--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have been careless, and so have been…" description: "\"I have been careless, and so have been thwarted by luck and chance, those wreckers of all but the best laid plans.\" — Anonymous" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/anonymous-1_best-laid-plans_i-have-been-careless-and-so-have-been-th_1802122.jpg" --- # I have been careless, and so have been thwarted by luck… ![“I have been careless, and so have been thwarted by luck and chance, those wreckers of all but the best laid plans.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/anonymous-1_best-laid-plans_i-have-been-careless-and-so-have-been-th_1802122.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/anonymous-1_best-laid-plans_i-have-been-careless-and-so-have-been-th_1802122.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/anonymous-1_best-laid-plans_i-have-been-careless-and-so-have-been-th_1802122.jpg) > “I have been careless, and so have been thwarted by luck and chance, those wreckers of all but the best laid plans.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Luck and chance can disrupt even the best‑planned endeavors, leading to unintended setbacks. **In simple terms:** Chance can ruin well‑made plans. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and adapt. Themes uncertainty chance planning Mood thoughtful cautious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - project management - personal goals - risk assessment Key Concepts probability resilience contingency Questions to Reflect On - How do you build flexibility into plans? - What role does luck play in your successes? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on planning ignores randomness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best laid plans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-laid-plans/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Laid Plans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laid-plans/) [Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luck/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Thwarted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thwarted/) ## Related quotes > [The devil fools with the best laid plans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-young/the-devil-fools-with-the-best-laid-plans/) [Neil Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-young/) > [I try not to make plans. Because, even the best laid plans etc. etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-spiner/i-try-not-to-make-plans-because-even-the-best-laid-plans-etc-etc/) [Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-spiner/) > [“Back when I was five, I thought my mom was being mean to me, so I decided to run away. Carried my slingshot with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/back-when-i-was-five-i-thought-my-mom-was-being-mean-to-me-so-i/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [Yeah, but going by that cold tone of voice, she had to wonder whether the best-laid plans of mice and vampires, blah, blah, blah...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/yeah-but-going-by-that-cold-tone-of-voice-she-had-to-wonder-whether/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [Chaos is roving through the system and able to undo, at any point, the best laid plans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/chaos-is-roving-through-the-system-and-able-to-undo-at-any-point-the/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Gather up your telegrams Your faded pictures, best laid plans Books and postcards, 45's Every sunset in the sky Carry with you maps and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-chapin-carpenter/gather-up-your-telegrams-your-faded-pictures-best-laid-plans-books/) [Mary Chapin Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-chapin-carpenter/) > [The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/the-best-laid-plans-of-mice-and-men-often-go-awry/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [The best laid plans take 40 years to complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/the-best-laid-plans-take-40-years-to-complete/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [“The best=laid plans, one's most fastidious contingency strategies have revealed themselves in the cold light of day to be laughably inadequate, no match for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/the-best-laid-plans-one-s-most-fastidious-contingency-strategies-have/) [David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/) > [“We all have the best laid plans for our children, and they go and ruin it all by growing up any way they want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-riggle/we-all-have-the-best-laid-plans-for-our-children-and-they-go-and-ruin/) Kristina Riggle > [“They say the best laid plans often go a lie, Because no matter how detailed the preparation, A plan will always have a weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thorne/they-say-the-best-laid-plans-often-go-a-lie-because-no-matter-how/) [Emily Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thorne/) > [“Is it dangerous to plan too much? Yes, we all need to plan, to have a plan, but life goes on regardless of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-w-p-garland/is-it-dangerous-to-plan-too-much-yes-we-all-need-to-plan-to-have-a/) [Leslie W.P. Garland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-w-p-garland/) > [“These what-if equations have kept her life static since adolescence. And if life proves one thing, it’s that the best laid plans don’t necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-alexander/these-what-if-equations-have-kept-her-life-static-since-adolescence/) [Nick Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-alexander/) > [Carry with you maps and string, flashlights, friends who make you sing, and stars to help you find your place, music, hope, and amazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-chapin-carpenter/carry-with-you-maps-and-string-flashlights-friends-who-make-you-sing/) [Mary Chapin Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-chapin-carpenter/) > [I was planning on writing a detailed review of several books on web security tonight, but the Obama collapse has superseded my best-laid plans.