternoon? And the day after that, and the next thirty years?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/what-ll-we-do-with-ourselves-this-afternoon-and-the-day-after-that/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Imagine you are walking down a leafy path…The sun is receding, and you are walking alone, caressed by the breezy light of the late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/imagine-you-are-walking-down-a-leafy-path-the-sun-is-receding-and-you/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [A good umpire is the umpire you don't even notice. He's there all afternoon but when the game is over, you don't even remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-johnson/a-good-umpire-is-the-umpire-you-don-t-even-notice-he-s-there-all/) Ban Johnson > [Sometimes in the afternoon sky the moon would pass white as a cloud, furtive, lusterless, like an actress who does not have to perform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/sometimes-in-the-afternoon-sky-the-moon-would-pass-white-as-a-cloud/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) Browse all 1,085 Afternoon quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can have anything you want, but not everything. If it was really important to spend an afternoon at my daughter's school, I had to think, how was I going to organize my life to do that? How could I become more efficient? 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