--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you settle for despair, there is…" description: "\"“If you settle for despair, there is nothing I or anyone else can do to help you.”\" — Linda Lafferty" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/linda-lafferty-22373_despair_if-you-settle-for-despair-there-is-nothi_2864067.jpg" --- # If you settle for despair, there is nothing I or anyone… ![“If you settle for despair, there is nothing I or anyone else can do to help you.” quote by Linda Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/linda-lafferty-22373_despair_if-you-settle-for-despair-there-is-nothi_2864067.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/linda-lafferty-22373_despair_if-you-settle-for-despair-there-is-nothi_2864067.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/linda-lafferty-22373_despair_if-you-settle-for-despair-there-is-nothi_2864067.jpg) > ““If you settle for despair, there is nothing I or anyone else can do to help you.”” [Linda Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lafferty/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Despair isolates you, making external help ineffective; personal agency is needed. **In simple terms:** Despair blocks help; you must act. Key Takeaway Seek hope, not despair. Themes mental health personal responsibility resilience Mood somber motivational Type self‑help psychological When to use this quote - counseling - self‑help - support groups Key Concepts psychology self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to move from despair to hope? - How can others support without enabling helplessness? A Different Perspective Despair can be a self‑fulfilling barrier. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Despair Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair-help-1080954/) [Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help/) [Settle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/settle/) [Settle Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/settle-despair-3880207/) ## Related quotes > [“A quick way to overcome your despair...is to go out and help someone else overcome theirs!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/a-quick-way-to-overcome-your-despair-is-to-go-out-and-help-someone/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [“Just trying to give something back to humanity, with what I do best...writing. It's my dire hope that we can reach many in despair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/just-trying-to-give-something-back-to-humanity-with-what-i-do-best/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [“Our brokenness can lead to building great things in our lives. Use your despair to help better humanity and never to hurt it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/our-brokenness-can-lead-to-building-great-things-in-our-lives-use/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [When Americans are faced with the prospect that they can never earn their way to wealth, they have two choices: to rebel against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/when-americans-are-faced-with-the-prospect-that-they-can-never-earn/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [Even though I'm not with their mother, it's important for my kids to see adults in a committed and happy relationship. They need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-strahan/even-though-i-m-not-with-their-mother-it-s-important-for-my-kids-to/) [Michael Strahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-strahan/) > [I could settle down into a state of equable low spirits, and resign myself to coffee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-could-settle-down-into-a-state-of-equable-low-spirits-and-resign/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Never settle for average](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/never-settle-for-average/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“When we are quiet and still we contract and settle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/when-we-are-quiet-and-still-we-contract-and-settle/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [The problem men seem to have, and women, too, is that they have this very structured idea that we should find a partner and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-kendal/the-problem-men-seem-to-have-and-women-too-is-that-they-have-this/) [Felicity Kendal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-kendal/) > [There is no future until you settle the past...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-no-future-until-you-settle-the-past/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Although we might settle for less, Heavenly Father won't, for he sees us as the glorious beings we are capable of becoming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/although-we-might-settle-for-less-heavenly-father-won-t-for-he-sees/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [You can make a very good argument that society would be much worse off if you let 10 rapists and murderers free rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-goldberg/you-can-make-a-very-good-argument-that-society-would-be-much-worse/) [Jonah Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-goldberg/) > [Never settle for the crumbs of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/never-settle-for-the-crumbs-of-life/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Why settle for less when you deserve the best?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britt-l/why-settle-for-less-when-you-deserve-the-best/) [Britt L](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britt-l/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) ## More by Linda Lafferty > [“Synchronicity? The entire universe vibrates to synchronicity, if only we can hear the rich symphony. The first strains of music, created at our beginnings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/synchronicity-the-entire-universe-vibrates-to-synchronicity-if-only/) [Linda Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lafferty/) > [“The buildings were as real yet ethereal as the abandoned shell of a cicada, clinging to a tree branch, molded by the life it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/the-buildings-were-as-real-yet-ethereal-as-the-abandoned-shell-of-a/) [Linda Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lafferty/) > [“No, Father. You do not understand my determination. He shall not have me. No man shall have me without my consent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/no-father-you-do-not-understand-my-determination-he-shall-not-have-me/) [Linda Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lafferty/) > [“Men who thirst for freedom will find it, even if they drink at a poisoned well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/men-who-thirst-for-freedom-will-find-it-even-if-they-drink-at-a/) [Linda Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lafferty/) > [“If you listen with your heart and pure soul, you will hear the music of the cosmos, in perfect harmony. It is only the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/if-you-listen-with-your-heart-and-pure-soul-you-will-hear-the-music/) [Linda Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lafferty/) > [“My father says it is the peacemakers who take the biggest risks. He says any fool can start a war. It takes courage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/my-father-says-it-is-the-peacemakers-who-take-the-biggest-risks-he/) [Linda Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lafferty/) > [“What good is it to be a mere woman?” cried Esma, throwing her head back on the embroidered silk cushion. “To be married and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/what-good-is-it-to-be-a-mere-woman-cried-esma-throwing-her-head-back/) [Linda Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lafferty/) > [“Well, my sister, have some courage and heed your dreams, not your mother’s demands or what the gossips may say or expect you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/well-my-sister-have-some-courage-and-heed-your-dreams-not-your-mother/) [Linda Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lafferty/) > [“Who knows only his own generation remains always a child.