--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wish in one hand, shit in the other, see…" description: "\"“Wish in one hand, shit in the other, see which one fills up first.”\" — Stephen King" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/108/stephen-king-13_fills_wish-in-one-hand-shit-in-the-other-see-w_2982726.jpg" --- # Wish in one hand, shit in the other, see which one fills… ![“Wish in one hand, shit in the other, see which one fills up first.” quote by Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/108/stephen-king-13_fills_wish-in-one-hand-shit-in-the-other-see-w_2982726.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/108/stephen-king-13_fills_wish-in-one-hand-shit-in-the-other-see-w_2982726.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/108/stephen-king-13_fills_wish-in-one-hand-shit-in-the-other-see-w_2982726.jpg) > ““Wish in one hand, shit in the other, see which one fills up first.”” [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A humorous paradox: if you hold both a wish and a negative outcome, you’ll see which one dominates first. **In simple terms:** Wish vs. negative: see which wins. Key Takeaway Focus on positive intentions. Themes humor paradox choice motivation Mood lighthearted serious Type humorous inspirational When to use this quote - personal goal setting - self‑help - motivational speaking Key Concepts wish fulfillment negative outcomes decision making Questions to Reflect On - What wish are you truly pursuing? - How do you manage negative expectations? A Different Perspective The saying may trivialize serious consequences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fills/) [Hand Shit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hand-shit-248190/) [Shit Fills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shit-fills-248187/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [Wish Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish-hand-248189/) ## Related quotes > [“Wish in one hand, shit in the other, see which one fills up faster.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noelle-oxenhandler/wish-in-one-hand-shit-in-the-other-see-which-one-fills-up-faster/) [Noelle Oxenhandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noelle-oxenhandler/) > [“Wish in one hand, shit in the other, and see which hand gets full first.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-jance/wish-in-one-hand-shit-in-the-other-and-see-which-hand-gets-full-first/) [J.A. Jance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-jance/) > [“My grandpa had a saying before he died: You can hope in one hand, shit in the other, and see which is filled first.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-colfer/my-grandpa-had-a-saying-before-he-died-you-can-hope-in-one-hand-shit/) [Chris Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-colfer/) > [“Well . . . in the words of Vishous, want in one hand, shit in the other? See what you get most of.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/well-in-the-words-of-vishous-want-in-one-hand-shit-in-the-other-see/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [Yeah, well, wish in one hand, crap in the other, and see which fills up first](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-a-bodeen/yeah-well-wish-in-one-hand-crap-in-the-other-and-see-which-fills-up/) [S.A. Bodeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-a-bodeen/) > [“Wishes, wishes. Wish in one hand and do something else in the other, and squeeze them both and see which comes true”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/wishes-wishes-wish-in-one-hand-and-do-something-else-in-the-other-and/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“But as his dad always told him, wish in one hand and crap in the other. See which fills up first.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-t-ryan/but-as-his-dad-always-told-him-wish-in-one-hand-and-crap-in-the-other/) [L.T. Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-t-ryan/) > [You can wish in one hand and crap in the other, and lets see which gets filled first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-wish-in-one-hand-and-crap-in-the-other-and-lets-see-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Melbourne, where I grew up, is one of the street art capitals of the world. 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The notion that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-steiner/books-are-in-no-hurry-an-act-of-creation-is-in-no-hurry-it-reads-us/) [George Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-steiner/) > [This book fills a much-needed gap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses-hadas/this-book-fills-a-much-needed-gap/) [Moses Hadas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses-hadas/) > [“Life fills whatever space we leave empty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brant-secunda/life-fills-whatever-space-we-leave-empty/) [Brant Secunda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brant-secunda/) > [There are days when my heart is troubled, and just being in the Lord's presence and thinking about His love for me fills my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/there-are-days-when-my-heart-is-troubled-and-just-being-in-the-lord-s/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) ## More by Stephen King > [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? 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I'm going to send you up where the air is rare and the view is much more than fair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/climb-aboard-jonesy-i-m-going-to-send-you-up-where-the-air-is-rare/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) [Explore all 3,589 Stephen King quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) ## More Fills quotes > [Melbourne, where I grew up, is one of the street art capitals of the world. 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It fills up your entire being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osric-chau/i-do-like-alternative-rock-and-rap-but-as-far-as-inspirational-then-i/) [Osric Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osric-chau/) > [Marriage is a definite no-no. I am totally married to my company. Emotionally, my mother fills up the void in my life. So there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-johar/marriage-is-a-definite-no-no-i-am-totally-married-to-my-company/) [Karan Johar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-johar/) > [When one is nothing, one invents. It fills a void.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-setterfield/when-one-is-nothing-one-invents-it-fills-a-void/) [Diane Setterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-setterfield/) > [For many years, there has been only one place where I am in touch with my emotions fearlessly, and that's the stage. Being on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-martin/for-many-years-there-has-been-only-one-place-where-i-am-in-touch-with/) [Ricky Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-martin/) > [I love to take, process and share photos - it fills me up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-love-to-take-process-and-share-photos-it-fills-me-up/) [Brene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Most of the time, people look at a piece of art online when it is just a few blocks from their house. Changing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jr/most-of-the-time-people-look-at-a-piece-of-art-online-when-it-is-just/) [JR](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jr/) > [Fills The air around with beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/fills-the-air-around-with-beauty/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [I like loud music. I like music that fills my ears. 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