---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes opportunity knocks, but most of…"
description: "\"Sometimes opportunity knocks, but most of the time it sneaks up and then quietly steals away.\" — Doug Larson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/doug-larson-9077_opportunity_sometimes-opportunity-knocks-but-most-of_57268.png"
---

#  Sometimes opportunity knocks, but most of the time it…

![“Sometimes opportunity knocks, but most of the time it sneaks up and then quietly steals away.” quote by Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/doug-larson-9077_opportunity_sometimes-opportunity-knocks-but-most-of_57268.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/doug-larson-9077_opportunity_sometimes-opportunity-knocks-but-most-of_57268.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/doug-larson-9077_opportunity_sometimes-opportunity-knocks-but-most-of_57268.png)

> “Sometimes opportunity knocks, but most of the time it sneaks up and then quietly steals away.”

[Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/)

## About This Quote

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

Opportunity often arrives subtly, not loudly, and can be missed if not attentively observed.

**In simple terms:** Opportunity is often quiet and unnoticed.

Key Takeaway

Be alert to subtle chances.

Themes

Patience Awareness Timing Subtlety Opportunity

Mood

Reflective Motivational

Type

Proverb Observation

When to use this quote

- Job search
- Creative brainstorming
- Investing decisions
- Personal growth
- Networking

Key Concepts

Perception Proactivity Chance

Practical Applications

- Strategic planning
- Risk assessment

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you train yourself to notice quiet opportunities?
- What habits help you capture fleeting chances?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Opportunity knocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity-knocks/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [Anger is a thief who steals away even the nicest moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/anger-is-a-thief-who-steals-away-even-the-nicest-moments/)

[Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/)

> [Anger is a thief who steals away the nice moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-lunden/anger-is-a-thief-who-steals-away-the-nice-moments/)

[Joan Lunden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-lunden/)

> [Forget about the precious sight of my lover's face that steals away my heart. Just seeing the borders of the fields on the borders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hla-stavhana/forget-about-the-precious-sight-of-my-lover-s-face-that-steals-away/)

Hla Stavhana

> [I am above being injured by fortune, though she steals away much, more will remain with me. The blessing I now enjoy transcend fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/i-am-above-being-injured-by-fortune-though-she-steals-away-much-more/)

[Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/)

> [Age steals away all things, even the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil/age-steals-away-all-things-even-the-mind/)

[Virgil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil/)

> [Time steals away without any inconvenience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/time-steals-away-without-any-inconvenience/)

[Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/)

> [Opportunity knocks at any time in life and everybody should answer that door when it does. Go for it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-redman/opportunity-knocks-at-any-time-in-life-and-everybody-should-answer/)

[Amanda Redman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-redman/)

> [If you never heard opportunity knock, maybe you're never at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/if-you-never-heard-opportunity-knock-maybe-you-re-never-at-home/)

[Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/)

> [“Why does a steward steal? He steals because he's not sure he'll always remain with his master and wants to make his future secure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/why-does-a-steward-steal-he-steals-because-he-s-not-sure-he-ll-always/)

[Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/)

> [Good name in man and woman, dear my lord, Is the immediate jewel of their souls: Who steals my purse steals trash; ’tis something,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/good-name-in-man-and-woman-dear-my-lord-is-the-immediate-jewel-of/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Rondo is great with the steals, also on offense with the passing and court vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javale-mcgee/rondo-is-great-with-the-steals-also-on-offense-with-the-passing-and/)

[JaVale McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javale-mcgee/)

> [The big artist .. . keeps a sharp eye on Nature and steals her tools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-eakins/the-big-artist-keeps-a-sharp-eye-on-nature-and-steals-her-tools/)

[Thomas Eakins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-eakins/)

> [He who steals a little steals with the same wish as he who steals much, but with less power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/he-who-steals-a-little-steals-with-the-same-wish-as-he-who-steals/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [“He who lies and steals ...and forms a government.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/he-who-lies-and-steals-and-forms-a-government/)

[Ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/)

> [An entrepreneur is someone that steals office supplies from home and brings them to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auren-hoffman/an-entrepreneur-is-someone-that-steals-office-supplies-from-home-and/)

[Auren Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auren-hoffman/)

## More by Doug Larson

> [A true friend is the one who overlooks your failures and tolerates your success!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/a-true-friend-is-the-one-who-overlooks-your-failures-and-tolerates/)

[Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/)

> [Wisdom is the quality that keeps you from getting into situations where you need it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/wisdom-is-the-quality-that-keeps-you-from-getting-into-situations/)

[Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/)

> [Heredity is a splendid phenomenon that relieves us of responsibility for our shortcomings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/heredity-is-a-splendid-phenomenon-that-relieves-us-of-responsibility/)

[Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/)

> [Autumn is a season followed immediately by looking forward to spring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/autumn-is-a-season-followed-immediately-by-looking-forward-to-spring/)

[Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/)

> [An alibi is a reason with a bad reputation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/an-alibi-is-a-reason-with-a-bad-reputation/)

[Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/)

> [Law of Airlines: The shorter the time between flights, the greater the distance between gates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/law-of-airlines-the-shorter-the-time-between-flights-the-greater-the/)

[Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/)

> [Democracy is a system that gives people a chance to elect rascals of their own choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/democracy-is-a-system-that-gives-people-a-chance-to-elect-rascals-of/)

[Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/)

> [Utility is when you have one telephone, luxury is when you have two, and paradise is when you have none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/utility-is-when-you-have-one-telephone-luxury-is-when-you-have-two/)

[Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/)

> [Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/instead-of-giving-a-politician-the-keys-to-the-city-it-might-be/)

[Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/)

> [Accomplishing the impossible means only the boss will add it to your regular duties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/accomplishing-the-impossible-means-only-the-boss-will-add-it-to-your/)

[Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/)

> [If the English language made any sense, lackadaisical would have something to do with a shortage of flowers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/if-the-english-language-made-any-sense-lackadaisical-would-have/)

[Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/)

> [A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/a-weed-is-a-plant-that-has-mastered-every-survival-skill-except-for/)

[Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/)

> [Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/wisdom-is-the-reward-you-get-for-a-lifetime-of-listening-when-you-d/)

[Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/)

> [Nostalgia: A device that removes the ruts and potholes from memory lane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/nostalgia-a-device-that-removes-the-ruts-and-potholes-from-memory-lane/)

[Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/)

> [It took only 50 years for movies to go from silent to unspeakable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/it-took-only-50-years-for-movies-to-go-from-silent-to-unspeakable/)

[Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/)

[Explore all 75 Doug Larson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/)

## More Opportunity quotes

> [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/)

[Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/)

> [So many times in television, you get cancelled arbitrarily as a result of your ratings in the off season, and you don't have an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-wyle/so-many-times-in-television-you-get-cancelled-arbitrarily-as-a-result/)

[Noah Wyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-wyle/)

> [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/)

[Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/)

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [On stage, you can bring all those strong emotions that you don't have the opportunity to live. You don't want to die for love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/on-stage-you-can-bring-all-those-strong-emotions-that-you-don-t-have/)

[Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/)

> [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/)

[Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/)

> [Opportunities change, strategies change, but people and psychology do not change. If trend-following systems don’t work well, something else will. There’s always money being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-blake/opportunities-change-strategies-change-but-people-and-psychology-do/)

[Gil Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-blake/)

> [People in great groups have blinders on. Their work is all they see. They value failures as learning opportunities. They are optimistic, not realistic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/people-in-great-groups-have-blinders-on-their-work-is-all-they-see/)

[Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/)

> [I was contacted by Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, MP, through the Pune Film Institute and offered the post in the NFDC. I accepted it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suresh-gopi/i-was-contacted-by-rajyavardhan-singh-rathore-mp-through-the-pune/)

[Suresh Gopi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suresh-gopi/)

> [I was really excited to have the opportunity to make Fiddler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-jewison/i-was-really-excited-to-have-the-opportunity-to-make-fiddler/)

[Norman Jewison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-jewison/)

> [I feel excited about getting older as an actress, too. I think there are some amazing opportunities around the corner and I don't need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sutton-foster/i-feel-excited-about-getting-older-as-an-actress-too-i-think-there/)

[Sutton Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sutton-foster/)

> [If someone has the opportunity to become a model, I would say, 'Do it.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-russell/if-someone-has-the-opportunity-to-become-a-model-i-would-say-do-it/)

[Cameron Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-russell/)

> [I struggled and I did theater for 10 years, for 15 years, I tried to get little parts here and there in TV shows.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-tupper/i-struggled-and-i-did-theater-for-10-years-for-15-years-i-tried-to/)

[James Tupper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-tupper/)

> [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/)

[Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/)

> [There's a richness that reading gives you, an opportunity to probe more than any other medium I know of. Reading is about not being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/there-s-a-richness-that-reading-gives-you-an-opportunity-to-probe/)

[Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/)

[Browse all 14,820 Opportunity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Sometimes opportunity knocks, but most of the time it sneaks up and then quietly steals away.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Doug Larson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/sometimes-opportunity-knocks-but-most-of-the-time-it-sneaks-up-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Opportunity"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/sometimes-opportunity-knocks-but-most-of-the-time-it-sneaks-up-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/doug-larson-9077_opportunity_sometimes-opportunity-knocks-but-most-of_57268.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/doug-larson-9077_opportunity_sometimes-opportunity-knocks-but-most-of_57268.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/doug-larson-9077_opportunity_sometimes-opportunity-knocks-but-most-of_57268.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Sometimes opportunity knocks, but most of the time it sneaks up and then quietly steals away.” — Doug Larson",
                "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": "Doug Larson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Sometimes opportunity knocks, but most of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/sometimes-opportunity-knocks-but-most-of-the-time-it-sneaks-up-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/sometimes-opportunity-knocks-but-most-of-the-time-it-sneaks-up-and/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
