---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Remember the Three Princes of Serendip…"
description: "\"Remember the Three Princes of Serendip who went out looking for treasure? They didn't find what they were looking for, but they kept finding things jus..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/george-w-bush-64_business_remember-the-three-princes-of-serendip-w_267584.jpg"
---

#  Remember the Three Princes of Serendip who went out…

![“Remember the Three Princes of Serendip who went out looking for treasure? They didn't find what they were looking for, but they kept finding things just as valuable. That's serendipity, and our business &#91;drugs&#93; is full of it.” quote by George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/george-w-bush-64_business_remember-the-three-princes-of-serendip-w_267584.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/george-w-bush-64_business_remember-the-three-princes-of-serendip-w_267584.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/george-w-bush-64_business_remember-the-three-princes-of-serendip-w_267584.jpg)

> “Remember the Three Princes of Serendip who went out looking for treasure? They didn't find what they were looking for, but they kept finding things just as valuable. That's serendipity, and our business \[drugs\] is full of it.”

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

## About This Quote

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

Unexpected discoveries often outweigh the original goal, highlighting the value of serendipity in innovation.

**In simple terms:** Finding unexpected value can be more rewarding than the original aim.

Key Takeaway

Embrace chance discoveries.

Themes

serendipity innovation business strategy

Mood

optimistic curious

Type

philosophical insightful

When to use this quote

- research development
- entrepreneurship
- product design

Key Concepts

unexpected value creative problem solving exploration

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you create environments that foster serendipity?
- When should you pivot from the original plan?

A Different Perspective

Not all serendipitous finds are useful; they require discernment.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Drug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drug/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Serendipity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serendipity/) [Treasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treasure/)

## Related quotes

> [Serendipity... You will understand it better by the derivation than by the definition. I once read a silly fairy tale, called 'The Three Princes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-walpole/serendipity-you-will-understand-it-better-by-the-derivation-than-by/)

[Horace Walpole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-walpole/)

> [In those days Mr. Sherlock Holmes was still living in Baker Street and the Bastables were looking for treasure in the Lewisham Road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-those-days-mr-sherlock-holmes-was-still-living-in-baker-street-and/)

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

> [I'm an adventurer, looking for treasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-m-an-adventurer-looking-for-treasure/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [When you are looking for treasure, first create a map, second follow the directions to her heart, and most of all the X is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasheed-bryant/when-you-are-looking-for-treasure-first-create-a-map-second-follow/)

[Rasheed Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasheed-bryant/)

> [Choosing a new book was like looking for treasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-pearson/choosing-a-new-book-was-like-looking-for-treasure/)

Kit Pearson

> [If I were to say I'm looking for treasure, people would come up with the money. When I say I'm looking for a historic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/if-i-were-to-say-i-m-looking-for-treasure-people-would-come-up-with/)

[Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/)

> [Serendipity, you can choose who to protect and who to share life with, but you cannot choose who to love, for love isn't a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/serendipity-you-can-choose-who-to-protect-and-who-to-share-life-with/)

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

> [You know being relevant or coming up with something interesting, funny to say about what's current is just as hard as it might ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/you-know-being-relevant-or-coming-up-with-something-interesting-funny/)

[Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/)

> [When I write about "realizations," I am describing a state in which a practitioner has wisdom of who she or he is, and has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-targ/when-i-write-about-realizations-i-am-describing-a-state-in-which-a/)

Russell Targ

> [Many of the things that have happened in the laboratory have happened in ways it would have been impossible to foresee, but not impossible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-langmuir/many-of-the-things-that-have-happened-in-the-laboratory-have-happened/)

[Irving Langmuir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-langmuir/)

> [“ Serendipity awakens the dutiful wife to personal growth when a transformational opportunity comes her way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-harlan/serendipity-awakens-the-dutiful-wife-to-personal-growth-when-a/)

Jean Harlan

> [If you use it intelligently, Twitter can be a form of engineered serendipity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-silva/if-you-use-it-intelligently-twitter-can-be-a-form-of-engineered/)

