--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You may have noticed, as I have, that if…" description: "\"You may have noticed, as I have, that if ever you find yourself declaring emphatically and unequivocally that you will never do some one particular thi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/peg-bracken-12080_chance_you-may-have-noticed-as-i-have-that-if-e_2818976.png" --- # You may have noticed, as I have, that if ever you find… ![“You may have noticed, as I have, that if ever you find yourself declaring emphatically and unequivocally that you will never do some one particular thing, chances are good that this is precisely what you will one day find yourself doing.” quote by Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/peg-bracken-12080_chance_you-may-have-noticed-as-i-have-that-if-e_2818976.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/peg-bracken-12080_chance_you-may-have-noticed-as-i-have-that-if-e_2818976.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/peg-bracken-12080_chance_you-may-have-noticed-as-i-have-that-if-e_2818976.png) > “You may have noticed, as I have, that if ever you find yourself declaring emphatically and unequivocally that you will never do some one particular thing, chances are good that this is precisely what you will one day find yourself doing.” [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Strong vows against an action often create a psychological pull, making the forbidden behavior more likely to occur. **In simple terms:** Vowing never to do something can make you do it. Key Takeaway Avoid absolute prohibitions; use flexible goals. Themes self‑control psychology behavior change motivation habit formation Mood determined anxious thoughtful Type advice psychology self‑help When to use this quote - dieting - exercise - studying - breaking bad habits Key Concepts cognitive dissonance reactance self‑fulfilling prophecy Questions to Reflect On - Why do you set rigid limits? - What flexible alternatives could you try? A Different Perspective Absolute vows can backfire, increasing temptation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Finding yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding-yourself/) [Unequivocally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unequivocally/) ## Related quotes > [I believe in the freedom of expression, unequivocally - though, as I have written before, I wish more people would understand that freedom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/i-believe-in-the-freedom-of-expression-unequivocally-though-as-i-have/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [I unequivocally support the rights of all people without regard to sexual orientation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-anschutz/i-unequivocally-support-the-rights-of-all-people-without-regard-to/) [Philip Anschutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-anschutz/) > [We are evolutionary descendents of this marvellous panoply of life. And what that says unequivocally is we have an utter total obligation to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-hood/we-are-evolutionary-descendents-of-this-marvellous-panoply-of-life/) [Leroy Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-hood/) > [Despite tantalizing suggestions of fossilized microbes in meteorites, puzzling and possibly biogenic methane gas in the martian atmosphere, and a long-standing controversy over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/despite-tantalizing-suggestions-of-fossilized-microbes-in-meteorites/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [I can unequivocally tell you I would not have sent my kid to the Iraq war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-can-unequivocally-tell-you-i-would-not-have-sent-my-kid-to-the-iraq/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [I will tell you unequivocally, a wall from sea to shining sea is not the right direction to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-tester/i-will-tell-you-unequivocally-a-wall-from-sea-to-shining-sea-is-not/) [Jon Tester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-tester/) > [My parents loved each other. I was raised in a house of total love and respect. My dad worked very hard and my mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-woods/my-parents-loved-each-other-i-was-raised-in-a-house-of-total-love-and/) [James Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-woods/) > [The only thing I would unequivocally say is that I have never had any interest in romantic comedy I just couldn't do it. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/the-only-thing-i-would-unequivocally-say-is-that-i-have-never-had-any/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [Starting and feeding into the cultural war is absolutely unequivocally wrong for us as a nation and bad for the conservative movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-scott/starting-and-feeding-into-the-cultural-war-is-absolutely/) [Tim Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-scott/) > [I want to state unequivocally for the world, as well as for the markets, as well as for the American people: I have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-bachmann/i-want-to-state-unequivocally-for-the-world-as-well-as-for-the/) [Michele Bachmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-bachmann/) > [When thinking about the future, it is fashionable to be pessimistic. Yet the evidence unequivocally belies such pessimism. Over the past centuries, humanity's lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/when-thinking-about-the-future-it-is-fashionable-to-be-pessimistic/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [And they will tell you unequivocally that if we have a chemical or biological attack or a nuclear attack anywhere in this country, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-rudman/and-they-will-tell-you-unequivocally-that-if-we-have-a-chemical-or/) [Warren Rudman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-rudman/) > [Every Muslim leader must unequivocally proclaim that terror committed in the name of Islam violates the core tenets of the Prophet Mohammed, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pompeo/every-muslim-leader-must-unequivocally-proclaim-that-terror-committed/) [Mike Pompeo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pompeo/) > [To love, unequivocally, is to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anno/to-love-unequivocally-is-to-live/) [Anno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anno/) > [I can't imagine anything that would make the world look more different than if women and girls were unequivocally enfranchised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-clinton/i-can-t-imagine-anything-that-would-make-the-world-look-more/) [Chelsea Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-clinton/) ## More by Peg Bracken > [Quotations can be valuable, like raisins in the rice pudding, for adding iron as well as eye appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/quotations-can-be-valuable-like-raisins-in-the-rice-pudding-for/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [What most of us are after, when we have a picture taken, is a good natural-looking picture that doesn't resemble