--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If this had ever happened before, it…" description: "\"If this had ever happened before, it couldn't be happening now. That's what they mean by 'once in a lifetime'.\" — Rachel Vincent" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/rachel-vincent-677_happened_if-this-had-ever-happened-before-it-coul_2439961.png" --- # If this had ever happened before, it couldn't be happening… ![“If this had ever happened before, it couldn't be happening now. That's what they mean by 'once in a lifetime'.” quote by Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/rachel-vincent-677_happened_if-this-had-ever-happened-before-it-coul_2439961.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/rachel-vincent-677_happened_if-this-had-ever-happened-before-it-coul_2439961.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/rachel-vincent-677_happened_if-this-had-ever-happened-before-it-coul_2439961.png) > “If this had ever happened before, it couldn't be happening now. That's what they mean by 'once in a lifetime'.” [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that if an event has already occurred, it cannot repeat in the present, highlighting the uniqueness of rare moments. **In simple terms:** Rare events cannot repeat; each moment is unique. Key Takeaway Recognize and cherish unique opportunities. Themes uniqueness time opportunity Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal reflection - decision making - career milestones - historical analysis Key Concepts causality probability Questions to Reflect On - How do you identify truly unique moments? - What actions preserve the significance of rare events? A Different Perspective It may overlook that similar patterns can recur in different forms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Couldn Happening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couldn-happening-478804/) [Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened/) [Happened Couldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened-couldn-478805/) [Happening Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happening-mean-478806/) [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Once in a lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/once-in-a-lifetime/) ## Related quotes > [“But if something happens to my body. Well, I am able to put myself in such a position, that it's like it's not really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-mozley/but-if-something-happens-to-my-body-well-i-am-able-to-put-myself-in/) [Fiona Mozley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-mozley/) > [“of…happened. We couldn’t get a divorce right away,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leeanna-morgan/of-happened-we-couldn-t-get-a-divorce-right-away/) [Leeanna Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leeanna-morgan/) > [“She didn’t need hope anymore because she knew the things you wanted weren’t necessarily the things that you needed. She knew that the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-hood/she-didn-t-need-hope-anymore-because-she-knew-the-things-you-wanted/) [Holly Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-hood/) > [“If you were sad about something that hadn't happened yet you couldn't be disappointed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/if-you-were-sad-about-something-that-hadn-t-happened-yet-you-couldn-t/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [If something happened where I couldn't write music anymore, it would kill me. It's not just a job. It's not just a hobby. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-zimmer/if-something-happened-where-i-couldn-t-write-music-anymore-it-would/) [Hans Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-zimmer/) > [“I went over and over everything that had ever happened between us. I couldn’t keep doing it, going back and fourth, holding her close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/i-went-over-and-over-everything-that-had-ever-happened-between-us-i/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) > [“Makin, my friend, I thought you were just seeing her safely home." "I was." "What happened?" "I couldn't let her go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/makin-my-friend-i-thought-you-were-just-seeing-her-safely-home-i-was/) [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) > [She was astonished, and at the same time she knew. There were many things in life like that. You couldn’t imagine it, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/she-was-astonished-and-at-the-same-time-she-knew-there-were-many/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [I believe in sex and death- two experiences that come once in a lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-believe-in-sex-and-death-two-experiences-that-come-once-in-a/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [“Opportunities like this come once in a lifetime!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendall-schmidt/opportunities-like-this-come-once-in-a-lifetime/) [Kendall Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendall-schmidt/) > [Once in a lifetime, you meet someone who takes your breath away. Not because you want them too, but because they were meant to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/once-in-a-lifetime-you-meet-someone-who-takes-your-breath-away-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Cricketers like Jadeja come once in a lifetime, and I am sorry he didn’t play in my time. Could have added a few more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muttiah-muralitharan/cricketers-like-jadeja-come-once-in-a-lifetime-and-i-am-sorry-he-didn/) [Muttiah Muralitharan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muttiah-muralitharan/) > [A once in a lifetime friendship<3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-once-in-a-lifetime-friendship-3/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To find someone once in a lifetime, is a miracle... To find that same person in the same lifetime again… Makes me the luckiest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-wren-bryant/to-find-someone-once-in-a-lifetime-is-a-miracle-to-find-that-same/) [R Wren-Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-wren-bryant/) > [“A life is about twenty-five thousand days, and a finding occurs about once every twenty-five thousand days. In other news, once in a lifetime.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-yu/a-life-is-about-twenty-five-thousand-days-and-a-finding-occurs-about/) [Charles Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-yu/) ## More by Rachel Vincent > [So, did the costume come with a condom, or is that sold separately?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/so-did-the-costume-come-with-a-condom-or-is-that-sold-separately/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [You just say the word, and I'll make the rest of the world go away. I'll take you someplace safe, where no one else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/you-just-say-the-word-and-i-ll-make-the-rest-of-the-world-go-away-i/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [So, what now? We’re friends?" Yeah. If friends could be in love, but not together. In sync, but out of touch. Willing to die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/so-what-now-we-re-friends-yeah-if-friends-could-be-in-love-but-not/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [“You'll have to give me a minute here. Gravity's a real bitch this morning. Ian to Kori”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/you-ll-have-to-give-me-a-minute-here-gravity-s-a-real-bitch-this/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [Wow," Liv said, when I dropped the mallet back into the drawer. "That looked like fun. I call dibs on the next over-the-top destruction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/wow-liv-said-when-i-dropped-the-mallet-back-into-the-drawer-that/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [“So...what are you delivering today -- pizza or death?" "Both, actually.  