--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We tend to think only in terms of what we…" description: "\"We tend to think only in terms of what we think is plausible that we could pull off and decide that \"that's what I want\", instead of focusing on \"what ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/michael-neill-20852_plausible_we-tend-to-think-only-in-terms-of-what-w_2987091.jpg" --- # We tend to think only in terms of what we think is… ![“We tend to think only in terms of what we think is plausible that we could pull off and decide that "that's what I want", instead of focusing on "what do I want?" and then figuring out how we could pull it off.” quote by Michael Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/michael-neill-20852_plausible_we-tend-to-think-only-in-terms-of-what-w_2987091.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/michael-neill-20852_plausible_we-tend-to-think-only-in-terms-of-what-w_2987091.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/michael-neill-20852_plausible_we-tend-to-think-only-in-terms-of-what-w_2987091.jpg) > “We tend to think only in terms of what we think is plausible that we could pull off and decide that "that's what I want", instead of focusing on "what do I want?" and then figuring out how we could pull it off.” [Michael Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-neill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often set goals based on perceived feasibility rather than true desire, limiting potential. **In simple terms:** Focus on desire, not feasibility. Key Takeaway Prioritize true wants. Themes motivation goal‑setting self‑awareness Mood inspirational thoughtful Type self‑help psychology When to use this quote - career planning - creative projects - life coaching Key Concepts psychology personal development Questions to Reflect On - What do you truly want? - How can you align actions with desire? A Different Perspective Feasibility constraints can be overcome. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [We'll look for almost any reason not to change our attitudes; the inertia of the established order is powerful. If we can think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/we-ll-look-for-almost-any-reason-not-to-change-our-attitudes-the/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [“Answering a question with a question is simply a way to gain enough time to think of a plausible lie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-redwine/answering-a-question-with-a-question-is-simply-a-way-to-gain-enough/) [C.J. Redwine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-redwine/) > [“Stop focusing on what you don’t want; it’s a tremendous waste of time and energy. Instead, start focusing on what you do want. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/stop-focusing-on-what-you-don-t-want-it-s-a-tremendous-waste-of-time/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [I want to really start focusing on what I want to accomplish and what it is I want to achieve, but not micromanaging this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-williams/i-want-to-really-start-focusing-on-what-i-want-to-accomplish-and-what/) [Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) > [“One of the ingredients of forming good habits and breaking bad ones is focusing on what you want to do and not on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/one-of-the-ingredients-of-forming-good-habits-and-breaking-bad-ones/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [… your real work is to decide what you want and then to focus upon it. For it is through focusing upon what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/your-real-work-is-to-decide-what-you-want-and-then-to-focus-upon-it/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [Instead of focusing so much on what we want in our lives and being hard headed, stuck on our will so much, we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-focusing-so-much-on-what-we-want-in-our-lives-and-being/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not about the past. I'm about the future and focusing on what you want in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/redfoo/i-m-not-about-the-past-i-m-about-the-future-and-focusing-on-what-you/) [Redfoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/redfoo/) > [“If you ever meet me, you will notice that I am a very simple person. I prefer Diet Coke over merlot. A hamburger over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/if-you-ever-meet-me-you-will-notice-that-i-am-a-very-simple-person-i/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [Its OK to know how you do not want to feel, but thats not all you should be thinking about. Imagine someone trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/its-ok-to-know-how-you-do-not-want-to-feel-but-thats-not-all-you/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Never spend your life focusing on what others want to see. Remember: You only have 1 life; FOCUS on what you want to be!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/never-spend-your-life-focusing-on-what-others-want-to-see-remember/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [How would your life be different if¦You stopped focusing on what you didnt want and started focusing on what you do want? Let today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/how-would-your-life-be-different-if-you-stopped-focusing-on-what-you/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [The key to having everything we want lies in expanding our definition of what's possible and focusing on what we want. That's it! Once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-victor-hansen/the-key-to-having-everything-we-want-lies-in-expanding-our-definition/) [Mark Victor Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-victor-hansen/) > [There is great power in focusing on what you want… The person who tries to do everything accomplishes nothing. Most people try to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/there-is-great-power-in-focusing-on-what-you-want-the-person-who/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [“Focusing on what you don’t want instead of focusing on what do want gets you nowhere. Negativity makes a horrible motivator. Decide what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/focusing-on-what-you-don-t-want-instead-of-focusing-on-what-do-want/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) ## More by Michael Neill > [Whatever you can do with unhappiness, you can do better when you're happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/whatever-you-can-do-with-unhappiness-you-can-do-better-when-you-re/) [Michael Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-neill/) > [“If it feels like you're choosing between the lesser of two evils, don't. There is always a higher choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/if-it-feels-like-you-re-choosing-between-the-lesser-of-two-evils-don/) [Michael Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-neill/) > [“Hope is the magic elixir that energizes dreams, fuels possibilities, and lets you live beyond the limits of your historical thinking. It is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/hope-is-the-magic-elixir-that-energizes-dreams-fuels-possibilities/) [Michael Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-neill/) > [The secret of happiness is simply this... your happiness does NOT depend on getting what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/the-secret-of-happiness-is-simply-this-your-happiness-does-not-depend/) [Michael Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-neill/) > [The only real purpose of a goal is to inspire you to fall more deeply in love with life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/the-only-real-purpose-of-a-goal-is-to-inspire-you-to-fall-more-deeply/) [Michael Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-neill/) > [Success is the process of having a wonderful experience going for, getting, and having what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/success-is-the-process-of-having-a-wonderful-experience-going-for/) [Michael Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-neill/) > [Financial security doesn't come from the amount of money you currently have; it comes from your ability to get more of it whenever you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/financial-security-doesn-t-come-from-the-amount-of-money-you/) [Michael Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-neill/) > [We