--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Despite the obvious fault in the…" description: "\"Despite the obvious fault in the universe, it cannot be used as an excuse for not trying to be your best self. Instead, use unfairness as a starting po..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/valerie-plame-5250_action_despite-the-obvious-fault-in-the-univers_2265175.jpg" --- # Despite the obvious fault in the universe, it cannot be… ![“Despite the obvious fault in the universe, it cannot be used as an excuse for not trying to be your best self. Instead, use unfairness as a starting point to be sure that your actions are the best you can muster, and find peace in navigating your time here with grace and humor whenever possible.” quote by Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/valerie-plame-5250_action_despite-the-obvious-fault-in-the-univers_2265175.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/valerie-plame-5250_action_despite-the-obvious-fault-in-the-univers_2265175.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/valerie-plame-5250_action_despite-the-obvious-fault-in-the-univers_2265175.jpg) > “Despite the obvious fault in the universe, it cannot be used as an excuse for not trying to be your best self. Instead, use unfairness as a starting point to be sure that your actions are the best you can muster, and find peace in navigating your time here with grace and humor whenever possible.” [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even when the world seems unfair, it should not excuse mediocrity; use that unfairness as motivation to strive for excellence and find peace with humor. **In simple terms:** Unfairness isn’t an excuse; aim high and stay light‑hearted. Key Takeaway Turn unfairness into drive. Themes resilience self‑improvement humor Mood determined hopeful Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - career challenges - personal setbacks - social activism Key Concepts psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can you transform perceived injustice into personal growth? - What role does humor play in coping with unfairness? A Different Perspective Unfairness can also demotivate; not everyone can easily find humor. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Best self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-self/) [Finding peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding-peace/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Starting point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting-point/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Unfairness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfairness/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [“—but the world is unfair, and sometimes we must use that unfairness to our advantage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-kingfisher/but-the-world-is-unfair-and-sometimes-we-must-use-that-unfairness-to/) [T. Kingfisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-kingfisher/) > [“Well, excuse me for trying to make a joke,” Robbie retorted. “You’ll never give up”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-k-sykes/well-excuse-me-for-trying-to-make-a-joke-robbie-retorted-you-ll-never/) V.K. Sykes > [I could point out that it isn't always easy knowing who you are and what you want, because then you have no excuse for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-could-point-out-that-it-isn-t-always-easy-knowing-who-you-are-and/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [The thought, 'I can't' is a lie. We use it to excuse ourselves from trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/the-thought-i-can-t-is-a-lie-we-use-it-to-excuse-ourselves-from-trying/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [Pessimism is an excuse for not trying and a guarantee to a personal failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/pessimism-is-an-excuse-for-not-trying-and-a-guarantee-to-a-personal/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no excuse for not trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/there-is-no-excuse-for-not-trying/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Change is not something I take openly too because when I Love..I Love Hard..So excuse me for trying to save the only thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chardonnay-tyson/change-is-not-something-i-take-openly-too-because-when-i-love-i-love/) [Chardonnay Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chardonnay-tyson/) > [I'm quite amused by the attempt to excuse not trying harder, by claiming that perfect is not possible; it may not be, but striving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/i-m-quite-amused-by-the-attempt-to-excuse-not-trying-harder-by/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [“You know we’re not the enemy. We’re part of this city, like you, trying to survive in a world that isn’t fair. We shouldn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-f-said/you-know-we-re-not-the-enemy-we-re-part-of-this-city-like-you-trying/) S.F. Said > [Whats up with the relationships nowadays? The girl is the one who falls victim because they're in it for love whereas the guy is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epifania-savea/whats-up-with-the-relationships-nowadays-the-girl-is-the-one-who/) [Epifania Savea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epifania-savea/) > [“I am a person who is unhappy with things as they stand. We cannot accept the world as it is. Each day we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-claus/i-am-a-person-who-is-unhappy-with-things-as-they-stand-we-cannot/) [Hugo Claus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-claus/) > [“It's the shock of the thing, is what I'm saying, and my new and somewhat untested theory is that when something is shocking it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystelle-bamford/it-s-the-shock-of-the-thing-is-what-i-m-saying-and-my-new-and/) Krystelle Bamford > [Do not complain of life's unfairness. It is never fair - at best it is impartial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/do-not-complain-of-life-s-unfairness-it-is-never-fair-at-best-it-is/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [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/) ## More by Valerie Plame > [My father was an air officer in the Second World War. My brother was a marine in Vietnam. When I was given this opportunity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/my-father-was-an-air-officer-in-the-second-world-war-my-brother-was-a/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [Hair and make-up always helps. I did always try to be well-groomed, professional at all times. Take your job seriously - but not yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/hair-and-make-up-always-helps-i-did-always-try-to-be-well-groomed/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [The Cold War has ended. It's very simple. We are no longer living in a bipolar world. The chances that we will go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/the-cold-war-has-ended-it-s-very-simple-we-are-no-longer-living-in-a/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [We in no way are naive to think that just because Russia and the United States agree to reduce their arsenals, that everyone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/we-in-no-way-are-naive-to-think-that-just-because-russia-and-the/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [I can tell you, all the intelligence services in the world were running my name through their databases to see did anyone by this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/i-can-tell-you-all-the-intelligence-services-in-the-world-were/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [These are issues we've been grappling with since the Constitution was written: how you hold your government to account for its words and deeds.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/these-are-issues-we-ve-been-grappling-with-since-the-constitution-was/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [I think a nuclear detonation is society-altering in ways that other attacks, even as horrific as 9/11, are not. This isn't because we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/i-think-a-nuclear-detonation-is-society-altering-in-ways-that-other/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [One characteristic that I hope I never relinquish is an intense curiosity about the world around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/one-characteristic-that-i-hope-i-never-relinquish-is-an-intense/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [Joe was being called a liar and a traitor; I'm being accused of nepotism, of being a glorified secretary. The stresses that that places…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/joe-was-being-called-a-liar-and-a-traitor-i-m-being-accused-of/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [The entire intelligence community is so bloated and so reliant on contractors. There's no question there's many tasks that make sense to outsource, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/the-entire-intelligence-community-is-so-bloated-and-so-reliant-on/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [For me, I thought I had the best job in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/for-me-i-thought-i-had-the-best-job-in-the-world/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [I have always been appalled by the depiction of female CIA operatives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/i-have-always-been-appalled-by-the-depiction-of-female-cia-operatives/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [I think human intelligence is the only one that will actually tell you intent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/i-think-human-intelligence-is-the-only-one-that-will-actually-tell/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [There's no way you can possibly intellectually justify, 'Well, it's okay for the Western Judeo-Christian countries to have nuclear weapons, but not for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/there-s-no-way-you-can-possibly-intellectually-justify-well-it-s-okay/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [Of course the job has a lot of glamour. But it really is about being smarter than your average bear. Your mind is your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/of-course-the-job-has-a-lot-of-glamour-but-it-really-is-about-being/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) [Explore all 102 Valerie Plame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. 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