--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have a lot of choice about whether to…" description: "\"We have a lot of choice about whether to interpret something as adversity or as opportunity. I see in myself the tendency at times to make situations w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/227/marianne-williamson-90_adversity_we-have-a-lot-of-choice-about-whether-to_1748477.png" --- # We have a lot of choice about whether to interpret… ![“We have a lot of choice about whether to interpret something as adversity or as opportunity. I see in myself the tendency at times to make situations worse than they have to be because of my catastrophic interpretation.” quote by Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/227/marianne-williamson-90_adversity_we-have-a-lot-of-choice-about-whether-to_1748477.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/227/marianne-williamson-90_adversity_we-have-a-lot-of-choice-about-whether-to_1748477.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/227/marianne-williamson-90_adversity_we-have-a-lot-of-choice-about-whether-to_1748477.png) > “We have a lot of choice about whether to interpret something as adversity or as opportunity. I see in myself the tendency at times to make situations worse than they have to be because of my catastrophic interpretation.” [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We can view events as either obstacles or chances for growth; our mindset shapes experience. **In simple terms:** Choice shapes perception of difficulty. Key Takeaway Shift mindset to see opportunities. Themes mindset perception growth choice Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal crises - career setbacks - relationship conflicts - health challenges Key Concepts cognitive reframing psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you reframe a recent setback? - What evidence supports an opportunity view? A Different Perspective Changing perspective can be hard when emotions dominate. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Interpretation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interpretation/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [In adversity, there is opportunity. Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I'll show you someone who has overcome adversity. I've never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/in-adversity-there-is-opportunity-show-me-someone-who-has-done/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [Sometimes when you're younger, you don't understand that the game has different aspects to it. There is adversity. There is opportunity but you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-agholor/sometimes-when-you-re-younger-you-don-t-understand-that-the-game-has/) [Nelson Agholor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-agholor/) > [Of course, losing my father was traumatic. I was an only child. But from the time my father died, my general theme in life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-g-stemberg/of-course-losing-my-father-was-traumatic-i-was-an-only-child-but-from/) [Thomas G. Stemberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-g-stemberg/) > [“An adversity is an opportunity to exercise and maximize your creativity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/an-adversity-is-an-opportunity-to-exercise-and-maximize-your/) [Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/) > [When you are down and in trouble, keep fighting. Don't give up. keep kicking. It won't help to wallow in self-pity, or curse your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prakah-iyer/when-you-are-down-and-in-trouble-keep-fighting-don-t-give-up-keep/) [Prakah Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prakah-iyer/) > [Adversity is an opportunity for heroism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marv-levy/adversity-is-an-opportunity-for-heroism/) [Marv Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marv-levy/) > [Adversity is an opportunity for growth. And an opportunity to really know who your friends are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megyn-kelly/adversity-is-an-opportunity-for-growth-and-an-opportunity-to-really/) [Megyn Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megyn-kelly/) > [Adversity is an opportunity for self-discovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/adversity-is-an-opportunity-for-self-discovery/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Every adversity is an opportunity to prove courage and worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-jankada/every-adversity-is-an-opportunity-to-prove-courage-and-worth/) [Dr Jankada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-jankada/) > [Behind every adversity - is an opportunity!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/behind-every-adversity-is-an-opportunity/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [We were born with a natural tendency to focus on love. Our imaginations were creative and flourishing, and we knew how to use them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/we-were-born-with-a-natural-tendency-to-focus-on-love-our/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [The strong tendency to blame others is a barrier, an obstacle for the comprehension of our own mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samael-aun-weor/the-strong-tendency-to-blame-others-is-a-barrier-an-obstacle-for-the/) [Samael Aun Weor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samael-aun-weor/) > [“The characteristics of this kind of reading are perhaps summed up in the word “orthodox,” which is almost always applicable. The word comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-j-adler/the-characteristics-of-this-kind-of-reading-are-perhaps-summed-up-in/) [Mortimer J. Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-j-adler/) > [What is a moderate interpretation of the text? Halfway between what it really means and what you'd like it to mean?