--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Good intentions are impotent unless based…" description: "\"Good intentions are impotent unless based on reality.\" — Arthur Jensen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23d/arthur-jensen-54877_good-intentions_good-intentions-are-impotent-unless-base_2391113.jpg" --- # Good intentions are impotent unless based on reality. ![“Good intentions are impotent unless based on reality.” quote by Arthur Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23d/arthur-jensen-54877_good-intentions_good-intentions-are-impotent-unless-base_2391113.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23d/arthur-jensen-54877_good-intentions_good-intentions-are-impotent-unless-base_2391113.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23d/arthur-jensen-54877_good-intentions_good-intentions-are-impotent-unless-base_2391113.jpg) > “Good intentions are impotent unless based on reality.” [Arthur Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-jensen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Good intentions fail without a realistic foundation; practicality grounds aspirations. **In simple terms:** Intentions need reality to work. Key Takeaway Align goals with facts. Themes practicality reality intentions Mood thoughtful analytical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal planning - policy making - project management Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you test your intentions against reality? - What facts are you overlooking? A Different Perspective Idealism alone may ignore constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good intentions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-intentions/) [Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/) [Intentions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intentions/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) ## Related quotes > [Good intentions do not guarantee good results. Somehow Andrew Keates turns works of merit into evenings of entertainment. Don't call him a dramaturge, call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gambaccini/good-intentions-do-not-guarantee-good-results-somehow-andrew-keates/) [Paul Gambaccini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gambaccini/) > [I'm always in awe of and respect humans for their ability to plan, but sometimes, good intentions are lost along the way. And often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pipilotti-rist/i-m-always-in-awe-of-and-respect-humans-for-their-ability-to-plan-but/) [Pipilotti Rist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pipilotti-rist/) > [... good intentions are not sufficient to solve our problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-parker-follett/good-intentions-are-not-sufficient-to-solve-our-problems/) [Mary Parker Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-parker-follett/) > [Good intentions are simply not enough. Our character is defined and our lives are determined not by what we want, say or think, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-josephson/good-intentions-are-simply-not-enough-our-character-is-defined-and/) [Michael Josephson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-josephson/) > [I have always maintained that if you work hard, it wont go waste, as recognition will come to you at some stage, whether in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suresh-raina/i-have-always-maintained-that-if-you-work-hard-it-wont-go-waste-as/) [Suresh Raina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suresh-raina/) > [I see that I've become a really bad correspondent. It's not that I don't think of you. You come into my thoughts often. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/i-see-that-i-ve-become-a-really-bad-correspondent-it-s-not-that-i-don/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [Good intentions aren't good enough!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush-2/good-intentions-aren-t-good-enough/) [George W Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush-2/) > [As sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, we are capable of so much more. For that, good intentions are not enough. We must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/as-sons-and-daughters-of-our-heavenly-father-we-are-capable-of-so/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [Dashed hopes and good intentions. Good, better, best, bested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/dashed-hopes-and-good-intentions-good-better-best-bested/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [“It’s not the things you do with love and good intentions that you end up regretting. It’s the things you don’t do that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-sheridan/it-s-not-the-things-you-do-with-love-and-good-intentions-that-you-end/) [Mia Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-sheridan/) > [“While trying is filled with good intentions, doing is the result of intentional living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/while-trying-is-filled-with-good-intentions-doing-is-the-result-of/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Never tell 'friends' every detail about yourself not all of them have good intentions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wheresawallyyy/never-tell-friends-every-detail-about-yourself-not-all-of-them-have/) Wheresawallyyy > [“If God had good intentions, he would have rewarded the sex.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-god-had-good-intentions-he-would-have-rewarded-the-sex/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [It's amazing how much damage can be done when one has only good intentions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-amazing-how-much-damage-can-be-done-when-one-has-only-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our good intentions have gotten in our own way and it's bad for immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/our-good-intentions-have-gotten-in-our-own-way-and-it-s-bad-for/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) ## More by Arthur Jensen > [There is no America. There is no democracy. There is only IBM, and ITT, and AT&T, and DuPont, Dow, Union Carbide, and Exxon. Those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-jensen/there-is-no-america-there-is-no-democracy-there-is-only-ibm-and-itt/) [Arthur Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-jensen/) > [Compensatory education has been tried and it apparently has failed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-jensen/compensatory-education-has-been-tried-and-it-apparently-has-failed/) [Arthur Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-jensen/) > [The problem of individual differences and group differences would not be made to disappear by abolishing tests. One cannot treat a fever by throwing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-jensen/the-problem-of-individual-differences-and-group-differences-would-not/) [Arthur Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-jensen/) > [YOU have meddled with the primal forces of nature and YOU! WILL! ATONE!