--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Getting control of life is never easy…" description: "\"Getting control of life is never easy, and sometimes it can be definitely painful.\" — Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_easy_getting-control-of-life-is-never-easy-an_1280214.jpg" --- # Getting control of life is never easy, and sometimes it… ![“Getting control of life is never easy, and sometimes it can be definitely painful.” quote by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_easy_getting-control-of-life-is-never-easy-an_1280214.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_easy_getting-control-of-life-is-never-easy-an_1280214.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_easy_getting-control-of-life-is-never-easy-an_1280214.jpg) > “Getting control of life is never easy, and sometimes it can be definitely painful.” [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Gaining life control is difficult and often painful. **In simple terms:** Control is hard and painful. Key Takeaway Accept difficulty, seek growth. Themes control life pain Mood motivational realistic Type self‑help psychological When to use this quote - career planning - personal change - therapy - skill learning Key Concepts psychology self‑development resilience Questions to Reflect On - What painful aspects of control are worth enduring? - How can pain be transformed into motivation? A Different Perspective Pain may deter effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) ## Related quotes > [You may not control life's circumstances, but getting to be the author of your life means getting to control what you do with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/you-may-not-control-life-s-circumstances-but-getting-to-be-the-author/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [If u love someone u wouldnt put ur hands on them, u would just sit down and have a talk with them instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dub-tepper/if-u-love-someone-u-wouldnt-put-ur-hands-on-them-u-would-just-sit/) DUB$TEPPER > [Getting control of stuff makes people feel like they have more control over their lives - maybe irrationally, but it's one of these psychological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/getting-control-of-stuff-makes-people-feel-like-they-have-more/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I try to stay on an even keel. I get really fired up on occasion, but staying relaxed and under control bodes better for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-glaus/i-try-to-stay-on-an-even-keel-i-get-really-fired-up-on-occasion-but/) [Troy Glaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-glaus/) > [The whole point of getting control of health is to regulate everybody's life and look at how they decide now whether somebody should get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-whole-point-of-getting-control-of-health-is-to-regulate-everybody/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“I believe that days one and two for most of us involve getting more control over the body-such as getting to be early, arising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/i-believe-that-days-one-and-two-for-most-of-us-involve-getting-more/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“This was getting out of control. 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You Are In Full Control Of Your Life So Long As You Claim It And Own It...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/no-one-else-is-responsible-for-you-you-are-in-full-control-of-your/) Pacifiersucker > [I have no control of life. I have to prepare myself for any situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyoto-machida/i-have-no-control-of-life-i-have-to-prepare-myself-for-any-situation/) [Lyoto Machida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyoto-machida/) > [In my work I have complete control, but about my life, I don't want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/in-my-work-i-have-complete-control-but-about-my-life-i-don-t-want-to/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [You are the master of your own destiny; you can influence, direct and also control your own life the way you feel is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/you-are-the-master-of-your-own-destiny-you-can-influence-direct-and/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [“To control your life, control your mind. To control your mind, control your breath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/to-control-your-life-control-your-mind-to-control-your-mind-control/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [“Without time management, you lose control of your life and do what other people tell you to do. You lose control and become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-miller/without-time-management-you-lose-control-of-your-life-and-do-what/) Thomas Miller ## More by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi > [“Entropy is the normal state of consciousness—a condition that is neither useful nor enjoyable. To avoid this condition, people are naturally eager to fill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/entropy-is-the-normal-state-of-consciousness-a-condition-that-is/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [Most enjoyable activities are not natural; they demand an effort that initially one is reluctant to make. But once the interaction starts to provide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/most-enjoyable-activities-are-not-natural-they-demand-an-effort-that/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [People without an internalized symbolic system can all too easily become captives of the media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/people-without-an-internalized-symbolic-system-can-all-too-easily/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [Through learning we grow, becoming more than we were before, and in that sense learning is unselfish, because it results in the transformation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/through-learning-we-grow-becoming-more-than-we-were-before-and-in/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [“Unfortunately, many people find the only challenges they can respond to are violence, gambling, random sex, or drugs. Some of these experiences