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/what-is-a-moderate-interpretation-of-the-text-halfway-between-what-it/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) ## More by Marianne Williamson > [The goal of spiritual practice is full recovery, and the only thing you need to recover from is a fractured sense of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-goal-of-spiritual-practice-is-full-recovery-and-the-only-thing/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [The reason so many of us are obsessed with becoming stars is because we are not yet starring in our own lives. The cosmic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-reason-so-many-of-us-are-obsessed-with-becoming-stars-is-because/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Great people are not people who have never fallen down. Greatness has to do with how you get back up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/great-people-are-not-people-who-have-never-fallen-down-greatness-has/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I feel that if your soul was branded by the sixties, you never lost the brand. It's like going into a nightclub and having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-feel-that-if-your-soul-was-branded-by-the-sixties-you-never-lost/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Until we have met the monsters in ourselves, we keep trying to slay them in the outer world. And we find that we cannot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/until-we-have-met-the-monsters-in-ourselves-we-keep-trying-to-slay/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [No matter how sad we might be, the universe is still planning our happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/no-matter-how-sad-we-might-be-the-universe-is-still-planning-our/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Love is who we are, and when we deviate from that love we're deviating from our ultimate, essential, eternal reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/love-is-who-we-are-and-when-we-deviate-from-that-love-we-re-deviating/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [For many, many people, getting married is one of the most important things they will ever do in the pursuit of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/for-many-many-people-getting-married-is-one-of-the-most-important/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [As all of us are only too aware, the loud and frantic voices of the outer world easily drown out the small, still loving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/as-all-of-us-are-only-too-aware-the-loud-and-frantic-voices-of-the/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [It is not too late. You are not too old. You are right on time-And you are better than you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/it-is-not-too-late-you-are-not-too-old-you-are-right-on-time-and-you/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I tell my mother I went to God in spite of my religious education. I feel that my religious education was inadequate, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-tell-my-mother-i-went-to-god-in-spite-of-my-religious-education-i/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [You don't have to be a spiritual seeker, you can be a businessman dealing with the revolution in computers. You could be a congressman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/you-don-t-have-to-be-a-spiritual-seeker-you-can-be-a-businessman/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Dear God, I surrender this thought to you, for I would see the miracle that lies behind it. Amen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/dear-god-i-surrender-this-thought-to-you-for-i-would-see-the-miracle/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Sex is not the ultimate high, but the ultimate high hangs out around sex. The ultimate high is the dance with another person, played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/sex-is-not-the-ultimate-high-but-the-ultimate-high-hangs-out-around/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) [Explore all 1,347 Marianne Williamson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) ## More Adversity quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [When we have public success we also have private struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deion-sanders/when-we-have-public-success-we-also-have-private-struggles/) [Deion Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deion-sanders/) > [“The threats that resurfaced in the past 10 years were not an aberration. Al Qaeda and terrorism or one such threat, but it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/the-threats-that-resurfaced-in-the-past-10-years-were-not-an/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [“Every adversity is just another opportunity to excel a little more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/every-adversity-is-just-another-opportunity-to-excel-a-little-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Just because she doesn't talk about it, doesn't mean she isn't feeling it. She hurts, but she won't wear it on her sleeve. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfa-h/just-because-she-doesn-t-talk-about-it-doesn-t-mean-she-isn-t-feeling/) [Alfa H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfa-h/) > [Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buckham-kennedy/every-trial-endured-and-weathered-in-the-right-spirit-makes-a-soul/) James Buckham Kennedy > [Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/honesty-by-evil-fortune-tried-finds-in-adversity-the-seed-of-praise/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [“Struggles are not associated to a particular people or creed, everyone struggles, not for the same reasons, but each has a personal struggle at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/struggles-are-not-associated-to-a-particular-people-or-creed-everyone/) [Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/) > [“Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/watch-a-man-in-times-of-adversity-to-discover-what-kind-of-man-he-is/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“Life is not about less mistakes but about more trials”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-sever/life-is-not-about-less-mistakes-but-about-more-trials/) S.E. SEVER > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [When everything feels like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-everything-feels-like-an-uphill-struggle-just-think-of-the-view/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 5,001 Adversity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have a lot of choice about whether to interpret something as adversity or as opportunity. 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