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-jensen/you-have-meddled-with-the-primal-forces-of-nature-and-you-will-atone/) [Arthur Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-jensen/) > [ The orthodox environmental theories \[of heredity\] have been accepted not because they have stood up under proper scientific investigations, but because they harmonize so… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-jensen/the-orthodox-environmental-theories-of-heredity-have-been-accepted/) [Arthur Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-jensen/) [Explore all 6 Arthur Jensen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-jensen/) ## More Good intentions quotes > [“When it comes to smarts, adolescents like Jesse have plenty. What they lack, however, are some of the brain-based skills that we all need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-guare/when-it-comes-to-smarts-adolescents-like-jesse-have-plenty-what-they/) [Richard Guare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-guare/) > [After she got hurt by someone that she cared about, she's so scared to get attached again. Do you know what kind of effect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/callhershorty/after-she-got-hurt-by-someone-that-she-cared-about-she-s-so-scared-to/) CallHerShorty > [It has been more wittily than charitably said that hell is paved with good intentions; they have their place in heaven also.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-southey/it-has-been-more-wittily-than-charitably-said-that-hell-is-paved-with/) [Robert Southey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-southey/) > [No one is born with good character; it's not a hereditary trait. And it isn't determined by a single noble act. Character is established…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-josephson/no-one-is-born-with-good-character-it-s-not-a-hereditary-trait-and-it/) [Michael Josephson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-josephson/) > [“The idea is that your clients are looking for good suggestions, and they don’t mind sifting through some not-so-good ones as long as they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-idea-is-that-your-clients-are-looking-for-good-suggestions-and/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [I have no control over my writing. I have lots of good intentions, but no control. There's a story that wants to be told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/i-have-no-control-over-my-writing-i-have-lots-of-good-intentions-but/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Justice for some people is an evil for others. Good intentions, kindness, and hope will not necessarily make people happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gen-urobuchi/justice-for-some-people-is-an-evil-for-others-good-intentions/) [Gen Urobuchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gen-urobuchi/) > [“There is an important difference between openness and naïveté. Not everyone has good intentions nor means me well. I remind myself I do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/there-is-an-important-difference-between-openness-and-na-vet-not/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [“I reach out in love, my hands are guns, my good intentions are completely lethal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-reach-out-in-love-my-hands-are-guns-my-good-intentions-are/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Start your day with good intentions and set yourself up for a good attitude. It's not what happens to you that matters but how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/start-your-day-with-good-intentions-and-set-yourself-up-for-a-good/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [“It wasn't good, he wasn't good, he did not have good intentions. I stood there, and he stood there. He breathed out the bitter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-july/it-wasn-t-good-he-wasn-t-good-he-did-not-have-good-intentions-i-stood/) [Miranda July](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-july/) > [“Map-making had never been a precise art on the Discworld. People tended to start off with good intentions and then get so carried away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/map-making-had-never-been-a-precise-art-on-the-discworld-people/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Nowhere is wisdom more necessary than in the guidance of charitable impulses. Meaning well is only half our duty; Thinking right is the other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-gridley-howe/nowhere-is-wisdom-more-necessary-than-in-the-guidance-of-charitable/) Samuel Gridley Howe > [“Envy shrugged. 'Can no value be found in good intentions?' 'What, precisely, are you trying to justify? And to me, or yourself?' She glared,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/envy-shrugged-can-no-value-be-found-in-good-intentions-what-precisely/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [Neither smiles nor frowns, neither good intentions nor harsh words, are a substitute for strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/neither-smiles-nor-frowns-neither-good-intentions-nor-harsh-words-are/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) [Browse all 568 Good intentions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-intentions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Good intentions are impotent unless based on reality.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Arthur Jensen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-jensen/good-intentions-are-impotent-unless-based-on-reality/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Good intentions" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-jensen/good-intentions-are-impotent-unless-based-on-reality/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23d/arthur-jensen-54877_good-intentions_good-intentions-are-impotent-unless-base_2391113.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23d/arthur-jensen-54877_good-intentions_good-intentions-are-impotent-unless-base_2391113.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23d/arthur-jensen-54877_good-intentions_good-intentions-are-impotent-unless-base_2391113.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Good intentions are impotent unless based on reality.” — Arthur Jensen", "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": "Arthur Jensen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-jensen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Good intentions are impotent unless based...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-jensen/good-intentions-are-impotent-unless-based-on-reality/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-jensen/good-intentions-are-impotent-unless-based-on-reality/#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 } } ] } ```