--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had not accounted for the fact that I…" description: "\"“I had not accounted for the fact that I had about as much control over my situation as a tennis ball does when a cat is toying with it. I was no more ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f51/ronan-o-brien-34770_control_i-had-not-accounted-for-the-fact-that-i_2554414.png" --- # I had not accounted for the fact that I had about as much… ![“I had not accounted for the fact that I had about as much control over my situation as a tennis ball does when a cat is toying with it. I was no more than a plaything of some unseen and immensely powerful otherworldly force that would not be denied its fun, and certainly not because of my…” quote by Ronan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f51/ronan-o-brien-34770_control_i-had-not-accounted-for-the-fact-that-i_2554414.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f51/ronan-o-brien-34770_control_i-had-not-accounted-for-the-fact-that-i_2554414.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f51/ronan-o-brien-34770_control_i-had-not-accounted-for-the-fact-that-i_2554414.png) > ““I had not accounted for the fact that I had about as much control over my situation as a tennis ball does when a cat is toying with it. I was no more than a plaything of some unseen and immensely powerful otherworldly force that would not be denied its fun, and certainly not because of my pathetically ineffective countermeasures.”” [Ronan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronan-o-brien/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We often overestimate our control, feeling like pawns to larger forces beyond our influence. **In simple terms:** We have limited control over events. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty, focus on response. Themes control uncertainty psychology Mood reflective philosophical Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career setbacks - personal crises - financial markets - health emergencies Key Concepts determinism agency stress management Questions to Reflect On - What can you influence right now? - How do you cope with uncontrollable events? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on control can cause anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) ## Related quotes > [“Baby, this is who I am. I'm hardwired this way. And if I'm trying to take control over the situation, please understand that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-wild/baby-this-is-who-i-am-i-m-hardwired-this-way-and-if-i-m-trying-to/) [Meredith Wild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-wild/) > [“Now I hoard knowledge out of fear. I figure the more I know, the more I'll be able to control a situation and keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-echols/now-i-hoard-knowledge-out-of-fear-i-figure-the-more-i-know-the-more-i/) [Damien Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-echols/) > [“God is always in control, even when you lose control of yourself or any situation; nothing changes His position.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/god-is-always-in-control-even-when-you-lose-control-of-yourself-or/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [Stand-up is an amazing art form, I think, because it's all about you having complete control of the situation, but absolutely none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/stand-up-is-an-amazing-art-form-i-think-because-it-s-all-about-you/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [Unfortunately, we can never truly know if we're making the right decision. What we do know is that wherever we are, that's where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yehuda-berg/unfortunately-we-can-never-truly-know-if-we-re-making-the-right/) [Yehuda Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yehuda-berg/) > [It's inevitable that you feel scared when you don't have control of a situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronaldo/it-s-inevitable-that-you-feel-scared-when-you-don-t-have-control-of-a/) [Ronaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronaldo/) > [That is always our problem, not how to get control of people, but how all together we can get control of a situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-parker-follett/that-is-always-our-problem-not-how-to-get-control-of-people-but-how/) [Mary Parker Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-parker-follett/) > [“It was typical of her character that she simply assumed she would, eventually, gain control over the situation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-carriger/it-was-typical-of-her-character-that-she-simply-assumed-she-would/) [Gail Carriger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-carriger/) > [“You don’t control the situation, but you control what you think about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/you-don-t-control-the-situation-but-you-control-what-you-think-about/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [You may not be able to control every situation and its outcome, but you can control your attitude and how you deal with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-may-not-be-able-to-control-every-situation-and-its-outcome-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As an athlete, I feel like I have a little bit of control - or a lot of control - of the situation. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-ertz/as-an-athlete-i-feel-like-i-have-a-little-bit-of-control-or-a-lot-of/) [Zach Ertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-ertz/) > [“IF YOU CAN’T CONTROL PEOPLE, THEN CONTROL YOUR REACTION TO THEM. IF YOU CAN’T CONTROL A SITUATION, THEN PREPARE FOR IT.