You know the old adage: Plant an expectation, reap a disappointment.
Elizabeth GilbertRead
You make some big grandoise decision about what you need to do, or who you need to be, and then circumstances arise that immediately reveal to you how little you understood about yourself.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Self-understanding is often challenged by life’s circumstances.
This quote by Elizabeth Gilbert reflects the idea that we may have grand plans and ideals about who we want to be or what we want to achieve, but life can present unexpected challenges that expose our true nature and limitations. It serves as a reminder that our self-perception is often flawed, and we must continually learn and adapt as we face reality.
Themes
Self-AwarenessCircumstancesUnderstandingDecisionChange
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech to encourage self-reflection.
More from Elizabeth Gilbert
All quotes →Do not apologize for crying. Without this emotion, we are only robots.
Elizabeth GilbertRead
I had always been taught that the pursuit of happiness was my natural (even national) birthright. It is the emotional trademark of my culture to seek happiness. Not just any kind of happiness, either, but profound happiness, even soaring happiness. And what could possibly bring a person more soaring happiness than romantic love.
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When I tried this morning, after an hour or so of unhappy thinking, to dip back into my meditation, I took a new idea with me: compassion. I asked my heart if it could please infuse my soul with a more generous perspective on my mind's workings. Instead of thinking that I was a failure, could I perhaps accept that I am only a human being--and a normal one, at that?
Elizabeth GilbertRead
And when you sense a faint potentiality for happiness after such dark times you must grab onto the ankles of that happiness and not let go until it drags you face-first out of the dirt - this is not selfishness, but obligation. You were given life; it is your duty to find something beautiful within life no matter how slight.
Elizabeth GilbertRead
But never again use another person's body or emotions as a scratching post for your own unfulfilling yearnings.
Elizabeth GilbertRead
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