---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How many pessimists end up by desiring…"
description: "\"How many pessimists end up by desiring the things they fear, in order to prove that they are right.\" — Robert Mallet"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a8/robert-mallet-74811_desiring_how-many-pessimists-end-up-by-desiring-t_2509978.jpg"
---

#  How many pessimists end up by desiring the things they…

![“How many pessimists end up by desiring the things they fear, in order to prove that they are right.” quote by Robert Mallet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a8/robert-mallet-74811_desiring_how-many-pessimists-end-up-by-desiring-t_2509978.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a8/robert-mallet-74811_desiring_how-many-pessimists-end-up-by-desiring-t_2509978.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a8/robert-mallet-74811_desiring_how-many-pessimists-end-up-by-desiring-t_2509978.jpg)

> “How many pessimists end up by desiring the things they fear, in order to prove that they are right.”

Robert Mallet

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People often fear outcomes, yet their desire to prove those fears right can drive them toward the very thing they dread.

**In simple terms:** Fear can push people to chase what they dread to prove it true.

Key Takeaway

Recognize when fear fuels self‑fulfilling actions.

Themes

psychology self‑fulfilling prophecy motivation

Mood

anxious reflective

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- personal goals
- relationship dynamics
- career decisions
- risk taking

Key Concepts

cognitive bias desire validation

Questions to Reflect On

- What fears are you chasing?
- How does proving a fear affect you?

A Different Perspective

Fear may blind judgment, leading to irrational choices.

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[Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism/) [Pessimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimism/) [Pessimists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimists/)

## Related quotes

> [“How many pessimists end up desiring the things they fear, in order to prove they are right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mallet/how-many-pessimists-end-up-desiring-the-things-they-fear-in-order-to/)

Robert Mallet

> [“I think we go about desiring things all day long, and then wondering why we’re unhappy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/i-think-we-go-about-desiring-things-all-day-long-and-then-wondering/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

> [The soul, when accustomed to superfluous things, acquires a strong habit of desiring things which are neither necessary for the preservation of the individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/the-soul-when-accustomed-to-superfluous-things-acquires-a-strong/)

[Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/)

> [Desiring things widely different for their various tastes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/desiring-things-widely-different-for-their-various-tastes/)

[Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/)

> [“Essential to life, is desiring the things that you need, than needing the things you desire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/essential-to-life-is-desiring-the-things-that-you-need-than-needing/)

[Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/)

> [“Gnostics (and Buddhists) have often been labeled pessimists and world haters because of their willingness to look the dark face of the world in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-a-hoeller/gnostics-and-buddhists-have-often-been-labeled-pessimists-and-world/)

[Stephan A. Hoeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-a-hoeller/)

> [“Optimists see the glass as half full. Pessimists see the glass as half empty. Experiential trainers see the whole glass and its context.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bogdan-vaida/optimists-see-the-glass-as-half-full-pessimists-see-the-glass-as-half/)

[Bogdan Vaida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bogdan-vaida/)

> [Whatever pretended pessimists in search of notoriety may say, most people are naturally kind, at heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-branch-cabell/whatever-pretended-pessimists-in-search-of-notoriety-may-say-most/)

[James Branch Cabell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-branch-cabell/)

> [Pessimists are usually kind. The gay, bubbling over, have no time for the pitiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-o-faolain/pessimists-are-usually-kind-the-gay-bubbling-over-have-no-time-for/)

[Sean O Faolain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-o-faolain/)

> [I'm one of life's pessimists. I'm ready for everything to go wrong at any moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-m-one-of-life-s-pessimists-i-m-ready-for-everything-to-go-wrong-at/)

[Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/)

> [Pessimists fear becoming the dupes of Hope. Optimists enjoy Hope's company, and consider being duped no great matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/pessimists-fear-becoming-the-dupes-of-hope-optimists-enjoy-hope-s/)

[Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/)