think we are experiencing reality but what we are really experiencing is our thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/we-think-we-are-experiencing-reality-but-what-we-are-really/) [Michael Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-neill/) > [We create other people by how we listen to them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/we-create-other-people-by-how-we-listen-to-them/) [Michael Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-neill/) > [If you are doing things in order to be happy... you're doing them in the wrong order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/if-you-are-doing-things-in-order-to-be-happy-you-re-doing-them-in-the/) [Michael Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-neill/) > [If all you did was tell a lamppost your goals for each day, they would still be far more likely to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/if-all-you-did-was-tell-a-lamppost-your-goals-for-each-day-they-would/) [Michael Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-neill/) > [There aren't enough cookies in the world to make you feel loved and whole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/there-aren-t-enough-cookies-in-the-world-to-make-you-feel-loved-and/) [Michael Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-neill/) > [“Similarly, the idea of putting pressure on ourselves to strive for our goals now so that we can feel the rush of reaching them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/similarly-the-idea-of-putting-pressure-on-ourselves-to-strive-for-our/) [Michael Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-neill/) > [You are the expert on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/you-are-the-expert-on-you/) [Michael Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-neill/) > [You aren't afraid of what you think you're afraid of - you're afraid of what you think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/you-aren-t-afraid-of-what-you-think-you-re-afraid-of-you-re-afraid-of/) [Michael Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-neill/) [Explore all 30 Michael Neill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-neill/) ## More Plausible quotes > [It is often sadly remarked that the bad economists present their errors to the public better than the good economists present their truths. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/it-is-often-sadly-remarked-that-the-bad-economists-present-their/) [Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/) > [It is also plausible that those movements with the greatest inner contradiction and between profession and practice - that is to say with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/it-is-also-plausible-that-those-movements-with-the-greatest-inner/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [As in the instances of alchemy, astrology, witchcraft, and other such popular creeds, political economy, has a plausible idea at the root of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/as-in-the-instances-of-alchemy-astrology-witchcraft-and-other-such/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The plausible outcomes range from the gradual and benign to the more precipitous and damaging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-geithner/the-plausible-outcomes-range-from-the-gradual-and-benign-to-the-more/) [Timothy Geithner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-geithner/) > [I shall give a propagandist reason for starting the war, no matter whether it is plausible or not. The victor will not be asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-shall-give-a-propagandist-reason-for-starting-the-war-no-matter/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [There is no plausible theory under which the record of the Pentagon Papers can be interpreted as relating to the national defense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-is-no-plausible-theory-under-which-the-record-of-the-pentagon/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Like my parents, I have never been a regular church member or churchgoer. It doesn't seem plausible to me that there is the kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-spock/like-my-parents-i-have-never-been-a-regular-church-member-or/) [Benjamin Spock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-spock/) > [“We could probably do it, figure out a plausible way to really get back her, to completely ruin her life. How hard could it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-s-thompson/we-could-probably-do-it-figure-out-a-plausible-way-to-really-get-back/) [Nancy S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-s-thompson/) > [After we have thought out everything carefully in advance and have sought and found without prejudice the most plausible plan, we must not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/after-we-have-thought-out-everything-carefully-in-advance-and-have/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [I mean come on. Do you know how easy it is to be famous these days? Do you have any idea? The web has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/i-mean-come-on-do-you-know-how-easy-it-is-to-be-famous-these-days-do/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [Tim Kaine has been obviously a governor. He's been a senator. He's one of the smartest rising stars in the Democratic Party. He is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/tim-kaine-has-been-obviously-a-governor-he-s-been-a-senator-he-s-one/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Whether or not enlightenment is a plausible goal for us is a vital question for our lives. If it is possible for us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-thurman/whether-or-not-enlightenment-is-a-plausible-goal-for-us-is-a-vital/) [Robert Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-thurman/) > [I just wanted to make sure that yes, that those horror - they worked as a genre. To me, I just wanted to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-farmiga/i-just-wanted-to-make-sure-that-yes-that-those-horror-they-worked-as/) [Vera Farmiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-farmiga/) > [The word happiness exists in every language; it is plausible the thing itself exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-word-happiness-exists-in-every-language-it-is-plausible-the-thing/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [The emergence of a unified cognitive moment relies on the coordination of scattered mosaics of functionally specialized brain regions. Here we review the mechanisms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-varela/the-emergence-of-a-unified-cognitive-moment-relies-on-the/) [Francisco Varela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-varela/) Browse all 211 Plausible quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We tend to think only in terms of what we think is plausible that we could pull off and decide that \"that's what I want\", instead of focusing on \"what do I want?\" and then figuring out how we could pull it off.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Neill" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/we-tend-to-think-only-in-terms-of-what-we-think-is-plausible-that-we/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Plausible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/we-tend-to-think-only-in-terms-of-what-we-think-is-plausible-that-we/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/michael-neill-20852_plausible_we-tend-to-think-only-in-terms-of-what-w_2987091.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/michael-neill-20852_plausible_we-tend-to-think-only-in-terms-of-what-w_2987091.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/michael-neill-20852_plausible_we-tend-to-think-only-in-terms-of-what-w_2987091.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We tend to think only in terms of what we think is plausible that we could pull off and decide that \"that's…” — Michael Neill", "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": "Michael Neill", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-neill/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We tend to think only in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/we-tend-to-think-only-in-terms-of-what-we-think-is-plausible-that-we/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/we-tend-to-think-only-in-terms-of-what-we-think-is-plausible-that-we/#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 } } ] } ```