--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What could he have done or said…" description: "\"“What could he have done or said differently? What change would have altered the course of events? In the big picture, nothing. In the small picture, s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf4/margaret-atwood-40_big-picture_what-could-he-have-done-or-said-differen_132820.jpg" --- # What could he have done or said differently? What change… ![“What could he have done or said differently? What change would have altered the course of events? In the big picture, nothing. In the small picture, so much.” quote by Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf4/margaret-atwood-40_big-picture_what-could-he-have-done-or-said-differen_132820.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf4/margaret-atwood-40_big-picture_what-could-he-have-done-or-said-differen_132820.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf4/margaret-atwood-40_big-picture_what-could-he-have-done-or-said-differen_132820.jpg) > ““What could he have done or said differently? What change would have altered the course of events? In the big picture, nothing. In the small picture, so much.”” [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Small choices can dramatically alter outcomes, even if overall impact seems minimal. **In simple terms:** Minor actions can change big results. Key Takeaway Pay attention to small decisions. Themes choice impact perspective Mood contemplative motivational Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - relationships - project management - personal habits Key Concepts causality butterfly effect Questions to Reflect On - Which small change could improve your life? - How do you balance big goals with daily actions? A Different Perspective Focusing only on the big picture ignores crucial details. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big picture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-picture/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ## Related quotes > [IF YOUR WANT AND DESIRE OF OTHERS TO SEE YOU DIFFERENTLY... THEN CHANGE YOUR SPIRIT, MIND, & ACTIONS! THINK! AM 2013](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mcmillion/if-your-want-and-desire-of-others-to-see-you-differently-then-change/) [Anne' McMillion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mcmillion/) > [You have a dramatic portion of your television program and you treat it dramatically, and then you have a comedic portion of your program,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-fillion/you-have-a-dramatic-portion-of-your-television-program-and-you-treat/) [Nathan Fillion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-fillion/) > [If you did not care at all what anyone else thought about you, what would you do differently or change in your life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/if-you-did-not-care-at-all-what-anyone-else-thought-about-you-what/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [I haven't promised anything for the future. Instead, I have said what I would have done differently in the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/i-haven-t-promised-anything-for-the-future-instead-i-have-said-what-i/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [“Knowing those things are going to kill you," she said, "and still you do it." "How differently I might behave," Tom said, "if immortality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/knowing-those-things-are-going-to-kill-you-she-said-and-still-you-do/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [Phrase it in an interesting way; don't phrase it in a mean or unfriendly way. Bob Dole said that if there's anything he would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/phrase-it-in-an-interesting-way-don-t-phrase-it-in-a-mean-or/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [I don't think any actor can be happy with their performance. There's always something you wish you would have done or said differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-grey/i-don-t-think-any-actor-can-be-happy-with-their-performance-there-s/) [Sasha Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-grey/) > [Since you can't change the past there's no point in thinking about what you should have said or done differently. Just move on!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/since-you-can-t-change-the-past-there-s-no-point-in-thinking-about/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [I think that the fact of the matter is that metal isn't really part of the big picture of the gay, lesbian, transgender music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-halford/i-think-that-the-fact-of-the-matter-is-that-metal-isn-t-really-part/) [Rob Halford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-halford/) > [Sometimes we find ourselves stumbling over obstacles we face today but always see the big picture and keep moving forward. Have faith - someday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-krause/sometimes-we-find-ourselves-stumbling-over-obstacles-we-face-today/) [Tom Krause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-krause/) > [My mom taught me the power of love. I learned to focus on the long-term big picture from my father. His sense of humor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padmasree-warrior/my-mom-taught-me-the-power-of-love-i-learned-to-focus-on-the-long/) [Padmasree Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padmasree-warrior/) > [When scientists are asked what they are working on, their response is seldom 'Finding the origin of the universe' or 'Seeking to cure cancer.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/when-scientists-are-asked-what-they-are-working-on-their-response-is/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [“Everything's a painting, anyway," Fawn said. "That's what I think. We live inside a giant painting, only we can't see who's holding the paintbrush.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/everything-s-a-painting-anyway-fawn-said-that-s-what-i-think-we-live/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) > [Learn to see the big picture. Often times we get tunnel vision and lose sight of the big picture and what we're really trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cheeke/learn-to-see-the-big-picture-often-times-we-get-tunnel-vision-and/) [Robert Cheeke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cheeke/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) ## More by Margaret Atwood > [“I'm fine," said Pilar, "for the moment. And the moment is the only time we can be fine in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-m-fine-said-pilar-for-the-moment-and-the-moment-is-the-only-time-we/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [And yet it disturbs me to learn I have hurt someone unintentionally. I want all my hurts to be intentional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/and-yet-it-disturbs-me-to-learn-i-have-hurt-someone-unintentionally-i/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Mary: Some call this "Eve's curse," but I think that is stupid because the real curse of Eve was having to put up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/mary-some-call-this-eve-s-curse-but-i-think-that-is-stupid-because/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“The birds were singing around me, but I reflected that the very birds were strangers to me, for I did not even know their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/the-birds-were-singing-around-me-but-i-reflected-that-the-very-birds/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Strange how we decorate pain. These ribbons, for instance, and the small hard teardrops of blood. Who are they for? Do we think the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/strange-how-we-decorate-pain-these-ribbons-for-instance-and-the-small/) [margaret atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I wanted to forget the past, but it refused to forget me; it waited for sleep, then cornered me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-wanted-to-forget-the-past-but-it-refused-to-forget-me-it-waited-for/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Back at home they drew the curtains and read, with disapproval, with relish, with avidity and glee - even the ones who'd never thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/back-at-home-they-drew-the-curtains-and-read-with-disapproval-with/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“It's my fault. I am forgetting too much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/it-s-my-fault-i-am-forgetting-too-much/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [All fiction is about people, unless it's about rabbits pretending to be people. It's all essentially characters in action, which means characters moving through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/all-fiction-is-about-people-unless-it-s-about-rabbits-pretending-to/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Simon walks back to the house alone. The night is clear and warm, with a moon, almost full, enclosed in a nimbus of mist;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/simon-walks-back-to-the-house-alone-the-night-is-clear-and-warm-with/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“There is indeed something delightful about being able to combine obedience and disobedience in the same act.