--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you try to control everything, and…" description: "\"If you try to control everything, and then worry about the things you can't control, you are setting yourself up for a lifetime of frustration and mise..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/suman-rai-785_control_if-you-try-to-control-everything-and-the_13007.jpg" --- # If you try to control everything, and then worry about the… ![“If you try to control everything, and then worry about the things you can't control, you are setting yourself up for a lifetime of frustration and misery.” quote by Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/suman-rai-785_control_if-you-try-to-control-everything-and-the_13007.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/suman-rai-785_control_if-you-try-to-control-everything-and-the_13007.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/suman-rai-785_control_if-you-try-to-control-everything-and-the_13007.jpg) > “If you try to control everything, and then worry about the things you can't control, you are setting yourself up for a lifetime of frustration and misery.” [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attempting to dominate all aspects of life while obsessing over the uncontrollable breeds chronic dissatisfaction. **In simple terms:** Control obsession leads to misery. Key Takeaway Let go of what you cannot control. Themes Control Acceptance Mindfulness Stress Resilience Mood Anxious Reflective Hopeful Type advice philosophical motivational When to use this quote - High‑pressure work environments - Personal relationships - Health crises - Financial uncertainty Key Concepts Self‑regulation Cognitive bias Emotional health Practical Applications - Stress‑reduction coaching - Leadership development Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of your life can you realistically influence? - How might acceptance improve your well‑being? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Control Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control-worry-373120/) [Frustration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frustration/) [Frustration Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frustration-misery-373121/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lifetime Frustration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime-frustration-373119/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) [Worry Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry-things/) ## Related quotes > [It makes no sense to worry about things you have no control over because there's nothing you can do about them, and why worry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-makes-no-sense-to-worry-about-things-you-have-no-control-over/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Like the minor poet who knows the meanness of his gift, I am doomed to a lifetime of frustration: to be able to comprehend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-bear/like-the-minor-poet-who-knows-the-meanness-of-his-gift-i-am-doomed-to/) [Elizabeth Bear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-bear/) > [You are in charge of your own attitude whatever others do or circumstances you face. The only person you can control is yourself...worry more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/you-are-in-charge-of-your-own-attitude-whatever-others-do-or/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [I wake up every day like, 'How can I get better, how can I help my teammates be successful? I try to control what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-rozier/i-wake-up-every-day-like-how-can-i-get-better-how-can-i-help-my/) [Terry Rozier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-rozier/) > [I believe that you are only in control of so much. So whatever you are not in control of you can't worry about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-olsen/i-believe-that-you-are-only-in-control-of-so-much-so-whatever-you-are/) [Elizabeth Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-olsen/) > [Never stress on what you can't control, and never worry about what isn't yours..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-stress-on-what-you-can-t-control-and-never-worry-about-what-isn/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've learnt to control worry, control doubt, control my inner Virgo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/i-ve-learnt-to-control-worry-control-doubt-control-my-inner-virgo/) [James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/) > [“Accept every day as a beautiful mystery. Don’t try to control everything or worry about the things you can’t control. If you do, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accept-every-day-as-a-beautiful-mystery-don-t-try-to-control/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Focus on things you can control. Things that are out of control, you can't worry about what the result is going to be, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-vogel/focus-on-things-you-can-control-things-that-are-out-of-control-you/) [Frank Vogel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-vogel/) > [frustration, complication and misery are available in abundance, but so is God's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/frustration-complication-and-misery-are-available-in-abundance-but-so/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [This ego has all the desires, ambitions, wants to be always on the top of everything. You are exploited by this ego. And this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-ego-has-all-the-desires-ambitions-wants-to-be-always-on-the-top/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It is better to stay single and wait for the one that makes sense then to marry someone that makes absolutely no sense. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-is-better-to-stay-single-and-wait-for-the-one-that-makes-sense/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [That is Buddha's meaning of nirvana: to be free from life and death, to be free from desire. The moment you are free from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-is-buddha-s-meaning-of-nirvana-to-be-free-from-life-and-death-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't worry about the things I can't change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/i-don-t-worry-about-the-things-i-can-t-change/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [Some stuff happened outside of tennis, and it made me realize that you just have to think about yourself, just focus on yourself, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-garcia/some-stuff-happened-outside-of-tennis-and-it-made-me-realize-that-you/) [Caroline Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-garcia/) ## More by Suman Rai > [When you pat a twentysomething on the head and you say, You have 10 extra years to start your life ¦ you have robbed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/when-you-pat-a-twentysomething-on-the-head-and-you-say-you-have-10/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) > [Time does not heal anything, it just teaches us how to live with THE PAIN…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/time-does-not-heal-anything-it-just-teaches-us-how-to-live-with-the/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) > [You