--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everything 'happens'. People can 'do'…" description: "\"“Everything 'happens'. People can 'do' nothing. From the time we are born to the time we die things happen, happen, happen, and we think we are doing. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/p-d-ouspensky-9110_happen_everything-happens-people-can-do-nothing_2635523.png" --- # Everything 'happens'. People can 'do' nothing. From the… ![“Everything 'happens'. People can 'do' nothing. From the time we are born to the time we die things happen, happen, happen, and we think we are doing. This is our normal state in life, and even the smallest possibility to do something comes only through the work, and first only in oneself, not…” quote by P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/p-d-ouspensky-9110_happen_everything-happens-people-can-do-nothing_2635523.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/p-d-ouspensky-9110_happen_everything-happens-people-can-do-nothing_2635523.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/p-d-ouspensky-9110_happen_everything-happens-people-can-do-nothing_2635523.png) > ““Everything 'happens'. People can 'do' nothing. From the time we are born to the time we die things happen, happen, happen, and we think we are doing. This is our normal state in life, and even the smallest possibility to do something comes only through the work, and first only in oneself, not externally.”” [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is a series of events; true agency arises internally, not from external actions. **In simple terms:** Events happen; inner work matters. Key Takeaway Focus on inner development. Themes determinism agency inner work Mood contemplative motivational Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - meditation - self-reflection - creative writing - therapy - leadership Key Concepts spirituality philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What internal work can you start now? - How do you distinguish action from reaction? A Different Perspective External constraints can limit inner change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Metaphysics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysics/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [A lot of times as writers, you want to come up with the best possible story, and you bend it according to what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-katims/a-lot-of-times-as-writers-you-want-to-come-up-with-the-best-possible/) [Jason Katims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-katims/) > [I happen to think, really, that I'm good at what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-manoff/i-happen-to-think-really-that-i-m-good-at-what-i-do/) [Dinah Manoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-manoff/) > [You never think it will happen to you. You think about what it would be like. You go through it over and over in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tonya-hurley/you-never-think-it-will-happen-to-you-you-think-about-what-it-would/) [Tonya Hurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tonya-hurley/) > [Most of the things we are afraid will happen never do. Something to think about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-s-sharma/most-of-the-things-we-are-afraid-will-happen-never-do-something-to/) [Robin S. Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-s-sharma/) > [“Sometimes I know things before they happen. Sometimes I can see a scene in my head. Like watching a movie, and then it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/sometimes-i-know-things-before-they-happen-sometimes-i-can-see-a/) [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) > [Don't think. The worst songs I've ever written happen when I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/don-t-think-the-worst-songs-i-ve-ever-written-happen-when-i-think/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [Most of our mistakes happen because we think when we should feel, and feel when we should think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-of-our-mistakes-happen-because-we-think-when-we-should-feel-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Anything that can happen to someone else, can happen also to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-gibbs/anything-that-can-happen-to-someone-else-can-happen-also-to-you/) [Willa Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-gibbs/) > [“Some things don’t just happen, they happen because somebody decided to make them happen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-s-mashego/some-things-don-t-just-happen-they-happen-because-somebody-decided-to/) [D.S. Mashego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-s-mashego/) > [What will happen will happen, what won't happen won't happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/what-will-happen-will-happen-what-won-t-happen-won-t-happen/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [Why and how do bad things happen. They happen because you let them happen and you're never on the watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-matobo/why-and-how-do-bad-things-happen-they-happen-because-you-let-them/) [Frank Matobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-matobo/) > [If you are out there shooting, things will happen for you. If you're not out there, you'll only hear about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-maisel/if-you-are-out-there-shooting-things-will-happen-for-you-if-you-re/) [Jay Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-maisel/) > [People see fashion as superficial and shallow, but it's actually not. As an industry, it can really change how things happen and change trade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-hewson/people-see-fashion-as-superficial-and-shallow-but-it-s-actually-not/) [Ali Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-hewson/) > [Things don't just happen; things happen just.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/things-don-t-just-happen-things-happen-just/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [Nothing happens until I make it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-wilson/nothing-happens-until-i-make-it-happen/) [Scott Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-wilson/) ## More by P.D. Ouspensky > [Art is the communication of ecstasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/art-is-the-communication-of-ecstasy/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [I had come to the conclusion a long time ago that there was no escape from the labyrinth of contradictions in which we live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/i-had-come-to-the-conclusion-a-long-time-ago-that-there-was-no-escape/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [It is only when we realize that life is taking us nowhere that it begins to have meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/it-is-only-when-we-realize-that-life-is-taking-us-nowhere-that-it/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [To remember oneself means the same thing as to be aware of oneself - I am. It is not a function, not thinking, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/to-remember-oneself-means-the-same-thing-as-to-be-aware-of-oneself-i/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [In all living nature (and perhaps also in that which we consider as dead) love is the motive force which drives the creative activity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/in-all-living-nature-and-perhaps-also-in-that-which-we-consider-as/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Begin with the possible: begin with one step. There is always a limit you cannot do more than you can do. If you try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/begin-with-the-possible-begin-with-one-step-there-is-always-a-limit/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [“Suddenly