--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So few people are really aware of their…" description: "\"“So few people are really aware of their thoughts. Their minds run all over the place without their permission, and they go along for the ride unknowin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/682/thomas-m-sterner-49515_along-for-the-ride_so-few-people-are-really-aware-of-their_433412.jpg" --- # So few people are really aware of their thoughts. Their… ![“So few people are really aware of their thoughts. Their minds run all over the place without their permission, and they go along for the ride unknowingly and without making a choice.” quote by Thomas M. Sterner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/682/thomas-m-sterner-49515_along-for-the-ride_so-few-people-are-really-aware-of-their_433412.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/682/thomas-m-sterner-49515_along-for-the-ride_so-few-people-are-really-aware-of-their_433412.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/682/thomas-m-sterner-49515_along-for-the-ride_so-few-people-are-really-aware-of-their_433412.jpg) > ““So few people are really aware of their thoughts. Their minds run all over the place without their permission, and they go along for the ride unknowingly and without making a choice.”” [Thomas M. Sterner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-m-sterner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Most people are unaware of their thoughts, drifting without conscious choice. **In simple terms:** Unconscious thoughts drive us without notice. Key Takeaway Cultivate awareness of your mental patterns. Themes mindfulness self-awareness psychology Mood thoughtful calm Type self-help psychological When to use this quote - meditation - journaling - therapy sessions Key Concepts cognitive bias autopilot Questions to Reflect On - What strategies help break automatic thinking? - How can we stay present amid distractions? A Different Perspective Awareness alone may not change ingrained habits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Along for the ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/along-for-the-ride/) [Aware Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aware-thoughts-253320/) [Making a choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-a-choice/) [Metacognition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metacognition-121363/) [Mindfulness-practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mindfulness-practice/) [Minds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minds/) [Minds Run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minds-run-3815197/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Ride Unknowingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ride-unknowingly-3815196/) [Thoughts Minds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts-minds-3062506/) [Thoughts-of-the-mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts-of-the-mind/) ## Related quotes > [“The understanding, like the eye, whilst it makes us see and perceive all other things, takes no notice of itself: and it requires art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/the-understanding-like-the-eye-whilst-it-makes-us-see-and-perceive/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [“It all makes more sense when I'm out here alone," he smiled. "I can talk myself into anything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/it-all-makes-more-sense-when-i-m-out-here-alone-he-smiled-i-can-talk/) [Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/) > [“Psychitecture is a high-level design and implementation process - creative problem-solving for the subjective experience - and when utilized persistently, it can take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/designing-the-mind/psychitecture-is-a-high-level-design-and-implementation-process/) [Designing the Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/designing-the-mind/) > [“We can control and direct our thoughts, but it often feels like our thoughts have minds of their own, controlling us and how we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-j-scott/we-can-control-and-direct-our-thoughts-but-it-often-feels-like-our-2/) [S.J. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-j-scott/) > [Thoughts come into our minds by avenues which we never left open, and thoughts go out of our minds through avenues which we never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/thoughts-come-into-our-minds-by-avenues-which-we-never-left-open-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Things don't just fall into place because you have a dream. You're always going to have those negative thoughts. Our minds love to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colletti/things-don-t-just-fall-into-place-because-you-have-a-dream-you-re/) [Stephen Colletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colletti/) > [“We can control and direct our thoughts, but it often feels like our thoughts have minds of their own, controlling us and how we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-j-scott/we-can-control-and-direct-our-thoughts-but-it-often-feels-like-our/) [S.J. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-j-scott/) > [The silent are the most mighty, they don't need publicity to express their thoughts, for their minds are enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bree-daniels/the-silent-are-the-most-mighty-they-don-t-need-publicity-to-express/) [Bree Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bree-daniels/) > [When we learn to deal directly with our complaints and difficulties, romanticized ideas about the spiritual path are no longer meaningful. We see that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarthang-tulku/when-we-learn-to-deal-directly-with-our-complaints-and-difficulties/) [Tarthang Tulku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarthang-tulku/) > [“It doesn’t matter how many mantras you recite; how many prostrations you do; where you go on a pilgrimage; what so-called higher practice you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karma-yeshe-rabgye/it-doesn-t-matter-how-many-mantras-you-recite-how-many-prostrations/) [karma yeshe rabgye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karma-yeshe-rabgye/) > [“We take a giant step in our journey when we become aware that it's only our own thoughts that hurt us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-jampolsky/we-take-a-giant-step-in-our-journey-when-we-become-aware-that-it-s/) [Jerry Jampolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-jampolsky/) > [“Over time, with practice, you will become more aware of your thoughts and feelings. You will notice which thoughts and feelings tend to capture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-a-jennings/over-time-with-practice-you-will-become-more-aware-of-your-thoughts/) [Patricia A. Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-a-jennings/) > [“You want to become aware of your thoughts and choose your thoughts carefully and you want to have fun with this, because you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/you-want-to-become-aware-of-your-thoughts-and-choose-your-thoughts/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [For me, politics is personal because it's my family, and just being aware of my thoughts - are my thoughts productive?