--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even the best thief in the world can't…" description: "\"Even the best thief in the world can't steal time.\" — Ally Carter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/ally-carter-530_stealing_even-the-best-thief-in-the-world-can-t-s_521291.png" --- # Even the best thief in the world can't steal time. ![“Even the best thief in the world can't steal time.” quote by Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/ally-carter-530_stealing_even-the-best-thief-in-the-world-can-t-s_521291.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/ally-carter-530_stealing_even-the-best-thief-in-the-world-can-t-s_521291.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/ally-carter-530_stealing_even-the-best-thief-in-the-world-can-t-s_521291.png) > “Even the best thief in the world can't steal time.” [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Time is a resource that cannot be stolen; it is only lost through misuse or neglect. **In simple terms:** You cannot steal time from others. Key Takeaway Value and protect your own time. Themes time management priorities efficiency Mood urgent reflective Type advice self‑help When to use this quote - work deadlines - personal goals - family time Key Concepts resource scarcity life balance productivity Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure you use time wisely? - What activities truly consume your time? A Different Perspective Time can be wasted despite best intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best Thief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-thief-4398434/) [Steal Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steal-time-1050698/) [Stealing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stealing/) [Thief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thief/) [Thief World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thief-world-3267522/) [Thieves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thieves/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Steal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-steal-410753/) ## Related quotes > [The greatest thief this world has ever produced is procrastination, and he is still at large.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/the-greatest-thief-this-world-has-ever-produced-is-procrastination/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Only two kinds of people exit in this world, those who steal and those who are stolen from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciel-phantomhive/only-two-kinds-of-people-exit-in-this-world-those-who-steal-and-those/) [Ciel Phantomhive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciel-phantomhive/) > [“No matter when or where, he was the only person in the world who could steal his gaze like that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satoru-kannagi/no-matter-when-or-where-he-was-the-only-person-in-the-world-who-could/) [Satoru Kannagi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satoru-kannagi/) > [Time, the greatest thief of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/time-the-greatest-thief-of-all/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [Pain has no effect but to steal some of my time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fuller/pain-has-no-effect-but-to-steal-some-of-my-time/) [Margaret Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-fuller/) > [“People who steal your time are much more dangerous than people who steal your money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alin-sav/people-who-steal-your-time-are-much-more-dangerous-than-people-who/) [Alin Sav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alin-sav/) > [To be successful in WWE, you have to love what you do. You have to want to steal the show every time you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/to-be-successful-in-wwe-you-have-to-love-what-you-do-you-have-to-want/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [I have found that if I spend the first hour of my day at home, I get more done, and less people steal my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/i-have-found-that-if-i-spend-the-first-hour-of-my-day-at-home-i-get/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [“Readers steal time to read.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donalyn-miller/readers-steal-time-to-read/) [Donalyn Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donalyn-miller/) > [“Books don't steal time—they make it disappear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/books-don-t-steal-time-they-make-it-disappear/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nature does not steal time, it amplifies it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-louv/nature-does-not-steal-time-it-amplifies-it/) [Richard Louv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-louv/) > [“Society has got a lot of activities and attractions to steal your time and to make you think less about your diminishing life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/society-has-got-a-lot-of-activities-and-attractions-to-steal-your/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“I want to steal time with you when life gets busy, and I want to languish in the overabundance of it when life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-finn/i-want-to-steal-time-with-you-when-life-gets-busy-and-i-want-to/) [Elizabeth Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-finn/) > [Take only pictures, steal only time, leave only footprints.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nateman/take-only-pictures-steal-only-time-leave-only-footprints/) [Nateman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nateman/) > [I certainly believe that creativity must be an experience. If I'm to steal time away from people, we should give them something to react…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-certainly-believe-that-creativity-must-be-an-experience-if-i-m-to/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) ## More by Ally Carter > [Can I see you outside for a second?" Kat glared at Hale, then walked to the patio doors and out onto the veranda. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/can-i-see-you-outside-for-a-second-kat-glared-at-hale-then-walked-to/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [You switched the days," I said, dismayed. "You blew the tire. You..." I trailed off, probably because the next words out of my mouth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/you-switched-the-days-i-said-dismayed-you-blew-the-tire-you-i-trailed/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [That's good; don't deny it. Denying the undeniable just makes you sound like a fool as well as a liar. In this profession, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/that-s-good-don-t-deny-it-denying-the-undeniable-just-makes-you-sound/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [Sleep every chance you get. Eat every chance you get. Those were two of the many lessons that Kat learned at her father’s knee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/sleep-every-chance-you-get-eat-every-chance-you-get-those-were-two-of/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [How are we doing, Simon?" she whispered into the small microphone in her collar. "Just about..." Simon started slowly. And then he stopped. "Wow."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/how-are-we-doing-simon-she-whispered-into-the-small-microphone-in-her/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [“What was so important that I had to risk my friends' safety to sneak out here?" I demanded. "Huh? What was so -" "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/what-was-so-important-that-i-had-to-risk-my-friends-safety-to-sneak/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [Yes?' Joe Solomon sounded like someone with far better things to do. 