--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You cannot control bad things that happen…" description: "\"“You cannot control bad things that happen to you any more than you can control the weather. It’s less about the things that happen and more about how ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a1/robert-j-crane-13431_bad-thing_you-cannot-control-bad-things-that-happe_1897786.jpg" --- # You cannot control bad things that happen to you any more… ![“You cannot control bad things that happen to you any more than you can control the weather. It’s less about the things that happen and more about how you react to them.” quote by Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a1/robert-j-crane-13431_bad-thing_you-cannot-control-bad-things-that-happe_1897786.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a1/robert-j-crane-13431_bad-thing_you-cannot-control-bad-things-that-happe_1897786.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a1/robert-j-crane-13431_bad-thing_you-cannot-control-bad-things-that-happe_1897786.jpg) > ““You cannot control bad things that happen to you any more than you can control the weather. It’s less about the things that happen and more about how you react to them.”” [Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) ## 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 adverse events, only our reactions; focusing on response yields better outcomes than trying to prevent the uncontrollable. **In simple terms:** Control your reaction, not the event. Key Takeaway Practice emotional regulation. Themes resilience control reaction mindset Mood reflective calm Type self-help psychological When to use this quote - therapy - daily mindfulness - leadership training Key Concepts psychology stress management personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What strategies help you stay calm? - How do you reframe setbacks? A Different Perspective Changing reactions can be challenging without support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-things/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) ## Related quotes > [“You cannot control bad things that happen to you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-crane/you-cannot-control-bad-things-that-happen-to-you/) [Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) > [“When in doubt, discuss the weather. Some things never change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-lear/when-in-doubt-discuss-the-weather-some-things-never-change/) Emma Lear > [I can make a song up about anything: garbage, the weather, things in the news,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-hamlisch/i-can-make-a-song-up-about-anything-garbage-the-weather-things-in-the/) [Marvin Hamlisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-hamlisch/) > [Fear is the illusion that I have some control over the bad things that might happen to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-treanor/fear-is-the-illusion-that-i-have-some-control-over-the-bad-things/) [Michael Treanor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-treanor/) > [“The media not only fans our fears, it comforts us in our hubris. Nearly every scare story comes with a Message: You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-warner/the-media-not-only-fans-our-fears-it-comforts-us-in-our-hubris-nearly/) [Judith Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-warner/) > [Get out of control, but appear under control. It?s not bad to alarm other people, though ? it?s good for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/get-out-of-control-but-appear-under-control-it-s-not-bad-to-alarm/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“This is the thing about life I've never really understood until now: we try so hard to control it, but bad things happen anyway.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-nelson/this-is-the-thing-about-life-i-ve-never-really-understood-until-now/) [R.A. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-nelson/) > [“I wouldn't consider myself a control freak, but I've had my moments. I've seen trouble coming and fought, fumed, and frazzled myself trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-samples/i-wouldn-t-consider-myself-a-control-freak-but-i-ve-had-my-moments-i/) Dave Samples > [I've learned that you simply can't control those bad vibes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-g/i-ve-learned-that-you-simply-can-t-control-those-bad-vibes/) [Kenny G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-g/) > [When you're moaning, all you are doing is focusing on things that were not in your control, at least you are not exploring whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-duke/when-you-re-moaning-all-you-are-doing-is-focusing-on-things-that-were/) [Annie Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-duke/) > [People who tell you that control is bad are trying to tell you that automobile accidents and industrial accidents are good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/people-who-tell-you-that-control-is-bad-are-trying-to-tell-you-that/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [There are so many things that could happen and will happen that are out of my control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gustafsson/there-are-so-many-things-that-could-happen-and-will-happen-that-are/) [Alexander Gustafsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gustafsson/) > [When cultural movements happen, it's so beyond your control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/when-cultural-movements-happen-it-s-so-beyond-your-control/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [I think things happen, and we have no control over them, and what you take from them is really what is important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fantastic-negrito/i-think-things-happen-and-we-have-no-control-over-them-and-what-you/) [Fantastic Negrito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fantastic-negrito/) > [“Even though you can't control the things that happen to you, you can control your perspective and your actions. There's never a moment you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-de-la-cruz/even-though-you-can-t-control-the-things-that-happen-to-you-you-can/) [Melissa de la Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-de-la-cruz/) ## More by Robert J. Crane > [“It’s less about the things that happen and more about how you react to them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-crane/it-s-less-about-the-things-that-happen-and-more-about-how-you-react/) [Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) > [“Redemption isn’t as simple or cheap as they’d suggest; not as easy as winning some vapid and pointless competition. Redemption for us means saving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-crane/redemption-isn-t-as-simple-or-cheap-as-they-d-suggest-not-as-easy-as/) [Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) > [“They had us surrounded, and they were about to kill us when M-Squad showed up and saved our bacon, our sausage, and every other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-crane/they-had-us-surrounded-and-they-were-about-to-kill-us-when-m-squad/) [Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) > [“seen another living soul in years except Mom. When your only human experience in life is through the TV, it warps your sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-crane/seen-another-living-soul-in-years-except-mom-when-your-only-human/) [Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) > [“Sienna Nealon will return in   LIMITLESS Out of the Box Book One   Coming November 4th, 2014!