--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our thoughts and imaginations are the…" description: "\"Our thoughts and imaginations are the only real limits to our possibilities.\" — Orison Swett Marden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/140/orison-swett-marden-711_creativity_our-thoughts-and-imaginations-are-the-on_305702.png" --- # Our thoughts and imaginations are the only real limits to… ![“Our thoughts and imaginations are the only real limits to our possibilities.” quote by Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/140/orison-swett-marden-711_creativity_our-thoughts-and-imaginations-are-the-on_305702.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/140/orison-swett-marden-711_creativity_our-thoughts-and-imaginations-are-the-on_305702.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/140/orison-swett-marden-711_creativity_our-thoughts-and-imaginations-are-the-on_305702.png) > “Our thoughts and imaginations are the only real limits to our possibilities.” [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Imagination and thought are the only true limits to what we can achieve. **In simple terms:** Mind sets our boundaries. Key Takeaway Expand your imagination. Themes creativity potential mindset self‑belief Mood inspirational optimistic Type self‑help motivational When to use this quote - career planning - artistic creation - personal development Key Concepts psychology self‑help Questions to Reflect On - What mental barriers hold you back? - How can you nurture imagination? A Different Perspective External factors also constrain possibilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limits/) [New possibilities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-possibilities/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) ## Related quotes > [Our thoughts and imagination are the only real limits to our possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/our-thoughts-and-imagination-are-the-only-real-limits-to-our/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [In my opinion we can never think of God in big enough terms. He is bigger than our biggest thoughts of Him. Our imaginations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilferd-peterson/in-my-opinion-we-can-never-think-of-god-in-big-enough-terms-he-is/) [Wilferd Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilferd-peterson/) > [The only real limits on your success in life are the limits you set on yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakare/the-only-real-limits-on-your-success-in-life-are-the-limits-you-set/) [Bakare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakare/) > [The only limits to the possibilities in your life tomorrow are the buts you use today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-brown/the-only-limits-to-the-possibilities-in-your-life-tomorrow-are-the/) [Les Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-brown/) > [Limits are possibilities. ... Formal restrictions, contrary to what you might think, free you up by allowing you to concentrate on purer ideas. ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/limits-are-possibilities-formal-restrictions-contrary-to-what-you/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [Doing any job for too long limits your possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-zaslow/doing-any-job-for-too-long-limits-your-possibilities/) [Michael Zaslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-zaslow/) > [Every daring attempt to make a great change in existing conditions, every lofty vision of new possibilities for the human race, has been labeled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/every-daring-attempt-to-make-a-great-change-in-existing-conditions/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Developing a skill is painful, though. It is difficult. And that's part of the satisfaction. 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There is always a way to take the next step forward on the path you've chosen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/every-day-brings-new-lessons-and-new-possibilities-there-is-always-a/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) ## More by Orison Swett Marden > [“We can so educate the will power that it will focus the thoughts upon the bright side of things, and upon objects which elevate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/we-can-so-educate-the-will-power-that-it-will-focus-the-thoughts-upon/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [“Gulliver was a giant whom the dwarfs captured while he was napping by binding him with tiny threads. Each thread was a trifle which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/gulliver-was-a-giant-whom-the-dwarfs-captured-while-he-was-napping-by/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [“The hatred thought cannot live an instant in the presence of the love thought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/the-hatred-thought-cannot-live-an-instant-in-the-presence-of-the-love/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [“About as poor business as one can engage in is that of going through life with one's eyes so fixed upon what others have,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/about-as-poor-business-as-one-can-engage-in-is-that-of-going-through/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [“We tend to get what we expect, and if we expect nothing we get nothing. 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Everything that exists has brought with it its own peculiar lesson. The mountain teaches stability and grandeur; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/the-universe-is-one-great-kindergarten-everything-that-exists-has/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [If you want to enlarge your life, you must first enlarge your thought of it and of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/if-you-want-to-enlarge-your-life-you-must-first-enlarge-your-thought/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [The moment man cuts himself off from living connection with the human race and its needs, he begins to die from poor circulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/the-moment-man-cuts-himself-off-from-living-connection-with-the-human/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [“There is something inside of a man which protests against doing that which tends to injure another, that which does not square with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/there-is-something-inside-of-a-man-which-protests-against-doing-that/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [A good system shortens the road to the goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/a-good-system-shortens-the-road-to-the-goal/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [Keep fear out of your child's mind, as you would keep poison out of his body; for fear is the deadliest of mental poisons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/keep-fear-out-of-your-child-s-mind-as-you-would-keep-poison-out-of/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) [Explore all 396 Orison Swett Marden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) ## More Creativity quotes > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“The Soviet “creative intelligentsia” - that is, people accustomed to thinking one thing, saying another and doing a third - is as a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-amalrik/the-soviet-creative-intelligentsia-that-is-people-accustomed-to/) Andrei Amalrik > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/a-rock-pile-ceases-to-be-a-rock-pile-the-moment-a-single-man/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [You don't get lucky. You create lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/you-don-t-get-lucky-you-create-lucky/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [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/) > [“You are the end of beauty and creativity one must have created so far.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/you-are-the-end-of-beauty-and-creativity-one-must-have-created-so-far/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Jonah Lehrer is one of the most talented explainers of science that we’ve got. What a pleasure it is to follow his investigation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-foer/jonah-lehrer-is-one-of-the-most-talented-explainers-of-science-that/) [Joshua Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-foer/) > [If you've got creativity, imagination, and intelligence, and you want to be hypnotised, then there's no reason you shouldn't be able to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-barry/if-you-ve-got-creativity-imagination-and-intelligence-and-you-want-to/) [Keith Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-barry/) > [“I believe in magic. As a writer, I create them on blank paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonnia-kemmer/i-believe-in-magic-as-a-writer-i-create-them-on-blank-paper/) [Sonnia Kemmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonnia-kemmer/) > [Creativity is like chasing chickens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-niemann/creativity-is-like-chasing-chickens/) Christoph Niemann > [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. 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Their creativity and productivity will increase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/create-an-environment-for-people-to-fail-to-learn-and-to-grow-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 13,625 Creativity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our thoughts and imaginations are the only real limits to our possibilities.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Orison Swett Marden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/our-thoughts-and-imaginations-are-the-only-real-limits-to-our/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Creativity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/our-thoughts-and-imaginations-are-the-only-real-limits-to-our/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/140/orison-swett-marden-711_creativity_our-thoughts-and-imaginations-are-the-on_305702.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/140/orison-swett-marden-711_creativity_our-thoughts-and-imaginations-are-the-on_305702.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/140/orison-swett-marden-711_creativity_our-thoughts-and-imaginations-are-the-on_305702.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Our thoughts and imaginations are the only real limits to our possibilities.” — Orison Swett Marden", "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": "Orison Swett Marden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Our thoughts and imaginations are the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/our-thoughts-and-imaginations-are-the-only-real-limits-to-our/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/our-thoughts-and-imaginations-are-the-only-real-limits-to-our/#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 } } ] } ```