--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We try so hard because it is all we've…" description: "\"“We try so hard because it is all we've ever known, I thought. We try to fit ourselves into this world so that we don't seem more different than differ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/489/nad-ge-richards-16671_choices_we-try-so-hard-because-it-is-all-we-ve-e_1545065.jpg" --- # We try so hard because it is all we've ever known, I… ![“We try so hard because it is all we've ever known, I thought. We try to fit ourselves into this world so that we don't seem more different than different, an oddity in a sea of normality. We try because it is only instinct, but we obey because it is law.” quote by Nadège Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/489/nad-ge-richards-16671_choices_we-try-so-hard-because-it-is-all-we-ve-e_1545065.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/489/nad-ge-richards-16671_choices_we-try-so-hard-because-it-is-all-we-ve-e_1545065.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/489/nad-ge-richards-16671_choices_we-try-so-hard-because-it-is-all-we-ve-e_1545065.jpg) > ““We try so hard because it is all we've ever known, I thought. We try to fit ourselves into this world so that we don't seem more different than different, an oddity in a sea of normality. We try because it is only instinct, but we obey because it is law.”” [Nadège Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nad-ge-richards/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects the tension between innate instinct and societal pressure to conform, highlighting how people suppress individuality to fit in. **In simple terms:** People hide their true selves to blend with the crowd. Key Takeaway Embrace authenticity over conformity. Themes identity conformity instinct societal pressure Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - workplace dynamics - social gatherings - personal relationships - creative endeavors Key Concepts psychology social norms self-acceptance Questions to Reflect On - How does fitting in affect your sense of self? - What would change if you stopped fearing difference? A Different Perspective Conformity can limit personal growth and innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisions/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [I thought I should try one last time cause once its gone, its gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-thought-i-should-try-one-last-time-cause-once-its-gone-its-gone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The whole point of Louis Armstrong is that no one can really figure him out. There was a while where I thought you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/the-whole-point-of-louis-armstrong-is-that-no-one-can-really-figure/) [Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/) > [“I must try this again, I thought; I must try again someday to sit still and not say a word. Maybe when I'm dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-must-try-this-again-i-thought-i-must-try-again-someday-to-sit-still/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [My painful personal thought: . . . . ... I always try to keep everybody happy all the time. But nobody recognises me when I am alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-painful-personal-thought-i-always-try-to-keep-everybody-happy-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Here's a thought for you; try doing better with your life rather than start pointless drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/here-s-a-thought-for-you-try-doing-better-with-your-life-rather-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I was coaching, the one thought that I would try to get across to my players was that everything I do each day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-layden/when-i-was-coaching-the-one-thought-that-i-would-try-to-get-across-to/) [Frank Layden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-layden/) > [There is nothing worth thinking but it has been thought before; we must only try to think it again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/there-is-nothing-worth-thinking-but-it-has-been-thought-before-we/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I think I'm pretty fearless. I like to try things at least once, things that I never thought that I would try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odette-annable/i-think-i-m-pretty-fearless-i-like-to-try-things-at-least-once-things/) [Odette Annable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odette-annable/) > [I love podcasts, so I thought I'd try one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/i-love-podcasts-so-i-thought-i-d-try-one/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens: as long as you obey the law, we will leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/for-too-long-we-have-been-a-passively-tolerant-society-saying-to-our/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [You must obey this now for a Law, that he that will not worke shall not eate (except by sickness he be disabled:) for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smith/you-must-obey-this-now-for-a-law-that-he-that-will-not-worke-shall/) [John Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smith/) > [“What makes them haughty and strong is that they've studied to be authorities so that the law will be obeyed. The law has always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manlio-argueta/what-makes-them-haughty-and-strong-is-that-they-ve-studied-to-be/) [Manlio Argueta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manlio-argueta/) > [“The law was made for one thing alone,for the exploitation of those who don't understand it, or are prevented by naked misery from