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-bush-koch/for-me-politics-is-personal-because-it-s-my-family-and-just-being/) [Dorothy Bush Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-bush-koch/) > [Awareness is something apart from, and different from, all that of which we are aware: thoughts, emotions, images, sensations, desires and memory. Awareness is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-j-deikman/awareness-is-something-apart-from-and-different-from-all-that-of/) [Arthur J. Deikman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-j-deikman/) ## More by Thomas M. Sterner > [The problem with patience and discipline is that it requires both of them to develop each of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-m-sterner/the-problem-with-patience-and-discipline-is-that-it-requires-both-of/) [Thomas M. Sterner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-m-sterner/) > [“The feeling "I'll be happy when X happens" will never bring you anything but discontentment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-m-sterner/the-feeling-i-ll-be-happy-when-x-happens-will-never-bring-you/) [Thomas M. Sterner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-m-sterner/) > [“Most of us spend very little time in the present moment. We usually are either thinking about something that has not yet happened (and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-m-sterner/most-of-us-spend-very-little-time-in-the-present-moment-we-usually/) [Thomas M. Sterner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-m-sterner/) > [“You are going to find that buying the car is much less satisfying than working for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-m-sterner/you-are-going-to-find-that-buying-the-car-is-much-less-satisfying/) [Thomas M. Sterner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-m-sterner/) > [“So, as an adult, try to notice the carefree nature that comes naturally to a child, who lives for and in the present. Try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-m-sterner/so-as-an-adult-try-to-notice-the-carefree-nature-that-comes-naturally/) [Thomas M. Sterner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-m-sterner/) > [“Progress is a natural result of staying focused on the process of doing anything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-m-sterner/progress-is-a-natural-result-of-staying-focused-on-the-process-of/) [Thomas M. Sterner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-m-sterner/) [Explore all 7 Thomas M. Sterner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-m-sterner/) ## More Along for the ride quotes > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“It's never fifty-fifty in a marriage. Someone falls in love first. Someone puts someone else up on a pedestal. Someone works hard to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-s-never-fifty-fifty-in-a-marriage-someone-falls-in-love-first/) [jodi picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > ['Faithfully' speaks to me. It's about a guy who's busy with his work, always on the road, but I'm still completely into you. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-garrett/faithfully-speaks-to-me-it-s-about-a-guy-who-s-busy-with-his-work/) [Myles Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-garrett/) > [“And you think you can help me find my way?” He shook his head, his eyes went warm and I got another neck squeeze,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/and-you-think-you-can-help-me-find-my-way-he-shook-his-head-his-eyes/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“This is a 911? You know you only text that when someone is dead or dying. You scared the crap out of me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/this-is-a-911-you-know-you-only-text-that-when-someone-is-dead-or/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You know it's never fifty-fifty in a marriage. It's always seventy-thirty, or sixty-forty. Someone falls in love first. Someone puts someone else up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-know-it-s-never-fifty-fifty-in-a-marriage-it-s-always-seventy/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [You've got all these characters and yet, you're hovering over one character like a fly over a stinky diaper. Realize that you've got a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/you-ve-got-all-these-characters-and-yet-you-re-hovering-over-one/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [“Life…Isn't a roller coaster, it isn't unexpected or surprising. It's not a free ticket to go along for the ride... Simply put, Life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bilal-hussain/life-isn-t-a-roller-coaster-it-isn-t-unexpected-or-surprising-it-s/) [Bilal Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bilal-hussain/) > [I'm a storyteller... I haves a God-given gift that I can share with you and perhaps entertain you and bring you along for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-sutter/i-m-a-storyteller-i-haves-a-god-given-gift-that-i-can-share-with-you/) [Kurt Sutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-sutter/) > [“Then he picks up the first book and holds it so Peter can read the title. I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This Peter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/then-he-picks-up-the-first-book-and-holds-it-so-peter-can-read-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [ I was lucky to come along for the ride. \[My mother\] really is an amazing woman. And the world we lived in in South… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/i-was-lucky-to-come-along-for-the-ride-my-mother-really-is-an-amazing/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [“Need to get to Ruislip by sparrow-fart though', said the squadron leader. 'Think you can do that? Can I come along for the ride?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rankin/need-to-get-to-ruislip-by-sparrow-fart-though-said-the-squadron/) [Robert Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rankin/) > [“It is the role of the BCYF caseworker to simply go along for the ride, so that if by some miracle it reaches the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-is-the-role-of-the-bcyf-caseworker-to-simply-go-along-for-the-ride/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [The ones that I love of 'I Love Lucy' are when one of them decides they need something, and the other one is along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennon-parham/the-ones-that-i-love-of-i-love-lucy-are-when-one-of-them-decides-they/) [Lennon Parham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennon-parham/) > [People are fascinated about the world above them because it seems so out-of-reach. My jump gave them an opportunity to come along for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-baumgartner/people-are-fascinated-about-the-world-above-them-because-it-seems-so/) [Felix Baumgartner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-baumgartner/) [Browse all 122 Along for the ride quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/along-for-the-ride/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“So few people are really aware of their thoughts. Their minds run all over the place without their permission, and they go along for the ride unknowingly and without making a choice.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas M. Sterner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-m-sterner/so-few-people-are-really-aware-of-their-thoughts-their-minds-run-all/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Along for the ride" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-m-sterner/so-few-people-are-really-aware-of-their-thoughts-their-minds-run-all/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/682/thomas-m-sterner-49515_along-for-the-ride_so-few-people-are-really-aware-of-their_433412.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/682/thomas-m-sterner-49515_along-for-the-ride_so-few-people-are-really-aware-of-their_433412.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/682/thomas-m-sterner-49515_along-for-the-ride_so-few-people-are-really-aware-of-their_433412.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“So few people are really aware of their thoughts. Their minds run all over the place without their…” — Thomas M. Sterner", "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": "Thomas M. Sterner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-m-sterner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“So few people are really aware...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-m-sterner/so-few-people-are-really-aware-of-their-thoughts-their-minds-run-all/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-m-sterner/so-few-people-are-really-aware-of-their-thoughts-their-minds-run-all/#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 } } ] } ```