--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We spend our whole lives worrying about…" description: "\"We spend our whole lives worrying about the future, planning for the future, trying to predict the future, as if figuring it out will cushion the blow...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc6/shonda-rhimes-1866_anatomy_we-spend-our-whole-lives-worrying-about_168264.jpg" --- # We spend our whole lives worrying about the future… ![“We spend our whole lives worrying about the future, planning for the future, trying to predict the future, as if figuring it out will cushion the blow. But the future is always changing. The future is the home of our deepest fears and wildest hopes. But one thing is certain when it finally reveals…” quote by Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc6/shonda-rhimes-1866_anatomy_we-spend-our-whole-lives-worrying-about_168264.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc6/shonda-rhimes-1866_anatomy_we-spend-our-whole-lives-worrying-about_168264.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc6/shonda-rhimes-1866_anatomy_we-spend-our-whole-lives-worrying-about_168264.jpg) > “We spend our whole lives worrying about the future, planning for the future, trying to predict the future, as if figuring it out will cushion the blow. But the future is always changing. The future is the home of our deepest fears and wildest hopes. But one thing is certain when it finally reveals itself. The future is never the way we imagined it” [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We obsess over predicting and controlling the future, believing it will protect us, yet the future is constantly shifting and rarely matches our expectations. **In simple terms:** People try to control the future but it keeps changing. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and adapt rather than over‑plan. Themes uncertainty future control hope fear Mood anxious hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - personal relationships - financial investing - health decisions Key Concepts psychology expectation management adaptability Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance preparation with flexibility? - What fears drive your future‑obsession? A Different Perspective Future outcomes are often unpredictable despite thorough planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anatomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anatomy/) [Deepest fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deepest-fear/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Future planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-planning/) [Future plans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-plans/) [Grey 's anatomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grey-s-anatomy/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Our deepest fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-deepest-fear/) [Planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning/) [Planning For The Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning-for-the-future/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) [Worrying About The Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worrying-about-the-future/) ## Related quotes > [The future is always changing. If we had no choices, there'd be no point in living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/the-future-is-always-changing-if-we-had-no-choices-there-d-be-no/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Your destiny is a process as well as a consequence with all sort of possibilities. Your destiny is your future which is always changing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/your-destiny-is-a-process-as-well-as-a-consequence-with-all-sort-of/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [“Changing Future History One Reader at a Time!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rast-fromer-chief-editor-at-voyager-press/changing-future-history-one-reader-at-a-time/) Henri Rast fromer Chief Editor at Voyager Press > [THE FIRST STEP in changing the future is Desire, that is, define your objective - know definitely what you want. SECOND: construct an event…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-goddard/the-first-step-in-changing-the-future-is-desire-that-is-define-your/) [Neville Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-goddard/) > [It saddens me that in the 21st century, with all our knowledge and power, we are hearing more and more stories of possible extinctions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gisele-bundchen/it-saddens-me-that-in-the-21st-century-with-all-our-knowledge-and/) [Gisele Bundchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gisele-bundchen/) > [“The moment you start owning your past is the moment you start changing your future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-fields/the-moment-you-start-owning-your-past-is-the-moment-you-start/) [L.M. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-fields/) > [“However you lived your past, today you’re the key to changing your future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-tolomei/however-you-lived-your-past-today-you-re-the-key-to-changing-your/) Laura Tolomei > [Our reliance in this country is on the inquiring, individual human mind. Our strength is founded there; our resilience, our ability to face an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-macleish/our-reliance-in-this-country-is-on-the-inquiring-individual-human/) [Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-macleish/) > [It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/it-is-our-light-not-our-darkness-that-most-frightens-us/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/our-deepest-fear-is-that-we-are-powerful-beyond-measure/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Our deepest fear is judgment. Our deepest longing is love. The gospel of grace removes the one and provides the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/our-deepest-fear-is-judgment-our-deepest-longing-is-love-the-gospel/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-deepest-fear-is-not-that-we-are-inadequate-our-deepest-fear-is-4/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your playing small doesn't serve the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/your-playing-small-doesn-t-serve-the-world/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/there-is-nothing-enlightened-about-shrinking-so-that-other-people/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-we-are-liberated-from-our-own-fear-our-presence-automatically/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## More by Shonda Rhimes > [My philosophy was always try to look like Whitney Houston at all times. That did not work out so well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/my-philosophy-was-always-try-to-look-like-whitney-houston-at-all/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [“Being numb no longer suits me. It’s ill-fitting and I’m antsy about it. I find myself snapping back at people more. Or writing little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/being-numb-no-longer-suits-me-it-s-ill-fitting-and-i-m-antsy-about-it/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [You don't necessarily have to watch something for 14 seasons. It's not necessarily the way everything's supposed to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/you-don-t-necessarily-have-to-watch-something-for-14-seasons-it-s-not/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [We all think we’re going to be great and we feel a little bit robbed when our expectations aren’t met. But sometimes our