--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't have a career plan. But what I…" description: "\"I didn't have a career plan. But what I did was, whenever there was a door open and a new opportunity, I always looked into it and took a chance and wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a40/frances-hesselbein-8660_career_i-didn-t-have-a-career-plan-but-what-i-d_1121453.png" --- # I didn't have a career plan. But what I did was, whenever… ![“I didn't have a career plan. But what I did was, whenever there was a door open and a new opportunity, I always looked into it and took a chance and walked through the door.” quote by Frances Hesselbein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a40/frances-hesselbein-8660_career_i-didn-t-have-a-career-plan-but-what-i-d_1121453.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a40/frances-hesselbein-8660_career_i-didn-t-have-a-career-plan-but-what-i-d_1121453.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a40/frances-hesselbein-8660_career_i-didn-t-have-a-career-plan-but-what-i-d_1121453.png) > “I didn't have a career plan. But what I did was, whenever there was a door open and a new opportunity, I always looked into it and took a chance and walked through the door.” [Frances Hesselbein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hesselbein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seizing unexpected opportunities leads to growth when you act despite lacking a fixed plan. **In simple terms:** Take chances when doors open. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty, act on opportunities. Themes opportunity risk growth adaptability Mood hopeful determined Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - job search - networking events - career pivots - personal projects Key Concepts career development decision making entrepreneurship Questions to Reflect On - What opportunities are you overlooking? - How do you evaluate risk before acting? A Different Perspective Risk can lead to failure if not assessed; not every door leads to success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [New opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-opportunity/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) ## Related quotes > [I didn't have any pedigree or any last name that would get me an opportunity to get looked at by WWE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-rollins/i-didn-t-have-any-pedigree-or-any-last-name-that-would-get-me-an/) [Seth Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-rollins/) > [Frank was the BOSS and was not open to anything that was not from his head. There were no arguments about music because if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carl-black/frank-was-the-boss-and-was-not-open-to-anything-that-was-not-from-his/) [Jimmy Carl Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carl-black/) > [I don't have a big career plan. I just like to see how things come out, and I just try to keep going in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-beckinsale/i-don-t-have-a-big-career-plan-i-just-like-to-see-how-things-come-out/) [Kate Beckinsale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-beckinsale/) > [I don't really have a career plan. There's no joy for me to just be a personality in my work, and I feel that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-blanchard/i-don-t-really-have-a-career-plan-there-s-no-joy-for-me-to-just-be-a/) [Tammy Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-blanchard/) > [I've never really had much of a career plan, and interesting opportunities kept cropping up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-stern/i-ve-never-really-had-much-of-a-career-plan-and-interesting/) [Nicholas Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-stern/) > [I don't have a career plan. I'm not strategic enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clotilde-hesme/i-don-t-have-a-career-plan-i-m-not-strategic-enough/) [Clotilde Hesme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clotilde-hesme/) > [I have no big career plan. It is better for me that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-may/i-have-no-big-career-plan-it-is-better-for-me-that-way/) [Imelda May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-may/) > [I don't really have a career plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/i-don-t-really-have-a-career-plan/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [I believe that the sphere of service, your career, the plan which God has mapped out for you and prepared for you, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-redpath/i-believe-that-the-sphere-of-service-your-career-the-plan-which-god/) [Alan Redpath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-redpath/) > [I have a focused career plan, which is not to have a focused career plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-allen/i-have-a-focused-career-plan-which-is-not-to-have-a-focused-career/) [Keith Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-allen/) > [I don't have a career plan. I've never done that. Things happen accidentally and I've been lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-gainsbourg/i-don-t-have-a-career-plan-i-ve-never-done-that-things-happen/) [Charlotte Gainsbourg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-gainsbourg/) > [I'd always been fascinated by archaeology; it was my original career plan as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tana-french/i-d-always-been-fascinated-by-archaeology-it-was-my-original-career/) [Tana French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tana-french/) > [The advice I give is , "Don't think of your career as a plan or blueprint. Think of it as growing toward the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-monroe/the-advice-i-give-is-don-t-think-of-your-career-as-a-plan-or/) [Debra Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-monroe/) > [I really don't have a career plan. I like being challenged and thrown around. But it's only acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffani-thiessen/i-really-don-t-have-a-career-plan-i-like-being-challenged-and-thrown/) [Tiffani Thiessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffani-thiessen/) > [I don't make a career plan. I take things the way they come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/i-don-t-make-a-career-plan-i-take-things-the-way-they-come/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) ## More by Frances Hesselbein > [Not long after I was married, World War II began. My husband John volunteered for the Navy and was sent to Pensacola for training…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hesselbein/not-long-after-i-was-married-world-war-ii-began-my-husband-john/) [Frances Hesselbein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hesselbein/) > [... I try ... to use my own voice in a way that shows caring, respect, appreciation, and patience. Your voice, your language, help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hesselbein/i-try-to-use-my-own-voice-in-a-way-that-shows-caring-respect/) [Frances