'Is there any homework?' she asked, and the class turned instantly from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/yes-joe-solomon-sounded-like-someone-with-far-better-things-to-do-is/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [real strength is not hitting when what you most want to do is kill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/real-strength-is-not-hitting-when-what-you-most-want-to-do-is-kill/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [When Zach said, "Im going to kill Dr. Steve." It wasn't the angered threat of a worried boy; it was the calm, cool statement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/when-zach-said-im-going-to-kill-dr-steve-it-wasn-t-the-angered-threat/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [“Kat turned back to Hale. "The Mary Poppins?" "Seemed like a good idea at the time." "Oh. Yeah. Obviously. Just so we're clear, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/kat-turned-back-to-hale-the-mary-poppins-seemed-like-a-good-idea-at/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [If you don't want to be a victim, don't act like one." It was fairly safe to assume that that was the first time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/if-you-don-t-want-to-be-a-victim-don-t-act-like-one-it-was-fairly/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [I love your bracelet!’ I said to the brunette next to me, because, while most girls are onto the whole stranger-with-candy thing, the strangers-with-compliments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/i-love-your-bracelet-i-said-to-the-brunette-next-to-me-because-while/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [“I’m not crazy,” I whispered. “I know.” Believe it or not, that’s the most romantic thing Zachary Goode ever told me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/i-m-not-crazy-i-whispered-i-know-believe-it-or-not-that-s-the-most/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [MY 5 FAVORITE BOOKS!!! LOVE ALLY CARTER SPY BOOKS. THEY. ARE. THE. BEST. BOOKS... EVER!!!!!!!! u must read if u like spy, thriller and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/my-5-favorite-books-love-ally-carter-spy-books-they-are-the-best/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [I wrapped my arms around my knees and stared through the window's wavy glass. The red velvet curtains were drawn around the tiny alcove,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/i-wrapped-my-arms-around-my-knees-and-stared-through-the-window-s/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) [Explore all 470 Ally Carter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) ## More Stealing quotes > [And in your new lives you'll have to live entirely for that one sensation-that of imminent truth. And you're going to have to holler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-in-your-new-lives-you-ll-have-to-live-entirely-for-that-one/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [When I became Miss World, I couldn't believe I had won it. I used to sleep with my crown because I was scared someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyanka-chopra/when-i-became-miss-world-i-couldn-t-believe-i-had-won-it-i-used-to/) [Priyanka Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyanka-chopra/) > [The poor and ignorant will continue to lie and steal as long as the rich and educated show them how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-poor-and-ignorant-will-continue-to-lie-and-steal-as-long-as-the/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [In the olden days in England, you could be hung for stealing a sheep or a loaf of bread. However, if a sheep stole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-harding/in-the-olden-days-in-england-you-could-be-hung-for-stealing-a-sheep/) [Mike Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-harding/) > [All money represents theft… To steal from the rich is a sacred and religious act. While looting, a man to his own self is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rubin/all-money-represents-theft-to-steal-from-the-rich-is-a-sacred-and/) [Jerry Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rubin/) > [If some beggar steals a bridle he'll be hung by a man who's stolen a horse. There's no surer justice in the world than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peire-cardenal/if-some-beggar-steals-a-bridle-he-ll-be-hung-by-a-man-who-s-stolen-a/) [Peire Cardenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peire-cardenal/) > [No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing an office and stealing a purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/no-people-is-wholly-civilized-where-a-distinction-is-drawn-between/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [“Well, make up your mind. I don’t have all night.” Fidelia set her beer on the porch and removed a set of keys from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerrelyn-sparks/well-make-up-your-mind-i-don-t-have-all-night-fidelia-set-her-beer-on/) [Kerrelyn Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerrelyn-sparks/) > [Man preys on man; and you mourn for the idle tapestry that decorated a gothic pillar, and the dronish bell that summoned the fat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/man-preys-on-man-and-you-mourn-for-the-idle-tapestry-that-decorated-a/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [Every now and then we could steal somebody else's stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/every-now-and-then-we-could-steal-somebody-else-s-stuff/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [a TEN-YEAR-OLD lad in Indianapolis who was arrested for picking up coal along the side of railroad tracks is now in jail. If the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-jones/a-ten-year-old-lad-in-indianapolis-who-was-arrested-for-picking-up/) [Mother Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-jones/) > [Procrastination is the thief of time: Year after year it steals, till all are fled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-young/procrastination-is-the-thief-of-time-year-after-year-it-steals-till/) [Edward Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-young/) > [Know your literary tradition, savor it, steal from it, but when you sit down to write, forget about worshiping greatness and fetishizing masterpieces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/know-your-literary-tradition-savor-it-steal-from-it-but-when-you-sit/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [To feel that your hours are filled to overflowing, that you can barely steal minutes enough for sleep, that the welfare of many is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/to-feel-that-your-hours-are-filled-to-overflowing-that-you-can-barely/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [Watch yourself with all diligence, lest the enemy steals near and robs you, depriving you of this great treasure, which is inner peace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorenzo-scupoli/watch-yourself-with-all-diligence-lest-the-enemy-steals-near-and-robs/) [Lorenzo Scupoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorenzo-scupoli/) [Browse all 1,906 Stealing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stealing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Even the best thief in the world can't steal time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ally Carter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/even-the-best-thief-in-the-world-can-t-steal-time/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Stealing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/even-the-best-thief-in-the-world-can-t-steal-time/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/ally-carter-530_stealing_even-the-best-thief-in-the-world-can-t-s_521291.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/ally-carter-530_stealing_even-the-best-thief-in-the-world-can-t-s_521291.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/ally-carter-530_stealing_even-the-best-thief-in-the-world-can-t-s_521291.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Even the best thief in the world can't steal time.” — Ally Carter", "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": "Ally Carter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Even the best thief in the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/even-the-best-thief-in-the-world-can-t-steal-time/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/even-the-best-thief-in-the-world-can-t-steal-time/#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 } } ] } ```