--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nothing has happened to you unless you…" description: "\"Nothing has happened to you unless you make much of it.\" — Menander" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17b/menander-10993_experience_nothing-has-happened-to-you-unless-you-m_2534781.jpg" --- # Nothing has happened to you unless you make much of it. ![“Nothing has happened to you unless you make much of it.” quote by Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17b/menander-10993_experience_nothing-has-happened-to-you-unless-you-m_2534781.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17b/menander-10993_experience_nothing-has-happened-to-you-unless-you-m_2534781.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17b/menander-10993_experience_nothing-has-happened-to-you-unless-you-m_2534781.jpg) > “Nothing has happened to you unless you make much of it.” [Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Events only affect you if you assign them significance; otherwise they pass unnoticed. **In simple terms:** You control the impact of events. Key Takeaway Choose what to give importance to. Themes perception control meaning Mood reflective calm Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - daily stress - conflict - personal setbacks - media consumption Key Concepts Stoicism subjective reality Questions to Reflect On - What do you amplify in your mind? - How can you let trivial matters fade? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on minor events can cause anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) ## Related quotes > [People photograph everything and nothing - no interaction is deemed to have actually happened unless somebody has a picture of it,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-jackman/people-photograph-everything-and-nothing-no-interaction-is-deemed-to/) [Hugh Jackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-jackman/) > [ “Nothing has really happened unless it's been described \[in words\].” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/nothing-has-really-happened-unless-it-s-been-described-in-words/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“A dream will never be reality, unless you make it reality”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-nicholson/a-dream-will-never-be-reality-unless-you-make-it-reality/) Emily Nicholson > [Don't speculate unless you can make it a full time job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-baruch/don-t-speculate-unless-you-can-make-it-a-full-time-job/) [Bernard Baruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-baruch/) > [Nothing changes Unless you make it a change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semen-l-jackson/nothing-changes-unless-you-make-it-a-change/) Semen L Jackson > [“If you want something, go for it because you can't achieve it unless you make your way to it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akissoffreshair/if-you-want-something-go-for-it-because-you-can-t-achieve-it-unless/) AKissofFreshAir > [“Don’t shout my friend; no one gives you the shit unless you make them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/don-t-shout-my-friend-no-one-gives-you-the-shit-unless-you-make-them/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [You can't be no philanthropist, no Warren Buffett, unless you make something first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohan-marley/you-can-t-be-no-philanthropist-no-warren-buffett-unless-you-make/) [Rohan Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohan-marley/) > [Unless we make the change ourselves, nothing is going to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/unless-we-make-the-change-ourselves-nothing-is-going-to-change/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [If you keep on doing what you've always done, you will keep on being what you've always been, NOTHING CHANGES UNLESS you MAKE THAT…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/if-you-keep-on-doing-what-you-ve-always-done-you-will-keep-on-being/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [We like no noise unless we make it ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-de-rabutin-chantal-marquise-de-sevigne/we-like-no-noise-unless-we-make-it-ourselves/) [Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, marquise de Sevigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-de-rabutin-chantal-marquise-de-sevigne/) > [This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/this-country-will-not-be-a-good-place-for-any-of-us-to-live-in-unless/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Nobody's going to make you happy unless you make yourself happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-oubre-jr/nobody-s-going-to-make-you-happy-unless-you-make-yourself-happy/) [Kelly Oubre, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-oubre-jr/) > [Never tell anyone to go to hell unless you can make 'em go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/never-tell-anyone-to-go-to-hell-unless-you-can-make-em-go/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Remember: Distance isn't an issue unless you make it one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/remember-distance-isn-t-an-issue-unless-you-make-it-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Menander > [Hope saves a person in the midst of misfortunes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/hope-saves-a-person-in-the-midst-of-misfortunes/) [Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) > [Intelligence, if it is clever in the direction of the better, is responsible for the greatest benefits of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/intelligence-if-it-is-clever-in-the-direction-of-the-better-is/) [Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) > [If you want to live your whole life free from pain you must become either a god or else a corpse. Consider other men's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/if-you-want-to-live-your-whole-life-free-from-pain-you-must-become/) [Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) > [Fortune is no real thing. But men who cannot bear what comes to them In Nature's way, give their own characters