---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Be careful what you wish for because you…"
description: "\"Be careful what you wish for because you will get it. Be even more careful what you work for because you will get it even more quickly.\" — Colin Cunnin..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/colin-cunningham-52434_be-careful_be-careful-what-you-wish-for-because-you_387172.jpg"
---

#  Be careful what you wish for because you will get it. Be…

![“Be careful what you wish for because you will get it. Be even more careful what you work for because you will get it even more quickly.” quote by Colin Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/colin-cunningham-52434_be-careful_be-careful-what-you-wish-for-because-you_387172.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/colin-cunningham-52434_be-careful_be-careful-what-you-wish-for-because-you_387172.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/colin-cunningham-52434_be-careful_be-careful-what-you-wish-for-because-you_387172.jpg)

> “Be careful what you wish for because you will get it. Be even more careful what you work for because you will get it even more quickly.”

[Colin Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-cunningham/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Wishes and efforts both bring outcomes, but the speed and intensity of results can be surprising and demanding.

**In simple terms:** Be careful with desires and work, as results may come faster than expected.

Key Takeaway

Align wishes with realistic expectations.

Themes

desire effort consequences expectation

Mood

cautious pragmatic

Type

advice warning

When to use this quote

- career planning
- personal goal setting
- project management
- financial investing

Key Concepts

goal setting motivation risk assessment

Questions to Reflect On

- Are you prepared for rapid outcomes?
- What safeguards can you set?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on speed can lead to burnout or unintended results.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/)

## Related quotes

> [“Be careful for what you wish for, but when you wish be careful how you phrase it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-h/be-careful-for-what-you-wish-for-but-when-you-wish-be-careful-how-you/)

Hunter H

> [Be careful what you wish for. There's always a catch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/be-careful-what-you-wish-for-there-s-always-a-catch/)

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> [Be careful what you wish for. I know that for a fact. Wishes are brutal, unforgiving things. They burn your tongue the moment they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/be-careful-what-you-wish-for-i-know-that-for-a-fact-wishes-are-brutal/)

[Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/)

> [Be careful what you wish for. You never know who will be listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/be-careful-what-you-wish-for-you-never-know-who-will-be-listening/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [You know, one thing I've learned in my time on this earth Be careful what you wish for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah/you-know-one-thing-i-ve-learned-in-my-time-on-this-earth-be-careful/)

[Elijah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah/)

> [Be careful what you wish for, you may receive it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-careful-what-you-wish-for-you-may-receive-it/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [People always say 'careful what you wish for.' People never say 'careful what you work for.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-always-say-careful-what-you-wish-for-people-never-say-careful/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Don't think your dreams don't come true, because they do. You'd better be careful what you wish for. And I truly and honestly -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-billingsley/don-t-think-your-dreams-don-t-come-true-because-they-do-you-d-better/)

[Barbara Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-billingsley/)

> [All great sci-fi is: Be careful what you wish for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/all-great-sci-fi-is-be-careful-what-you-wish-for/)

[Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/)

> [I really would like to be involved in things and to understand things, and in some ways you've got to be careful what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yo-yo-ma/i-really-would-like-to-be-involved-in-things-and-to-understand-things/)

[Yo-Yo Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yo-yo-ma/)

> [Be careful what you wish for, I guess. I believe - this will sound bloated, but I believe it - that true art, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/porochista-khakpour/be-careful-what-you-wish-for-i-guess-i-believe-this-will-sound/)

[Porochista Khakpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/porochista-khakpour/)

> [Be careful what you wish for,her mind thundered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/be-careful-what-you-wish-for-her-mind-thundered/)

[Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/)

> [It's like aversion therapy. You keep doing scenes over and over again with three women in the bed with you, and we had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-coogan/it-s-like-aversion-therapy-you-keep-doing-scenes-over-and-over-again/)

[Steve Coogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-coogan/)

> [The dead do walk and haunt and crawl into your bed at night. Ghosts sneak into your head when you're not looking. Stars line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/the-dead-do-walk-and-haunt-and-crawl-into-your-bed-at-night-ghosts/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

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[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

## More by Colin Cunningham

> [If you have to, take a break, go to your corner, get some sleep, but don't ever give up. You will get there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-cunningham/if-you-have-to-take-a-break-go-to-your-corner-get-some-sleep-but-don/)

[Colin Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-cunningham/)

> [I look forward to every script that comes down the pike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-cunningham/i-look-forward-to-every-script-that-comes-down-the-pike/)

[Colin Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-cunningham/)

> [Making films is hard. Awesome, but hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-cunningham/making-films-is-hard-awesome-but-hard/)

[Colin Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-cunningham/)

> [The most valuable thing that anyone will ever give you is their time. Not their money. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-cunningham/the-most-valuable-thing-that-anyone-will-ever-give-you-is-their-time/)

[Colin Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-cunningham/)

> [I'm blessed and proud and privileged to have played two wonderful characters on television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-cunningham/i-m-blessed-and-proud-and-privileged-to-have-played-two-wonderful/)

[Colin Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-cunningham/)

> [I just want to see a good movie. Fortunately, good movies come in all sorts of genres.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-cunningham/i-just-want-to-see-a-good-movie-fortunately-good-movies-come-in-all/)

[Colin Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-cunningham/)

[Explore all 7 Colin Cunningham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-cunningham/)

## More Be careful quotes

> [Be careful. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to the worst Spanish student in the history of the language.” I laughed. “No problemo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/be-careful-i-wouldn-t-want-anything-to-happen-to-the-worst-spanish/)

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[L. Lionel Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-lionel-kendrick/)

> [Well sometimes, culture can stifle talent, so you have to be careful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monty-williams/well-sometimes-culture-can-stifle-talent-so-you-have-to-be-careful/)

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[Franklin Raines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-raines/)

> [Be careful who you might trust the Devil was once an angel too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-careful-who-you-might-trust-the-devil-was-once-an-angel-too/)

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[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

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[Ciel Phantomhive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciel-phantomhive/)

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[Christian Siriano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-siriano/)

Browse all 989 Be careful quotes

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