--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: While we have absolutely no control over…" description: "\"“While we have absolutely no control over the actions of others, we do have total and complete control over how we react. What if we decided to make ea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61d/richard-fenton-52545_control_while-we-have-absolutely-no-control-over_2673595.jpg" --- # While we have absolutely no control over the actions of… ![“While we have absolutely no control over the actions of others, we do have total and complete control over how we react. What if we decided to make each no we received and every rejection we encountered something that empowers us? Instead of avoiding rejection, what if we made the decision to seek…” quote by Richard Fenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61d/richard-fenton-52545_control_while-we-have-absolutely-no-control-over_2673595.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61d/richard-fenton-52545_control_while-we-have-absolutely-no-control-over_2673595.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61d/richard-fenton-52545_control_while-we-have-absolutely-no-control-over_2673595.jpg) > ““While we have absolutely no control over the actions of others, we do have total and complete control over how we react. What if we decided to make each no we received and every rejection we encountered something that empowers us? Instead of avoiding rejection, what if we made the decision to seek rejection? Instead of avoiding no or perhaps simply tolerating it, what if we went out of our way to actually go for no!”” [Richard Fenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-fenton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We cannot control others' actions, but we can choose empowering responses, even seeking rejection to grow. **In simple terms:** Control your reactions, use rejection as growth. Key Takeaway Embrace rejection, turn it into empowerment. Themes resilience growth mindset courage Mood determined optimistic empowered Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - job interviews - sales pitches - creative brainstorming - personal goals - relationship boundaries Key Concepts Self‑efficacy psychological flexibility challenge seeking Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn a specific rejection into a learning opportunity? - When is it wise to say no instead of seeking it? A Different Perspective Seeking rejection can lead to unnecessary conflict or burnout if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Rejection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejection/) ## Related quotes > [I think Im extremely vulnerable and that in some ways I seek out rejection. Never feeling like youre getting that pat on the back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skeet-ulrich/i-think-im-extremely-vulnerable-and-that-in-some-ways-i-seek-out/) [Skeet Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skeet-ulrich/) > [I think I'm extremely vulnerable and that in some ways I seek out rejection. Never feeling like you're getting that pat on the back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skeet-ulrich/i-think-i-m-extremely-vulnerable-and-that-in-some-ways-i-seek-out/) [Skeet Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skeet-ulrich/) > [. . . unfortunately, we can't control the actions of everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/unfortunately-we-can-t-control-the-actions-of-everyone/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [“can’t control anyone else’s actions, only how you respond to them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trish-cook/can-t-control-anyone-else-s-actions-only-how-you-respond-to-them/) [Trish Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trish-cook/) > [“I can only control my actions, not their reactions," Senna replied. "But I have to live with both.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-argyle/i-can-only-control-my-actions-not-their-reactions-senna-replied-but-i/) [Amber Argyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-argyle/) > [I can only control myself, my actions, my work ethic, and my attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-krieger/i-can-only-control-myself-my-actions-my-work-ethic-and-my-attitude/) [Ali Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-krieger/) > [I know that I cannot control anyone else's actions but my own, and how I choose to react to situations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-willett/i-know-that-i-cannot-control-anyone-else-s-actions-but-my-own-and-how/) [Erin Willett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-willett/) > [When dealing with difficult people, remember you can't control their actions, only your own reactions to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-dealing-with-difficult-people-remember-you-can-t-control-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The important thing is fear should not control your actions. It should not dictate what you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/the-important-thing-is-fear-should-not-control-your-actions-it-should/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [One cannot control the actions of others, but we are responsible for what we do. People say things such as, "I can't do this,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/one-cannot-control-the-actions-of-others-but-we-are-responsible-for/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE ACTIONS OF OTHERS ALL I CAN CONTROL IS HOW I REACT TO THESE SITUATIONS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/i-have-no-control-over-the-actions-of-others-all-i-can-control-is-how/) [DEEPAK CHOPRA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“You can't control your feelings but you can control the actions that come with those feelings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-mercier/you-can-t-control-your-feelings-but-you-can-control-the-actions-that/) Craig Mercier > [You can only control your own actions. Not other people’s reactions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/you-can-only-control-your-own-actions-not-other-people-s-reactions/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [My happiness isn't connected to my husband's or my boss's or my children's behavior. You have control over your own actions, your own well-being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/my-happiness-isn-t-connected-to-my-husband-s-or-my-boss-s-or-my/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [If our feelings control our actions, it is because we have abdicated our responsibility and empowered them to do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-our-feelings-control-our-actions-it-is-because-we-have-abdicated/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Richard Fenton > [“Not Taking NO Personally Here’s my take on the fear of rejection: It’s a sign that you’re placing a higher value on your fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-fenton/not-taking-no-personally-here-s-my-take-on-the-fear-of-rejection-it-s/) [Richard Fenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-fenton/) > [“Time is a strange thing, Jitterbug. On one hand, time is free, yet on the other, it’s priceless. You never really own it, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-fenton/time-is-a-strange-thing-jitterbug-on-one-hand-time-is-free-yet-on-the/) [Richard Fenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-fenton/) > [The reason that one person rejects you will be the exact same reason someone else is drawn to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-fenton/the-reason-that-one-person-rejects-you-will-be-the-exact-same-reason/) [Richard Fenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-fenton/) > [Yes is the destination, No is how you get there!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-fenton/yes-is-the-destination-no-is-how-you-get-there/) [Richard Fenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-fenton/) > [A man that will take back a move at Chess will pick a pocket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-fenton/a-man-that-will-take-back-a-move-at-chess-will-pick-a-pocket/) [Richard Fenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-fenton/) > [“People who still read books were a rare breed—and becoming more rare all the time. God Bless the readers of the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-fenton/people-who-still-read-books-were-a-rare-breed-and-becoming-more-rare/) [Richard Fenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-fenton/) [Explore all 7 Richard Fenton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-fenton/) ## More Control quotes > [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“You can't control who loves you...you can't let someone love you anymore than you can make someone love you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/you-can-t-control-who-loves-you-you-can-t-let-someone-love-you/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) > [Don't think you can...know you can! You human body is the most impressive tool you'll ever own. Even if you can't control everything, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/don-t-think-you-can-know-you-can-you-human-body-is-the-most/) [Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/) > [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [“Without time management, you lose control of your life and do what other people tell you to do. You lose control and become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-miller/without-time-management-you-lose-control-of-your-life-and-do-what/) Thomas Miller > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Many of us rely on our own illusion of control. But when God makes it known to you that you're not the one steering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/many-of-us-rely-on-our-own-illusion-of-control-but-when-god-makes-it/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [Some nights I'm funny with the between-song commentary, some nights I'm not. I have no control over this. I pace the stage a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/some-nights-i-m-funny-with-the-between-song-commentary-some-nights-i/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [“Control never be a means to any practical end. It can never be a means to anything but more control… Like punk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/control-never-be-a-means-to-any-practical-end-it-can-never-be-a-means/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Browse all 6,032 Control quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“While we have absolutely no control over the actions of others, we do have total and complete control over how we react. What if we decided to make each no we received and every rejection we encountered something that empowers us? Instead of avoiding rejection, what if we made the decision to seek rejection? 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