--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Take my story as a cautionary tale, a…" description: "\"“Take my story as a cautionary tale, a narrative argument against ready-made solutions. It tells you that applying formulas is not good enough - not, t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/apostolos-doxiadis-38237_good-enough_take-my-story-as-a-cautionary-tale-a-nar_1594408.png" --- # Take my story as a cautionary tale, a narrative argument… ![“Take my story as a cautionary tale, a narrative argument against ready-made solutions. It tells you that applying formulas is not good enough - not, that is, when you're faced with really hard problems!” quote by Apostolos Doxiadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/apostolos-doxiadis-38237_good-enough_take-my-story-as-a-cautionary-tale-a-nar_1594408.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/apostolos-doxiadis-38237_good-enough_take-my-story-as-a-cautionary-tale-a-nar_1594408.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/apostolos-doxiadis-38237_good-enough_take-my-story-as-a-cautionary-tale-a-nar_1594408.png) > ““Take my story as a cautionary tale, a narrative argument against ready-made solutions. It tells you that applying formulas is not good enough - not, that is, when you're faced with really hard problems!”” [Apostolos Doxiadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apostolos-doxiadis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Relying on formulas fails when problems are complex; nuanced solutions require deeper analysis. **In simple terms:** Formulas don’t solve hard problems. Key Takeaway Seek nuanced, context‑specific solutions. Themes problem solving critical thinking complexity Mood cautious inquisitive Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - engineering challenges - policy design - personal crises Key Concepts systems theory heuristics creative reasoning Questions to Reflect On - When have you seen a formula fail? - How can you incorporate flexibility into your approach? A Different Perspective Complex problems resist one‑size‑fits‑all answers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-enough/) [Narrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative/) [Problem solving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-solving/) ## Related quotes > [But the tale or narrative set in the past may have its particular time-free value; and the candid reader will not misunderstand me, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/but-the-tale-or-narrative-set-in-the-past-may-have-its-particular/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [The practice of narrative and argument does not lead to invention, but it compels a certain coherence of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-practice-of-narrative-and-argument-does-not-lead-to-invention-but/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [I do insist on making what I hope is sense so there's always a coherent narrative or argument that the reader can follow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/i-do-insist-on-making-what-i-hope-is-sense-so-there-s-always-a/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) > [I tell you this as a cautionary tale: beware of getting what you want. It's bound to disappoint you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-tell-you-this-as-a-cautionary-tale-beware-of-getting-what-you-want/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Jason Nash's journey to and fall from influencer fame should serve as a cautionary tale to everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-cooper/jason-nash-s-journey-to-and-fall-from-influencer-fame-should-serve-as/) [Brett Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-cooper/) > [“I suspected those people were seeking to make sense of the world by turning her into a cautionary tale, the lesson being, look both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/i-suspected-those-people-were-seeking-to-make-sense-of-the-world-by/) [Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/) > [You can think of my films as cautionary tales, but you might even think of them as despairing tales, because at least in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/you-can-think-of-my-films-as-cautionary-tales-but-you-might-even/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [“But what I sincerely hope is that my life serves as a cautionary tale to the rich and poor alike; to anyone who’s living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-belfort/but-what-i-sincerely-hope-is-that-my-life-serves-as-a-cautionary-tale/) [Jordan Belfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-belfort/) > [Putin's treatment of Chechnya became a cautionary tale of what would happen to rebels and terrorists - and indeed to entire groups of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/putin-s-treatment-of-chechnya-became-a-cautionary-tale-of-what-would/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [It's a difficult undertaking. I've been married for four years and I see this movie as a cautionary tale about people who've gone deeply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/it-s-a-difficult-undertaking-i-ve-been-married-for-four-years-and-i/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [“It was the ultimate cautionary tale, the moral being Don't fall, as if they were made of glass. In a sense they were--their fragility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-o-nan/it-was-the-ultimate-cautionary-tale-the-moral-being-don-t-fall-as-if/) [Stewart