The name of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/fortune-is-no-real-thing-but-men-who-cannot-bear-what-comes-to-them/) [Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) > [“... when a poor man's wronged, he becomes a very difficult customer. To start with, he gets a lot of sympathy: and then he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/when-a-poor-man-s-wronged-he-becomes-a-very-difficult-customer-to/) [Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) > [Old men are children for the second time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/old-men-are-children-for-the-second-time/) [Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) > [It is not hoary hairs that bring wisdom; some have an old head on young shoulders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/it-is-not-hoary-hairs-that-bring-wisdom-some-have-an-old-head-on/) [Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) > [All men have one refuge, a good friend, with whom you can weep and know that he does not smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/all-men-have-one-refuge-a-good-friend-with-whom-you-can-weep-and-know/) [Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) > ['Know thyself' is a good saying, but not in all situations. In many it is better to say 'know others.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/know-thyself-is-a-good-saying-but-not-in-all-situations-in-many-it-is/) [Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) > [Do not fight against Providence; nor bring more heavy weather to the storm. Face what is already there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/do-not-fight-against-providence-nor-bring-more-heavy-weather-to-the/) [Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) > [How sweet is life, can we but choose with whom to live it: to live for oneself is no life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/how-sweet-is-life-can-we-but-choose-with-whom-to-live-it-to-live-for/) [Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) > [Of all wild beasts on earth or in sea, the greatest is a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/of-all-wild-beasts-on-earth-or-in-sea-the-greatest-is-a-woman/) [Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) > [Whom the gods love dies young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/whom-the-gods-love-dies-young/) [Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) > [There is no such cozy combination as man and wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/there-is-no-such-cozy-combination-as-man-and-wife/) [Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) > [In many things it is not well to say, "Know thyself"; it is better to say, "Know others."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/in-many-things-it-is-not-well-to-say-know-thyself-it-is-better-to-say/) [Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) [Explore all 62 Menander quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) ## More Experience quotes > [Experience makes a lesson to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/experience-makes-a-lesson-to-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [From my experience of having served for 3000 days, I can say that anything can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/from-my-experience-of-having-served-for-3000-days-i-can-say-that/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/) [Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/) > [Education is a lifelong experience. Experience is a lifelong education. Education plus experience equals expertise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bugeja/education-is-a-lifelong-experience-experience-is-a-lifelong-education/) Michael Bugeja > [Prison experience puts distance between me and any person who hasn't been there, done that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-mcconnell/prison-experience-puts-distance-between-me-and-any-person-who-hasn-t/) [Patricia McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-mcconnell/) > [Experience is a thorough teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jane-holmes/experience-is-a-thorough-teacher/) [Mary Jane Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jane-holmes/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I've had a great experience with pretty much everybody I've worked with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-wasikowska/i-ve-had-a-great-experience-with-pretty-much-everybody-i-ve-worked/) [Mia Wasikowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-wasikowska/) > [It wasn't a mistake, it was a fun learning experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-wasn-t-a-mistake-it-was-a-fun-learning-experience/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) [Browse all 11,792 Experience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Nothing has happened to you unless you make much of it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Menander" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/nothing-has-happened-to-you-unless-you-make-much-of-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Experience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/nothing-has-happened-to-you-unless-you-make-much-of-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17b/menander-10993_experience_nothing-has-happened-to-you-unless-you-m_2534781.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17b/menander-10993_experience_nothing-has-happened-to-you-unless-you-m_2534781.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17b/menander-10993_experience_nothing-has-happened-to-you-unless-you-m_2534781.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Nothing has happened to you unless you make much of it.” — Menander", "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": "Menander", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Nothing has happened to you unless...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/nothing-has-happened-to-you-unless-you-make-much-of-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/nothing-has-happened-to-you-unless-you-make-much-of-it/#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 } } ] } ```