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-crane/sienna-nealon-will-return-in-limitless-out-of-the-box-book-one-coming/) [Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) > [“hear them breathing and an unfamiliar scent filled the air, something brisk and fresh, that brought with it a chill that crept into my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-crane/hear-them-breathing-and-an-unfamiliar-scent-filled-the-air-something/) [Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) > [“I ever get out of here,” I said over the noise of my enemy hitting the far wall with shattering force, “I will personally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-crane/i-ever-get-out-of-here-i-said-over-the-noise-of-my-enemy-hitting-the/) [Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) > [“The problem with being self-centered, as we humans are, is that sometimes we miss the obvious solutions when the effect on us is less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-crane/the-problem-with-being-self-centered-as-we-humans-are-is-that/) [Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) > [“We’re three of a kind—you, me and her.” Her hand found its way to her chest. “But where are my manners? I’m your aunt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-crane/we-re-three-of-a-kind-you-me-and-her-her-hand-found-its-way-to-her/) [Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) > [“I’m like you...and you can’t hurt me. We...are made for each other, you and me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-crane/i-m-like-you-and-you-can-t-hurt-me-we-are-made-for-each-other-you-and/) [Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) > [“The bottom of my foot smashed both of his testicles to paste, and I could feel them pop even through the shock of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-crane/the-bottom-of-my-foot-smashed-both-of-his-testicles-to-paste-and-i/) [Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) > [“He squinted, as if he could shut out my damned, unreasonable request, then relaxed and opened his eyes again. "I'm an Aeolus, okay?" "A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-crane/he-squinted-as-if-he-could-shut-out-my-damned-unreasonable-request/) [Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) > [“A wise person learns from the mistakes of others, a normal person learns from their own, and a fool learns nothing, ever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-crane/a-wise-person-learns-from-the-mistakes-of-others-a-normal-person/) [Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) > [“Self-involved people don’t tend to make the best friends because they’re too busy thinking of their problems. Ones that are bitter and hurting tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-crane/self-involved-people-don-t-tend-to-make-the-best-friends-because-they/) [Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) > [“There was beauty in the human body, wonder in the blood vessels that pumped oxygenated liquid from the lungs to the heart, down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-crane/there-was-beauty-in-the-human-body-wonder-in-the-blood-vessels-that/) [Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) [Explore all 49 Robert J. Crane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) ## More Bad thing quotes > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/) [Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/) > [I think the people I talk about are generally so stupid that they don't even know I'm saying bad things about them. I've run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/i-think-the-people-i-talk-about-are-generally-so-stupid-that-they-don/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [One thing I always tell players is that there are three bad things: Nothing good happens after midnight, nothing good happens when you're around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/one-thing-i-always-tell-players-is-that-there-are-three-bad-things/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I'm not going to pretend that bad things don't happen. I just hope my daughter has enough understanding that when they do, just give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-krasinski/i-m-not-going-to-pretend-that-bad-things-don-t-happen-i-just-hope-my/) [John Krasinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-krasinski/) > [I've heard some pretty bad things in my life. I'm just one of those people I've gotten to a point where I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-bush/i-ve-heard-some-pretty-bad-things-in-my-life-i-m-just-one-of-those/) [Sophia Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-bush/) > [Like everybody, you get nights where you feel completely depressed. You start thinking about all the bad things and think about the glass half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/like-everybody-you-get-nights-where-you-feel-completely-depressed-you/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [Be Thankful for all things in life. Even for the bad things. SOMETIMES the worst situations in life turn out to be the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-thankful-for-all-things-in-life-even-for-the-bad-things-sometimes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In my business, you should be very strong in mind. You have to be sure about yourself and about your work and your career,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irina-shayk/in-my-business-you-should-be-very-strong-in-mind-you-have-to-be-sure/) [Irina Shayk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina-shayk/) > [“I don’t know why I latched onto the idea of being friends, but it sits right with my gut. I want Hartley in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-watt/i-don-t-know-why-i-latched-onto-the-idea-of-being-friends-but-it-sits/) [Erin Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-watt/) > [I'm just grateful to people who are willing to admit how bad things feel for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-furman/i-m-just-grateful-to-people-who-are-willing-to-admit-how-bad-things/) [Ezra Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-furman/) > [I love it when television is shot in a cinematic way and I think to aspire to that is no bad thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-rhys/i-love-it-when-television-is-shot-in-a-cinematic-way-and-i-think-to/) [Matthew Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-rhys/) > [“Dear Delphine, When you are older I want you to find Chinua Achebe. I want you to read Things Fall Apart. 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Sometimes I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-brannaman/in-life-we-don-t-know-why-things-happen-i-believe-god-is-not/) [Buck Brannaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-brannaman/) Browse all 2,889 Bad thing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You cannot control bad things that happen to you any more than you can control the weather. It’s less about the things that happen and more about how you react to them.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert J. 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