obeying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertolt-brecht/the-law-was-made-for-one-thing-alone-for-the-exploitation-of-those/) [Bertolt Brecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertolt-brecht/) > [Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/be-strong-and-very-courageous-be-careful-to-obey-all-the-law-my/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [Society is well governed when the people obey the magistrates, and the magistrates obey the law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solon/society-is-well-governed-when-the-people-obey-the-magistrates-and-the/) [Solon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solon/) ## More by Nadège Richards > [“They were here from the beginning. They have reshaped our lives, run us from our homes. They were always here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nad-ge-richards/they-were-here-from-the-beginning-they-have-reshaped-our-lives-run-us/) [Nadège Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nad-ge-richards/) > [“And you left your mark on me... With the destruction of us, finally, we became no one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nad-ge-richards/and-you-left-your-mark-on-me-with-the-destruction-of-us-finally-we/) [Nadège Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nad-ge-richards/) > [“There is no sanctity. This is the downfall of innocence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nad-ge-richards/there-is-no-sanctity-this-is-the-downfall-of-innocence/) [Nadège Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nad-ge-richards/) > [“Never limit yourself to what you can't do, but to what you have the power to do with what you have.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nad-ge-richards/never-limit-yourself-to-what-you-can-t-do-but-to-what-you-have-the/) [Nadège Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nad-ge-richards/) > [“The sun rises in the east every morning and falls in the west, Ayden. Darknesses are awaken and fate is tested, destinies are foreseen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nad-ge-richards/the-sun-rises-in-the-east-every-morning-and-falls-in-the-west-ayden/) [Nadège Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nad-ge-richards/) > [“Life is short, Isobeli. If we gave time to everything sooner or later we'd run out of it. We only have now. And we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nad-ge-richards/life-is-short-isobeli-if-we-gave-time-to-everything-sooner-or-later/) [Nadège Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nad-ge-richards/) > [I wish for today and dream of yesterday. If the gods should hold me in their favor, then I shall hope for tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nad-ge-richards/i-wish-for-today-and-dream-of-yesterday-if-the-gods-should-hold-me-in/) [Nadege Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nad-ge-richards/) > [“I saw a dead bird flying through a broken sky. I heard it, and it said, "The world will never understand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nad-ge-richards/i-saw-a-dead-bird-flying-through-a-broken-sky-i-heard-it-and-it-said/) [Nadège Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nad-ge-richards/) > [“Endeavor for greatness, venture for the sake of the heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nad-ge-richards/endeavor-for-greatness-venture-for-the-sake-of-the-heart/) [Nadege Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nad-ge-richards/) > [“When you have something this good, you keep it. Forever. And that's all the magic there is to it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nad-ge-richards/when-you-have-something-this-good-you-keep-it-forever-and-that-s-all/) [Nadège Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nad-ge-richards/) > [“Stop setting yourself on fire for people who just stand to watch you burn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nad-ge-richards/stop-setting-yourself-on-fire-for-people-who-just-stand-to-watch-you/) [Nadège Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nad-ge-richards/) > [“Life can be seen through several spectrums of light, but it’s the person who is doing the soul searching that defines what they may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nad-ge-richards/life-can-be-seen-through-several-spectrums-of-light-but-it-s-the/) [Nadège Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nad-ge-richards/) > [“I had no tears to shed nor a prayer for the deceased... There is no hope for the hopeless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nad-ge-richards/i-had-no-tears-to-shed-nor-a-prayer-for-the-deceased-there-is-no-hope/) [Nadege Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nad-ge-richards/) > [“This proves the significance of individualism; being able to face the music, to embrace it, and then create something beautiful from it. You can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nad-ge-richards/this-proves-the-significance-of-individualism-being-able-to-face-the/) [Nadège Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nad-ge-richards/) > [“I can't explain my feelings for him...they're strange. But he says it is why we are so much alike, why I dream of him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nad-ge-richards/i-can-t-explain-my-feelings-for-him-they-re-strange-but-he-says-it-is/) [Nadège Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nad-ge-richards/) [Explore all 39 Nadège Richards quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nad-ge-richards/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) Alison James > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We try so hard because it is all we've ever known, I thought. 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