can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/unfortunately-many-people-find-the-only-challenges-they-can-respond/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [It is essential to learn to enjoy life. It really does not make sense to go through the motions of existence if one does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/it-is-essential-to-learn-to-enjoy-life-it-really-does-not-make-sense/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [“It is usual to explain the motivation of those who enjoy dangerous activities as some sort of pathological need: they are trying to exorcise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/it-is-usual-to-explain-the-motivation-of-those-who-enjoy-dangerous/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [“Wisdom and integrity cannot be found in any single domain. A broader viewpoint that breaks across disciplinary boundaries is needed, a way of understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/wisdom-and-integrity-cannot-be-found-in-any-single-domain-a-broader/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [For better or worse, our future will be determined in large part by our dreams and by the struggle to make them real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/for-better-or-worse-our-future-will-be-determined-in-large-part-by/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [Many business leaders today view their jobs as entailing responsibility for the welfare of the wider community. These individuals do not define themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/many-business-leaders-today-view-their-jobs-as-entailing/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [The rules themselves are clear enough, and within everyone’s reach. But many forces, both within ourselves and in the environment, stand in the way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/the-rules-themselves-are-clear-enough-and-within-everyone-s-reach-but/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [When each of these three elements of vision-concern for excellence, for people and for the wider environment-are present, business is transformed from a tool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/when-each-of-these-three-elements-of-vision-concern-for-excellence/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [If an enterprise does not aspire to be the best of its kind, it will attract second-rate employees, and it will be soon forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/if-an-enterprise-does-not-aspire-to-be-the-best-of-its-kind-it-will/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [Only direct control of experience, the ability to derive moment-by-moment enjoyment from everything we do, can overcome the obstacles to fulfillment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/only-direct-control-of-experience-the-ability-to-derive-moment-by/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [Try to be surprised by something every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/try-to-be-surprised-by-something-every-day/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) [Explore all 262 Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) ## More Control quotes > [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“You can't control who loves you...you can't let someone love you anymore than you can make someone love you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/you-can-t-control-who-loves-you-you-can-t-let-someone-love-you/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) > [Don't think you can...know you can! You human body is the most impressive tool you'll ever own. Even if you can't control everything, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/don-t-think-you-can-know-you-can-you-human-body-is-the-most/) [Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/) > [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [“Without time management, you lose control of your life and do what other people tell you to do. You lose control and become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-miller/without-time-management-you-lose-control-of-your-life-and-do-what/) Thomas Miller > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Many of us rely on our own illusion of control. But when God makes it known to you that you're not the one steering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/many-of-us-rely-on-our-own-illusion-of-control-but-when-god-makes-it/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [Some nights I'm funny with the between-song commentary, some nights I'm not. I have no control over this. I pace the stage a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/some-nights-i-m-funny-with-the-between-song-commentary-some-nights-i/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [“Control never be a means to any practical end. It can never be a means to anything but more control… Like punk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/control-never-be-a-means-to-any-practical-end-it-can-never-be-a-means/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Browse all 6,032 Control quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Getting control of life is never easy, and sometimes it can be definitely painful.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/getting-control-of-life-is-never-easy-and-sometimes-it-can-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Control" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/getting-control-of-life-is-never-easy-and-sometimes-it-can-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_easy_getting-control-of-life-is-never-easy-an_1280214.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_easy_getting-control-of-life-is-never-easy-an_1280214.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_easy_getting-control-of-life-is-never-easy-an_1280214.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Getting control of life is never easy, and sometimes it can be definitely painful.” — Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi", "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": "Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Getting control of life is never...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/getting-control-of-life-is-never-easy-and-sometimes-it-can-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/getting-control-of-life-is-never-easy-and-sometimes-it-can-be/#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 } } ] } ```