--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most people hold onto what could happen…" description: "\"Most people hold onto what could happen instead of what's really happening.\" — Sonya Parker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a40/sonya-parker-80_delusion_most-people-hold-onto-what-could-happen_3087414.jpg" --- # Most people hold onto what could happen instead of what's… ![“Most people hold onto what could happen instead of what's really happening.” quote by Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a40/sonya-parker-80_delusion_most-people-hold-onto-what-could-happen_3087414.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a40/sonya-parker-80_delusion_most-people-hold-onto-what-could-happen_3087414.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a40/sonya-parker-80_delusion_most-people-hold-onto-what-could-happen_3087414.jpg) > “Most people hold onto what could happen instead of what's really happening.” [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) ## 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 focus on imagined possibilities rather than present reality, leading to distraction and missed opportunities. **In simple terms:** People dwell on what could be, not what is. Key Takeaway Pay attention to the present. Themes focus reality distraction Mood reflective concerned Type advice observational When to use this quote - personal relationships - career decisions - mental health - goal setting Key Concepts cognitive bias mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What are you overlooking by dreaming? - How can you ground yourself in the now? A Different Perspective Idealizing outcomes can cause neglect of current needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Delusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusion/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) ## Related quotes > [People hold onto the wrong person because they THINK they can CHANGE them into the right person for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/people-hold-onto-the-wrong-person-because-they-think-they-can-change/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Most people hold onto the past because they're looking for answers to questions that they'll never get the answers to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/most-people-hold-onto-the-past-because-they-re-looking-for-answers-to/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Some people hold on to love for so long not because they're desperate, but because they know the pain that lies behind losing someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-hold-on-to-love-for-so-long-not-because-they-re-desperate/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If two people must be together, they must hold their hands and overcome these obstacles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fated-to-love/if-two-people-must-be-together-they-must-hold-their-hands-and/) Fated To Love > [Selfish people hold onto you because they LOVE how you treat them. However, they will NEVER show you the same love that you show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/selfish-people-hold-onto-you-because-they-love-how-you-treat-them/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Some people are backwards. They cut off people that they should hold on to and they hold on to people that they should cut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/some-people-are-backwards-they-cut-off-people-that-they-should-hold/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Destiny is for losers. It's just a stupid excuse to wait for things to happen instead of making them happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blair-waldorf/destiny-is-for-losers-it-s-just-a-stupid-excuse-to-wait-for-things-to/) [Blair Waldorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blair-waldorf/) > [Too many people go through life waiting for things to happen instead of making them happen!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-azevedo-actress-1978-may-20/too-many-people-go-through-life-waiting-for-things-to-happen-instead/) Sasha Azevedo Actress (1978 May 20 > [Sometimes in life, you have to just let things happen instead of trying to make them happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisette-alfaro/sometimes-in-life-you-have-to-just-let-things-happen-instead-of/) [Lisette Alfaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisette-alfaro/) > [Everything will work out fine if you just let it happen instead of rushing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everything-will-work-out-fine-if-you-just-let-it-happen-instead-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Stop waiting for the things to happen, instead you have to be willing to go and make it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/stop-waiting-for-the-things-to-happen-instead-you-have-to-be-willing/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Sometimes you try to make it happen instead of just letting it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-venturi/sometimes-you-try-to-make-it-happen-instead-of-just-letting-it-happen/) [Ken Venturi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-venturi/) > [The thing you hope will never happen to you might just happen to someone else instead, who has been spending their life dreading the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-thing-you-hope-will-never-happen-to-you-might-just-happen-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Make that fuckhing happen instead of fuckhing dreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniyal-butt/make-that-fuckhing-happen-instead-of-fuckhing-dreaming/) [Daniyal Butt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniyal-butt/) > [In terms of threshold, as long as it's based in reality, you can go pretty far, as long as you buy that it's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-mccarthy/in-terms-of-threshold-as-long-as-it-s-based-in-reality-you-can-go/) [Melissa McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-mccarthy/) ## More by Sonya Parker > [If someone leaves you because of a flaw or small problem they're immature, and they are definitely wrong for you. So, good riddance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/if-someone-leaves-you-because-of-a-flaw-or-small-problem-they-re/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [If holding onto them requires you to lower your self-worth and self-respect let go of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/if-holding-onto-them-requires-you-to-lower-your-self-worth-and-self/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [I still care about you, but youve lost my trust, youve lost my respect and youve lost me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/i-still-care-about-you-but-youve-lost-my-trust-youve-lost-my-respect/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Everyone has dreams, but everyone isn't willing to fight for their dreams to come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/everyone-has-dreams-but-everyone-isn-t-willing-to-fight-for-their/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [A jerk will keep hurting you then apologize to keep you from leaving them, and then do it all over again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/a-jerk-will-keep-hurting-you-then-apologize-to-keep-you-from-leaving/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Just because you failed yesterday it doesn't mean that you can't succeed today or tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/just-because-you-failed-yesterday-it-doesn-t-mean-that-you-can-t/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Today isn't just another day off, it's a day to remember those who have sacrificed their life for your FREEDOM. Happy Memorial Day!