--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can't do anything about the thoughts…" description: "\"I can't do anything about the thoughts that come into my head, but I can do something about the ones that stay there!.\" — Penney Peirce" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/836/penney-peirce-29803_can-do_i-can-t-do-anything-about-the-thoughts-t_985302.jpg" --- # I can't do anything about the thoughts that come into my… ![“I can't do anything about the thoughts that come into my head, but I can do something about the ones that stay there!.” quote by Penney Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/836/penney-peirce-29803_can-do_i-can-t-do-anything-about-the-thoughts-t_985302.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/836/penney-peirce-29803_can-do_i-can-t-do-anything-about-the-thoughts-t_985302.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/836/penney-peirce-29803_can-do_i-can-t-do-anything-about-the-thoughts-t_985302.jpg) > “I can't do anything about the thoughts that come into my head, but I can do something about the ones that stay there!.” [Penney Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penney-peirce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thoughts are fleeting, but persistent thoughts shape our mindset and behavior. **In simple terms:** Control lasting thoughts to shape mind. Key Takeaway Cultivate positive, lasting thoughts. Themes mindset self‑talk mental health focus Mood thoughtful hopeful Type self‑help inspirational When to use this quote - daily journaling - mindfulness meditation - reframing negative thoughts - therapy sessions Key Concepts cognitive psychology neuroplasticity habit formation Questions to Reflect On - Which recurring thoughts limit you? - How can you replace them with empowering ones? A Different Perspective Changing thoughts is difficult without awareness and practice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Simple life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple-life/) [Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts/) ## Related quotes > [I get a million ideas a day and I don't put too much weight on any one of them. 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Don't let go of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/just-remember-some-come-some-go-the-ones-that-stay-with-you-through/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [Friendz come and go only the true ones stay!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/friendz-come-and-go-only-the-true-ones-stay/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There are not so many kind persons in the world to let them go so easy. 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We want honesty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penney-peirce/we-live-in-a-culture-of-secrecy-where-hiding-and-lying-are-accepted/) [Penney Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penney-peirce/) > [Intuition is a powerful tool that can heal the painful split we all feel between our earthly, mundane selves and our divine, eternal selves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penney-peirce/intuition-is-a-powerful-tool-that-can-heal-the-painful-split-we-all/) [Penney Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penney-peirce/) > [Our biggest priority should be to stay engaged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penney-peirce/our-biggest-priority-should-be-to-stay-engaged/) [Penney Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penney-peirce/) > [Our own private intuition is the catalyst for self-improvement and self-realization, because when it comes to making deep and lasting changes in one's personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penney-peirce/our-own-private-intuition-is-the-catalyst-for-self-improvement-and/) [Penney Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penney-peirce/) > [Projection into the future does not create security because the future is not really there. 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The reality that occurs is the one you pay attention to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penney-peirce/any-given-moment-contains-unlimited-futures-that-can-become-real-the/) [Penney Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penney-peirce/) > [“Every piece of clutter you dissolve back into clear light allows your higher inner blueprint, your soul’s destiny, to translate fluidly and accurately into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penney-peirce/every-piece-of-clutter-you-dissolve-back-into-clear-light-allows-your/) [Penney Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penney-peirce/) > [“When you see through a defense mechanism, you don’t stop at the intimidating behavior but go right on into the underlying misperception about life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penney-peirce/when-you-see-through-a-defense-mechanism-you-don-t-stop-at-the/) [Penney Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penney-peirce/) > [“The Sky’s the Limit”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penney-peirce/the-sky-s-the-limit/) [Penney Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penney-peirce/) > [Willpower is not about resisting, forcing, or controlling--it's about choosing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penney-peirce/willpower-is-not-about-resisting-forcing-or-controlling-it-s-about/) [Penney Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penney-peirce/) [Explore all 18 Penney Peirce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penney-peirce/) ## More Can do quotes > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [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/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/anybody-can-be-prince-charming-one-day-a-year-with-the-dinner-and-the/) [Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [If people don't have their own vision, all they can do is 'sign-up' for someone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/if-people-don-t-have-their-own-vision-all-they-can-do-is-sign-up-for/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/) [James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [I'm not an educated man. I only know what I'm told, and I'm not told that much; I have no frame of reference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-not-an-educated-man-i-only-know-what-i-m-told-and-i-m-not-told/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) Browse all 5,673 Can do quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can't do anything about the thoughts that come into my head, but I can do something about the ones that stay there!.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Penney Peirce" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penney-peirce/i-can-t-do-anything-about-the-thoughts-that-come-into-my-head-but-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Can do" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penney-peirce/i-can-t-do-anything-about-the-thoughts-that-come-into-my-head-but-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/836/penney-peirce-29803_can-do_i-can-t-do-anything-about-the-thoughts-t_985302.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/836/penney-peirce-29803_can-do_i-can-t-do-anything-about-the-thoughts-t_985302.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/836/penney-peirce-29803_can-do_i-can-t-do-anything-about-the-thoughts-t_985302.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can't do anything about the thoughts that come into my head, but I can do something about the ones that…” — Penney Peirce", "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": "Penney Peirce", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penney-peirce/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I can't do anything about the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penney-peirce/i-can-t-do-anything-about-the-thoughts-that-come-into-my-head-but-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penney-peirce/i-can-t-do-anything-about-the-thoughts-that-come-into-my-head-but-i/#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 } } ] } ```