--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I mean that you always know what results…" description: "\"I mean that you always know what results will come from one or another of your actions; but in a strange way you want to do one thing and get the resul..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/p-d-ouspensky-9110_action_i-mean-that-you-always-know-what-results_810070.png" --- # I mean that you always know what results will come from… ![“I mean that you always know what results will come from one or another of your actions; but in a strange way you want to do one thing and get the result that could only come from another” quote by P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/p-d-ouspensky-9110_action_i-mean-that-you-always-know-what-results_810070.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/p-d-ouspensky-9110_action_i-mean-that-you-always-know-what-results_810070.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/p-d-ouspensky-9110_action_i-mean-that-you-always-know-what-results_810070.png) > “I mean that you always know what results will come from one or another of your actions; but in a strange way you want to do one thing and get the result that could only come from another” [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. We can anticipate outcomes of our actions, yet we often desire results that require different actions, creating inner conflict. **In simple terms:** We know what will happen, but want something else. Key Takeaway Recognize and align desires with appropriate actions. Themes self-awareness conflict choice intentionality Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - personal relationships - creative projects - habit formation Key Concepts determinism free will psychology Questions to Reflect On - What outcome are you truly seeking? - How can you reconcile desire with realistic actions? A Different Perspective Desire may be irrational or based on incomplete information. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ## Related quotes > [You may never know what results come from your action... But if you do nothing, there will be no result...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gandhi/you-may-never-know-what-results-come-from-your-action-but-if-you-do/) [Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gandhi/) > [You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/you-may-never-know-what-results-come-of-your-action-but-if-you-do/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [You may never know what results come of your actions, but if you do nothing, there will be no results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/you-may-never-know-what-results-come-of-your-actions-but-if-you-do/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I don't know how I got to this point but it must be as a result of everything that has come before so if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-don-t-know-how-i-got-to-this-point-but-it-must-be-as-a-result-of/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [Some of us will do our jobs well and some will not, but we will be judged by only one thing-the result.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/some-of-us-will-do-our-jobs-well-and-some-will-not-but-we-will-be/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [Every new thing is a result of everything you wrote before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ru-freeman/every-new-thing-is-a-result-of-everything-you-wrote-before/) [Ru Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ru-freeman/) > [I've governed. I've led. And I know how to get results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-faulconer/i-ve-governed-i-ve-led-and-i-know-how-to-get-results/) [Kevin Faulconer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-faulconer/) > [“You deplore what I did, but you still want to know the results of my research.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/you-deplore-what-i-did-but-you-still-want-to-know-the-results-of-my/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [I think filmmaking is a gamble anyway, right? You never know the results from the start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-wu/i-think-filmmaking-is-a-gamble-anyway-right-you-never-know-the/) [Daniel Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-wu/) > [No one thinks of the lab-testing experience as positive. It should be! One way to create that is to help people engage with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-holmes/no-one-thinks-of-the-lab-testing-experience-as-positive-it-should-be/) [Elizabeth Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-holmes/) > [My investigative journalism is great; I know I get results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-loomer/my-investigative-journalism-is-great-i-know-i-get-results/) [Laura Loomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-loomer/) > [Ive always believed if you put the work in the results will come out!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/ive-always-believed-if-you-put-the-work-in-the-results-will-come-out/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [If disproportionate results come from one activity, then you must give that one activity disproportionate time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-w-keller/if-disproportionate-results-come-from-one-activity-then-you-must-give/) [Gary W. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-w-keller/) > [We need to keep working and I am pretty sure the results will come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-leclerc/we-need-to-keep-working-and-i-am-pretty-sure-the-results-will-come/) [Charles Leclerc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-leclerc/) > [I'll keep doing the right things and the results will come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-henman/i-ll-keep-doing-the-right-things-and-the-results-will-come/) [Tim Henman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-henman/) ## 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. 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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 Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. 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Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. 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