--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To survive, you've got to keep wheedling…" description: "\"To survive, you've got to keep wheedling your way. You can't just sit there and fight against odds when it's not going to work. You have to turn a corn..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/twyla-tharp-1069_against_to-survive-you-ve-got-to-keep-wheedling_2588780.png" --- # To survive, you've got to keep wheedling your way. You… ![“To survive, you've got to keep wheedling your way. You can't just sit there and fight against odds when it's not going to work. You have to turn a corner, dig a hole, go through a tunnel - and find a way to keep moving.” quote by Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/twyla-tharp-1069_against_to-survive-you-ve-got-to-keep-wheedling_2588780.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/twyla-tharp-1069_against_to-survive-you-ve-got-to-keep-wheedling_2588780.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/twyla-tharp-1069_against_to-survive-you-ve-got-to-keep-wheedling_2588780.png) > “To survive, you've got to keep wheedling your way. You can't just sit there and fight against odds when it's not going to work. You have to turn a corner, dig a hole, go through a tunnel - and find a way to keep moving.” [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adaptability requires creative problem solving, not stubborn resistance; find alternative paths when obstacles arise. **In simple terms:** Keep moving by finding new ways around problems. Key Takeaway Embrace flexibility and inventive thinking. Themes adaptability creativity problem solving perseverance Mood hopeful energetic Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - career change - project setbacks - personal growth - team challenges Key Concepts nonlinear thinking strategic pivot resilience Questions to Reflect On - What alternative routes can you explore now? - How do you stay motivated during pivots? A Different Perspective Constant change can cause fatigue and indecision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Corner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corner/) [Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight/) [Odds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/odds/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [There is a light at the end of the tunnel, but the way out is through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/there-is-a-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel-but-the-way-out-is-through/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [A government can't cut its way out of a recession any more than you can dig yourself out of a hole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-lucas/a-government-can-t-cut-its-way-out-of-a-recession-any-more-than-you/) [Caroline Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-lucas/) > [I used to like to dig myself a hole just to see how long it took to get out of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-hackett/i-used-to-like-to-dig-myself-a-hole-just-to-see-how-long-it-took-to/) [Buddy Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-hackett/) > [A guy digging ditches or a plumber wiping joints - it solves problems, you know? You have to dig this hole so wide, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-marvin/a-guy-digging-ditches-or-a-plumber-wiping-joints-it-solves-problems/) [Lee Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-marvin/) > [How deep can you dig the hole before you see the light at the end of the tunnel?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-deep-can-you-dig-the-hole-before-you-see-the-light-at-the-end-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's not just enough to survive. We've got to make something better than what we've got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-steffen/it-s-not-just-enough-to-survive-we-ve-got-to-make-something-better/) [Alex Steffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-steffen/) > [“I can’t ever lose you, Danika. I’m not sure I’d survive it.” “You’ve got me. And I’m not going anywhere. Not ever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-k-lilley/i-can-t-ever-lose-you-danika-i-m-not-sure-i-d-survive-it-you-ve-got/) [R.K. Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-k-lilley/) > [I know that there's a god because I was able to survive everything that I've been through - all of the tough times -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-mayweather-jr/i-know-that-there-s-a-god-because-i-was-able-to-survive-everything/) [Floyd Mayweather, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-mayweather-jr/) > [“I'll survive. I've done it before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-banks/i-ll-survive-i-ve-done-it-before/) [Maya Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-banks/) > [It has been said, by engineers themselves, that given enough money, they can accomplish virtually anything: send men to the moon, dig a tunnel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/it-has-been-said-by-engineers-themselves-that-given-enough-money-they/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [Unfortunately, I think we've probably all had the experience that if we're in a relationship where one of the partners is doing it 'my'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/unfortunately-i-think-we-ve-probably-all-had-the-experience-that-if/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [“He wanted to dig a hole and put the past inside it and cover it back up again. He didn't know if flowers would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/he-wanted-to-dig-a-hole-and-put-the-past-inside-it-and-cover-it-back/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“Consider these words from Lech Wałęsa: In the past, you could stand with a gun behind a man who had a pick and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-g-chang/consider-these-words-from-lech-wa-sa-in-the-past-you-could-stand-with/) [Gordon G. Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-g-chang/) > [If you dig a hole and it's in the wrong place, digging it deeper isn't going to help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-chwast/if-you-dig-a-hole-and-it-s-in-the-wrong-place-digging-it-deeper-isn-t/) [Seymour Chwast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-chwast/) > [For 3 Million you could give everyone in Scotland a shovel, and we could dig a hole so deep we could hand her over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-boyle/for-3-million-you-could-give-everyone-in-scotland-a-shovel-and-we/) [Frankie Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-boyle/) ## More by Twyla Tharp > [“A lot of habitually creative people have preparation rituals linked to the setting in which they choose to start their day. By putting themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/a-lot-of-habitually-creative-people-have-preparation-rituals-linked/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [I have learned over the years that you should never save for two meetings what you can accomplish in one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-have-learned-over-the-years-that-you-should-never-save-for-two/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [I always find that the best collaborations are when you work with people that know what they're doing, and you leave them alone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-always-find-that-the-best-collaborations-are-when-you-work-with/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [I don't mean this, but I'm going to say it anyway. I don't really think of pop art and serious art as being that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-don-t-mean-this-but-i-m-going-to-say-it-anyway-i-don-t-really-think/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [The art of these Fifties movies was in sustaining forever the moment before sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/the-art-of-these-fifties-movies-was-in-sustaining-forever-the-moment/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [This is not a pleasant route for many young people to consider. You have to be either hopelessly passionate, or very stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/this-is-not-a-pleasant-route-for-many-young-people-to-consider-you/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [I often say that in making dances I can make a world where I think things are done morally, done democratically, done honestly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-often-say-that-in-making-dances-i-can-make-a-world-where-i-think/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [I had received my first establishment grants in response to applications filed the year before. To the pages of baffling forms I had simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-had-received-my-first-establishment-grants-in-response-to/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [I find the aesthetics of the 20th century hopelessly barren.