[Jason Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-silva/)

> [Each painting is fresh and new, a surprise even to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-jackson/each-painting-is-fresh-and-new-a-surprise-even-to-myself/)

Anne Jackson

> [I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-am-a-firm-believer-in-serendipity-all-the-random-pieces-coming/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“They happen only when you are distant,aloof. They happen, they cannot be brought. They happen you cannot force them to happen. They are spontaneous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/they-happen-only-when-you-are-distant-aloof-they-happen-they-cannot/)

[Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/)

## More by George W. Bush

> [Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/throughout-our-history-the-words-of-the-declaration-have-inspired/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [I recognize I am essentially a failed human being in the sense that I can't possibly live up to the expectations of an Almighty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-recognize-i-am-essentially-a-failed-human-being-in-the-sense-that-i/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [We will make sure our troops have all that is necessary to complete their missions. That's why I went to the Congress last September…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-will-make-sure-our-troops-have-all-that-is-necessary-to-complete/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [God speaks through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-speaks-through-me/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible - and no one can now doubt the word of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/for-diplomacy-to-be-effective-words-must-be-credible-and-no-one-can/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [You can fool some of the people all the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/you-can-fool-some-of-the-people-all-the-time-and-those-are-the-ones/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [If you take all the food aid, America is by far the most generous country. If you take the direct aid, we're very generous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-you-take-all-the-food-aid-america-is-by-far-the-most-generous/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [The tyrant has fallen, and Iraq is free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-tyrant-has-fallen-and-iraq-is-free/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [“One of our energy strategies is to increase the CAFE standards to 35 miles per hour..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/one-of-our-energy-strategies-is-to-increase-the-cafe-standards-to-35/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [There's a lot that I want to accomplish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/there-s-a-lot-that-i-want-to-accomplish/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [If he's - the inference is that somehow he thinks slavery is a - is a noble institution I would - I would strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-he-s-the-inference-is-that-somehow-he-thinks-slavery-is-a-is-a/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [My answer is bring 'em on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-answer-is-bring-em-on/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [On 9-11, we discovered that we cannot escape from the world. To me personally, this was a life-changing experience, and I realized, as did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/on-9-11-we-discovered-that-we-cannot-escape-from-the-world-to-me/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [As Americans, we want peace - we work and sacrifice for peace. But there can be no peace if our security depends on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/as-americans-we-want-peace-we-work-and-sacrifice-for-peace-but-there/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [I couldn't imagine somebody like Osama bin Laden understanding the joy of Chanukah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-couldn-t-imagine-somebody-like-osama-bin-laden-understanding-the/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

[Explore all 1,717 George W. Bush quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

## More Business quotes

> [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/)

[Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/)

> [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/)

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

> [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/)

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

> [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/)

[Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/)

> [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/)

[Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/)

> [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/)

[Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/)

> [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/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/)

[Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/)

> [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/)

[N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/)

> [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/)

[Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/)

> [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/)

[Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/)

> [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

[Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Remember the Three Princes of Serendip who went out looking for treasure? They didn't find what they were looking for, but they kept finding things just as valuable. That's serendipity, and our business [drugs] is full of it.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "George W. Bush"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/remember-the-three-princes-of-serendip-who-went-out-looking-for/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Business"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/remember-the-three-princes-of-serendip-who-went-out-looking-for/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/george-w-bush-64_business_remember-the-three-princes-of-serendip-w_267584.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/george-w-bush-64_business_remember-the-three-princes-of-serendip-w_267584.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/george-w-bush-64_business_remember-the-three-princes-of-serendip-w_267584.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Remember the Three Princes of Serendip who went out looking for treasure? They didn't find what they were…” — George W. Bush",
                "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": "George W. Bush",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Remember the Three Princes of Serendip...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/remember-the-three-princes-of-serendip-who-went-out-looking-for/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/remember-the-three-princes-of-serendip-who-went-out-looking-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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
