--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is as much guidance in what does…" description: "\"“There is as much guidance in what does not and cannot happen in my life as there is in what can and does -- maybe more.”\" — Parker Palmer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/parker-palmer-23022_guidance_there-is-as-much-guidance-in-what-does-n_823586.jpg" --- # There is as much guidance in what does not and cannot… ![“There is as much guidance in what does not and cannot happen in my life as there is in what can and does -- maybe more.” quote by Parker Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/parker-palmer-23022_guidance_there-is-as-much-guidance-in-what-does-n_823586.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/parker-palmer-23022_guidance_there-is-as-much-guidance-in-what-does-n_823586.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/parker-palmer-23022_guidance_there-is-as-much-guidance-in-what-does-n_823586.jpg) > ““There is as much guidance in what does not and cannot happen in my life as there is in what can and does -- maybe more.”” [Parker Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-palmer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Both possibilities and impossibilities guide our lives, perhaps the latter even more. **In simple terms:** What cannot happen also teaches us. Key Takeaway Consider both what can and cannot occur when planning. Themes possibility limitations guidance Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - personal growth - risk assessment - goal setting Key Concepts counterfactual thinking resilience Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance hope and realism? - What impossible scenarios shape your decisions? A Different Perspective Focusing on impossibilities can cause paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Does Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does-maybe-494867/) [Guidance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guidance/) [Guidance Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guidance-does-494866/) [Happen Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happen-life-269945/) [Happenings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happenings/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-does-265850/) [Vocation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vocation/) ## Related quotes > [“Our problem as Americans -- at least, among my race and gender -- is that we resist the very idea of limits, regarding limits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-palmer/our-problem-as-americans-at-least-among-my-race-and-gender-is-that-we/) [Parker Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-palmer/) > [“Vocation at its deepest level is, 'This is something I can't not do, for reasons I'm unable to explain to anyone else and don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-palmer/vocation-at-its-deepest-level-is-this-is-something-i-can-t-not-do-for/) [Parker Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-palmer/) > [Life does not listen to your logic; it goes on its own way, undisturbed. You have to listen to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/life-does-not-listen-to-your-logic-it-goes-on-its-own-way-undisturbed/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [“What life is, we know not. 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Control your own life before someone else does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naquitta-faith/if-you-want-to-go-out-and-have-fun-then-do-it-control-your-own-life/) [Naquitta Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naquitta-faith/) > [No one hits as hard as life does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/no-one-hits-as-hard-as-life-does/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [It is life that does the thinking all around us, forming with playful ease the connections our reason can only laboriously patch together piecemeal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/it-is-life-that-does-the-thinking-all-around-us-forming-with-playful/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [Life does not consist mainly, or even largely, of facts and happenings. It consists mainly ofthe storm of thought that is forever flowing through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/life-does-not-consist-mainly-or-even-largely-of-facts-and-happenings/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Everyone in Life does Exactly what they Know How to Do Given the Conditions of their Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/everyone-in-life-does-exactly-what-they-know-how-to-do-given-the/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Life does not owe me a shred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-harper/life-does-not-owe-me-a-shred/) [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) ## More by Parker Palmer > [“Instead of telling our valuable stories, we seek safety in abstractions, speaking to each other about our opinions, ideas, and beliefs rather than about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-palmer/instead-of-telling-our-valuable-stories-we-seek-safety-in/) [Parker Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-palmer/) > [Whatever America's founders believed about Christianity - and they believed a wide range of things - they clearly rejected the idea of an established…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-palmer/whatever-america-s-founders-believed-about-christianity-and-they/) [Parker Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-palmer/) > [When I was depressed, nobody expected anything of me, nor did I expect anything of myself. I was exempt from life's demands and risks.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-palmer/when-i-was-depressed-nobody-expected-anything-of-me-nor-did-i-expect/) [Parker Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-palmer/) > [There are a million 'oughts' in the world. There's a million ways in which I ought to be serving the world. 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We must embrace the simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-palmer/we-are-a-profoundly-interconnected-species-as-the-global-economic-and/) [Parker Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-palmer/) [Explore all 26 Parker Palmer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-palmer/) ## More Guidance quotes > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [Nothing teaches great writing like the very best books do. 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Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [ Girded with faith and the performance of good works, let us follow in his \[Jesus\] paths by the guidance of the Gospel. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-of-nursia/girded-with-faith-and-the-performance-of-good-works-let-us-follow-in/) [Benedict of Nursia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-of-nursia/) > [What we need is political leadership which can give guidance to the development of global governance. We need business leadership which goes beyond shareholder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-somavia/what-we-need-is-political-leadership-which-can-give-guidance-to-the/) [Juan Somavia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-somavia/) > [We need guidance, we've been misled, young and hostile, but not stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blink-182/we-need-guidance-we-ve-been-misled-young-and-hostile-but-not-stupid/) [Blink 182](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blink-182/) > [“Mediumship channels guidance from those who have gone before, not only for the sake of those who are here, but also for those yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/mediumship-channels-guidance-from-those-who-have-gone-before-not-only/) [Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/) > [Develop a mentor at each stage of your career - someone who will give you guidance and advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/develop-a-mentor-at-each-stage-of-your-career-someone-who-will-give/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You cannot be inspired if you are surrounded with negativity, open the door and step into the inspirational garden of nature. Do not let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/you-cannot-be-inspired-if-you-are-surrounded-with-negativity-open-the/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [This is of monumental significance. The gift has been given - what we make of it is up to us. Unless we listen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-burton-howard/this-is-of-monumental-significance-the-gift-has-been-given-what-we/) [F. Burton Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-burton-howard/) > [“When children are given spiritual guidance, they grow-up learning to know how to pray and praise God. Even though they might not be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-j-barrier/when-children-are-given-spiritual-guidance-they-grow-up-learning-to/) [Ellen J. Barrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-j-barrier/) > [With fear and trembling we must rely upon God for guidance in the inner depths. 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In all conditions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/if-we-have-faith-in-jesus-christ-the-hardest-as-well-as-the-easiest/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) [Browse all 1,262 Guidance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guidance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There is as much guidance in what does not and cannot happen in my life as there is in what can and does -- maybe more.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Parker Palmer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-palmer/there-is-as-much-guidance-in-what-does-not-and-cannot-happen-in-my/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Guidance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-palmer/there-is-as-much-guidance-in-what-does-not-and-cannot-happen-in-my/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/parker-palmer-23022_guidance_there-is-as-much-guidance-in-what-does-n_823586.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/parker-palmer-23022_guidance_there-is-as-much-guidance-in-what-does-n_823586.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/parker-palmer-23022_guidance_there-is-as-much-guidance-in-what-does-n_823586.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is as much guidance in what does not and cannot happen in my life as there is in what can and does…” — Parker Palmer", "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": "Parker Palmer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-palmer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“There is as much guidance in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-palmer/there-is-as-much-guidance-in-what-does-not-and-cannot-happen-in-my/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-palmer/there-is-as-much-guidance-in-what-does-not-and-cannot-happen-in-my/#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 } } ] } ```