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-foster-johnson/i-was-planning-on-writing-a-detailed-review-of-several-books-on-web/) [Charles Foster Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-foster-johnson/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Best laid plans quotes > [I was planning on writing a detailed review of several books on web security tonight, but the Obama collapse has superseded my best-laid plans.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-foster-johnson/i-was-planning-on-writing-a-detailed-review-of-several-books-on-web/) [Charles Foster Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-foster-johnson/) > [“These what-if equations have kept her life static since adolescence. And if life proves one thing, it’s that the best laid plans don’t necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-alexander/these-what-if-equations-have-kept-her-life-static-since-adolescence/) [Nick Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-alexander/) > [“Is it dangerous to plan too much? Yes, we all need to plan, to have a plan, but life goes on regardless of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-w-p-garland/is-it-dangerous-to-plan-too-much-yes-we-all-need-to-plan-to-have-a/) [Leslie W.P. Garland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-w-p-garland/) > [Carry with you maps and string, flashlights, friends who make you sing, and stars to help you find your place, music, hope, and amazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-chapin-carpenter/carry-with-you-maps-and-string-flashlights-friends-who-make-you-sing/) [Mary Chapin Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-chapin-carpenter/) > [“They say the best laid plans often go a lie, Because no matter how detailed the preparation, A plan will always have a weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thorne/they-say-the-best-laid-plans-often-go-a-lie-because-no-matter-how/) [Emily Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thorne/) > [“We all have the best laid plans for our children, and they go and ruin it all by growing up any way they want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-riggle/we-all-have-the-best-laid-plans-for-our-children-and-they-go-and-ruin/) Kristina Riggle > [“The best=laid plans, one's most fastidious contingency strategies have revealed themselves in the cold light of day to be laughably inadequate, no match for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/the-best-laid-plans-one-s-most-fastidious-contingency-strategies-have/) [David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/) > [The best laid plans take 40 years to complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/the-best-laid-plans-take-40-years-to-complete/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/the-best-laid-plans-of-mice-and-men-often-go-awry/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [The best-laid plans of mice and comedians usually wind up on the cutting-room floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/the-best-laid-plans-of-mice-and-comedians-usually-wind-up-on-the/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Gather up your telegrams Your faded pictures, best laid plans Books and postcards, 45's Every sunset in the sky Carry with you maps and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-chapin-carpenter/gather-up-your-telegrams-your-faded-pictures-best-laid-plans-books/) [Mary Chapin Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-chapin-carpenter/) > [Not to be born is undoubtedly the best plan of all. Unfortunately, it is within no one's reach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/not-to-be-born-is-undoubtedly-the-best-plan-of-all-unfortunately-it/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) > [“You can take care of everything except chance. Chance can kill you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-williams/you-can-take-care-of-everything-except-chance-chance-can-kill-you/) [Charles Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-williams/) > [Chaos is roving through the system and able to undo, at any point, the best laid plans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/chaos-is-roving-through-the-system-and-able-to-undo-at-any-point-the/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Riches do not come by crossing your fingers and walking through the day hoping. Riches and wealth comes from well-laid plans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/riches-do-not-come-by-crossing-your-fingers-and-walking-through-the/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) [Browse all 23 Best laid plans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-laid-plans/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have been careless, and so have been thwarted by luck and chance, those wreckers of all but the best laid plans.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-been-careless-and-so-have-been-thwarted-by-luck-and-chance/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best laid plans" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-been-careless-and-so-have-been-thwarted-by-luck-and-chance/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/anonymous-1_best-laid-plans_i-have-been-careless-and-so-have-been-th_1802122.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/anonymous-1_best-laid-plans_i-have-been-careless-and-so-have-been-th_1802122.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/anonymous-1_best-laid-plans_i-have-been-careless-and-so-have-been-th_1802122.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have been careless, and so have been thwarted by luck and chance, those wreckers of all but the best laid…” — Anonymous", "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": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have been careless, and so...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-been-careless-and-so-have-been-thwarted-by-luck-and-chance/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-been-careless-and-so-have-been-thwarted-by-luck-and-chance/#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 } } ] } ```