Hesselbein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hesselbein/) > [The leader builds dispersed and diverse leadership - distributing leadership to the outermost edges of the circle to unleash the power of shared responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hesselbein/the-leader-builds-dispersed-and-diverse-leadership-distributing/) [Frances Hesselbein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hesselbein/) > [Leadership is not a basket of tricks or strategies or skills that you pull out. Leadership begins with the quality of the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hesselbein/leadership-is-not-a-basket-of-tricks-or-strategies-or-skills-that-you/) [Frances Hesselbein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hesselbein/) > [If we are to remain mission focused, as we must be if we are to be relevant in an uncertain age, the abandoning those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hesselbein/if-we-are-to-remain-mission-focused-as-we-must-be-if-we-are-to-be/) [Frances Hesselbein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hesselbein/) > [It takes courage for a leader to identify and confront self-imposed barriers, to put in place the personal strategies required to unleash the energy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hesselbein/it-takes-courage-for-a-leader-to-identify-and-confront-self-imposed/) [Frances Hesselbein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hesselbein/) > [... I never look at my watch if I'm talking with someone. I think that's such an insulting gesture! It suggests you're trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hesselbein/i-never-look-at-my-watch-if-i-m-talking-with-someone-i-think-that-s/) [Frances Hesselbein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hesselbein/) > [There is just one reason that we are placed on this Earth. That reason is to love and be loved - in that order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hesselbein/there-is-just-one-reason-that-we-are-placed-on-this-earth-that-reason/) [Frances Hesselbein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hesselbein/) > [Communication is not saying something; communication is being heard,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hesselbein/communication-is-not-saying-something-communication-is-being-heard/) [Frances Hesselbein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hesselbein/) > [The Millennial mindset is one on the pulse of changing technology. They multi-task and enjoy a challenge. They need projects that utilize their knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hesselbein/the-millennial-mindset-is-one-on-the-pulse-of-changing-technology/) [Frances Hesselbein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hesselbein/) > [People know that pursuing a mission without achieving results is dispiriting; achieving results without a mission is meaningless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hesselbein/people-know-that-pursuing-a-mission-without-achieving-results-is/) [Frances Hesselbein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hesselbein/) > [No matter what business you're in, everyone in the organisation needs to know why](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hesselbein/no-matter-what-business-you-re-in-everyone-in-the-organisation-needs/) [Frances Hesselbein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hesselbein/) > [Key to the societal significance of tomorrow's leaders is the way they embrace the totality of leadership, not just including 'my organization' but reaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hesselbein/key-to-the-societal-significance-of-tomorrow-s-leaders-is-the-way/) [Frances Hesselbein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hesselbein/) > [I feel passionately about how I express myself. Language is the greatest motivating force. You can phrase something positively and inspire people to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hesselbein/i-feel-passionately-about-how-i-express-myself-language-is-the/) [Frances Hesselbein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hesselbein/) > [The leader beyond the millennium will not be the leader who has learned the lessons of how to do it, with ledgers of 'hows'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hesselbein/the-leader-beyond-the-millennium-will-not-be-the-leader-who-has/) [Frances Hesselbein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hesselbein/) [Explore all 79 Frances Hesselbein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hesselbein/) ## More Career quotes > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) Alison James > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [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/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [There are so many things you can do with your life, you can go to school and study toward your career, you can become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/there-are-so-many-things-you-can-do-with-your-life-you-can-go-to/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/) [Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/) > [I am a very big fan of Brian Eno, of his work as an artist and making his music, and as a producer. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-am-a-very-big-fan-of-brian-eno-of-his-work-as-an-artist-and-making/) [Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/) > [If I can beat a proven champion like Canelo, that will take my career to a different level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennady-golovkin/if-i-can-beat-a-proven-champion-like-canelo-that-will-take-my-career/) [Gennady Golovkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennady-golovkin/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [“The vocation of a man lies in his vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-vocation-of-a-man-lies-in-his-vision/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-doubleday/growing-up-i-did-commercials-and-things-like-that-but-nothing-serious/) [Portia Doubleday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-doubleday/) > [You can have a career and kids who love you. But you have to nurture yourself and find a way to be fulfilled so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-reitman/you-can-have-a-career-and-kids-who-love-you-but-you-have-to-nurture/) [Catherine Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-reitman/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Even though I'm already successful and have a career, it is always good to have your eggs in more than one basket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farrah-abraham/even-though-i-m-already-successful-and-have-a-career-it-is-always/) [Farrah Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farrah-abraham/) [Browse all 11,387 Career quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I didn't have a career plan. 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