--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you don't have a set of principles…" description: "\"If you don't have a set of principles that you can explain for what you are doing, then how can anybody know what you're going to do next?\" — David Wessel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/david-wessel-28482_explain_if-you-don-t-have-a-set-of-principles-th_404401.jpg" --- # If you don't have a set of principles that you can explain… ![“If you don't have a set of principles that you can explain for what you are doing, then how can anybody know what you're going to do next?” quote by David Wessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/david-wessel-28482_explain_if-you-don-t-have-a-set-of-principles-th_404401.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/david-wessel-28482_explain_if-you-don-t-have-a-set-of-principles-th_404401.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/david-wessel-28482_explain_if-you-don-t-have-a-set-of-principles-th_404401.jpg) > “If you don't have a set of principles that you can explain for what you are doing, then how can anybody know what you're going to do next?” [David Wessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wessel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Principles guide actions; without them, behavior is unpredictable. **In simple terms:** Clear values make future actions understandable. Key Takeaway Define and communicate personal principles. Themes ethics clarity predictability leadership decision-making Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - business strategy - personal branding - team leadership Key Concepts integrity principles communication Questions to Reflect On - What core principles drive your decisions? - How do you handle principle conflicts? A Different Perspective Principles can be vague or conflict with reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) ## Related quotes > [If you can't explain what you're doing in simple English, you are probably doing something wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-kahn/if-you-can-t-explain-what-you-re-doing-in-simple-english-you-are/) [Alfred Kahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-kahn/) > [If you can't explain what you are doing to a nine-year-old, then either you still don't understand it very well, or it's not all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/if-you-can-t-explain-what-you-are-doing-to-a-nine-year-old-then/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Democracy is not so much a form of government as a set of principles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/democracy-is-not-so-much-a-form-of-government-as-a-set-of-principles/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [I've laid down my set of principles, so I will not force government-run health care on anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-ross/i-ve-laid-down-my-set-of-principles-so-i-will-not-force-government/) [Mike Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-ross/) > [I've governed from a consistent set of principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-gessler/i-ve-governed-from-a-consistent-set-of-principles/) Scott Gessler > [I don't really have a system or set of principles. It's kind of common sense mixed up with instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/i-don-t-really-have-a-system-or-set-of-principles-it-s-kind-of-common/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [“The digital IT should follow the well-defined set of principles: Order over control; innovation over status quo; people over process; and the business as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/the-digital-it-should-follow-the-well-defined-set-of-principles-order/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [I know now that before I take a picture I have to be sure about how I feel about the subjects. What I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-barney/i-know-now-that-before-i-take-a-picture-i-have-to-be-sure-about-how-i/) [Tina Barney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-barney/) > [“No amount of me trying to explain myself was doing any good. I didn't even know what was going on inside of me, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sierra-d-waters/no-amount-of-me-trying-to-explain-myself-was-doing-any-good-i-didn-t/) [Sierra D. Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sierra-d-waters/) > [We were supposed to be able to use the Bible's words to explain what we were doing, and if we couldn't do that, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-phelps-roper/we-were-supposed-to-be-able-to-use-the-bible-s-words-to-explain-what/) [Megan Phelps-Roper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-phelps-roper/) > [“You will explain to me what you are doing. Right after you get down from there and put on some clothes. Now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-w-hill/you-will-explain-to-me-what-you-are-doing-right-after-you-get-down/) [Joey W. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-w-hill/) > [It doesn't happen very often that you get to work with some really good friends of yours and there's a common language between everyone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-perkins/it-doesn-t-happen-very-often-that-you-get-to-work-with-some-really/) [Elizabeth Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-perkins/) > [Sometimes you meet people that try to explain to you your work, and how to write a song and how to sing it, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jain/sometimes-you-meet-people-that-try-to-explain-to-you-your-work-and/) [Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jain/) > [If it takes more than a sentence to explain what you are doing, it's almost always a sign that what you are doing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/if-it-takes-more-than-a-sentence-to-explain-what-you-are-doing-it-s/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [Too much principle is often more harmful than too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-glasgow/too-much-principle-is-often-more-harmful-than-too-little/) [Ellen Glasgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-glasgow/) ## More by David Wessel > [I think the one thing that's going on here is that people are saying, uh-oh, the Chinese economy might be slowing more than we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/i-think-the-one-thing-that-s-going-on-here-is-that-people-are-saying/) [David Wessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wessel/) > [People have put a lot of faith in the government's ability to get growth going in China. People have this, what I think, illusion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/people-have-put-a-lot-of-faith-in-the-government-s-ability-to-get/) [David Wessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wessel/) > [I think that the feel that maybe China is slowing down means it will be buying less from Africa and Latin America. That means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/i-think-that-the-feel-that-maybe-china-is-slowing-down-means-it-will/) [David Wessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wessel/) > [I think it's hard to understand in economics. It's easier to understand on psychology.It's a kind of panic or a sense that the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/i-think-it-s-hard-to-understand-in-economics-it-s-easier-to/) [David Wessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wessel/) > [Nobody really knows what the market is going to do, but it sure looks like we are going to have a lot more volatility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/nobody-really-knows-what-the-market-is-going-to-do-but-it-sure-looks/) [David Wessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wessel/) > [I think what the Fed fears is that, if Donald Trump gets big tax cuts and big spending increases that take effect right now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/i-think-what-the-fed-fears-is-that-if-donald-trump-gets-big-tax-cuts/) [David Wessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wessel/) > [There is the fact that - people have had a lot of confidence that the Chinese leadership could fix what is wrong with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/there-is-the-fact-that-people-have-had-a-lot-of-confidence-that-the/) [David Wessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wessel/) > [The stock market was relieved that the Fed didn't sound tougher, and the stock market seems to figure that everything they like about Donald…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/the-stock-market-was-relieved-that-the-fed-didn-t-sound-tougher-and/) [David Wessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wessel/) > [I think it was seen as a symptom that the Chinese leadership may be really scared about their economy.Why would you want to depend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/i-think-it-was-seen-as-a-symptom-that-the-chinese-leadership-may-be/) [David Wessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wessel/) > [China's stock market is not very big. And yet when stock market has a bad day in China, it seems, Europe has a bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/china-s-stock-market-is-not-very-big-and-yet-when-stock-market-has-a/) [David Wessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wessel/) > [At some point, people may decide that the U.S. stock market has fallen enough. After all, the U.S. economy seems to be getting better,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/at-some-point-people-may-decide-that-the-u-s-stock-market-has-fallen/) [David Wessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wessel/) > [Chinese don't really believe in markets. They like stability, they like control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/chinese-don-t-really-believe-in-markets-they-like-stability-they-like/) [David Wessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wessel/) > [There is also a concern that there is a lack of demand of oil. And so when commodity prices fall, it's good if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/there-is-also-a-concern-that-there-is-a-lack-of-demand-of-oil-and-so/) [David Wessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wessel/) > [The only reason you would want your currency to fall, if you could control it, is in order to get more exports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/the-only-reason-you-would-want-your-currency-to-fall-if-you-could/) [David Wessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wessel/) > [I think the Chinese are really amateurs when it comes to running markets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/i-think-the-chinese-are-really-amateurs-when-it-comes-to-running/) [David Wessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wessel/) [Explore all 19 David Wessel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wessel/) ## More Explain quotes > [You have to talk about why things happened the way they did. You can't actually explain my political life except by a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lange/you-have-to-talk-about-why-things-happened-the-way-they-did-you-can-t/) [David Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lange/) > [Back home I get to see my old friends!(: But they don't understand the change in me and I can't explain it to them...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade/back-home-i-get-to-see-my-old-friends-but-they-don-t-understand-the/) [Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade/) > [If you have a good idea you must explain it or you will fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/if-you-have-a-good-idea-you-must-explain-it-or-you-will-fail/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [How do you explain a person like Asha Bhosle? A star or a super star or just someone from the Gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anu-malik/how-do-you-explain-a-person-like-asha-bhosle-a-star-or-a-super-star/) [Anu Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anu-malik/) > [If you win you need not explain……But if you lose you should not be there to explain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-win-you-need-not-explain-but-if-you-lose-you-should-not-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'm afraid I can't explain myself, sir. Because I am not myself, you see?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/i-m-afraid-i-can-t-explain-myself-sir-because-i-am-not-myself-you-see/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [There is an indefinable quality possessed by some artists. You simply can't explain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-ellen/there-is-an-indefinable-quality-possessed-by-some-artists-you-simply/) [Vera-Ellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-ellen/) > [To be in a room and have to explain your point of view is a huge skill in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-savage/to-be-in-a-room-and-have-to-explain-your-point-of-view-is-a-huge/) [Stephanie Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-savage/) > [“I am not sure how to explain it, except that - truth matters to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/i-am-not-sure-how-to-explain-it-except-that-truth-matters-to-us/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [When I'm creating art or music, when something is resonating or a scene is going well, that almost feels religious to me... there's this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-thatcher/when-i-m-creating-art-or-music-when-something-is-resonating-or-a/) [Sophie Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-thatcher/) > [In a Western, you don't over-explain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dean-morgan/in-a-western-you-don-t-over-explain/) [Jeffrey Dean Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dean-morgan/) > [I'm not the guy who will sit in a room with somebody who's using a bunch of big words and just act like I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/i-m-not-the-guy-who-will-sit-in-a-room-with-somebody-who-s-using-a/) [Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/) > [I explain at the parties that I believe knitting is a transformative and intriguing act that can change the life and brain of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-pearl-mcphee/i-explain-at-the-parties-that-i-believe-knitting-is-a-transformative/) [Stephanie Pearl-McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-pearl-mcphee/) > [Old cookbooks connect you to your past and explain the history of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/old-cookbooks-connect-you-to-your-past-and-explain-the-history-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no way to explain enlightenment. It is just a word to indicate something beyond, something very, very far beyond the normal human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-is-no-way-to-explain-enlightenment-it-is-just-a-word-to/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) Browse all 989 Explain quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you don't have a set of principles that you can explain for what you are doing, then how can anybody know what you're going to do next?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Wessel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/if-you-don-t-have-a-set-of-principles-that-you-can-explain-for-what/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Explain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/if-you-don-t-have-a-set-of-principles-that-you-can-explain-for-what/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/david-wessel-28482_explain_if-you-don-t-have-a-set-of-principles-th_404401.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/david-wessel-28482_explain_if-you-don-t-have-a-set-of-principles-th_404401.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d61/david-wessel-28482_explain_if-you-don-t-have-a-set-of-principles-th_404401.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you don't have a set of principles that you can explain for what you are doing, then how can anybody know…” — David Wessel", "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": "David Wessel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wessel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you don't have a set...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/if-you-don-t-have-a-set-of-principles-that-you-can-explain-for-what/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wessel/if-you-don-t-have-a-set-of-principles-that-you-can-explain-for-what/#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 } } ] } ```