> [“To see all pessimists as pessimists is to be a pessimist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/to-see-all-pessimists-as-pessimists-is-to-be-a-pessimist/)

[Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/)

> [I've never been an optimist, but that's fine because pessimists have the possibility of being agreeably surprised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/i-ve-never-been-an-optimist-but-that-s-fine-because-pessimists-have/)

[Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/)

> [The bottom line on attitude is that a good one helps to increase your possibilities. Pessimists usually get what they expect. So do optimists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/the-bottom-line-on-attitude-is-that-a-good-one-helps-to-increase-your/)

[John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/)

> [I thought all my life that optimists and pessimists pass away the same way, so why be a pessimist?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/i-thought-all-my-life-that-optimists-and-pessimists-pass-away-the/)

[Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/)

## More by Robert Mallet

> [“How many pessimists end up desiring the things they fear, in order to prove they are right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mallet/how-many-pessimists-end-up-desiring-the-things-they-fear-in-order-to/)

Robert Mallet

> [“It is not impossibilities which fill us with the deepest despair, but possibilities which we have failed to realize.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mallet/it-is-not-impossibilities-which-fill-us-with-the-deepest-despair-but/)

Robert Mallet

Explore all 3 Robert Mallet quotes

## More Desiring quotes

> [“The Buddha taught that all human suffering is rooted in desire. Don't we all know this to be true? Any of us who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-buddha-taught-that-all-human-suffering-is-rooted-in-desire-don-t/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [“desiring riches with a state of mind that becomes an obsession, then planning definite ways and means to acquire riches, and backing those plans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/desiring-riches-with-a-state-of-mind-that-becomes-an-obsession-then/)

[Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/)

> [Dont spoil what you have by desiring what you dont have . . . Bcoz . . . What you have now, is one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/dont-spoil-what-you-have-by-desiring-what-you-dont-have-bcoz-what-you/)

[Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/)

> [Be watchful lest thou lose the power of desiring and loving what appeals to the soul this is the miser's curse this the chain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lancaster-spalding/be-watchful-lest-thou-lose-the-power-of-desiring-and-loving-what/)

[John Lancaster Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lancaster-spalding/)

> [I have the greatest of all riches: that of not desiring them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanora-duse/i-have-the-greatest-of-all-riches-that-of-not-desiring-them/)

[Eleanora Duse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanora-duse/)

> [Surrendering means non-desiring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/surrendering-means-non-desiring/)

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> [Believing that you cannot have something is the same thing as not desiring to have it, for it produces the same result.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/believing-that-you-cannot-have-something-is-the-same-thing-as-not/)

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> [“Peace lies in the absence of the desire and need for peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sov8840/peace-lies-in-the-absence-of-the-desire-and-need-for-peace/)

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> [“but both their minds tending to the same point—one loving and desiring to esteem, and the other loving and desiring to be esteemed—they contrived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/but-both-their-minds-tending-to-the-same-point-one-loving-and/)

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> [“When we pour out our miseries, He hears a melody of us needing and desiring what only He can give.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-thacker/when-we-pour-out-our-miseries-he-hears-a-melody-of-us-needing-and/)

Stacey Thacker

> [The curse which lies upon marriage is that too often the individuals are joined in their weakness rather than in their strengtheach asking from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-curse-which-lies-upon-marriage-is-that-too-often-the-individuals/)

[Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/)

> [I am dead because I have no desire, I have no desire because I think I possess, I think I possess because I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-daumal/i-am-dead-because-i-have-no-desire-i-have-no-desire-because-i-think-i/)

[Rene Daumal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-daumal/)

> [Spiritual seeking means knowing this negative part: that desiring is the root cause of frustration. To desire is to create, of one's own accord,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/spiritual-seeking-means-knowing-this-negative-part-that-desiring-is/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Desiring is a part of dreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/desiring-is-a-part-of-dreaming/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

Browse all 57 Desiring quotes

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