--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the future, instead of striving to be…" description: "\"In the future, instead of striving to be right at a high cost, it will be more appropriate to be flexible and plural at a lower cost. If you cannot acc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/edward-de-bono-2489_appropriate_in-the-future-instead-of-striving-to-be_1698765.png" --- # In the future, instead of striving to be right at a high… ![“In the future, instead of striving to be right at a high cost, it will be more appropriate to be flexible and plural at a lower cost. If you cannot accurately predict the future then you must flexibly be prepared to deal with various possible futures.” quote by Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/edward-de-bono-2489_appropriate_in-the-future-instead-of-striving-to-be_1698765.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/edward-de-bono-2489_appropriate_in-the-future-instead-of-striving-to-be_1698765.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/edward-de-bono-2489_appropriate_in-the-future-instead-of-striving-to-be_1698765.png) > “In the future, instead of striving to be right at a high cost, it will be more appropriate to be flexible and plural at a lower cost. If you cannot accurately predict the future then you must flexibly be prepared to deal with various possible futures.” [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Flexibility and pluralistic thinking are cheaper and more practical than rigid certainty when future outcomes are unpredictable. **In simple terms:** Be flexible, not obsessively right. Key Takeaway Choose adaptable strategies. Themes flexibility uncertainty strategy Mood pragmatic analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - business planning - policy making - personal goal setting Key Concepts systems thinking decision making Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance flexibility with decisive action? - When is it worth paying the cost to be right? A Different Perspective Flexibility can lead to indecision if overused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appropriate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appropriate/) [Be prepared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-prepared/) [Cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost/) [Flexible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flexible/) [Flexible Plural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flexible-plural-1128802/) [Future Flexibly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-flexibly-1128800/) [Future Instead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-instead-1128801/) [Futures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/futures/) [Possible Futures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possible-futures-789606/) [Prepared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prepared/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/various/) ## Related quotes > [Our job is not to predict the future. Rather, it's to suggest all the possible futures - so that society can make informed decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-sawyer/our-job-is-not-to-predict-the-future-rather-it-s-to-suggest-all-the/) [Robert J. Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-sawyer/) > [Don't turn away from possible futures before you're certain you don't have anything to learn from them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/don-t-turn-away-from-possible-futures-before-you-re-certain-you-don-t/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [What SF can do better than anything else is show us the range of our possible futures, and what we can do to realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/what-sf-can-do-better-than-anything-else-is-show-us-the-range-of-our/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [Remember, the goal of structured futures thinking is to come up with a picture of possible futures that will help to inform strategic decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamais-cascio/remember-the-goal-of-structured-futures-thinking-is-to-come-up-with-a/) [Jamais Cascio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamais-cascio/) > [“Henry liked to put to himself when he was a schoolboy: what are the chances of this particular fish, from that shoal, off that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/henry-liked-to-put-to-himself-when-he-was-a-schoolboy-what-are-the/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“But the task of science fiction is not to predict the future. Rather, it contemplates possible futures.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-the-task-of-science-fiction-is-not-to-predict-the-future-rather/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You are led through your lifetime by the inner learning creature, the playful spiritual being that is your real self. Don't turn away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/you-are-led-through-your-lifetime-by-the-inner-learning-creature-the-2/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [And the reason I am so nervous is that everything I do now is leading me to one of three possible futures... Which one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolfo-bioy-casares/and-the-reason-i-am-so-nervous-is-that-everything-i-do-now-is-leading/) [Adolfo Bioy Casares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolfo-bioy-casares/) > ["Hard" science fiction probes alternative possible futures by means of reasoned extrapolations in much the same way that good historical fiction reconstructs the probable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-williamson/hard-science-fiction-probes-alternative-possible-futures-by-means-of/) [Jack Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-williamson/) > [Quantum science suggests the existence of many possible futures for each moment of our lives. Each future lies in a state of rest until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-braden/quantum-science-suggests-the-existence-of-many-possible-futures-for/) [Gregg Braden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-braden/) > [“And