O'Nan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-o-nan/) > [“If you wish to view this as a cautionary tale, be my guest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-c-plait/if-you-wish-to-view-this-as-a-cautionary-tale-be-my-guest/) Philip C. Plait > [Have you ever been tempted to start your own business? First read this cautionary tale, especially if you think your ideas come from God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-vischer/have-you-ever-been-tempted-to-start-your-own-business-first-read-this/) [Phil Vischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-vischer/) > [If 'The Lord of the Rings' is a cautionary tale about the desire for power and the use of power, then it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/if-the-lord-of-the-rings-is-a-cautionary-tale-about-the-desire-for/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [Unless we face the future with answers to the real and dangerous challenges facing our country and our world we risk becoming a cautionary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/unless-we-face-the-future-with-answers-to-the-real-and-dangerous/) [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) ## More by Apostolos Doxiadis > [As for mathematicians themselves: don't expect too much help. Most of them are too far removed in their ivory towers to take up such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostolos-doxiadis/as-for-mathematicians-themselves-don-t-expect-too-much-help-most-of/) [Apostolos Doxiadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apostolos-doxiadis/) > [“Money corrupts so, best give it to the already corrupted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostolos-doxiadis/money-corrupts-so-best-give-it-to-the-already-corrupted/) [Apostolos Doxiadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apostolos-doxiadis/) > [Put a man on the brink of the abyss and - in the unlikely event that she doesn't fall into it - he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostolos-doxiadis/put-a-man-on-the-brink-of-the-abyss-and-in-the-unlikely-event-that/) [Apostolos Doxiadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apostolos-doxiadis/) > [We live in a world with huge repositories of logic and even greater such of information-but, alas, so little wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostolos-doxiadis/we-live-in-a-world-with-huge-repositories-of-logic-and-even-greater/) [Apostolos Doxiadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apostolos-doxiadis/) > [It's been said before: 'The sleep of reason produces monsters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostolos-doxiadis/it-s-been-said-before-the-sleep-of-reason-produces-monsters/) [Apostolos Doxiadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apostolos-doxiadis/) > [“The meaning of the world does not reside in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostolos-doxiadis/the-meaning-of-the-world-does-not-reside-in-the-world/) [Apostolos Doxiadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apostolos-doxiadis/) > [“Sometimes, the best argument in favour of the old... is the new!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostolos-doxiadis/sometimes-the-best-argument-in-favour-of-the-old-is-the-new/) [Apostolos Doxiadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apostolos-doxiadis/) > [“Actually, we were at the other extreme from giants: we had become dwarfs! And I mean this quite literally. For, often, the right way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostolos-doxiadis/actually-we-were-at-the-other-extreme-from-giants-we-had-become/) [Apostolos Doxiadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apostolos-doxiadis/) > [“The things that cannot be talked about logically are the only ones which are truly important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostolos-doxiadis/the-things-that-cannot-be-talked-about-logically-are-the-only-ones/) [Apostolos Doxiadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apostolos-doxiadis/) > [“Well, the Dean has asked me to speak on "The Role of Logic in Human Affairs". Of course, if I take the injunction literally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostolos-doxiadis/well-the-dean-has-asked-me-to-speak-on-the-role-of-logic-in-human/) [Apostolos Doxiadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apostolos-doxiadis/) > [“when Logic congeals into all-encompassing and perfect-seeming theories, then it can actually become a very evil con trick. Wittgenstein has a point, you see:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostolos-doxiadis/when-logic-congeals-into-all-encompassing-and-perfect-seeming/) [Apostolos Doxiadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apostolos-doxiadis/) [Explore all 12 Apostolos Doxiadis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apostolos-doxiadis/) ## More Good enough quotes > [“Ain’t got no shit to fuckin worry on, dig. Ladybird good enough to handle any all comes she fuckin way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacia-kane/ain-t-got-no-shit-to-fuckin-worry-on-dig-ladybird-good-enough-to/) [Stacia Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacia-kane/) > [Don't listen to people who say trying your best is good enough, It's not. First is first! Second is last!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-ryan-of-hereford/don-t-listen-to-people-who-say-trying-your-best-is-good-enough-it-s/) Sir Ryan Of Hereford > [With my songs, the question is always, 'Can you pull it off live, alone on just an acoustic guitar?' That's the litmus test. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-colvin/with-my-songs-the-question-is-always-can-you-pull-it-off-live-alone/) [Shawn Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-colvin/) > [Being of Indian heritage is a challenge - and it's a blessing as well sometimes - because being good isn't good enough. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-dhawan/being-of-indian-heritage-is-a-challenge-and-it-s-a-blessing-as-well/) [Sacha Dhawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-dhawan/) > [The creative strength is good enough and deep enough to bring itself to flower and to grow in spite of this sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/the-creative-strength-is-good-enough-and-deep-enough-to-bring-itself/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [~You told me that you have feelings me then next thing you know you ignore me then I see you flirting with other girls……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-eyes/you-told-me-that-you-have-feelings-me-then-next-thing-you-know-you/) Angel\_eyes > [“Something had been confirmed: I was worth giving a shit about; I was getting to be a successful sick person. Sick is when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-hornbacher/something-had-been-confirmed-i-was-worth-giving-a-shit-about-i-was/) [Marya Hornbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-hornbacher/) > [The first thing you put on in the morning is your lingerie, and you have to look at yourself and tell yourself that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rain-dove/the-first-thing-you-put-on-in-the-morning-is-your-lingerie-and-you/) [Rain Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rain-dove/) > [I may never be good enough for everybody. But I'll always be the best for someone who's contented to have me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-may-never-be-good-enough-for-everybody-but-i-ll-always-be-the-best/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The fear of not being good enough, the fear of disappointing other people and the fear of failure can really hurt one's personality and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/the-fear-of-not-being-good-enough-the-fear-of-disappointing-other/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [“Why do people kill themselves? I think they do it when they can no longer find a reason to keep going. When nothing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beth-miller/why-do-people-kill-themselves-i-think-they-do-it-when-they-can-no/) [Mary Beth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beth-miller/) > [I wasn't good enough. I had a little talent but not enough. There is nothing more discouraging than having just a little talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosamunde-pilcher/i-wasn-t-good-enough-i-had-a-little-talent-but-not-enough-there-is/) [Rosamunde Pilcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosamunde-pilcher/) > [You can look at everything from pre-Heisman to post-Heisman, and I think that's why it ranks up at the top, because before then, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sanders/you-can-look-at-everything-from-pre-heisman-to-post-heisman-and-i/) [Barry Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sanders/) > [I was so unsuccessful for so long. I was used to the word no. I was used to you're not good enough or not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamar-braxton/i-was-so-unsuccessful-for-so-long-i-was-used-to-the-word-no-i-was/) [Tamar Braxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamar-braxton/) > [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/) [Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/) [Browse all 2,935 Good enough quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-enough/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Take my story as a cautionary tale, a narrative argument against ready-made solutions. It tells you that applying formulas is not good enough - not, that is, when you're faced with really hard problems!”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Apostolos Doxiadis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostolos-doxiadis/take-my-story-as-a-cautionary-tale-a-narrative-argument-against-ready/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Good enough" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostolos-doxiadis/take-my-story-as-a-cautionary-tale-a-narrative-argument-against-ready/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/apostolos-doxiadis-38237_good-enough_take-my-story-as-a-cautionary-tale-a-nar_1594408.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/apostolos-doxiadis-38237_good-enough_take-my-story-as-a-cautionary-tale-a-nar_1594408.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/apostolos-doxiadis-38237_good-enough_take-my-story-as-a-cautionary-tale-a-nar_1594408.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Take my story as a cautionary tale, a narrative argument against ready-made solutions. It tells you that…” — Apostolos Doxiadis", "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": "Apostolos Doxiadis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apostolos-doxiadis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Take my story as a cautionary...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostolos-doxiadis/take-my-story-as-a-cautionary-tale-a-narrative-argument-against-ready/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostolos-doxiadis/take-my-story-as-a-cautionary-tale-a-narrative-argument-against-ready/#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 } } ] } ```