I began to find a strange meaning in old fairy-tales; woods, rivers, mountains, became living beings; mysterious life filled the night; with new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/suddenly-i-began-to-find-a-strange-meaning-in-old-fairy-tales-woods/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [The greatest barrier to consciousness is the belief that one is already conscious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/the-greatest-barrier-to-consciousness-is-the-belief-that-one-is/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Ideas by themselves cannot produce change of being; your effort must go in the right direction, and one must correspond to the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/ideas-by-themselves-cannot-produce-change-of-being-your-effort-must/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Desire is when you do what you want, will is when you can do what you do not want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/desire-is-when-you-do-what-you-want-will-is-when-you-can-do-what-you/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Divide in yourself the mechanical from the conscious, see how little there is of the conscious, how seldom it works, and how strong is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/divide-in-yourself-the-mechanical-from-the-conscious-see-how-little/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [“The most important factor in every function is: ‘Is it under our control or not?’ So when imagination is under our control we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/the-most-important-factor-in-every-function-is-is-it-under-our/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Love is the eternally burning fire in which humanity & all the world are being purified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/love-is-the-eternally-burning-fire-in-which-humanity-all-the-world/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [a man can be given only what he can use; and he can use only that for which he has sacrificed something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/a-man-can-be-given-only-what-he-can-use-and-he-can-use-only-that-for/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [If a man gives way to all his desires, or panders to them, there will be no inner struggle in him, no 'friction,' no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/if-a-man-gives-way-to-all-his-desires-or-panders-to-them-there-will/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) [Explore all 73 P.D. Ouspensky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) ## More Happen quotes > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [“More, much more, will happen after this. Things involving maps and books and true love and tragedy, tragedy like you wouldn't believe. But fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/more-much-more-will-happen-after-this-things-involving-maps-and-books/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“What would happen if you didn’t do the thing you “have to” do?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brodie/what-would-happen-if-you-didn-t-do-the-thing-you-have-to-do/) [Richard Brodie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brodie/) > [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/) [Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/) > [I had sort of had a 21st birthday when I was 17, 18 years old living in Japan. I had all of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wright/i-had-sort-of-had-a-21st-birthday-when-i-was-17-18-years-old-living/) [Sarah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wright/) > [“But if that was going to happen, it was going to happen whether or not he worried about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/but-if-that-was-going-to-happen-it-was-going-to-happen-whether-or-not/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) > [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [I'm an American, and always will be. I happen to love that big, awkward, sprawling country very much - and its big, awkward, sprawling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jones/i-m-an-american-and-always-will-be-i-happen-to-love-that-big-awkward/) [James Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-jones/) > [Kittens can happen to anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gallico/kittens-can-happen-to-anyone/) [Paul Gallico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gallico/) > [I've been working with a holistic specialist, trying to bring my body into balance, and part of making that happen is putting my mom's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corbin-bernsen/i-ve-been-working-with-a-holistic-specialist-trying-to-bring-my-body/) [Corbin Bernsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corbin-bernsen/) > [Nothing bad can happen to a writer. Everything is material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/nothing-bad-can-happen-to-a-writer-everything-is-material/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [If you do what you're supposed to do, it will come to you - it will happen on its own. I don't count numbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-chubb/if-you-do-what-you-re-supposed-to-do-it-will-come-to-you-it-will/) [Nick Chubb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-chubb/) > [“History mattered. But it could not guarantee what might happen next.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-gable/history-mattered-but-it-could-not-guarantee-what-might-happen-next/) [Michelle Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-gable/) > [When I went to New York to try and make it, I never thought it wouldn't happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-burnett/when-i-went-to-new-york-to-try-and-make-it-i-never-thought-it-wouldn/) [Carol Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-burnett/) > [“Everything changes, sweetheart. The universe loves to happen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-olsen/everything-changes-sweetheart-the-universe-loves-to-happen/) [Lance Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-olsen/) Browse all 2,776 Happen quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Everything 'happens'. People can 'do' nothing. From the time we are born to the time we die things happen, happen, happen, and we think we are doing. This is our normal state in life, and even the smallest possibility to do something comes only through the work, and first only in oneself, not externally.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "P.D. Ouspensky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/everything-happens-people-can-do-nothing-from-the-time-we-are-born-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Happen" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/everything-happens-people-can-do-nothing-from-the-time-we-are-born-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/p-d-ouspensky-9110_happen_everything-happens-people-can-do-nothing_2635523.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/p-d-ouspensky-9110_happen_everything-happens-people-can-do-nothing_2635523.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/p-d-ouspensky-9110_happen_everything-happens-people-can-do-nothing_2635523.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Everything 'happens'. People can 'do' nothing. From the time we are born to the time we die things happen…” — P.D. Ouspensky", "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": "P.D. Ouspensky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Everything 'happens'. People can 'do' nothing. From...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/everything-happens-people-can-do-nothing-from-the-time-we-are-born-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/everything-happens-people-can-do-nothing-from-the-time-we-are-born-to/#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 } } ] } ```