--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All of us face barriers—physical…" description: "\"“All of us face barriers—physical, financial, temporal—every day. Some are unquestionably real. But others are plainly artificial—expectations about ho..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/526/steven-d-levitt-5284_every-day_all-of-us-face-barriers-physical-financi_560265.jpg" --- # All of us face barriers—physical, financial… ![“All of us face barriers—physical, financial, temporal—every day. Some are unquestionably real. But others are plainly artificial—expectations about how well a given system can function, or how much change is too much, or what kinds of behaviors are acceptable. The next time you encounter such a…” quote by Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/526/steven-d-levitt-5284_every-day_all-of-us-face-barriers-physical-financi_560265.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/526/steven-d-levitt-5284_every-day_all-of-us-face-barriers-physical-financi_560265.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/526/steven-d-levitt-5284_every-day_all-of-us-face-barriers-physical-financi_560265.jpg) > ““All of us face barriers—physical, financial, temporal—every day. Some are unquestionably real. But others are plainly artificial—expectations about how well a given system can function, or how much change is too much, or what kinds of behaviors are acceptable. The next time you encounter such a barrier, imposed by people who lack your imagination and drive and creativity, think hard about ignoring it. Solving a problem is hard enough; it gets that much harder if you’ve decided beforehand it can’t be done.”” [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Barriers can be real or imagined; when imposed by limited imagination, ignoring them can unlock solutions. **In simple terms:** Some obstacles are artificial; ignore them to solve problems. Key Takeaway Question imagined limits. Themes creativity imagination problem solving resilience mindset Mood determined challenging Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - personal growth - team leadership - policy making Key Concepts psychology social constructs innovation Questions to Reflect On - What imagined barrier holds you back? - How can you test if a barrier is real? A Different Perspective Imagined barriers may stem from legitimate concerns that need addressing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barrier/) [Barrier Imposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barrier-imposed-4646346/) [Barriers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barriers/) [Barriers Physical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barriers-physical-4646345/) [Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Face Barriers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face-barriers-900249/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Next time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-time/) [Solving A Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solving-a-problem/) ## Related quotes > [“The next time you encounter such a barrier, imposed by people who lack your imagination and drive and creativity, think hard about ignoring it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/the-next-time-you-encounter-such-a-barrier-imposed-by-people-who-lack/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [People of color face more barriers to health care, as do low-income individuals and those living in underserved rural and urban areas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leana-s-wen/people-of-color-face-more-barriers-to-health-care-as-do-low-income/) [Leana S. Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leana-s-wen/) > [You have a character who is wearing a scarf on her head on a billboard in LA, New York, Sydney and Melbourne. That's how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilly-singh/you-have-a-character-who-is-wearing-a-scarf-on-her-head-on-a/) [Lilly Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilly-singh/) > [Don't let your fears overwhelm your desire. Let the barriers you face-and there will be barriers-be external, not internal. Fortune does favor the bold,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/don-t-let-your-fears-overwhelm-your-desire-let-the-barriers-you-face/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [While I don't face the same barriers as so many people in our country, I have seen love that transcends borders, race, and country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-kennedy/while-i-don-t-face-the-same-barriers-as-so-many-people-in-our-country/) [Cary Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-kennedy/) > [Life is suck when you face barriers in your life but life is always made a mistakes nd learn from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uniique-styles-randxom/life-is-suck-when-you-face-barriers-in-your-life-but-life-is-always/) [Uniique Styles Randxom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uniique-styles-randxom/) > [A barrier to communication is something that keeps meanings from meeting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reuel-howe/a-barrier-to-communication-is-something-that-keeps-meanings-from/) [Reuel Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reuel-howe/) > [Arafat was a barrier to peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/arafat-was-a-barrier-to-peace/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The restless adventurer within me stands eye-to-eye with the fear that has stepped directly in my path. And the thing I absolutely must not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/the-restless-adventurer-within-me-stands-eye-to-eye-with-the-fear/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“Time is the only actual true barrier to success.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/time-is-the-only-actual-true-barrier-to-success/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [I've never really had any barrier to break I guess. I don't really have anything to rebel against. I'm quite lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/i-ve-never-really-had-any-barrier-to-break-i-guess-i-don-t-really/) [Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/) > [Friendship, on the other hand, serves a great host of different purposes all at the same time. In whatever direction you turn, it still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/friendship-on-the-other-hand-serves-a-great-host-of-different/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Do you know there is always a barrier between me and any man or woman who does not like dogs?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-glasgow/do-you-know-there-is-always-a-barrier-between-me-and-any-man-or-woman/) [Ellen Glasgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-glasgow/) > [I am a romantic, but I do put up a barrier around myself, so it is hard for people to get in and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-am-a-romantic-but-i-do-put-up-a-barrier-around-myself-so-it-is-hard/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [The world is the closed door. It is a barrier. And at the same time it is the way through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-world-is-the-closed-door-it-is-a-barrier-and-at-the-same-time-it/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) ## More by Steven D. Levitt > [“Here is the broader point: whatever problem you're trying to solve, make sure you're not just attacking the noisy part of the problem that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/here-is-the-broader-point-whatever-problem-you-re-trying-to-solve/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“Human beings, for all our accomplishments, can be fragile animals. Most of us don't take criticism well at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/human-beings-for-all-our-accomplishments-can-be-fragile-animals-most/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“The ECLS data do show, for instance, that a child with a lot of books in his home tends to test higher than a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/the-ecls-data-do-show-for-instance-that-a-child-with-a-lot-of-books/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“In a complex world where people can be atypical in an infinite number of ways, there is great value in discovering the baseline. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/in-a-complex-world-where-people-can-be-atypical-in-an-infinite-number/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“Morning robberies yield far more than afternoon robberies . . .' - When to Rob a Bank: A Rouge Economist's Guide to the World…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/morning-robberies-yield-far-more-than-afternoon-robberies-when-to-rob/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“The more complex a problem is, the harder it is to capture good feedback. You can gather a lot of facts, and that may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/the-more-complex-a-problem-is-the-harder-it-is-to-capture-good/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [ “\[...\]if you are hoping to damage opponents' mental health, go ahead and tell them how inferior or dim-witted or nasty they are. But even… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/if-you-are-hoping-to-damage-opponents-mental-health-go-ahead-and-tell/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“If asked how we'd behave in a situation that pits a private benefit against the greater good, most of us won't admit to favoring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/if-asked-how-we-d-behave-in-a-situation-that-pits-a-private-benefit/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“The impulse to investigate can only be set free if you stop pretending to know answers that you don't. Because the incentives to pretend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/the-impulse-to-investigate-can-only-be-set-free-if-you-stop/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“From 2002 to 2008, the United States was fighting bloody wars in Afghanistan and Iraq; among active military personnel, there were an average 1,643…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/from-2002-to-2008-the-united-states-was-fighting-bloody-wars-in/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“But if you are hell-bent on persuading someone, or if your back is truly against the wall, you might as well give it your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/but-if-you-are-hell-bent-on-persuading-someone-or-if-your-back-is/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“Just because you're great at something doesn't mean you're good at everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/just-because-you-re-great-at-something-doesn-t-mean-you-re-good-at/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“For until you can admit what you don't yet know, it's virtually impossible to learn what you need to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/for-until-you-can-admit-what-you-don-t-yet-know-it-s-virtually/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“Sometimes in life, going straight up the middle is the boldest move of all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/sometimes-in-life-going-straight-up-the-middle-is-the-boldest-move-of/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [“When it comes to solving problems, one of the best ways to start is by putting away your moral compass. Why? When you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/when-it-comes-to-solving-problems-one-of-the-best-ways-to-start-is-by/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) [Explore all 98 Steven D. Levitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) ## More Barrier quotes > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [“The only barrier to Self-realization or enlightenment is the ego. The ego is the false identification with names and forms. Once this barrier dissolves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kulkarni/the-only-barrier-to-self-realization-or-enlightenment-is-the-ego-the/) [Akshay Kulkarni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kulkarni/) > [I'd probably play games obsessively if I didn't write, although I admit I don't read novels partly because I don't enjoy it, not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-traviss/i-d-probably-play-games-obsessively-if-i-didn-t-write-although-i/) [Karen Traviss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-traviss/) > [I am a romantic, but I do put up a barrier around myself, so it is hard for people to get in and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-am-a-romantic-but-i-do-put-up-a-barrier-around-myself-so-it-is-hard/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [“The greatest barrier of success is the fear of failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-potter/the-greatest-barrier-of-success-is-the-fear-of-failure/) [J.K. Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-potter/) > [“I really hope there is a language barrier thing going on here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-ward/i-really-hope-there-is-a-language-barrier-thing-going-on-here/) [Annie Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-ward/) > [Do you know there is always a barrier between me and any man or woman who does not like dogs?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-glasgow/do-you-know-there-is-always-a-barrier-between-me-and-any-man-or-woman/) [Ellen Glasgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-glasgow/) > [Friendship, on the other hand, serves a great host of different purposes all at the same time. In whatever direction you turn, it still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/friendship-on-the-other-hand-serves-a-great-host-of-different/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [I've never really had any barrier to break I guess. I don't really have anything to rebel against. I'm quite lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/i-ve-never-really-had-any-barrier-to-break-i-guess-i-don-t-really/) [Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/) > [The biggest barrier to starting a company isn't ideas, funding or experience. It's excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/the-biggest-barrier-to-starting-a-company-isn-t-ideas-funding-or/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [“I tis hopeless to try to convert some borders into seams. Expressways and their ramps are examples. Moreover, even in the case of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-jacobs/i-tis-hopeless-to-try-to-convert-some-borders-into-seams-expressways/) [Jane Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-jacobs/) > [It's amazing that something only an atom thick can be an impenetrable barrier. You can have gas on one side and vacuum or liquid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mceuen/it-s-amazing-that-something-only-an-atom-thick-can-be-an-impenetrable/) [Paul McEuen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mceuen/) > [At a certain point, when there's a barrier between you and what's right, eventually you have to decide you're not going to allow yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/at-a-certain-point-when-there-s-a-barrier-between-you-and-what-s/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [Arafat was a barrier to peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/arafat-was-a-barrier-to-peace/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Mind doesn't work properly when taken into a higher level where fear dominates the will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/mind-doesn-t-work-properly-when-taken-into-a-higher-level-where-fear/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) [Browse all 158 Barrier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barrier/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“All of us face barriers—physical, financial, temporal—every day. 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