--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you work with your mind, instead of…" description: "\"If you work with your mind, instead of trying to change everything on the outside... that's how your temper will cool down.\" — Pema Chodron" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/pema-ch-dr-n-327_cool-down_if-you-work-with-your-mind-instead-of-tr_2189523.png" --- # If you work with your mind, instead of trying to change… ![“If you work with your mind, instead of trying to change everything on the outside... that's how your temper will cool down.” quote by Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/pema-ch-dr-n-327_cool-down_if-you-work-with-your-mind-instead-of-tr_2189523.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/pema-ch-dr-n-327_cool-down_if-you-work-with-your-mind-instead-of-tr_2189523.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/pema-ch-dr-n-327_cool-down_if-you-work-with-your-mind-instead-of-tr_2189523.png) > “If you work with your mind, instead of trying to change everything on the outside... that's how your temper will cool down.” [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Changing internal mindset, rather than external circumstances, cools temper and reduces reactivity. **In simple terms:** Mindset shift calms anger. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner change first. Themes mindfulness emotional regulation inner work Mood calm thoughtful Type spiritual practical When to use this quote - stressful meetings - conflict resolution - personal growth Key Concepts psychology spiritual practice Questions to Reflect On - What thoughts trigger your temper? - How can you practice inner change daily? A Different Perspective External change may still be necessary. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cool down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cool-down/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Temper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temper/) [Trying to change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-to-change/) ## Related quotes > [If you work with your mind, that will alleviate all the suffering that seems to come from the outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-you-work-with-your-mind-that-will-alleviate-all-the-suffering-that/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Flexibility is crucial to my fitness. Incorporating a good warm-up and cool-down into every sessiondecreases my chances of injury. I use both dynamic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-stosur/flexibility-is-crucial-to-my-fitness-incorporating-a-good-warm-up-and-2/) [Samantha Stosur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-stosur/) > [A child that has a quick temper, just blaze up and cool down, ain't never likely to be sly or deceitful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-maud-montgomery/a-child-that-has-a-quick-temper-just-blaze-up-and-cool-down-ain-t/) [Lucy Maud Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-maud-montgomery/) > [“When I was young, I thought it is thunder that kills people. But when I learnt physics in the high school, I discovered that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/when-i-was-young-i-thought-it-is-thunder-that-kills-people-but-when-i/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [A house should look after itself - as the weather heats up the house cools down, as the weather cools down the house heats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mollison/a-house-should-look-after-itself-as-the-weather-heats-up-the-house/) [Bill Mollison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mollison/) > [I work out. I used to go to yoga every day. Now I just incorporate yoga into my warm-up and my cool down. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adina-porter/i-work-out-i-used-to-go-to-yoga-every-day-now-i-just-incorporate-yoga/) [Adina Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adina-porter/) > [“Be at peace with yourself, or you'll be at war with everyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/be-at-peace-with-yourself-or-you-ll-be-at-war-with-everyone/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [“Sometimes it takes a meltdown to cool down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evinda-lepins/sometimes-it-takes-a-meltdown-to-cool-down/) [Evinda Lepins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evinda-lepins/) > [When you try to cool down hot emotions, what tends to happen is that you end up either repressing them or losing them altogether.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/when-you-try-to-cool-down-hot-emotions-what-tends-to-happen-is-that/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [The importance of a warm up and cool down can't be stressed enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-redknapp/the-importance-of-a-warm-up-and-cool-down-can-t-be-stressed-enough/) [Jamie Redknapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-redknapp/) > [Anger and hatred cannot bring harmony. The noble task of arms control and disarmament cannot be accomplished by confrontation and condemnation. Hostile attitudes only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/anger-and-hatred-cannot-bring-harmony-the-noble-task-of-arms-control/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [During an early performance of 'Spamalot,' I left my regal gloves in the fridge to cool down and didn't remember them until I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjeev-bhaskar/during-an-early-performance-of-spamalot-i-left-my-regal-gloves-in-the/) [Sanjeev Bhaskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjeev-bhaskar/) > [Trying to change ourselves doesn't work in the long run because we're resisting our own energy. Self-improvemen t can have temporary results, but lasting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/trying-to-change-ourselves-doesn-t-work-in-the-long-run-because-we-re/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Work kills no one, but worry has killed multitudes… Worry not only saps vitality and wastes energy, but it also seriously affects the quality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-s-marden/work-kills-no-one-but-worry-has-killed-multitudes-worry-not-only-saps/) [Orison S. Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-s-marden/) > [“You can not have empty or neutral mind, as long as you work the mind will contain dreams, if you stop working it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/you-can-not-have-empty-or-neutral-mind-as-long-as-you-work-the-mind/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) ## More by Pema Chodron > [“LIFE’S work is to wake up, to let the things that enter into your life wake you up rather than put you to sleep.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/life-s-work-is-to-wake-up-to-let-the-things-that-enter-into-your-life/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Since death is certain and the time of death is uncertain, what is the most important thing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/since-death-is-certain-and-the-time-of-death-is-uncertain-what-is-the/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Buddhist words such as compassion and emptiness don't mean much until we start cultivating our innate ability simply to be there with pain with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/buddhist-words-such-as-compassion-and-emptiness-don-t-mean-much-until/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [The essence of generosity is letting go. Pain is always a sign that we are holding on to something - usually ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/the-essence-of-generosity-is-letting-go-pain-is-always-a-sign-that-we/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“If the object of meditation were something concrete, something solid and graspable - an image or a statue or a dot on the