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/today-isn-t-just-another-day-off-it-s-a-day-to-remember-those-who/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Stop holding onto people that treat you like crap. They might be nice sometimes, but the rest of the time they disrespect you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/stop-holding-onto-people-that-treat-you-like-crap-they-might-be-nice/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Nice people hate saying 'no' to their friends and family, that's why they get used and taken advantage of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/nice-people-hate-saying-no-to-their-friends-and-family-that-s-why/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Most people don't reach their goals because reaching their goals requires them to do things that they don't want to do. You might not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/most-people-don-t-reach-their-goals-because-reaching-their-goals/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Once a person turns cold it's hard to change back into who they used to be. They have to let go of the past,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/once-a-person-turns-cold-it-s-hard-to-change-back-into-who-they-used/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [You're unhappy with your life because you give up when things don't happen fast enough for you. The bigger the goal the longer it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/you-re-unhappy-with-your-life-because-you-give-up-when-things-don-t/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Some people give up on everything just because they can't fix one thing. You might not be able to fix that, but you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/some-people-give-up-on-everything-just-because-they-can-t-fix-one/) [SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [I dont care how brokenhearted someone is if they wanted to be with you they would because the love they feel for you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/i-dont-care-how-brokenhearted-someone-is-if-they-wanted-to-be-with/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Love is when someone has the power to break your heart into a thousand pieces, but they make sure it stays in 1 piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/love-is-when-someone-has-the-power-to-break-your-heart-into-a/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) [Explore all 1,539 Sonya Parker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) ## More Delusion quotes > [Getting rid of a delusion makes us wiser than getting hold of a truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-borne/getting-rid-of-a-delusion-makes-us-wiser-than-getting-hold-of-a-truth/) [Ludwig Borne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-borne/) > [If the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labour, entertainment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/if-the-idea-of-having-to-change-ourselves-makes-us-uncomfortable-we/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [ It's \[Los Angeles\] mostly full of nonsense and delusion and egomania. They think they'll be young and beautiful forever, even though most of them… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-los-angeles-mostly-full-of-nonsense-and-delusion-and-egomania/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [The Science Delusion is the belief that science already understands the nature of reality in principle leaving only the details to be filled in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-sheldrake/the-science-delusion-is-the-belief-that-science-already-understands/) [Rupert Sheldrake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-sheldrake/) > [The world is a wonderfully weird place, consensual reality is significantly flawed, no institution can be trusted, certainty is a mirage, security a delusion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-world-is-a-wonderfully-weird-place-consensual-reality-is/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“we shouldn’t surrender our real world perception to a false reality too much or we may suffer the inevitable consequences of deluded thinking. Technology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-p-neary/we-shouldn-t-surrender-our-real-world-perception-to-a-false-reality/) M.P. Neary > [Atheism Explained is a gem. It is clear, informative, well-argued, provocative, often witty, and unfailingly interesting. David Ramsay Steele ranges over so many issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-shearmur/atheism-explained-is-a-gem-it-is-clear-informative-well-argued/) Jeremy Shearmur > [It is a great delusion to suppose that flesh-meat of any kind is essential to health. Considerably more than three parts of the work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-booth/it-is-a-great-delusion-to-suppose-that-flesh-meat-of-any-kind-is/) [Catherine Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-booth/) > [The religions of mankind must be classed among the mass-delusions of this kind. No one, needless to say, who shares a delusion ever recognizes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/the-religions-of-mankind-must-be-classed-among-the-mass-delusions-of/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [I suffer from the delusion that every product of my imagination is not only possible, but always on the cusp of becoming real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-parker/i-suffer-from-the-delusion-that-every-product-of-my-imagination-is/) [Sean Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-parker/) > [I have a theory about marriage, Monsieur Boustouler. And it's that nearly always you will know within two weeks if it's going to work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-have-a-theory-about-marriage-monsieur-boustouler-and-it-s-that/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“Someone who has the delusion Glass, is made of, does not literally believe herself to be made of glass but rather feels fragile and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/someone-who-has-the-delusion-glass-is-made-of-does-not-literally/) [Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) > [Paranoia is a state of heightened awareness. Most people are persecuted beyond their wildest delusions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-steiner/paranoia-is-a-state-of-heightened-awareness-most-people-are/) Claude Steiner > [Women are women, and so are men, and the delusion that we are spiritually separate from or are about to spiritually separate from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anohni/women-are-women-and-so-are-men-and-the-delusion-that-we-are/) [Anohni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anohni/) > [I'd actually love to think that I could trust Kerry on national security. But the only way I could do that, at this point,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/i-d-actually-love-to-think-that-i-could-trust-kerry-on-national/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) [Browse all 1,172 Delusion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Most people hold onto what could happen instead of what's really happening.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sonya Parker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/most-people-hold-onto-what-could-happen-instead-of-what-s-really/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Delusion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/most-people-hold-onto-what-could-happen-instead-of-what-s-really/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a40/sonya-parker-80_delusion_most-people-hold-onto-what-could-happen_3087414.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a40/sonya-parker-80_delusion_most-people-hold-onto-what-could-happen_3087414.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a40/sonya-parker-80_delusion_most-people-hold-onto-what-could-happen_3087414.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Most people hold onto what could happen instead of what's really happening.” — Sonya Parker", "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": "Sonya Parker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Most people hold onto what could...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/most-people-hold-onto-what-could-happen-instead-of-what-s-really/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/most-people-hold-onto-what-could-happen-instead-of-what-s-really/#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 } } ] } ```