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilly-singh/if-you-can-t-control-people-then-control-your-reaction-to-them-if-you/) [Lilly Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilly-singh/) > [I call myself taking control of a situation, but sometimes you really have to learn to humble yourself and to submit yourself. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tichina-arnold/i-call-myself-taking-control-of-a-situation-but-sometimes-you-really/) [Tichina Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tichina-arnold/) > [The only thing you sometimes have control over is perspective. You don't have control over your situation. But you have a choice about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/the-only-thing-you-sometimes-have-control-over-is-perspective-you-don/) [Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/) > [Control and surrender have to be kept in balance. That's what surfers do - take control of the situation, then be carried, then take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/control-and-surrender-have-to-be-kept-in-balance-that-s-what-surfers/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) ## More by Ronan O'Brien > [“I ran into her a couple of times after that but she always turned her face away and never spoke to me again. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronan-o-brien/i-ran-into-her-a-couple-of-times-after-that-but-she-always-turned-her/) [Ronan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronan-o-brien/) > [“She is in my heart and in my bones; she is in the very depths of my being. She is my overdose, my addiction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronan-o-brien/she-is-in-my-heart-and-in-my-bones-she-is-in-the-very-depths-of-my/) [Ronan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronan-o-brien/) > [“She looked me in the eye without saying anything. We both knew what was going to happen next. There would never be a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronan-o-brien/she-looked-me-in-the-eye-without-saying-anything-we-both-knew-what/) [Ronan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronan-o-brien/) > [“I usually give guys like tha twenty or fifty euros; whatever's in me wallet, ya know? But you've opened my eyes and so from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronan-o-brien/i-usually-give-guys-like-tha-twenty-or-fifty-euros-whatever-s-in-me/) [Ronan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronan-o-brien/) > [“I remember feeling dangerously close to blurting out something like 'I love you' and blowing the whole deal. But fortunately I didn't and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronan-o-brien/i-remember-feeling-dangerously-close-to-blurting-out-something-like-i/) [Ronan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronan-o-brien/) > [“I read somewhere once that soulmates are simply two people who recognize the damage in each other but the truth is that there's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronan-o-brien/i-read-somewhere-once-that-soulmates-are-simply-two-people-who/) [Ronan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronan-o-brien/) > [“Sometimes I did wonder though why Ashling was with me. On that one occasion when I asked her what she saw in me, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronan-o-brien/sometimes-i-did-wonder-though-why-ashling-was-with-me-on-that-one/) [Ronan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronan-o-brien/) > [In those early days of our relationship though, I always thought that she was so perfect that there had to be a catch. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronan-o-brien/in-those-early-days-of-our-relationship-though-i-always-thought-that/) [Ronan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronan-o-brien/) > [“Good work, Batman!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronan-o-brien/good-work-batman/) [Ronan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronan-o-brien/) > [“It's good to believe in things, love, just make sure the cat doesn't run out of lives; that's all I'm saying”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronan-o-brien/it-s-good-to-believe-in-things-love-just-make-sure-the-cat-doesn-t/) [Ronan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronan-o-brien/) > [“Gradually we learned each other's stories and secrets and we fell madly in love; the kind of love that some people probably find nauseating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronan-o-brien/gradually-we-learned-each-other-s-stories-and-secrets-and-we-fell/) [Ronan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronan-o-brien/) > [Experience has taught me that what you love, you should love all the harder because someday it will be gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronan-o-brien/experience-has-taught-me-that-what-you-love-you-should-love-all-the/) [Ronan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronan-o-brien/) > [“I remember looking behind me during that song and I could see a tide of eighty thousand people bouncing up and down in unison.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronan-o-brien/i-remember-looking-behind-me-during-that-song-and-i-could-see-a-tide/) [Ronan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronan-o-brien/) [Explore all 14 Ronan O'Brien quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronan-o-brien/) ## 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": "“I had not accounted for the fact that I had about as much control over my situation as a tennis ball does when a cat is toying with it. 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