--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But things move on and by the time you've…" description: "\"But things move on and by the time you've plotted your position the world around you has changed and you are running -panting- to catch up.\" — Ahdaf So..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/617/ahdaf-soueif-21720_changed_but-things-move-on-and-by-the-time-you-v_2358161.png" --- # But things move on and by the time you've plotted your… ![“But things move on and by the time you've plotted your position the world around you has changed and you are running -panting- to catch up.” quote by Ahdaf Soueif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/617/ahdaf-soueif-21720_changed_but-things-move-on-and-by-the-time-you-v_2358161.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/617/ahdaf-soueif-21720_changed_but-things-move-on-and-by-the-time-you-v_2358161.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/617/ahdaf-soueif-21720_changed_but-things-move-on-and-by-the-time-you-v_2358161.png) > “But things move on and by the time you've plotted your position the world around you has changed and you are running -panting- to catch up.” [Ahdaf Soueif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahdaf-soueif/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes how quickly the world changes, making plans obsolete and forcing a frantic effort to keep up. **In simple terms:** World changes outpace plans. Key Takeaway Adapt quickly to change. Themes change uncertainty adaptation Mood anxious determined Type reflective motivational When to use this quote - career - technology - daily life Key Concepts time management societal shifts personal planning Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay adaptable? - What strategies help you anticipate change? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [You have changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you-have-changed/) ## Related quotes > [ They were worried we wouldn't get any radio play at all\[ for "A Deal with God" \]. 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It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-white/before-i-leave-the-earth-i-ll-have-released-a-bunch-of-albums-and-a/) [Jessica White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-white/) > [The most important thing for us to do as beings is to be aware of our position in the world on a micro and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/the-most-important-thing-for-us-to-do-as-beings-is-to-be-aware-of-our/) [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) > [You can not become who you want to be until you have changed who you used to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orrin-woodward/you-can-not-become-who-you-want-to-be-until-you-have-changed-who-you/) [Orrin Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orrin-woodward/) > [You say the gentleman I knew has been replaced. 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Nothing looks the same, because you have changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/when-you-change-your-state-of-mind-your-whole-life-changes-nothing/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [People say to you, 'you've changed', or something like that, well, I hope, for the sake of God, that you have changed, because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-say-to-you-you-ve-changed-or-something-like-that-well-i-hope/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Fiction is more dangerous than nonfiction because it can seduce better. I think we all know this, know that deeper truths can be approached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-abani/fiction-is-more-dangerous-than-nonfiction-because-it-can-seduce/) [Chris Abani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-abani/) > [You're already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/you-re-already-naked-there-is-no-reason-not-to-follow-your-heart/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) ## More by Ahdaf Soueif > [“There have been those among us who have been so dazzled by the might and technological wizardy of Europe that they have been rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahdaf-soueif/there-have-been-those-among-us-who-have-been-so-dazzled-by-the-might/) [Ahdaf Soueif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahdaf-soueif/) > [“It was too cold to dream”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahdaf-soueif/it-was-too-cold-to-dream/) [Ahdaf Soueif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahdaf-soueif/) > [And Egypt ? What is Egypt strenght?her resilience ?her ability to absorb poeple and events into the pores of her being? is that true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahdaf-soueif/and-egypt-what-is-egypt-strenght-her-resilience-her-ability-to-absorb/) [Ahdaf Soueif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahdaf-soueif/) > [“Put football instead of cricket and she could have been me. She could have been Arwa, or Deena or any of the girls I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahdaf-soueif/put-football-instead-of-cricket-and-she-could-have-been-me-she-could/) [Ahdaf Soueif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahdaf-soueif/) > [“ I fancy he is attempting to purge himself of — all manner of things. I beg him to take heart, for our Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahdaf-soueif/i-fancy-he-is-attempting-to-purge-himself-of-all-manner-of-things-i/) [Ahdaf Soueif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahdaf-soueif/) > [Egypt.mother of civilization, dreaming herself through the centuries. 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Choose good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-s-only-a-thought-and-a-thought-can-be-changed-choose-good-ones/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Working with Rihanna has changed my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bibi-bourelly/working-with-rihanna-has-changed-my-life/) [Bibi Bourelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bibi-bourelly/) > [The international game has changed for bidding cities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-ueberroth/the-international-game-has-changed-for-bidding-cities/) [Peter Ueberroth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-ueberroth/) > [You changed my life, don't know what you're doing to me with your love. You got me feeling super human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-changed-my-life-don-t-know-what-you-re-doing-to-me-with-your-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not changing because I'm part of a hit. People around me have changed in their attitude toward me, but I haven't changed. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-penny/i-m-not-changing-because-i-m-part-of-a-hit-people-around-me-have/) [Joe Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-penny/) > [Good people are found not changed. Recently I read a headline that said, 'We don't teach people to be nice. We simply hire nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/good-people-are-found-not-changed-recently-i-read-a-headline-that/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) Browse all 6,529 Changed quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But things move on and by the time you've plotted your position the world around you has changed and you are running -panting- to catch up.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ahdaf Soueif" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahdaf-soueif/but-things-move-on-and-by-the-time-you-ve-plotted-your-position-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Changed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahdaf-soueif/but-things-move-on-and-by-the-time-you-ve-plotted-your-position-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/617/ahdaf-soueif-21720_changed_but-things-move-on-and-by-the-time-you-v_2358161.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/617/ahdaf-soueif-21720_changed_but-things-move-on-and-by-the-time-you-v_2358161.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/617/ahdaf-soueif-21720_changed_but-things-move-on-and-by-the-time-you-v_2358161.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But things move on and by the time you've plotted your position the world around you has changed and you are…” — Ahdaf Soueif", "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": "Ahdaf Soueif", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahdaf-soueif/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "But things move on and by...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahdaf-soueif/but-things-move-on-and-by-the-time-you-ve-plotted-your-position-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahdaf-soueif/but-things-move-on-and-by-the-time-you-ve-plotted-your-position-the/#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 } } ] } ```