expectations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/we-all-think-we-re-going-to-be-great-and-we-feel-a-little-bit-robbed/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [My worst trait is that I'm an introvert. When I've led stuff, the hardest thing for me to overcome has been my natural desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/my-worst-trait-is-that-i-m-an-introvert-when-i-ve-led-stuff-the/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [There are stories to be told that are still untold and characters to be portrayed that haven't been portrayed correctly. So there's work to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/there-are-stories-to-be-told-that-are-still-untold-and-characters-to/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [I say it in the writers' room all the time: My black is not your black. What's terrifying is that, just the same way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/i-say-it-in-the-writers-room-all-the-time-my-black-is-not-your-black/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [I don't think of myself as a television producer. Obviously, that's crazy. Because I should. That's what I do. But I don't actually see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-a-television-producer-obviously-that-s/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [My father used to say to me, 'The only limit to your success is your own imagination.' I actually believed that - like, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/my-father-used-to-say-to-me-the-only-limit-to-your-success-is-your/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [I don't identify with her, but I highly admire Eleanor Roosevelt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/i-don-t-identify-with-her-but-i-highly-admire-eleanor-roosevelt/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [What I found fascinating for me was, I've never gotten so much approval and accolades and warmth and congratulations as when I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/what-i-found-fascinating-for-me-was-i-ve-never-gotten-so-much/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [“Look. I will not be told what size to be. I do not care about anyone else’s judgment about my body. I am not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/look-i-will-not-be-told-what-size-to-be-i-do-not-care-about-anyone/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [My parents created a world in which the only ­barrier to your success is your own imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/my-parents-created-a-world-in-which-the-only-barrier-to-your-success/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [There have to be practical steps. There's no point in holding out for a magic door because there are no magic doors. You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/there-have-to-be-practical-steps-there-s-no-point-in-holding-out-for/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [Mother is a verb, not a noun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/mother-is-a-verb-not-a-noun/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) [Explore all 194 Shonda Rhimes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) ## More Anatomy quotes > [Anatomy is destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/anatomy-is-destiny/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [Descriptive anatomy is to physiology what geography is to history, and just as it is not enough to know the typography of a country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/descriptive-anatomy-is-to-physiology-what-geography-is-to-history-and/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Dark influences from the American past congregate among us still. If we are a democracy, what are we to make of the palpable elements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-bloom/dark-influences-from-the-american-past-congregate-among-us-still-if/) [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) > [“I feel your body, your sick and scared body. And I feel how it must be different from how it was, and how it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-montross/i-feel-your-body-your-sick-and-scared-body-and-i-feel-how-it-must-be/) [Christine Montross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-montross/) > [“The pen is an extension of my anatomy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-pen-is-an-extension-of-my-anatomy/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [I profess to learn and to teach anatomy not from books but from dissections, not from the tenets of Philosophers but from the fabric…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-harvey/i-profess-to-learn-and-to-teach-anatomy-not-from-books-but-from/) [William Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-harvey/) > [Bird taxonomy is a difficult field because of the severe anatomical constraints imposed by flight. There are only so many ways to design a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/bird-taxonomy-is-a-difficult-field-because-of-the-severe-anatomical/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [We all think we’re going to be great and we feel a little bit robbed when our expectations aren’t met. But sometimes our expectations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/we-all-think-we-re-going-to-be-great-and-we-feel-a-little-bit-robbed/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [Ultimately, the problem is that sex is perceived as a personal, intimate thing, not in the realm of science. But that's not true. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/ultimately-the-problem-is-that-sex-is-perceived-as-a-personal/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [Grammar is to a writer what anatomy is to a sculptor, or the scales to a musician. You may loathe it, it may bore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-chute/grammar-is-to-a-writer-what-anatomy-is-to-a-sculptor-or-the-scales-to/) B. J. Chute > [The whole aim of comparative anatomy is to discover what structures are homologous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libbie-hyman/the-whole-aim-of-comparative-anatomy-is-to-discover-what-structures/) Libbie Hyman > [I am sincerely trying now to create a dance technique based entirely upon corrective exercises, created with a knowledge of human anatomy; a technique…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-horton/i-am-sincerely-trying-now-to-create-a-dance-technique-based-entirely/) Lester Horton > [My philosophy is this: Do not tamper with the anatomy of a woman's body; do not camouflage it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oleg-cassini/my-philosophy-is-this-do-not-tamper-with-the-anatomy-of-a-woman-s/) [Oleg Cassini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oleg-cassini/) > [My fundamental premise about the brain is that its workings - what we sometimes call "mind" - are a consequence of its anatomy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/my-fundamental-premise-about-the-brain-is-that-its-workings-what-we-2/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [In my experience of these things, parties which shout about dirty tricks and the like tend to do so because they fear a direct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mandelson/in-my-experience-of-these-things-parties-which-shout-about-dirty/) [Peter Mandelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mandelson/) [Browse all 273 Anatomy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anatomy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We spend our whole lives worrying about the future, planning for the future, trying to predict the future, as if figuring it out will cushion the blow. 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