us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/what-most-of-us-are-after-when-we-have-a-picture-taken-is-a-good/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [There are two kinds of people in this world: the ones who don't cook out of and have NEVER cooked out of THE I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-in-this-world-the-ones-who-don-t-cook/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [many people choose, early on, their own truths from the large smorgasbord available. And once they've chosen them, for good reason or no reason,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/many-people-choose-early-on-their-own-truths-from-the-large/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [When I finally gathered, invented, stole, simplified, borrowed, and found a publisher for a clutch of reasonably foolproof recipes, I learned I had friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/when-i-finally-gathered-invented-stole-simplified-borrowed-and-found/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [I believe that one's basic financial attitudes are - like a tendency toward fat knees - probably formed in utero, or, at the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/i-believe-that-one-s-basic-financial-attitudes-are-like-a-tendency/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [This wild emaciated look appeals to some women, though not to many men, who are seldom seen pinning up a Vogue illustration in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/this-wild-emaciated-look-appeals-to-some-women-though-not-to-many-men/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [The subject of men and women is absolutely fraught with sex, which is as it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/the-subject-of-men-and-women-is-absolutely-fraught-with-sex-which-is/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/gifts-of-time-and-love-are-surely-the-basic-ingredients-of-a-truly/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [... I've never found anything whatsoever that is as easy to do the right way as the wrong way, and if there is such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/i-ve-never-found-anything-whatsoever-that-is-as-easy-to-do-the-right/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [Why does a slight tax increase cost you two hundred dollars and a substantial tax cut save you thirty cents?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/why-does-a-slight-tax-increase-cost-you-two-hundred-dollars-and-a/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [It is always a taut moment in a foreign country waiting to see if your English-speaking guide speaks English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/it-is-always-a-taut-moment-in-a-foreign-country-waiting-to-see-if/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [I didn't learn for years that you generally find your Self after you quit looking for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/i-didn-t-learn-for-years-that-you-generally-find-your-self-after-you/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [The fact is, the cocktail party has much in its favor. Going to one is a good way of indicating that you're still alive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/the-fact-is-the-cocktail-party-has-much-in-its-favor-going-to-one-is/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [Mothers always think you are working either too hard or not hard enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/mothers-always-think-you-are-working-either-too-hard-or-not-hard/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) [Explore all 56 Peg Bracken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) ## More Chance quotes > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I understand it's promotion, but no one ever gave me a chance. No one ever thought I'd be the champ, and look where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stipe-miocic/i-understand-it-s-promotion-but-no-one-ever-gave-me-a-chance-no-one/) [Stipe Miocic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stipe-miocic/) > [I might, by chance, write something just as shoddy; But then I wouldn't show it to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/i-might-by-chance-write-something-just-as-shoddy-but-then-i-wouldn-t/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I have heard that if you pull a bent breath through the second hole of a harmonica tuned to the key of Georgia while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-wakefield/i-have-heard-that-if-you-pull-a-bent-breath-through-the-second-hole/) [Buddy Wakefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-wakefield/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Love changes people, for better or for worse. You could look at it as a chance for you to change. The best kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-changes-people-for-better-or-for-worse-you-could-look-at-it-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's not who, it's when”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-taubas/it-s-not-who-it-s-when/) Alejandro Taubas > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I thought my first few jobs would just be off, off, off, off, off broadway. And by chance and how the world works, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-dorfman/i-thought-my-first-few-jobs-would-just-be-off-off-off-off-off/) [Tommy Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-dorfman/) > [If you’re worrying about the past, you’ve got a good chance of screwing up the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-a-tullman/if-you-re-worrying-about-the-past-you-ve-got-a-good-chance-of/) [Howard A. Tullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-a-tullman/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) [Browse all 12,460 Chance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You may have noticed, as I have, that if ever you find yourself declaring emphatically and unequivocally that you will never do some one particular thing, chances are good that this is precisely what you will one day find yourself doing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peg Bracken" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/you-may-have-noticed-as-i-have-that-if-ever-you-find-yourself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/you-may-have-noticed-as-i-have-that-if-ever-you-find-yourself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/peg-bracken-12080_chance_you-may-have-noticed-as-i-have-that-if-e_2818976.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/peg-bracken-12080_chance_you-may-have-noticed-as-i-have-that-if-e_2818976.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/peg-bracken-12080_chance_you-may-have-noticed-as-i-have-that-if-e_2818976.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You may have noticed, as I have, that if ever you find yourself declaring emphatically and unequivocally…” — Peg Bracken", "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": "Peg Bracken", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You may have noticed, as I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/you-may-have-noticed-as-i-have-that-if-ever-you-find-yourself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/you-may-have-noticed-as-i-have-that-if-ever-you-find-yourself/#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 } } ] } ```