--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The problem with most people is that they…" description: "\"The problem with most people is that they think with their hopes or fears or wishes rather than their minds.\" — Walter Duranty" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/walter-duranty-67737_fear_the-problem-with-most-people-is-that-the_733428.jpg" --- # The problem with most people is that they think with their… ![“The problem with most people is that they think with their hopes or fears or wishes rather than their minds.” quote by Walter Duranty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/walter-duranty-67737_fear_the-problem-with-most-people-is-that-the_733428.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/walter-duranty-67737_fear_the-problem-with-most-people-is-that-the_733428.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/walter-duranty-67737_fear_the-problem-with-most-people-is-that-the_733428.jpg) > “The problem with most people is that they think with their hopes or fears or wishes rather than their minds.” [Walter Duranty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-duranty/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often let emotions drive decisions, neglecting rational thought. **In simple terms:** Emotions can cloud rational thinking. Key Takeaway Prioritize logical analysis over emotional bias. Themes decision-making emotion reasoning Mood reflective analytical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal finance - relationships - career planning - conflict resolution Key Concepts cognitive bias emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How can you distinguish hope from realistic expectation? - What steps help you engage your mind before acting? A Different Perspective Emotions still influence choices despite rational intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fears/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopes/) [Hopes Fears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopes-fears-335108/) [Minds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minds/) [Most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-think/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Problem People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-people/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rather/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [The problem with](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-problem-with/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-hopes-1855368/) [Wishes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wishes/) [Wishes Minds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wishes-minds-1855369/) ## Related quotes > [The trouble with most people is that they think with their hopes or fears or wishes rather than with their minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/the-trouble-with-most-people-is-that-they-think-with-their-hopes-or/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [That which is the foundation of all our hopes and of all our fears; all our hopes and fears which are of any consideration;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/that-which-is-the-foundation-of-all-our-hopes-and-of-all-our-fears/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) > [I will vote my hopes and not my fears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-kohl/i-will-vote-my-hopes-and-not-my-fears/) [Herb Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-kohl/) > [Live in your hopes and not in your fears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-majors/live-in-your-hopes-and-not-in-your-fears/) [Johnny Majors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-majors/) > [May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/may-your-choices-reflect-your-hopes-not-your-fears/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [You can't just carry everyone else's hopes and fears around in your backpack and expect to stand up straight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-just-carry-everyone-else-s-hopes-and-fears-around-in-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have my share of insecurities, hopes and fears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-jenkins/i-have-my-share-of-insecurities-hopes-and-fears/) [Stephan Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-jenkins/) > [Days and the years will go streaking by But the time has stopped in my dream We all have our everyday hopes and fears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/days-and-the-years-will-go-streaking-by-but-the-time-has-stopped-in/) [Unkown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unkown/) > [Even though your not with me I still think of you and I still keep my hopes up cause one day I know you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-ramkran/even-though-your-not-with-me-i-still-think-of-you-and-i-still-keep-my/) [Christine Ramkran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-ramkran/) > [The problem with people who live in a world of speeches and books and theories is they don't know how to fix things in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-troia-mcfarland/the-problem-with-people-who-live-in-a-world-of-speeches-and-books-and/) [Kathleen Troia McFarland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-troia-mcfarland/) > [It shouldn't be too much of a surprise that the Internet has evolved into a force strong enough to reflect the greatest hopes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-caruso/it-shouldn-t-be-too-much-of-a-surprise-that-the-internet-has-evolved/) [Denise Caruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-caruso/) > [“Uncertainty, in the presence of vivid hopes and fears, is painful, but must be endured if we wish to live without the support of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/uncertainty-in-the-presence-of-vivid-hopes-and-fears-is-painful-but/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“playing upon his hopes and fears to reduce him to complete servility, certain to kill him if he broke away, and certain to kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/playing-upon-his-hopes-and-fears-to-reduce-him-to-complete-servility/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [Uncertainty in the pressure of vivid hopes and fears is painful, but must be endured if we wish to live without the support of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/uncertainty-in-the-pressure-of-vivid-hopes-and-fears-is-painful-but/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Regard not dreams, since they are but the images of our hopes and fears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cato-the-younger/regard-not-dreams-since-they-are-but-the-images-of-our-hopes-and-fears/) [Cato the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cato-the-younger/) ## More by Walter Duranty > [There is no famine or actual starvation nor is there likely to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-duranty/there-is-no-famine-or-actual-starvation-nor-is-there-likely-to-be/) [Walter Duranty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-duranty/) > [There is no actual starvation or deaths from starvation but there is widespread mortality from diseases due to malnutrition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-duranty/there-is-no-actual-starvation-or-deaths-from-starvation-but-there-is/) [Walter Duranty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-duranty/) > [Must all of them and their families be physically abolished? Of course not? They must be 'liquidated' or melted in the hot fire of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-duranty/must-all-of-them-and-their-families-be-physically-abolished-of-course/) [Walter Duranty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-duranty/) [Explore all 4 Walter Duranty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-duranty/) ## More Fear quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. For eighteen months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-ashley/that-horrible-stinging-sensation-returned-the-muscles-behind-my-eyes/) [Devon Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-ashley/) > [“...Often that which most we fear births the resolve that spurs us on to altitudes we could not have achieved, had we continued walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/often-that-which-most-we-fear-births-the-resolve-that-spurs-us-on-to/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [What an incredible drug fear is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/what-an-incredible-drug-fear-is/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) [Nagisa Tatsumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nagisa-tatsumi/) > [“We all know how the thing we secretly fear is not a secret at all but the open and eternal thing that predicts its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/we-all-know-how-the-thing-we-secretly-fear-is-not-a-secret-at-all-but/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [“Snip off the little worries and expressions of worry” like little branches atop a tall tree.28 If you are truly worried, sharing your concerns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sanders/snip-off-the-little-worries-and-expressions-of-worry-like-little/) [Tim Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sanders/) > [“Fear and desire for pleasure. Aggressiveness comes out of fear, predominantly, and sexuality predominantly out of the other. But they mix in the middle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/fear-and-desire-for-pleasure-aggressiveness-comes-out-of-fear/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) [Browse all 35,569 Fear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The problem with most people is that they think with their hopes or fears or wishes rather than their minds.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Walter Duranty" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-duranty/the-problem-with-most-people-is-that-they-think-with-their-hopes-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fear" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-duranty/the-problem-with-most-people-is-that-they-think-with-their-hopes-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/walter-duranty-67737_fear_the-problem-with-most-people-is-that-the_733428.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/walter-duranty-67737_fear_the-problem-with-most-people-is-that-the_733428.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/walter-duranty-67737_fear_the-problem-with-most-people-is-that-the_733428.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The problem with most people is that they think with their hopes or fears or wishes rather than their minds.” — Walter Duranty", "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": "Walter Duranty", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-duranty/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The problem with most people is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-duranty/the-problem-with-most-people-is-that-they-think-with-their-hopes-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-duranty/the-problem-with-most-people-is-that-they-think-with-their-hopes-or/#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 } } ] } ```