--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Where one person sees a crisis, another…" description: "\"“Where one person sees a crisis, another can see opportunity. Where one is blinded by success, another sees reality with ruthless objectivity. Where on..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/ryan-holiday-514_success_where-one-person-sees-a-crisis-another-c_664641.jpg" --- # Where one person sees a crisis, another can see… ![“Where one person sees a crisis, another can see opportunity. Where one is blinded by success, another sees reality with ruthless objectivity. Where one loses control of emotions, another can remain calm. Desperation, despair, fear, powerlessness—these reactions are functions of our perceptions…” quote by Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/ryan-holiday-514_success_where-one-person-sees-a-crisis-another-c_664641.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/ryan-holiday-514_success_where-one-person-sees-a-crisis-another-c_664641.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/ryan-holiday-514_success_where-one-person-sees-a-crisis-another-c_664641.jpg) > ““Where one person sees a crisis, another can see opportunity. Where one is blinded by success, another sees reality with ruthless objectivity. Where one loses control of emotions, another can remain calm. Desperation, despair, fear, powerlessness—these reactions are functions of our perceptions. You must realize: Nothing makes us feel this way; we choose to give in to such feelings.”” [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Perception determines whether we view events as threats or chances, and our emotional responses are choices, not inevitabilities. **In simple terms:** How we see events shapes our reactions; we can choose our feelings. Key Takeaway Choose perspective, choose response. Themes perception emotion choice resilience Mood determined reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - leadership - personal growth - crisis management - team dynamics Key Concepts Stoicism cognitive reframing psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you reframe a current challenge? - What habits help maintain calm under stress? A Different Perspective Perception can be limited by bias, making it hard to see opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choose Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose-feelings-262861/) [Control Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control-emotions/) [Fear Powerlessness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-powerlessness-4978785/) [Powerlessness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerlessness/) [Powerlessness Reactions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerlessness-reactions-4978784/) [Remain Calm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remain-calm/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [“Desperation, despair, fear, powerlessness -- these reactions are functions of our perceptions. You must realize: Nothing makes us feel this way; we choose to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/desperation-despair-fear-powerlessness-these-reactions-are-functions/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“You must realize: Nothing makes us feel this way; we choose to give in to such feelings. Or, like Rockefeller, choose not to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/you-must-realize-nothing-makes-us-feel-this-way-we-choose-to-give-in/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [From All The Toys In The World, People Choose Feelings To Play With...!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/from-all-the-toys-in-the-world-people-choose-feelings-to-play-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The way I choose to show my feelings is through my songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-faithfull/the-way-i-choose-to-show-my-feelings-is-through-my-songs/) [Marianne Faithfull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-faithfull/) > [Out of all the toys available in the market, people still choose Feelings to play with...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/out-of-all-the-toys-available-in-the-market-people-still-choose/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [With all the toys in the world people choose feelings to play with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyga/with-all-the-toys-in-the-world-people-choose-feelings-to-play-with/) [Tyga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyga/) > [“To prevent becoming overwhelmed by the world around us, we must, as the ancients practiced, learn how to limit our passions and their control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/to-prevent-becoming-overwhelmed-by-the-world-around-us-we-must-as-the/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“You will come across obstacles in life -- fair and unfair. 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For how can we expect our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iben-dissing-sandahl/we-must-remain-calm-as-parents-and-try-not-to-lose-control-of/) [Iben Dissing Sandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iben-dissing-sandahl/) > [Remain calm, be kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/remain-calm-be-kind/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [“Be a duck, remain calm on the surface and paddle like hell underneath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/be-a-duck-remain-calm-on-the-surface-and-paddle-like-hell-underneath/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) ## More by Ryan Holiday > [“If we can focus on making clear what parts of our day are within our control and what parts are not, we will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/if-we-can-focus-on-making-clear-what-parts-of-our-day-are-within-our/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“The areas of great interest to the Stoics all make an appearance here: virtue, mortality, emotions, self-awareness, fortitude, right action, problem solving, acceptance, mental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-areas-of-great-interest-to-the-stoics-all-make-an-appearance-here/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“With a business, we take most failures less personally and understand they’re part of the process.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/with-a-business-we-take-most-failures-less-personally-and-understand/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Many creatives want to be just the creator, or only “the idea guy.” They like that because it’s sexy and because that’s what comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/many-creatives-want-to-be-just-the-creator-or-only-the-idea-guy-they/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [Pretty much everyone's career starts the same way: with grunt work. 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We don't always get what is rightfully ours, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/we-often-learn-the-hard-way-that-our-world-is-ruled-by-external/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“From Rusticus … I learned to read carefully and not be satisfied with a rough understanding of the whole, and not to agree too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/from-rusticus-i-learned-to-read-carefully-and-not-be-satisfied-with-a/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [I wholeheartedly agree that many media 'standards' can feel disingenuous or, in fact, be a cover for less-than-honest behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/i-wholeheartedly-agree-that-many-media-standards-can-feel/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Remember: even what we get for free has a cost, if only in what we pay to store it—in our garages and in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/remember-even-what-we-get-for-free-has-a-cost-if-only-in-what-we-pay/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [It's your job to find a release and an outlet for the stress and the feelings. Never forget: the crazy stays at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/it-s-your-job-to-find-a-release-and-an-outlet-for-the-stress-and-the/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [Where the head goes, the body follows. Perception precedes action. Right action follows the right perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/where-the-head-goes-the-body-follows-perception-precedes-action-right/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [The risks of speaking extemporaneously are apparent the first time you wing it and promptly put your foot in your mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-risks-of-speaking-extemporaneously-are-apparent-the-first-time/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“The tools of the Internet and social media have made it possible to track, test, iterate, and improve marketing to the point where these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-tools-of-the-internet-and-social-media-have-made-it-possible-to/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) [Explore all 504 Ryan Holiday quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) ## More Powerlessness quotes > [“Here is a man who by all conventions should have been a denizen of the lower depths of society: ignored, illiterate, disfigured, limping, penniless,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sugich/here-is-a-man-who-by-all-conventions-should-have-been-a-denizen-of/) [Michael Sugich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sugich/) > [“And in taking on the subject of themselves-making themselves vulnerable to the unseen reader-they have exchanged powerlessness for for the power that comes with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/and-in-taking-on-the-subject-of-themselves-making-themselves/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [It does not take a great supernatural heroine or magical hero to save the world.We all save it every day, and we all destroy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/it-does-not-take-a-great-supernatural-heroine-or-magical-hero-to-save/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [I could not stop something I knew was wrong and terrible. I had an awful sense of powerlessness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-sakharov/i-could-not-stop-something-i-knew-was-wrong-and-terrible-i-had-an/) [Andrei Sakharov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-sakharov/) > [“A voice is a human gift; it should be cherished and used. Powerlessness and silence go together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/a-voice-is-a-human-gift-it-should-be-cherished-and-used-powerlessness/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [God not only loves me as I am, but also knows me as I am. 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