---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing that's important to know is…"
description: "\"The thing that's important to know is that you never know. You're always sort of feeling your way.\" — Diane Arbus"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a62/diane-arbus-8503_feeling_the-thing-that-s-important-to-know-is-th_490138.jpg"
---

#  The thing that's important to know is that you never know…

![“The thing that's important to know is that you never know. You're always sort of feeling your way.” quote by Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a62/diane-arbus-8503_feeling_the-thing-that-s-important-to-know-is-th_490138.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a62/diane-arbus-8503_feeling_the-thing-that-s-important-to-know-is-th_490138.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a62/diane-arbus-8503_feeling_the-thing-that-s-important-to-know-is-th_490138.jpg)

> “The thing that's important to know is that you never know. You're always sort of feeling your way.”

[Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/)

## About This Quote

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

Life is unpredictable; you must navigate it by feeling your way forward.

**In simple terms:** Life is uncertain, rely on intuition.

Key Takeaway

Embrace uncertainty and trust your instincts.

Themes

uncertainty intuition learning

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- making decisions without full information
- creative problem solving
- personal growth
- handling ambiguity

Key Concepts

adaptability self-discovery exploration

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance intuition with analysis?
- When should you seek more information?

A Different Perspective

Overreliance on intuition may lead to missteps.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling/) [Feeling Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-way/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-know/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Sort Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sort-feeling-1048877/) [Thing Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-important/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/)

## Related quotes

> [I always have a curious sort of feeling about some of my things - I hate to show them - I am perfectly inconsistent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/i-always-have-a-curious-sort-of-feeling-about-some-of-my-things-i/)

[Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/)

> [I have a sort of empty feeling; nothing in the world seems of sufficient importance to be worth the doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/i-have-a-sort-of-empty-feeling-nothing-in-the-world-seems-of/)

[Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/)

> [I can feel pretty critical of people, and I understand that sort of feeling of when you're going through something that's painful, taking it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-can-feel-pretty-critical-of-people-and-i-understand-that-sort-of/)

[Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/)

> [“And you claim to be feeling this way. Floatish. Singsong-ish. About me.” She sighed. “Yes.” “That’s absurd.” “I know, but I can’t seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-dare/and-you-claim-to-be-feeling-this-way-floatish-singsong-ish-about-me/)

[Tessa Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-dare/)

> [The only thing you should have to do is find work you love to do. And I can't imagine living without having loved a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-paley/the-only-thing-you-should-have-to-do-is-find-work-you-love-to-do-and/)

[Grace Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-paley/)

> [When you're talking about the thing that is most important to someone, they're liable to feel something strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/when-you-re-talking-about-the-thing-that-is-most-important-to-someone/)

[James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/)

> [They’re all about where people come from. The only thing important is where somebody’s going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/they-re-all-about-where-people-come-from-the-only-thing-important-is/)

[Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/)

> [Singing about universal love, peace and freedom is one thing, but it's important to do something if you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kerr/singing-about-universal-love-peace-and-freedom-is-one-thing-but-it-s/)

[Jim Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kerr/)

> [The will the one thing it is most important to educate we neglect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lancaster-spalding/the-will-the-one-thing-it-is-most-important-to-educate-we-neglect/)

[John Lancaster Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lancaster-spalding/)

> [“The thing that is important usually is the thing that is not seen”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/the-thing-that-is-important-usually-is-the-thing-that-is-not-seen/)

[Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/)

> [I don't think about whether people will remember me or not. I've been an ok person. I've learned a lot. I've taught people a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-child/i-don-t-think-about-whether-people-will-remember-me-or-not-i-ve-been/)

[Julia Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-child/)

> [The first thing that's important is to really have people believe in you. If you have that, you can do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wale/the-first-thing-that-s-important-is-to-really-have-people-believe-in/)

[Wale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wale/)

> [There's only one thing more important... and that is, after you've done what you set out to do, to feel that it's been worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hilton/there-s-only-one-thing-more-important-and-that-is-after-you-ve-done/)

[James Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hilton/)

> [The main thing that's important to me is getting to do whatever project it is the way that I do what I do, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-guest/the-main-thing-that-s-important-to-me-is-getting-to-do-whatever/)

[Christopher Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-guest/)

> [The only thing which is important to do is to tell about the values I share. It's to say how important liberalization of Russia…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/the-only-thing-which-is-important-to-do-is-to-tell-about-the-values-i/)

[Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/)

## More by Diane Arbus

> [I mean, it's very subtle and a little embarrassing to me, but I really believe there are things which nobody would see unless I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/i-mean-it-s-very-subtle-and-a-little-embarrassing-to-me-but-i-really/)

[Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/)

> [...I would never choose a subject for what it means to me. I choose a subject and then what I feel about it, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/i-would-never-choose-a-subject-for-what-it-means-to-me-i-choose-a/)

[Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/)

> [I think the most beautiful inventions are the ones you don't think of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/i-think-the-most-beautiful-inventions-are-the-ones-you-don-t-think-of/)

[Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/)

