--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have an internal check and balance…" description: "\"“We have an internal check and balance system. By design we are so filled with possibility, opportunity, with greatness that when we live small, within..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ad/steve-maraboli-178_balance_we-have-an-internal-check-and-balance-sy_1519260.jpg" --- # We have an internal check and balance system. By design we… ![“We have an internal check and balance system. By design we are so filled with possibility, opportunity, with greatness that when we live small, within the bottom of our capability, we innately know we should be living greater than that, and it creates a disconnect inside that leads us to feeling…” quote by Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ad/steve-maraboli-178_balance_we-have-an-internal-check-and-balance-sy_1519260.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ad/steve-maraboli-178_balance_we-have-an-internal-check-and-balance-sy_1519260.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ad/steve-maraboli-178_balance_we-have-an-internal-check-and-balance-sy_1519260.jpg) > ““We have an internal check and balance system. By design we are so filled with possibility, opportunity, with greatness that when we live small, within the bottom of our capability, we innately know we should be living greater than that, and it creates a disconnect inside that leads us to feeling empty, unhappy, maybe even depressed.”” [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Feeling limited while sensing greater potential creates inner conflict and dissatisfaction. **In simple terms:** Knowing we can do more but staying small feels empty. Key Takeaway Align actions with perceived potential. Themes self‑growth potential inner conflict well‑being Mood reflective motivational Type inspirational psychological When to use this quote - career stagnation - personal goals - creative projects - relationship expectations Key Concepts self‑actualization cognitive dissonance motivation Questions to Reflect On - What areas of your life feel constrained despite your ambitions? - How can you expand your scope responsibly? A Different Perspective Ignoring the gap can lead to chronic unhappiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Capability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capability/) [Check](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/check/) [Depressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressed/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Empty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empty/) [Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling/) [Feeling empty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-empty/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Internal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internal/) [Internal Check](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internal-check-5610998/) [Live Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-small-273687/) [Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living/) [Maybe Depressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe-depressed-2650316/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility/) [Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small/) [System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/system/) [Unhappy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappy/) ## Related quotes > [I feel like, as a girl, I would have reacted or maybe been more depressed about some of the things that would have happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/i-feel-like-as-a-girl-i-would-have-reacted-or-maybe-been-more/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [“Most of us, most of our lives, are asked to live small. Most of us quit trying very young to live the bigness we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janisse-ray/most-of-us-most-of-our-lives-are-asked-to-live-small-most-of-us-quit/) [Janisse Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janisse-ray/) > [If you live in a small space, you should do the things that make it feel luxurious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-procter/if-you-live-in-a-small-space-you-should-do-the-things-that-make-it/) [Emily Procter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-procter/) > [“Don’t live small. You deserve better than that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-l-michael/don-t-live-small-you-deserve-better-than-that/) [A.L. Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-michael/) > [How you pray will determine what kind of life you live. If you only pray small, ordinary, get by prayers, then youll live a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel/how-you-pray-will-determine-what-kind-of-life-you-live-if-you-only/) [Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel/) > [Cross country skiing is great if you live in a small country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/cross-country-skiing-is-great-if-you-live-in-a-small-country/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I kept saying that I'd never live in L.A., and I didn't think I would. But that's where the work is, and I ended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/i-kept-saying-that-i-d-never-live-in-l-a-and-i-didn-t-think-i-would/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [I live in a very small house, but my windows look out on a very large world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/i-live-in-a-very-small-house-but-my-windows-look-out-on-a-very-large/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“I do not understand how anyone can live without one small place of enchantment to turn to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-kinnan-rawlings/i-do-not-understand-how-anyone-can-live-without-one-small-place-of/) [Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-kinnan-rawlings/) > [“Cross-country skiing is fine as long as you live in a small country.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/cross-country-skiing-is-fine-as-long-as-you-live-in-a-small-country/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I want people who live in small towns to know I hear them, I see them and I know what it's like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-kahan/i-want-people-who-live-in-small-towns-to-know-i-hear-them-i-see-them/) [Noah Kahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-kahan/) > [Where I live, everything is very small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/where-i-live-everything-is-very-small/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“Pessimism, cynicism and fear will only lead to a very small life. Don’t live small.