when a futurist dies, the tragedy is that we lose access to all the possible futures they imagined for us. Our only connection,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ball/and-when-a-futurist-dies-the-tragedy-is-that-we-lose-access-to-all/) [William Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ball/) > [When I was a kid, there were really only two possible futures in the foreground, which were Orwell's '1984' and Huxley's 'Brave New World'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-richter/when-i-was-a-kid-there-were-really-only-two-possible-futures-in-the/) [Max Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-richter/) > [People have to have a language to speak about where they are and what other possible futures are available to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-hall/people-have-to-have-a-language-to-speak-about-where-they-are-and-what/) [Stuart Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-hall/) > [He never believed in fate or providence, or the future being made by someone in the sky. Instead, at every instant, a trillion trillion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/he-never-believed-in-fate-or-providence-or-the-future-being-made-by/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“A bishop friend who is known for his advocacy of controversial positions says his rule of thumb when uncertain about which course to choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-john-neuhaus/a-bishop-friend-who-is-known-for-his-advocacy-of-controversial/) [Richard John Neuhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-john-neuhaus/) ## More by Edward de Bono > [We still seek to solve conflicts with 'judgement' instead of designing the way forwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/we-still-seek-to-solve-conflicts-with-judgement-instead-of-designing/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [Traditional thinking is all about "what is" Future thinking will also need to be about what can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/traditional-thinking-is-all-about-what-is-future-thinking-will-also/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [“In 80% of Socrates' dialogues there was no constructive outcome. He saw his role as simply pointing out what was "wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/in-80-of-socrates-dialogues-there-was-no-constructive-outcome-he-saw/) [Edward De Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [The music that really turns me on is either running toward God or away from God. Both recognize the pivot, that God is at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/the-music-that-really-turns-me-on-is-either-running-toward-god-or/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [People should realize we're jerks just like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/people-should-realize-we-re-jerks-just-like-them/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [The effective thinker treats arrogance as the major sin of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/the-effective-thinker-treats-arrogance-as-the-major-sin-of-thinking/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [To be successful you have to be lucky, or a little mad, or very talented, or find yourself in a rapid growth field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/to-be-successful-you-have-to-be-lucky-or-a-little-mad-or-very/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [Argument is meant to reveal the truth, not to create it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/argument-is-meant-to-reveal-the-truth-not-to-create-it/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [Complexity creates confusion, simplicity focus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/complexity-creates-confusion-simplicity-focus/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [The weapons of the positive revolution are not bullets and bombs but simple human perceptions. Bullets and bombs may offer physical power but eventually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/the-weapons-of-the-positive-revolution-are-not-bullets-and-bombs-but/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [“In real-life situations apparently logical lines of argument are often (not always) based on an inability to see alternative possibilities. In a similar way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/in-real-life-situations-apparently-logical-lines-of-argument-are/) [Edward De Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [An expert is someone who has succeeded in making decisions and judgements simpler through knowing what to pay attention to and what to ignore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/an-expert-is-someone-who-has-succeeded-in-making-decisions-and/) [Edward De Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [It wouldn't cost too much to change the rules of trade so that poor countries can work their way out of poverty. But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/it-wouldn-t-cost-too-much-to-change-the-rules-of-trade-so-that-poor/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [It has always surprised me how little attention philosophers have paid to humor, since it is a more significant process of mind than reason.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/it-has-always-surprised-me-how-little-attention-philosophers-have/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [The need to be right all the time is the biggest bar to new ideas. It is better to have enough ideas for some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/the-need-to-be-right-all-the-time-is-the-biggest-bar-to-new-ideas-it/) [Edward De Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) [Explore all 161 Edward de Bono quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) ## More Appropriate quotes > [“Appropriate is overrated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-w-kohlhagen/appropriate-is-overrated/) [Steven W. Kohlhagen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-w-kohlhagen/) > [I was for many years myself a journalist and it is not appropriate to say a programme should not be broadcast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-monckton/i-was-for-many-years-myself-a-journalist-and-it-is-not-appropriate-to/) [Christopher Monckton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-monckton/) > [I don't think 'This Means War' is an appropriate picture to do in 3-D.