--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Keep your mind open. The meaning of…" description: "\"“Keep your mind open. The meaning of things lies in how people perceive them. The same thing could mean different meanings to the same people at differ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/685/roy-t-bennett-1606_different-times_keep-your-mind-open-the-meaning-of-thing_2659902.jpg" --- # Keep your mind open. The meaning of things lies in how… ![“Keep your mind open. The meaning of things lies in how people perceive them. The same thing could mean different meanings to the same people at different times.” quote by Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/685/roy-t-bennett-1606_different-times_keep-your-mind-open-the-meaning-of-thing_2659902.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/685/roy-t-bennett-1606_different-times_keep-your-mind-open-the-meaning-of-thing_2659902.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/685/roy-t-bennett-1606_different-times_keep-your-mind-open-the-meaning-of-thing_2659902.jpg) > ““Keep your mind open. The meaning of things lies in how people perceive them. The same thing could mean different meanings to the same people at different times.”” [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Open-mindedness reveals that meaning shifts with perception, varying across people and time. **In simple terms:** Meaning changes with how we see things. Key Takeaway Stay flexible in interpreting others. Themes perception relativity understanding Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - relationships - conflict resolution - creative work - personal growth Key Concepts psychology subjectivity interpretation Questions to Reflect On - How do you adjust your view when new information appears? - What assumptions limit your perception? A Different Perspective People may cling to fixed meanings despite new perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Inspirational quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-quotes/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-quotes/) [Live life to the fullest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-life-to-the-fullest/) [Living life to the fullest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-life-to-the-fullest/) [Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism/) [Optimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimistic/) [Positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive/) [Positive affirmation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-affirmation/) [Positive life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-life/) [Positive thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-thinking/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Words have very potent meanings and people read them and they react to them personally. They are very suggestive in terms of your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/words-have-very-potent-meanings-and-people-read-them-and-they-react/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [People need meanings to everything. People want you to intellectualize every choice you make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliana-hatfield/people-need-meanings-to-everything-people-want-you-to-intellectualize/) [Juliana Hatfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliana-hatfield/) > [“When you open your mind, you open new doors to new possibilities for yourself and new opportunities to help others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-bennett/when-you-open-your-mind-you-open-new-doors-to-new-possibilities-for/) [Roy Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-bennett/) > [“Yes, this is what my senses alone have learned:— Things don’t have significance: they only have existence. Things are the only hidden meaning of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-caeiro/yes-this-is-what-my-senses-alone-have-learned-things-don-t-have/) [Alberto Caeiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-caeiro/) > [“Open your mind to the world and the many different ways that can be found in it, before making hasty judgments of others. After…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/open-your-mind-to-the-world-and-the-many-different-ways-that-can-be/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [“After more than a hundred years of debate, quantum scientists still believe that the physical world is a law-based machine… Perhaps the time will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gottlieb/after-more-than-a-hundred-years-of-debate-quantum-scientists-still/) [Larry Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gottlieb/) > [I am not given to exaggeration, and when I say a thing I mean it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-am-not-given-to-exaggeration-and-when-i-say-a-thing-i-mean-it/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“We depend on our description of the world for everything we perceive. As a result, nothing new can be allowed to threaten that description;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gottlieb/we-depend-on-our-description-of-the-world-for-everything-we-perceive/) [Larry Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gottlieb/) > [Melancholy is kind of sweet sometimes, I think. It's not a negative thing. It's not a mean thing. It's just something that happens in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-murray/melancholy-is-kind-of-sweet-sometimes-i-think-it-s-not-a-negative/) [Bill Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-murray/) > [“Happiness depends less on what happens to us and more on how we view the past positively, enjoy the moment and create the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/happiness-depends-less-on-what-happens-to-us-and-more-on-how-we-view/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Don't get mad at me cause I call something a 'nothing thing'. I mean it's nothing in terms of the majority of people… I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/don-t-get-mad-at-me-cause-i-call-something-a-nothing-thing-i-mean-it/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [“Trying to change situations or conditions solely with action in the world would be like trying to fix an unwanted image in the mirror…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gottlieb/trying-to-change-situations-or-conditions-solely-with-action-in-the/) [Larry Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gottlieb/) > [“In fact, it could be said that our language evolved for the express purpose of allowing us to participate in that interaction with others.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gottlieb/in-fact-it-could-be-said-that-our-language-evolved-for-the-express/) [Larry Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gottlieb/) > [Sometimes a small thing you do can mean everything in another person's life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-a-small-thing-you-do-can-mean-everything-in-another-person/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A strange mixture of disbelief and complete trust washed over me. On the one hand, I had no way to explain what had just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gottlieb/a-strange-mixture-of-disbelief-and-complete-trust-washed-over-me-on/) [Larry Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gottlieb/) ## More by Roy T. Bennett > [“We all have negative thoughts now and then, but we can choose not to dwell there and not to let them control us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/we-all-have-negative-thoughts-now-and-then-but-we-can-choose-not-to/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [“Be where you are, stop over-thinking, and focus on what you are doing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/be-where-you-are-stop-over-thinking-and-focus-on-what-you-are-doing/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [“Life is about accepting the challenges along the way, choosing to keep moving forward, and savoring the journey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/life-is-about-accepting-the-challenges-along-the-way-choosing-to-keep/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [“Top 15 Things Money Can’t Buy Time. Happiness. Inner Peace. Integrity. Love. Character. Manners. Health. Respect. Morals. Trust. Patience. Class. Common sense. Dignity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/top-15-things-money-can-t-buy-time-happiness-inner-peace-integrity/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [“Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/attitude-is-a-choice-happiness-is-a-choice-optimism-is-a-choice/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [“Learn to light a candle in the darkest moments of someone’s life. Be the light that helps others see; it is what gives life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/learn-to-light-a-candle-in-the-darkest-moments-of-someone-s-life-be/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [“Nothing can disturb your peace of mind unless you allow it to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/nothing-can-disturb-your-peace-of-mind-unless-you-allow-it-to/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [“Focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses. Focus on your character, not your reputation. Focus on your blessings, not your misfortunes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/focus-on-your-strengths-not-your-weaknesses-focus-on-your-character/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [“Make peace with yourself before you move forward. Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/make-peace-with-yourself-before-you-move-forward-accept-yourself-love/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [“Listen with curiosity. Speak with honesty. Act with integrity. The greatest problem with communication is we don’t listen to understand. We listen to reply.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/listen-with-curiosity-speak-with-honesty-act-with-integrity-the/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [“Don't Just Don't just learn, experience. Don't just read, absorb. Don't just change, transform. Don't just relate, advocate. Don't just promise, prove. Don't just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/don-t-just-don-t-just-learn-experience-don-t-just-read-absorb-don-t/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [“If you care about someone enough, you’ll always be there for them no matter what.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/if-you-care-about-someone-enough-you-ll-always-be-there-for-them-no/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [“Make improvements, not excuses. Seek respect, not attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/make-improvements-not-excuses-seek-respect-not-attention/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [“Great things happen to those who don't stop believing, trying, learning, and being grateful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/great-things-happen-to-those-who-don-t-stop-believing-trying-learning/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [“When you do the right thing, you get the feeling of peace and serenity associated with it. Do it again and again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/when-you-do-the-right-thing-you-get-the-feeling-of-peace-and-serenity/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) [Explore all 223 Roy T. Bennett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) ## More Different times quotes > [People go through different stages of their lives at different times. If you're out of sync with your friend group, that gets exploded once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hamm/people-go-through-different-stages-of-their-lives-at-different-times/) [Jon Hamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hamm/) > [“Life is like a game of cards. It deals you different hands at different times. You don’t have that old hand anymore, Leo. Look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-delinsky/life-is-like-a-game-of-cards-it-deals-you-different-hands-at/) [Barbara Delinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-delinsky/) > [“He remembered the good times with them all, and the quarrels. They always picked the finest places to have the quarrels. And why had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/he-remembered-the-good-times-with-them-all-and-the-quarrels-they/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [At different times and in different places I have come to expect certain books to look a certain way, and, as in all fashions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-manguel/at-different-times-and-in-different-places-i-have-come-to-expect/) [Alberto Manguel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-manguel/) > [I gave up a lot of money to stay with the Braves four different times and I don't regret any second of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smoltz/i-gave-up-a-lot-of-money-to-stay-with-the-braves-four-different-times/) [John Smoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smoltz/) > [At different times in my life I met God from a different point of view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-bone-burnett/at-different-times-in-my-life-i-met-god-from-a-different-point-of-view/) [T Bone Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-bone-burnett/) > [Biologically and physiologically, we are not equal. Some of us learn better at different times of day. Some learn best visually, some auditorially, some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/biologically-and-physiologically-we-are-not-equal-some-of-us-learn/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [I've liked different women at different times in my life. I've been attracted to white women. I've been attracted to black women. I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/i-ve-liked-different-women-at-different-times-in-my-life-i-ve-been/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [“The shift of power to retailers is not an inevitable phenomenon: technological changes and associated innovative ideas have been instrumental in moving power and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-thain/the-shift-of-power-to-retailers-is-not-an-inevitable-phenomenon/) [Greg Thain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-thain/) > [Humor of all types is notoriously subjective. That's true not only between different people but even within an individual at different times. This subjectivity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mankoff/humor-of-all-types-is-notoriously-subjective-that-s-true-not-only/) [Robert Mankoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mankoff/) > [I've had my body manipulated so many different times for so many different reasons, whether it's paparazzi photographers or for film posters. \[The topless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keira-knightley/i-ve-had-my-body-manipulated-so-many-different-times-for-so-many/) [Keira Knightley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keira-knightley/) > [“Someone out there was using the fact that stock market orders arrived at different times at different exchanges to front-run orders from one market…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/someone-out-there-was-using-the-fact-that-stock-market-orders-arrived/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [Blind metaphysical necessity, which is certainly the same always and every where, could produce no variety of things. All that diversity of natural things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/blind-metaphysical-necessity-which-is-certainly-the-same-always-and/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [“Our lives are constantly changing. Different things become relevant at different times in our lives. We are motivated by our changing sensibilities. Why can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-thornton/our-lives-are-constantly-changing-different-things-become-relevant-at/) [Sarah Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-thornton/) > [I broke ribs three different times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/i-broke-ribs-three-different-times/) [Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) Browse all 376 Different times quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Keep your mind open. The meaning of things lies in how people perceive them. The same thing could mean different meanings to the same people at different times.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roy T. Bennett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/keep-your-mind-open-the-meaning-of-things-lies-in-how-people-perceive/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Different times" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/keep-your-mind-open-the-meaning-of-things-lies-in-how-people-perceive/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/685/roy-t-bennett-1606_different-times_keep-your-mind-open-the-meaning-of-thing_2659902.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/685/roy-t-bennett-1606_different-times_keep-your-mind-open-the-meaning-of-thing_2659902.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/685/roy-t-bennett-1606_different-times_keep-your-mind-open-the-meaning-of-thing_2659902.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Keep your mind open. The meaning of things lies in how people perceive them. The same thing could mean…” — Roy T. Bennett", "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": "Roy T. Bennett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Keep your mind open. The meaning...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/keep-your-mind-open-the-meaning-of-things-lies-in-how-people-perceive/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/keep-your-mind-open-the-meaning-of-things-lies-in-how-people-perceive/#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 } } ] } ```