--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In a 2011 TED Talk in San Francisco…" description: "\"“In a 2011 TED Talk in San Francisco, author and speaker Mel Robbins talked about how the chances that you are you are about 1 in 400 trillion. (Yes, t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a99/sophia-amoruso-2394_books_in-a-2011-ted-talk-in-san-francisco-auth_1750927.png" --- # In a 2011 TED Talk in San Francisco, author and speaker… ![“In a 2011 TED Talk in San Francisco, author and speaker Mel Robbins talked about how the chances that you are you are about 1 in 400 trillion. (Yes, that’s a four hundred followed by twelve zeros.) This takes into account the chance of your parents meeting out of all the people on the planet, the…” quote by Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a99/sophia-amoruso-2394_books_in-a-2011-ted-talk-in-san-francisco-auth_1750927.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a99/sophia-amoruso-2394_books_in-a-2011-ted-talk-in-san-francisco-auth_1750927.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a99/sophia-amoruso-2394_books_in-a-2011-ted-talk-in-san-francisco-auth_1750927.png) > ““In a 2011 TED Talk in San Francisco, author and speaker Mel Robbins talked about how the chances that you are you are about 1 in 400 trillion. (Yes, that’s a four hundred followed by twelve zeros.) This takes into account the chance of your parents meeting out of all the people on the planet, the chance of them reproducing, the chance of you being born at the exact moment that you were, and every other wildly improbable factor that goes into each individual person. The whole point of her crazy calculation was that we should take the sheer improbability of our own existence as a kick in the butt to get out of bed in the morning.”” [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The extreme improbability of one's existence should motivate urgency and purpose, turning existential awe into daily drive. **In simple terms:** Your existence is incredibly unlikely; use that to act. Key Takeaway Act now, seize the day. Themes purpose motivation existential Mood inspirational urgent Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career ambition - personal development - daily routine Key Concepts probability self‑efficacy mindset Questions to Reflect On - What daily actions honor your unique existence? - How can you balance awe with calm? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on rarity may cause anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Chance Reproducing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance-reproducing-1605526/) [Improbability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improbability/) [Mel Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mel-robbins-229335/) [Planet Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planet-chance-1605527/) [Reproducing Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reproducing-chance-1605525/) [San francisco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/san-francisco/) ## Related quotes > [Every action has a reaction. We've got one planet and one chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-mcilrath/every-action-has-a-reaction-we-ve-got-one-planet-and-one-chance/) [Tim McIlrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-mcilrath/) > [The atheist, agnostic, or secularist ... should insist on the need to engage in a meaningful debate on the entire issue of the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-atheist-agnostic-or-secularist-should-insist-on-the-need-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What I can't understand is why you invoke improbability and yet you will not admit that you're shooting yourself in the foot by postulating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/what-i-can-t-understand-is-why-you-invoke-improbability-and-yet-you/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The more improbable the message, the less "compressible" it is, and the more bandwidth it requires. This is Shannon's point: the essence is its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-poundstone/the-more-improbable-the-message-the-less-compressible-it-is-and-the/) [William Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-poundstone/) > [“In the sheer, shimmering improbability of the moment, it seemed to Lazlo that his dream had tired of waiting and had simply… come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/in-the-sheer-shimmering-improbability-of-the-moment-it-seemed-to/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [Nature seems to exult in abounding radicality, extremism, anarchy. If we were to judge nature by its common sense or likelihood, we wouldn't believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/nature-seems-to-exult-in-abounding-radicality-extremism-anarchy-if-we/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“The daily hummingbird assaults existence with improbability.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/the-daily-hummingbird-assaults-existence-with-improbability/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [The miracle of man is not how far he has sunk but how magnificently he has risen. We are known among the stars by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ardrey/the-miracle-of-man-is-not-how-far-he-has-sunk-but-how-magnificently/) [Robert Ardrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ardrey/) > [For existential mathematics, which does not exist, would probably propose this equation: the value of coincidence equals the degree of its improbability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/for-existential-mathematics-which-does-not-exist-would-probably/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [We are the accidental result of an unplanned process ... the fragile result of an enormous concatenation of improbabilities, not the predictable product of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/we-are-the-accidental-result-of-an-unplanned-process-the-fragile/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [“I had a dream about you last night... I was a brick and you were a blanket. Damn that improbability drive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-mckay/i-had-a-dream-about-you-last-night-i-was-a-brick-and-you-were-a/) [Nicole McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-mckay/) > [One day my heart and soul will realize the impossible improbability my mind already knows..