--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Things alter for the worse spontaneously…" description: "\"Things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be not altered for the better designedly.\" — Francis Bacon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/francis-bacon-297_change_things-alter-for-the-worse-spontaneously_682820.jpg" --- # Things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be not… ![“Things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be not altered for the better designedly.” quote by Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/francis-bacon-297_change_things-alter-for-the-worse-spontaneously_682820.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/francis-bacon-297_change_things-alter-for-the-worse-spontaneously_682820.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/francis-bacon-297_change_things-alter-for-the-worse-spontaneously_682820.jpg) > “Things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be not altered for the better designedly.” [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spontaneous deterioration occurs when no intentional improvement is made. **In simple terms:** Neglect leads to decline. Key Takeaway Plan improvements to prevent decay. Themes neglect change design Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical advisory When to use this quote - business processes - personal habits - software maintenance - urban planning Key Concepts entropy intentional design Questions to Reflect On - What systems lack intentional design? - How can you proactively improve them? A Different Perspective Improvement requires effort, not just hope. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alter Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alter-worse-5400025/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Spontaneously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spontaneously/) [Spontaneously Altered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spontaneously-altered-5400023/) [Things Alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-alter-410971/) [Worse Spontaneously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worse-spontaneously-5400024/) ## Related quotes > [We've forgotten to respect clothes and consider who made them and where the material came from. We've been encouraged to buy things and, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-lumley/we-ve-forgotten-to-respect-clothes-and-consider-who-made-them-and/) [Joanna Lumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-lumley/) > [“I’ve found it takes at least two and generally three things to alter the course of a life: You slip around the truth once,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-hamilton/i-ve-found-it-takes-at-least-two-and-generally-three-things-to-alter/) [Jane Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-hamilton/) > [Time is change; we measure its passage by how much things alter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/time-is-change-we-measure-its-passage-by-how-much-things-alter/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) > [Time is change; we measure its passing by how much things alter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/time-is-change-we-measure-its-passing-by-how-much-things-alter/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) > [I think monogamy is a little unnatural, if I'm totally honest. You change. Things alter. It's the exception rather than the rule and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-powell/i-think-monogamy-is-a-little-unnatural-if-i-m-totally-honest-you/) [Robert Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-powell/) > [Don't worry about things you cannot alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/don-t-worry-about-things-you-cannot-alter/) [Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/) > [The best things in life sometimes happen spontaneously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-statham/the-best-things-in-life-sometimes-happen-spontaneously/) [Jason Statham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-statham/) > [One who loves God sees everything in relation to God. Therefore, their love flows spontaneously toward everyone, at all times, everywhere. They even love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/one-who-loves-god-sees-everything-in-relation-to-god-therefore-their/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [I don't like to do things for any other reason than it happens spontaneously or there's something that makes it happen naturally. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziggy-marley/i-don-t-like-to-do-things-for-any-other-reason-than-it-happens/) [Ziggy Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziggy-marley/) > [You have to sit with your life and feel how you hold it, and be willing for the release to happen. It will happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reb-anderson/you-have-to-sit-with-your-life-and-feel-how-you-hold-it-and-be/) [Reb Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reb-anderson/) > [“I love it when my brain just spontaneously takes over like that. It always surprises me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/i-love-it-when-my-brain-just-spontaneously-takes-over-like-that-it/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [Everything is happening spontaneously, and the witnessing of it is also happening spontaneously. Everything is already happening in natural balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mooji/everything-is-happening-spontaneously-and-the-witnessing-of-it-is/) [Mooji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mooji/) > [I was formerly so stuck into plans. I can now live more spontaneously. This I want not yet to give away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriela-sabatini/i-was-formerly-so-stuck-into-plans-i-can-now-live-more-spontaneously/) [Gabriela Sabatini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriela-sabatini/) > [Whether Earth was deliberately terraformed, in other words, or whether it was seeded with the spores of life from crashed comets or whether, indeed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-hancock/whether-earth-was-deliberately-terraformed-in-other-words-or-whether/) [Graham Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-hancock/) > [When you begin your work, nothing exists. When it is finished it looks as if it just happened, spontaneously, effortlessly, convincingly. It looks as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-zeisel/when-you-begin-your-work-nothing-exists-when-it-is-finished-it-looks/) [Eva Zeisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-zeisel/) ## More by Francis Bacon > [Princes are like heavenly bodies, which cause good or evil times, and which have much veneration, but no rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/princes-are-like-heavenly-bodies-which-cause-good-or-evil-times-and/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The best preservative to keep the mind in health is the faithful admonition of a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-best-preservative-to-keep-the-mind-in-health-is-the-faithful/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Since custom is the principal magistrate of man's life, let men by all means endeavor to obtain good customs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/since-custom-is-the-principal-magistrate-of-man-s-life-let-men-by-all/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Painting today is pure intuition and luck and taking advantage of what happens when you splash the stuff down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/painting-today-is-pure-intuition-and-luck-and-taking-advantage-of/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I usually accept bribes from both sides so that tainted money can never influence my decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-usually-accept-bribes-from-both-sides-so-that-tainted-money-can/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Much bending breaks the bow; much unbending the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/much-bending-breaks-the-bow-much-unbending-the-mind/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [When Christ came into the world, peace was sung; and when He went out of the world, peace was bequeathed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/when-christ-came-into-the-world-peace-was-sung-and-when-he-went-out/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [...neither is it possible to discover the more remote and deeper parts of any science, if you stand but upon the level of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/neither-is-it-possible-to-discover-the-more-remote-and-deeper-parts/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The divisions of science are not like different lines that meet in one angle, but rather like the branches of trees that join in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-divisions-of-science-are-not-like-different-lines-that-meet-in/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The human understanding, when any preposition has been once laid down... forces everything else to add fresh support and confirmation; and although more cogent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-human-understanding-when-any-preposition-has-been-once-laid-down/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I should have been, I don't know, a con-man, a robber or a prostitute. But it was vanity that made me choose painting, vanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-should-have-been-i-don-t-know-a-con-man-a-robber-or-a-prostitute/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Wounds cannot be cured without searching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/wounds-cannot-be-cured-without-searching/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The French are wiser than they seem, and the Spaniards seem wiser than they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-french-are-wiser-than-they-seem-and-the-spaniards-seem-wiser-than/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [When a man laughs at his troubles he loses a great many friends. They never forgive the loss of their prerogative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/when-a-man-laughs-at-his-troubles-he-loses-a-great-many-friends-they/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Believing that I was born for the service of mankind, and regarding the care of the commonwealth as a kind of common property which,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/believing-that-i-was-born-for-the-service-of-mankind-and-regarding/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) [Explore all 711 Francis Bacon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be not altered for the better designedly.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francis Bacon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/things-alter-for-the-worse-spontaneously-if-they-be-not-altered-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/things-alter-for-the-worse-spontaneously-if-they-be-not-altered-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/francis-bacon-297_change_things-alter-for-the-worse-spontaneously_682820.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/francis-bacon-297_change_things-alter-for-the-worse-spontaneously_682820.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/francis-bacon-297_change_things-alter-for-the-worse-spontaneously_682820.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be not altered for the better designedly.” — Francis Bacon", "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": "Francis Bacon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Things alter for the worse spontaneously,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/things-alter-for-the-worse-spontaneously-if-they-be-not-altered-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/things-alter-for-the-worse-spontaneously-if-they-be-not-altered-for/#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 } } ] } ```