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/who-knows-only-his-own-generation-remains-always-a-child/) [Linda Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lafferty/) > [“Synchronicity was a theory of Jung’s. It is the idea of two or more events that are apparently unrelated occurring together in a meaningful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/synchronicity-was-a-theory-of-jung-s-it-is-the-idea-of-two-or-more/) [Linda Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lafferty/) > [“It is the face of rebellion and determination. It does not show age, terror, or ennui. It is frozen in time, in a moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/it-is-the-face-of-rebellion-and-determination-it-does-not-show-age/) [Linda Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lafferty/) > [“The task is to give birth to the old in a new time. The soul of humanity is like the great wheel of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/the-task-is-to-give-birth-to-the-old-in-a-new-time-the-soul-of/) [Linda Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lafferty/) > [“Redemption, he thought. Spring came no matter how dark and cruel the winter might be. Jakub”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/redemption-he-thought-spring-came-no-matter-how-dark-and-cruel-the/) [Linda Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lafferty/) > [“Gossip is only meant to weaken your powers because people are afraid of anything but the most common and familiar.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/gossip-is-only-meant-to-weaken-your-powers-because-people-are-afraid/) [Linda Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lafferty/) > [“You may howl like dogs at the moon, but the moonlight will not change its color.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/you-may-howl-like-dogs-at-the-moon-but-the-moonlight-will-not-change/) [Linda Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lafferty/) [Explore all 27 Linda Lafferty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lafferty/) ## More Despair quotes > [“As ofttimes as it rains on my little spot of earth, you'd think I'd grow accustomed to the gloom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/as-ofttimes-as-it-rains-on-my-little-spot-of-earth-you-d-think-i-d/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“She searched her mind for a single day when it had felt good to be alive. There must have been one, surely?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-abbott/she-searched-her-mind-for-a-single-day-when-it-had-felt-good-to-be/) [Rachel Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-abbott/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Your spirit is the part of you that seeks meaning and purpose. It's the part drawn to hope, that will not give in to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/your-spirit-is-the-part-of-you-that-seeks-meaning-and-purpose-it-s/) [Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/) > [My God, whose son, as on this night, took on Him the form of man, and for man vouchsafed to suffer and bleed, controls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/my-god-whose-son-as-on-this-night-took-on-him-the-form-of-man-and-for/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [The modernist writers found despair inspirational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/the-modernist-writers-found-despair-inspirational/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [The skin and shell of things Though fair are not Thy wish nor prayer but got My meer despair of wings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-vaughan/the-skin-and-shell-of-things-though-fair-are-not-thy-wish-nor-prayer/) [Henry Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-vaughan/) > [“A fine setting for a fit of despair,” it occurred to him, “if I were only standing here by accident instead of design.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/a-fine-setting-for-a-fit-of-despair-it-occurred-to-him-if-i-were-only/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Enough for this bow & arrow. It caused me nothing but sorrow. No need for another tomorrow. In your heart, I will never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louaiq8/enough-for-this-bow-arrow-it-caused-me-nothing-but-sorrow-no-need-for/) [Louaiq8](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louaiq8/) > [True repentance never leads to despair. Its leads home. It leads to grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/true-repentance-never-leads-to-despair-its-leads-home-it-leads-to/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Do not consider despair as a thick and high wall standing on your way; it is just a darkness and you can still walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/do-not-consider-despair-as-a-thick-and-high-wall-standing-on-your-way/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Despair is the price one pays for setting oneself an impossible aim. It is, one is told, the unforgivable sin, but it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/despair-is-the-price-one-pays-for-setting-oneself-an-impossible-aim/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [A speculative despair is unpardonable where it our duty to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/a-speculative-despair-is-unpardonable-where-it-our-duty-to-act/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) [Browse all 3,181 Despair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If you settle for despair, there is nothing I or anyone else can do to help you.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Linda Lafferty" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/if-you-settle-for-despair-there-is-nothing-i-or-anyone-else-can-do-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Despair" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/if-you-settle-for-despair-there-is-nothing-i-or-anyone-else-can-do-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/linda-lafferty-22373_despair_if-you-settle-for-despair-there-is-nothi_2864067.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/linda-lafferty-22373_despair_if-you-settle-for-despair-there-is-nothi_2864067.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/linda-lafferty-22373_despair_if-you-settle-for-despair-there-is-nothi_2864067.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you settle for despair, there is nothing I or anyone else can do to help you.” — Linda Lafferty", "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": "Linda Lafferty", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lafferty/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If you settle for despair, there...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/if-you-settle-for-despair-there-is-nothing-i-or-anyone-else-can-do-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lafferty/if-you-settle-for-despair-there-is-nothing-i-or-anyone-else-can-do-to/#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 } } ] } ```