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/there-is-indeed-something-delightful-about-being-able-to-combine/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Every time the women appear, Snowman is astonished all over again. They're every known colour from the deepest black to whitest white, they're various…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/every-time-the-women-appear-snowman-is-astonished-all-over-again-they/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Once you publish a book, it is out of your control. You cannot dictate how people read it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/once-you-publish-a-book-it-is-out-of-your-control-you-cannot-dictate/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“The more difficult it was to love the particular man beside us, the more we believed in Love, abstract and total. We were waiting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/the-more-difficult-it-was-to-love-the-particular-man-beside-us-the/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“She knows she's deceiving herself about that, but she prefers to deceive herself. She desperately needs to believe such pure joy is still possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/she-knows-she-s-deceiving-herself-about-that-but-she-prefers-to/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) [Explore all 2,072 Margaret Atwood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) ## More Big picture quotes > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [Learn to see the big picture. Often times we get tunnel vision and lose sight of the big picture and what we're really trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cheeke/learn-to-see-the-big-picture-often-times-we-get-tunnel-vision-and/) [Robert Cheeke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cheeke/) > [“Everything's a painting, anyway," Fawn said. "That's what I think. We live inside a giant painting, only we can't see who's holding the paintbrush.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/everything-s-a-painting-anyway-fawn-said-that-s-what-i-think-we-live/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) > [When scientists are asked what they are working on, their response is seldom 'Finding the origin of the universe' or 'Seeking to cure cancer.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/when-scientists-are-asked-what-they-are-working-on-their-response-is/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [My mom taught me the power of love. I learned to focus on the long-term big picture from my father. His sense of humor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padmasree-warrior/my-mom-taught-me-the-power-of-love-i-learned-to-focus-on-the-long/) [Padmasree Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padmasree-warrior/) > [Sometimes we find ourselves stumbling over obstacles we face today but always see the big picture and keep moving forward. Have faith - someday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-krause/sometimes-we-find-ourselves-stumbling-over-obstacles-we-face-today/) [Tom Krause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-krause/) > [I think that the fact of the matter is that metal isn't really part of the big picture of the gay, lesbian, transgender music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-halford/i-think-that-the-fact-of-the-matter-is-that-metal-isn-t-really-part/) [Rob Halford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-halford/) > [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/) > [“I suppose that was an example of close attention to detail that is common to writers and artists. It is imperative, whether consciously or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-winder/i-suppose-that-was-an-example-of-close-attention-to-detail-that-is/) [Elizabeth Winder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-winder/) > [“When she made her way to the big picture window that framed the dining room table she froze. She stopped breathing. The anger was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/when-she-made-her-way-to-the-big-picture-window-that-framed-the/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [Everyone is against micro managing but macro managing means you're working at the big picture but don't know the details.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/everyone-is-against-micro-managing-but-macro-managing-means-you-re/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [To be a good citizen, it's important to be able to put yourself in other people's shoes and see the big picture. If everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-pariser/to-be-a-good-citizen-it-s-important-to-be-able-to-put-yourself-in/) [Eli Pariser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-pariser/) > [It is important to ask yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing and what purpose it serves in the big picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/it-is-important-to-ask-yourself-why-you-re-doing-what-you-re-doing/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [To be a champion, I think you have to see the big picture. It's not about winning and losing; it's about every day hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-sanders/to-be-a-champion-i-think-you-have-to-see-the-big-picture-it-s-not/) [Summer Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-sanders/) > [“I would love to tell you that being a content manager is easy. Straightforward. That you will be able to focus on what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-busche/i-would-love-to-tell-you-that-being-a-content-manager-is-easy/) [Laura Busche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-busche/) [Browse all 423 Big picture quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-picture/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What could he have done or said differently? What change would have altered the course of events? In the big picture, nothing. In the small picture, so much.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Margaret Atwood" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/what-could-he-have-done-or-said-differently-what-change-would-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Big picture" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/what-could-he-have-done-or-said-differently-what-change-would-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf4/margaret-atwood-40_big-picture_what-could-he-have-done-or-said-differen_132820.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf4/margaret-atwood-40_big-picture_what-could-he-have-done-or-said-differen_132820.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf4/margaret-atwood-40_big-picture_what-could-he-have-done-or-said-differen_132820.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What could he have done or said differently? What change would have altered the course of events? In the big…” — Margaret Atwood", "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": "Margaret Atwood", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“What could he have done or...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/what-could-he-have-done-or-said-differently-what-change-would-have/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/what-could-he-have-done-or-said-differently-what-change-would-have/#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 } } ] } ```