--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And that works for me. So that if this is…" description: "\"And that works for me. So that if this is it, you better take it at its right proportion. That there are serious things, but most things are temporal a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/450/william-shatner-1304_able_and-that-works-for-me-so-that-if-this-is_1242286.jpg" --- # And that works for me. So that if this is it, you better… ![“And that works for me. So that if this is it, you better take it at its right proportion. That there are serious things, but most things are temporal and ephemeral, and you should cultivate that attitude. That joy and love and all the verities are what counts. So I try not to take too many things…” quote by William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/450/william-shatner-1304_able_and-that-works-for-me-so-that-if-this-is_1242286.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/450/william-shatner-1304_able_and-that-works-for-me-so-that-if-this-is_1242286.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/450/william-shatner-1304_able_and-that-works-for-me-so-that-if-this-is_1242286.jpg) > “And that works for me. So that if this is it, you better take it at its right proportion. That there are serious things, but most things are temporal and ephemeral, and you should cultivate that attitude. That joy and love and all the verities are what counts. So I try not to take too many things seriously, and if I find myself caught up in the seriousness of the moment, within a period of time, I'm able to cajole myself out of it.” [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balance seriousness with lightness, recognizing life's fleeting nature and valuing joy and love over excessive gravity. **In simple terms:** Take life lightly, cherish joy and love. Key Takeaway Cultivate a light‑hearted attitude. Themes balance joy impermanence perspective Mood reflective lighthearted Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - social gatherings - stressful workdays - personal setbacks - creative projects Key Concepts ephemerality mindfulness emotional regulation Questions to Reflect On - How do you shift from seriousness to joy? - When does seriousness serve you? A Different Perspective Too much levity can ignore genuine responsibilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [And love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/and-love/) [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Attitude Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude-joy-3661233/) [Caught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caught/) [Caught up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caught-up/) [Cultivate Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cultivate-attitude-1148019/) [Ephemeral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ephemeral/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Life struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-struggle/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Periods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/periods/) [Proportion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proportion/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [Serious things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious-things/) [Seriousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seriousness/) [Seriousness Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seriousness-moment-3883116/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Things Seriously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-seriously-437468/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [One must speak about serious things seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/one-must-speak-about-serious-things-seriously/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [It is important to recognize the power of our emotions-and to take responsibility for them by creating a light and positive atmosphere around ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarthang-tulku/it-is-important-to-recognize-the-power-of-our-emotions-and-to-take/) [Tarthang Tulku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarthang-tulku/) > [As an actor, you can really play the intensity and gravity and seriousness of the moment, and just rely on the circumstances being funny.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/as-an-actor-you-can-really-play-the-intensity-and-gravity-and/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [Cultivate an attitude of gratitude, of giving and forgiving. Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/cultivate-an-attitude-of-gratitude-of-giving-and-forgiving-nothing/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [To help us bring benefit to others through our words and actions, it is useful to cultivate an attitude of sympathetic joy in others’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/to-help-us-bring-benefit-to-others-through-our-words-and-actions-it/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Cultivate the attitude of gratitude. The attitude of gratitude is when you are grateful for every breath of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh-yogi/cultivate-the-attitude-of-gratitude-the-attitude-of-gratitude-is-when/) [Harbhajan Singh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh-yogi/) > [In order to be successful inculcate the values that will aid to your effort, as well as cultivate an attitude and habit of commitment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/in-order-to-be-successful-inculcate-the-values-that-will-aid-to-your/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [Cultivate an attitude of happiness. Cultivate a spirit of optimism. Walk with faith, rejoicing in the beauties of nature, in the goodness of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/cultivate-an-attitude-of-happiness-cultivate-a-spirit-of-optimism/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [I wanted to be a "serious artist." Serious artists didn't tend to be funny. But that didn't get me a lot of attention. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-bell/i-wanted-to-be-a-serious-artist-serious-artists-didn-t-tend-to-be/) [Gabrielle Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-bell/) > [I take things very seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-cavaco-silva/i-take-things-very-seriously/) [Anibal Cavaco Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-cavaco-silva/) > [I always take things too seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-chieng/i-always-take-things-too-seriously/) [Ronny Chieng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-chieng/) > [I have started not to take things too seriously, loving life is my motto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-steyn/i-have-started-not-to-take-things-too-seriously-loving-life-is-my/) [Dale Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-steyn/) > [I don't take too many things too seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-take-too-many-things-too-seriously/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People take things so seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-ashbrook/people-take-things-so-seriously/) [Dana Ashbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-ashbrook/) > [People sometimes say we take things too seriously, but it's the only way you'll get anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/people-sometimes-say-we-take-things-too-seriously-but-it-s-the-only/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) ## More by William Shatner > [My dad died of a stroke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/my-dad-died-of-a-stroke/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [We were basically one and the same, although Jim Kirk was just about perfect, and, of course, I am perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/we-were-basically-one-and-the-same-although-jim-kirk-was-just-about/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [It's irksome to read about someone I don't recognize. It frightens me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/it-s-irksome-to-read-about-someone-i-don-t-recognize-it-frightens-me/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [You might as well aim high. Why shoot yourself in the foot when you can shoot yourself in the head?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/you-might-as-well-aim-high-why-shoot-yourself-in-the-foot-when-you/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I think the supernatural is a catch-all for everything we don't understand about the vast other parts of life that we cannot perceive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-think-the-supernatural-is-a-catch-all-for-everything-we-don-t/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I always thought that the spine of a character was awe and wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-always-thought-that-the-spine-of-a-character-was-awe-and-wonder/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [We live in grief for having left the womb, for having left the teat, then school, then home. In my case, it was leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/we-live-in-grief-for-having-left-the-womb-for-having-left-the-teat/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I love cameras but I find myself reluctantly taking pictures because what's past is past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-love-cameras-but-i-find-myself-reluctantly-taking-pictures-because/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I have been accused of never saying no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-have-been-accused-of-never-saying-no/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [If you make a fool of yourself, you can do it with dignity, without taking your pants down. And if you do take your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/if-you-make-a-fool-of-yourself-you-can-do-it-with-dignity-without/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I played comedies and dramas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-played-comedies-and-dramas/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I spent years doing 'Star Trek' bits and things, and a lot of people loved it, a lot of people mocked it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-spent-years-doing-star-trek-bits-and-things-and-a-lot-of-people/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I watch movies and sports. I can count on the fingers of my hand the number of times I have watched an hour show.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-watch-movies-and-sports-i-can-count-on-the-fingers-of-my-hand-the/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [Marriage is a reflection of your life in general: how you treat people, how you argue, how secure you are in your own thoughts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/marriage-is-a-reflection-of-your-life-in-general-how-you-treat-people/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [Nature is perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/nature-is-perfect/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) [Explore all 259 William Shatner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) [Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "And that works for me. So that if this is it, you better take it at its right proportion. That there are serious things, but most things are temporal and ephemeral, and you should cultivate that attitude. That joy and love and all the verities are what counts. 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