could be the greatest, You could be the best, You can beat the world, You can beat the war, You can talk to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/you-could-be-the-greatest-you-could-be-the-best-you-can-beat-the/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) > [Beauty and seduction, I believe, is natures tool for survival, because we will protect what we fall in love with](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/beauty-and-seduction-i-believe-is-natures-tool-for-survival-because/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) > [You can lose when you outscore somebody in a game. And you can win when youre outscored](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/you-can-lose-when-you-outscore-somebody-in-a-game-and-you-can-win/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) > [Beating yourself up about a mistake you made is only going to make you more inclined to do it again. Just accept that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/beating-yourself-up-about-a-mistake-you-made-is-only-going-to-make/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) > [Anxiety can work in two ways: It can act as your biggest motivator or keep you frozen. Always strive for the former.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/anxiety-can-work-in-two-ways-it-can-act-as-your-biggest-motivator-or/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) > [Your important relationships should be at the forefront of your priority list. When we take things for granted, these things eventually get taken away.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/your-important-relationships-should-be-at-the-forefront-of-your/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) > [There is not a clear path that everyone should follow. Your greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding in life at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/there-is-not-a-clear-path-that-everyone-should-follow-your-greatest/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) > [This is the courageous thing to do: to try to reach the other side before it's too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/this-is-the-courageous-thing-to-do-to-try-to-reach-the-other-side/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) > [The days go by fast, so live life to the fullest. Stop regretting and learn from your past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/the-days-go-by-fast-so-live-life-to-the-fullest-stop-regretting-and/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) > [Lets never forget that whatever brilliant ideas you have or hear, that the opposite may also be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/lets-never-forget-that-whatever-brilliant-ideas-you-have-or-hear-that/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) > [Those who give good advice are usually the most insane messes of them all. Just sayin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/those-who-give-good-advice-are-usually-the-most-insane-messes-of-them/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) > [I need a heart so pure that if it's stripped bare by dementia, it will survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/i-need-a-heart-so-pure-that-if-it-s-stripped-bare-by-dementia-it-will/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) > [The second time will not be the first time. The first time is an insane magical life gift that you can never reclaim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/the-second-time-will-not-be-the-first-time-the-first-time-is-an/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) [Explore all 369 Suman Rai quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) ## More Control quotes > [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“You can't control who loves you...you can't let someone love you anymore than you can make someone love you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/you-can-t-control-who-loves-you-you-can-t-let-someone-love-you/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) > [Don't think you can...know you can! You human body is the most impressive tool you'll ever own. Even if you can't control everything, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/don-t-think-you-can-know-you-can-you-human-body-is-the-most/) [Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/) > [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [“Without time management, you lose control of your life and do what other people tell you to do. You lose control and become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-miller/without-time-management-you-lose-control-of-your-life-and-do-what/) [Thomas Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-miller/) > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Many of us rely on our own illusion of control. But when God makes it known to you that you're not the one steering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/many-of-us-rely-on-our-own-illusion-of-control-but-when-god-makes-it/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [Some nights I'm funny with the between-song commentary, some nights I'm not. I have no control over this. I pace the stage a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/some-nights-i-m-funny-with-the-between-song-commentary-some-nights-i/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [“Control never be a means to any practical end. It can never be a means to anything but more control… Like punk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/control-never-be-a-means-to-any-practical-end-it-can-never-be-a-means/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Browse all 6,032 Control quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you try to control everything, and then worry about the things you can't control, you are setting yourself up for a lifetime of frustration and misery.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Suman Rai" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/if-you-try-to-control-everything-and-then-worry-about-the-things-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Control" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/if-you-try-to-control-everything-and-then-worry-about-the-things-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/suman-rai-785_control_if-you-try-to-control-everything-and-the_13007.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/suman-rai-785_control_if-you-try-to-control-everything-and-the_13007.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b34/suman-rai-785_control_if-you-try-to-control-everything-and-the_13007.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you try to control everything, and then worry about the things you can't control, you are setting…” — Suman Rai", "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": "Suman Rai", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you try to control everything,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/if-you-try-to-control-everything-and-then-worry-about-the-things-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/if-you-try-to-control-everything-and-then-worry-about-the-things-you/#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 } } ] } ```