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mcg/i-don-t-think-this-means-war-is-an-appropriate-picture-to-do-in-3-d/) [McG](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mcg/) > [There is no single best kind of death. A good death is one that is "appropriate" for that person. It is a death in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-s-shneidman/there-is-no-single-best-kind-of-death-a-good-death-is-one-that-is/) [Edwin S. Shneidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-s-shneidman/) > [Persons who have cleansed themselves of any transgression and who have shown their ability to deal with homosexual inclinations and put them in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/persons-who-have-cleansed-themselves-of-any-transgression-and-who/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) > [ \[T\]he appropriate form of address between man and man ought to be, not monsieur, sir, but fellow sufferer, compagnon de miseres. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/t-he-appropriate-form-of-address-between-man-and-man-ought-to-be-not/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [I would not, under any circumstances, try to impose my personal faith and belief on the rest of the country. I don't think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edwards/i-would-not-under-any-circumstances-try-to-impose-my-personal-faith/) [John Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edwards/) > [I have no policy, for or against: only a personal style. Which is to say, I use them when I think it's appropriate to;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/i-have-no-policy-for-or-against-only-a-personal-style-which-is-to-say/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [While the intelligence profession oftentimes demands secrecy, it is critically important that there be a full and open discourse on intelligence matters with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/while-the-intelligence-profession-oftentimes-demands-secrecy-it-is/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [Computer Science is a science of abstraction -creating the right model for a problem and devising the appropriate mechanizable techniques to solve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-aho/computer-science-is-a-science-of-abstraction-creating-the-right-model/) [Alfred Aho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-aho/) > [For Father's Day, my kids always give me a bottle of cologne called English Leather. It's appropriate! To them I always smell like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/for-father-s-day-my-kids-always-give-me-a-bottle-of-cologne-called/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [As Mayor, I will fully support my Arts Commission and its professional selection committees so that they can commission a full range of public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-newsom/as-mayor-i-will-fully-support-my-arts-commission-and-its-professional/) [Gavin Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-newsom/) > [I'm very sensitive in real life. I cannot not cry if someone around me is crying. I will start to cry if someone is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-chastain/i-m-very-sensitive-in-real-life-i-cannot-not-cry-if-someone-around-me/) [Jessica Chastain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-chastain/) > [Hate demands existence, and he who hates has to show his hate in appropriate actions and behaviors; in a sense, he has to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/hate-demands-existence-and-he-who-hates-has-to-show-his-hate-in/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) > [A reader does not suddenly comprehend what is being read or studied, in a snap, miraculously. Comprehension needs to be worked forged, by those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/a-reader-does-not-suddenly-comprehend-what-is-being-read-or-studied/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) [Browse all 1,130 Appropriate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appropriate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In the future, instead of striving to be right at a high cost, it will be more appropriate to be flexible and plural at a lower cost. If you cannot accurately predict the future then you must flexibly be prepared to deal with various possible futures.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edward de Bono" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/in-the-future-instead-of-striving-to-be-right-at-a-high-cost-it-will/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Appropriate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/in-the-future-instead-of-striving-to-be-right-at-a-high-cost-it-will/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/edward-de-bono-2489_appropriate_in-the-future-instead-of-striving-to-be_1698765.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/edward-de-bono-2489_appropriate_in-the-future-instead-of-striving-to-be_1698765.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/edward-de-bono-2489_appropriate_in-the-future-instead-of-striving-to-be_1698765.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the future, instead of striving to be right at a high cost, it will be more appropriate to be flexible…” — Edward de Bono", "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": "Edward de Bono", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In the future, instead of striving...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/in-the-future-instead-of-striving-to-be-right-at-a-high-cost-it-will/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/in-the-future-instead-of-striving-to-be-right-at-a-high-cost-it-will/#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 } } ] } ```