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-find-the-aesthetics-of-the-20th-century-hopelessly-barren/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [I don't think that scheduling is uncreative. I think that structure is required for creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-don-t-think-that-scheduling-is-uncreative-i-think-that-structure-is/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [I have always felt one of the things dance should do - its business being so clearly physical - is challenge the culture's gender…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-have-always-felt-one-of-the-things-dance-should-do-its-business/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [There really is nothing I ever had access to that I didn't appreciate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/there-really-is-nothing-i-ever-had-access-to-that-i-didn-t-appreciate/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [Destiny, quite often, is a determined parent. Mozart was hardly some naive prodigy who sat down at the keyboard and, with God whispering in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/destiny-quite-often-is-a-determined-parent-mozart-was-hardly-some/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [When it all comes together, a creative life has the nourishing power we normally associate with food, love and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/when-it-all-comes-together-a-creative-life-has-the-nourishing-power/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [Things change all the time, so why do people make such a philosophical to-do that things are constantly in transition?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/things-change-all-the-time-so-why-do-people-make-such-a-philosophical/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) [Explore all 298 Twyla Tharp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) ## More Against quotes > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I think I am against stereotype. Generally, Asian guys are more quiet - they study and have a good work ethic. Generally, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-lee/i-think-i-am-against-stereotype-generally-asian-guys-are-more-quiet/) [Bobby Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-lee/) > [I'm not against gay people. I have a relative who is also gay. We can't help it if they were born that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/i-m-not-against-gay-people-i-have-a-relative-who-is-also-gay-we-can-t/) [Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [We do not know which irresponsible Israeli prime minister will take office and decide to use nuclear weapons in the struggle against neighboring Arab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordechai-vanunu/we-do-not-know-which-irresponsible-israeli-prime-minister-will-take/) [Mordechai Vanunu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordechai-vanunu/) > [In France they spend six months training policemen, then they give them a gun and put them on the streets, and I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mathieu-kassovitz/in-france-they-spend-six-months-training-policemen-then-they-give/) [Mathieu Kassovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mathieu-kassovitz/) > [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/) > [My problems are sort of more on a nuisance level. I can't stand scratchy clothes, I've got to have soft kinds of cotton against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/my-problems-are-sort-of-more-on-a-nuisance-level-i-can-t-stand/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [I don't have any regrets or hold any grudge against anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cooper-kupp/i-don-t-have-any-regrets-or-hold-any-grudge-against-anyone/) [Cooper Kupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cooper-kupp/) > [Ronaldo will always score against everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgio-chiellini/ronaldo-will-always-score-against-everyone/) [Giorgio Chiellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgio-chiellini/) > [Well, just that there would be somebody in the office and the voters - it was more or less an understanding in the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/well-just-that-there-would-be-somebody-in-the-office-and-the-voters/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) Joe Pitts > [It goes way, way back when we were under Sweden's rule. We always think they are better than us. We played against them so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saku-koivu/it-goes-way-way-back-when-we-were-under-sweden-s-rule-we-always-think/) [Saku Koivu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saku-koivu/) > [I'm against unanswerable concentrations of power, whether that be government or private industry or religious figures - anybody who is not accountable to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-suarez/i-m-against-unanswerable-concentrations-of-power-whether-that-be/) [Daniel Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-suarez/) > [I'm an Indian and I shall not do anything that goes against my ethos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherlyn-chopra/i-m-an-indian-and-i-shall-not-do-anything-that-goes-against-my-ethos/) [Sherlyn Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherlyn-chopra/) Browse all 2,190 Against quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To survive, you've got to keep wheedling your way. You can't just sit there and fight against odds when it's not going to work. You have to turn a corner, dig a hole, go through a tunnel - and find a way to keep moving.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Twyla Tharp" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/to-survive-you-ve-got-to-keep-wheedling-your-way-you-can-t-just-sit/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Against" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/to-survive-you-ve-got-to-keep-wheedling-your-way-you-can-t-just-sit/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/twyla-tharp-1069_against_to-survive-you-ve-got-to-keep-wheedling_2588780.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/twyla-tharp-1069_against_to-survive-you-ve-got-to-keep-wheedling_2588780.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/twyla-tharp-1069_against_to-survive-you-ve-got-to-keep-wheedling_2588780.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To survive, you've got to keep wheedling your way. You can't just sit there and fight against odds when it's…” — Twyla Tharp", "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": "Twyla Tharp", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To survive, you've got to keep...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/to-survive-you-ve-got-to-keep-wheedling-your-way-you-can-t-just-sit/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/to-survive-you-ve-got-to-keep-wheedling-your-way-you-can-t-just-sit/#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 } } ] } ```