Pepperoni for you now, and a fatal aneurism to the woman in room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/so-what-are-you-delivering-today-pizza-or-death-both-actually/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [“My hands wrapped around his waist, traveling up the broad expanse of his back, mooth and hard, and... "Give it a rest, already," Tod…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/my-hands-wrapped-around-his-waist-traveling-up-the-broad-expanse-of/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [“I don't even like regular plants. Except for corsages and long-stemmed roses...and those only hurt when they don't show up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/i-don-t-even-like-regular-plants-except-for-corsages-and-long-stemmed/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [“I want everyone to get plenty of rest tonight, because tomorrow, we make plans to bury the new council chair. And don't worry about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/i-want-everyone-to-get-plenty-of-rest-tonight-because-tomorrow-we/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [“Take a nice, long look at your future, reaper. You'll soon be burning as fuel for hundreds of tiny fires." Tod laughed out loud.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/take-a-nice-long-look-at-your-future-reaper-you-ll-soon-be-burning-as/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [“Whoever said it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved was full of crap.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/whoever-said-it-is-better-to-have-loved-and-lost-than-never-to-have/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [Because the alternative sucks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/because-the-alternative-sucks/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [If she were going to die, I'd already be screaming. I'm a Banshee. That's what we do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/if-she-were-going-to-die-i-d-already-be-screaming-i-m-a-banshee-that/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [You're not lost, Kaylee. You can't ever be lost, because I'll always know where you are. And if I'm not there with you, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/you-re-not-lost-kaylee-you-can-t-ever-be-lost-because-i-ll-always/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [“Why would you do that? Why the hell would you ever think I wanted you to do that? I’m supposed to protect you.” Liv’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/why-would-you-do-that-why-the-hell-would-you-ever-think-i-wanted-you/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) [Explore all 415 Rachel Vincent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) ## More Happened quotes > [“It was about damn time something happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/it-was-about-damn-time-something-happened/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [My feeling has always been that 'Good Eats' would have never happened had it been left to a committee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alton-brown/my-feeling-has-always-been-that-good-eats-would-have-never-happened/) [Alton Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alton-brown/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I hadn't worked for a year when I had my Prison Break audition and it was the easiest audition I've ever had. I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-hadn-t-worked-for-a-year-when-i-had-my-prison-break-audition-and-it/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [The truth is I've just never had any kind of plan at all for my career, which is probably not a very flattering thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/the-truth-is-i-ve-just-never-had-any-kind-of-plan-at-all-for-my/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [The Parthenon is really only a farmyard over which someone put a roof; colonades and sculptures were added because there were people in Athens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/the-parthenon-is-really-only-a-farmyard-over-which-someone-put-a-roof/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [How come I end up where I started How come I end up where I belong... You used to be alright What happened?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/how-come-i-end-up-where-i-started-how-come-i-end-up-where-i-belong/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [You have to talk about why things happened the way they did. You can't actually explain my political life except by a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lange/you-have-to-talk-about-why-things-happened-the-way-they-did-you-can-t/) [David Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lange/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [When somebody mentions that I did a play with George C. Scott, I'm like, it can't have happened. What was I doing on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dano/when-somebody-mentions-that-i-did-a-play-with-george-c-scott-i-m-like/) [Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dano/) > [When I was a sophomore at USC, I was a socialist, pretty much to the left. But not when I left the university. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/when-i-was-a-sophomore-at-usc-i-was-a-socialist-pretty-much-to-the/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [When you begin your work, nothing exists. When it is finished it looks as if it just happened, spontaneously, effortlessly, convincingly. It looks as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-zeisel/when-you-begin-your-work-nothing-exists-when-it-is-finished-it-looks/) [Eva Zeisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-zeisel/) [Browse all 5,722 Happened quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If this had ever happened before, it couldn't be happening now. That's what they mean by 'once in a lifetime'.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rachel Vincent" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/if-this-had-ever-happened-before-it-couldn-t-be-happening-now-that-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Happened" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/if-this-had-ever-happened-before-it-couldn-t-be-happening-now-that-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/rachel-vincent-677_happened_if-this-had-ever-happened-before-it-coul_2439961.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/rachel-vincent-677_happened_if-this-had-ever-happened-before-it-coul_2439961.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c82/rachel-vincent-677_happened_if-this-had-ever-happened-before-it-coul_2439961.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If this had ever happened before, it couldn't be happening now. That's what they mean by 'once in a lifetime'.” — Rachel Vincent", "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": "Rachel Vincent", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If this had ever happened before,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/if-this-had-ever-happened-before-it-couldn-t-be-happening-now-that-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/if-this-had-ever-happened-before-it-couldn-t-be-happening-now-that-s/#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 } } ] } ```