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/one-day-my-heart-and-soul-will-realize-the-impossible-improbability/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [The argument from improbability, properly deployed, comes close to proving that God does not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-argument-from-improbability-properly-deployed-comes-close-to/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [But there are times when men have serious thoughts, and it is at such times, when they begin to think, that they begin to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/but-there-are-times-when-men-have-serious-thoughts-and-it-is-at-such/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“For random events to produce even a single protein would seem a stunning improbability—like a whirlwind spinning through a junkyard and leaving behind a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-random-events-to-produce-even-a-single-protein-would-seem-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Sophia Amoruso > [I guess it has to be healthy, you have to be honest with yourself and I think that's when ego is okay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/i-guess-it-has-to-be-healthy-you-have-to-be-honest-with-yourself-and/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [“You ask questions. You take your life seriously, but you don't take yourself too seriously. You're going to take over the world, and change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/you-ask-questions-you-take-your-life-seriously-but-you-don-t-take/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [Without ego I don't know how identity works, I don't know... I need to sit down and re-read some philosophy or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/without-ego-i-don-t-know-how-identity-works-i-don-t-know-i-need-to/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [“but what I have realized over time is that in many ways, money spells freedom. If you learn to control your finances, you won’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/but-what-i-have-realized-over-time-is-that-in-many-ways-money-spells/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [It's definitely hard, it's hard to get into a Monday, it's much easier to work through a weekend and accomplish a lot, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/it-s-definitely-hard-it-s-hard-to-get-into-a-monday-it-s-much-easier/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [“Focus on the positive things in your life and you’ll be shocked at how many more”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/focus-on-the-positive-things-in-your-life-and-you-ll-be-shocked-at/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [The only thing I smoke is my competition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/the-only-thing-i-smoke-is-my-competition/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [Create your own job. Become the master of what you do. Fully imerse yourself in your culter. Be humble. You are never above having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/create-your-own-job-become-the-master-of-what-you-do-fully-imerse/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [“When I put on makeup, I'm not doing it to pander to antiquated patriarchal ideas of feminine beauty. I'm doing it because it makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/when-i-put-on-makeup-i-m-not-doing-it-to-pander-to-antiquated/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [I’ve been wondering for a while now if the CEO role is one that I want – and the one that I’m best at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/i-ve-been-wondering-for-a-while-now-if-the-ceo-role-is-one-that-i/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [“I’ve learned to make really quick decisions that shape the future in a positive way. One talent that I bring to the table is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/i-ve-learned-to-make-really-quick-decisions-that-shape-the-future-in/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [Look at the other side of things even if you know you'll never agree. It creates empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/look-at-the-other-side-of-things-even-if-you-know-you-ll-never-agree/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [Forcing me to figure out how to provide for myself was probably one of the best things my parents ever did for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/forcing-me-to-figure-out-how-to-provide-for-myself-was-probably-one/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [“was never one for accepting convention at face value, but through (plenty of) trial and error I have made working hard, being polite, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/was-never-one-for-accepting-convention-at-face-value-but-through/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [The world loves to tell you how difficult things are, and the world's not exaggerating. But difficult doesn't mean impossible, and out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/the-world-loves-to-tell-you-how-difficult-things-are-and-the-world-s/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) [Explore all 167 Sophia Amoruso quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In a 2011 TED Talk in San Francisco, author and speaker Mel Robbins talked about how the chances that you are you are about 1 in 400 trillion. (Yes, that’s a four hundred followed by twelve zeros.) 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