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-abramson/pessimism-cynicism-and-fear-will-only-lead-to-a-very-small-life-don-t/) [Neil Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-abramson/) > [...Individualistic material progress and the desire to gain prestige by coming out on top have taken over from the sense of fellowship, compassion and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/individualistic-material-progress-and-the-desire-to-gain-prestige-by/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [Every actor must go through the process of learning and not just be in a hurry to become famous. They should learn to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-kapur/every-actor-must-go-through-the-process-of-learning-and-not-just-be/) [Pankaj Kapur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-kapur/) ## More by Steve Maraboli > [A very small percentage of the people in this world will actually experience and live today. 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This is the beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/fear-has-the-role-we-give-it-we-are-able-to-empower-or-poison/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [“There is no greater force for change than people inspired to live a better life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/there-is-no-greater-force-for-change-than-people-inspired-to-live-a/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [“If the things behind you are tripping you, you're moving in the wrong direction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/if-the-things-behind-you-are-tripping-you-you-re-moving-in-the-wrong/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [“We need more than just the Law of Attraction. We need to connect with its more successful twin, the Law of Generosity. 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Let today be the day...You embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/how-would-your-life-be-different-if-you-could-control-the-outcome-of/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [“If you want drama, settle for the one who will change your relationship status. If you want love, wait for the one who will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/if-you-want-drama-settle-for-the-one-who-will-change-your/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [“The time has come to harness the blessed power within us and to use it to transcend from our current existence into a more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/the-time-has-come-to-harness-the-blessed-power-within-us-and-to-use/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [You cant fully enjoy THESE moments until you let go of past moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/you-cant-fully-enjoy-these-moments-until-you-let-go-of-past-moments/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [“The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself. It is in this relationship that you set the standard for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/the-most-powerful-relationship-you-will-ever-have-is-the-relationship/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [“Walk away from gossip and verbal defamation. Speak only the good you know of other people and encourage others to do the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/walk-away-from-gossip-and-verbal-defamation-speak-only-the-good-you/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [“Even though she would dream of love, respect, and unfettered romance... it was a cyclical dilemma in her life that she seemed to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/even-though-she-would-dream-of-love-respect-and-unfettered-romance-it/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) [Explore all 990 Steve Maraboli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) ## More Balance quotes > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [The bones of my architecture are very much related to the structure, to the physical fact of how a building can stand up; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-bones-of-my-architecture-are-very-much-related-to-the-structure/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [she got a reputation for an easy smile and a sharp tongue, and using one to balance the other, she seemed friendly but distant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/she-got-a-reputation-for-an-easy-smile-and-a-sharp-tongue-and-using/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [Life's unfairness is not irrevocable; we can help balance the scales for others, if not always for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-h-humphrey/life-s-unfairness-is-not-irrevocable-we-can-help-balance-the-scales/) [Hubert H. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [“We don't need to strive towards balance, we rather need to work on the obstacles that are preventing the natural flow of balance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-alebraheem/we-don-t-need-to-strive-towards-balance-we-rather-need-to-work-on-the/) [A.A. Alebraheem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-alebraheem/) > [I think that kind of balance comes with the process of growing together as a band, the Little Dragon. We love to write, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukimi-nagano/i-think-that-kind-of-balance-comes-with-the-process-of-growing/) [Yukimi Nagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukimi-nagano/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [At times of recession, running a budget deficit is highly desirable. Once the economy begins to recover, you have to balance the budget. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/at-times-of-recession-running-a-budget-deficit-is-highly-desirable/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [It's my intention to make something stand outside the realm of album art, but it also feels comfortable to me to be in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer-baizley/it-s-my-intention-to-make-something-stand-outside-the-realm-of-album/) [John Dyer Baizley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer-baizley/) > [Once you've gotten your money in balance, you know how much you have to spend on things that are just fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/once-you-ve-gotten-your-money-in-balance-you-know-how-much-you-have/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I never understood how much running changes your life. I'm now obsessed. 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Five hundred miles an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanni/when-it-comes-down-to-music-i-have-no-balance-i-am-100-percent-it-is/) [Yanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanni/) [Browse all 5,166 Balance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We have an internal check and balance system. 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