floor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-the-object-of-meditation-were-something-concrete-something-solid/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [It's a transformative experience to simply pause instead of immediately fill up the space. By waiting, we begin to connect with fundamental restlessness as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/it-s-a-transformative-experience-to-simply-pause-instead-of/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“The essence of life is that it’s challenging. Sometimes it is sweet, and sometimes it is bitter. Sometimes your body tenses, and sometimes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/the-essence-of-life-is-that-it-s-challenging-sometimes-it-is-sweet/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If we run a hundred miles an hour to the other end of the continent in order to get away from the obstacle, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-we-run-a-hundred-miles-an-hour-to-the-other-end-of-the-continent/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“But in this meditation technique, we are with the out-breath; there's no particular instruction about what to do until the next out-breath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/but-in-this-meditation-technique-we-are-with-the-out-breath-there-s/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know. Nothing ever really attacks us except our own confusion. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/nothing-ever-goes-away-until-it-has-taught-us-what-we-need-to-know/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [So even if the hot loneliness is there, and for 1.6 seconds we sit with that restlessness when yesterday we couldn't sit for even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/so-even-if-the-hot-loneliness-is-there-and-for-1-6-seconds-we-sit/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If you have rage and righteously act it out and blame it all on others, it's really you who suffers. The other people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-you-have-rage-and-righteously-act-it-out-and-blame-it-all-on/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“When we realize that the path is the goal, there’s a sense of workability. Trungpa Rinpoche said, “Whatever occurs in the confused mind is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/when-we-realize-that-the-path-is-the-goal-there-s-a-sense-of/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Every day is a new opportunity to work with what you have inside toward enlightenment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/every-day-is-a-new-opportunity-to-work-with-what-you-have-inside/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If someone comes along and shoots an arrow into your heart, it’s fruitless to stand there and yell at the person. It would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-someone-comes-along-and-shoots-an-arrow-into-your-heart-it-s/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) [Explore all 664 Pema Chodron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) ## More Cool down quotes > [During an early performance of 'Spamalot,' I left my regal gloves in the fridge to cool down and didn't remember them until I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjeev-bhaskar/during-an-early-performance-of-spamalot-i-left-my-regal-gloves-in-the/) [Sanjeev Bhaskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjeev-bhaskar/) > [Anger and hatred cannot bring harmony. The noble task of arms control and disarmament cannot be accomplished by confrontation and condemnation. Hostile attitudes only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/anger-and-hatred-cannot-bring-harmony-the-noble-task-of-arms-control/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The importance of a warm up and cool down can't be stressed enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-redknapp/the-importance-of-a-warm-up-and-cool-down-can-t-be-stressed-enough/) [Jamie Redknapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-redknapp/) > [When you try to cool down hot emotions, what tends to happen is that you end up either repressing them or losing them altogether.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/when-you-try-to-cool-down-hot-emotions-what-tends-to-happen-is-that/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [“Sometimes it takes a meltdown to cool down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evinda-lepins/sometimes-it-takes-a-meltdown-to-cool-down/) [Evinda Lepins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evinda-lepins/) > [“Be at peace with yourself, or you'll be at war with everyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/be-at-peace-with-yourself-or-you-ll-be-at-war-with-everyone/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [I work out. I used to go to yoga every day. Now I just incorporate yoga into my warm-up and my cool down. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adina-porter/i-work-out-i-used-to-go-to-yoga-every-day-now-i-just-incorporate-yoga/) [Adina Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adina-porter/) > [A house should look after itself - as the weather heats up the house cools down, as the weather cools down the house heats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mollison/a-house-should-look-after-itself-as-the-weather-heats-up-the-house/) [Bill Mollison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mollison/) > [“When I was young, I thought it is thunder that kills people. But when I learnt physics in the high school, I discovered that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/when-i-was-young-i-thought-it-is-thunder-that-kills-people-but-when-i/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [A child that has a quick temper, just blaze up and cool down, ain't never likely to be sly or deceitful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-maud-montgomery/a-child-that-has-a-quick-temper-just-blaze-up-and-cool-down-ain-t/) [Lucy Maud Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-maud-montgomery/) > [Flexibility is crucial to my fitness. Incorporating a good warm-up and cool-down into every sessiondecreases my chances of injury. I use both dynamic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-stosur/flexibility-is-crucial-to-my-fitness-incorporating-a-good-warm-up-and-2/) [Samantha Stosur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-stosur/) [Browse all 12 Cool down quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cool-down/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you work with your mind, instead of trying to change everything on the outside... that's how your temper will cool down.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pema Chodron" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-you-work-with-your-mind-instead-of-trying-to-change-everything-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cool down" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-you-work-with-your-mind-instead-of-trying-to-change-everything-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/pema-ch-dr-n-327_cool-down_if-you-work-with-your-mind-instead-of-tr_2189523.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/pema-ch-dr-n-327_cool-down_if-you-work-with-your-mind-instead-of-tr_2189523.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/386/pema-ch-dr-n-327_cool-down_if-you-work-with-your-mind-instead-of-tr_2189523.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you work with your mind, instead of trying to change everything on the outside... that's how your temper…” — Pema Chodron", "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": "Pema Chodron", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you work with your mind,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-you-work-with-your-mind-instead-of-trying-to-change-everything-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-you-work-with-your-mind-instead-of-trying-to-change-everything-on/#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 } } ] } ```