> [Nudists are fond of saying that when you come right down to it everyone is alike, and, again, that when you come right down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/nudists-are-fond-of-saying-that-when-you-come-right-down-to-it/)

[Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/)

> [I think all families are creepy in a way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/i-think-all-families-are-creepy-in-a-way/)

[Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/)

> [I work from awkwardness. By that I mean I don't like to arrange things. If I stand in front of something, instead of arranging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/i-work-from-awkwardness-by-that-i-mean-i-don-t-like-to-arrange-things/)

[Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/)

> [We've all got an identity. You can't avoid it. It's what's left when you take everything else away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/we-ve-all-got-an-identity-you-can-t-avoid-it-it-s-what-s-left-when/)

[Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/)

> [I never have taken a picture I've intended. They're always better or worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/i-never-have-taken-a-picture-i-ve-intended-they-re-always-better-or/)

[Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/)

> [The world can only be grasped by action, not by contemplation. The hand is the cutting edge of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/the-world-can-only-be-grasped-by-action-not-by-contemplation-the-hand/)

[Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/)

> [ \[Our self-image is\] that gap between intention and effect ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/our-self-image-is-that-gap-between-intention-and-effect/)

[Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/)

> [They are the proof of something was there and no longer is. Like a stain. And the stillness of them is boggling. You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/they-are-the-proof-of-something-was-there-and-no-longer-is-like-a/)

[Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/)

> [Everybody has that thing where they need to look one way but they come out looking another way and that's what people observe. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/everybody-has-that-thing-where-they-need-to-look-one-way-but-they/)

[Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/)

> [It's always seemed to me that photography tends to deal with facts whereas film tends to deal with fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/it-s-always-seemed-to-me-that-photography-tends-to-deal-with-facts/)

[Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/)

> [My favourite thing is to go where I've never been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/my-favourite-thing-is-to-go-where-i-ve-never-been/)

[Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/)

> [I want to photograph the considerable ceremonies of our present. I want to gather them, like somebody's grandmother putting up preserves, because they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/i-want-to-photograph-the-considerable-ceremonies-of-our-present-i/)

[Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/)

[Explore all 80 Diane Arbus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/)

## More Feeling quotes

> [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/)

> [My feeling has always been that 'Good Eats' would have never happened had it been left to a committee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alton-brown/my-feeling-has-always-been-that-good-eats-would-have-never-happened/)

[Alton Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alton-brown/)

> [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/)

[Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/)

> [Tryna hide this pain with these pain killers, she said the storms only will last a little while but shit it got me feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myself/tryna-hide-this-pain-with-these-pain-killers-she-said-the-storms-only/)

[Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myself/)

> [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/)

[Jennifer Siebel Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-siebel-newsom/)

> [Hate not knowing when things are going to happen feeling different every single day. It is called LIFE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-valdovinos/hate-not-knowing-when-things-are-going-to-happen-feeling-different/)

[Stephanie Valdovinos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-valdovinos/)

> [The best feeling comes when you realise, that you are perfectly happy without the things, once you thought you needed the most…!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-feeling-comes-when-you-realise-that-you-are-perfectly-happy/)

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

> [I love transforming myself constantly because it gives me that 'new' feeling that I'm very much addicted to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-mondo/i-love-transforming-myself-constantly-because-it-gives-me-that-new/)

[Brad Mondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-mondo/)

> [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/)

[Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/)

> [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/)

[Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/)

> [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/)

[Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/)

> [What I do miss that I don't get anymore? You're going to think I'm crazy, but you want the truth, so here it is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mandrell/what-i-do-miss-that-i-don-t-get-anymore-you-re-going-to-think-i-m/)

[Barbara Mandrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mandrell/)

> [I think kids growing up, if they were picked on and feeling inferior at 12, they're going to feel that way at 72. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/i-think-kids-growing-up-if-they-were-picked-on-and-feeling-inferior/)

[Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/)

> [I don't think Alfonso was a big expert on Potter either. He was feeling his way through it more than I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-don-t-think-alfonso-was-a-big-expert-on-potter-either-he-was/)

[David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/)

> [The most difficult part for me is feeling connected to the people that I love but always being on the go to different places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/the-most-difficult-part-for-me-is-feeling-connected-to-the-people/)

[Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/)

[Browse all 8,809 Feeling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The thing that's important to know is that you never know. You're always sort of feeling your way.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Diane Arbus"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/the-thing-that-s-important-to-know-is-that-you-never-know-you-re/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Feeling"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/the-thing-that-s-important-to-know-is-that-you-never-know-you-re/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a62/diane-arbus-8503_feeling_the-thing-that-s-important-to-know-is-th_490138.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a62/diane-arbus-8503_feeling_the-thing-that-s-important-to-know-is-th_490138.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a62/diane-arbus-8503_feeling_the-thing-that-s-important-to-know-is-th_490138.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The thing that's important to know is that you never know. You're always sort of feeling your way.” — Diane Arbus",
                "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": "Diane Arbus",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The thing that's important to know...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/the-thing-that-s-important-to-know-is-that-you-never-know-you-re/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/the-thing-that-s-important-to-know-is-that-you-never-know-you-re/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
