---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Okay, consider this. Say you’re going to…"
description: "\"“Okay, consider this. Say you’re going to go on a long journey with someone by car. And the two of you will take turns driving. Which type of person wo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/097/haruki-murakami-21_long-journey_okay-consider-this-say-you-re-going-to-g_443837.jpg"
---

#  Okay, consider this. Say you’re going to go on a long…

![“Okay, consider this. Say you’re going to go on a long journey with someone by car. And the two of you will take turns driving. Which type of person would you choose? One who’s a good driver, but inattentive, or an attentive person who’s not such a good driver?” quote by Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/097/haruki-murakami-21_long-journey_okay-consider-this-say-you-re-going-to-g_443837.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/097/haruki-murakami-21_long-journey_okay-consider-this-say-you-re-going-to-g_443837.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/097/haruki-murakami-21_long-journey_okay-consider-this-say-you-re-going-to-g_443837.jpg)

> ““Okay, consider this. Say you’re going to go on a long journey with someone by car. And the two of you will take turns driving. Which type of person would you choose? One who’s a good driver, but inattentive, or an attentive person who’s not such a good driver?””

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

## About This Quote

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

The metaphor asks whether to trust skill or attentiveness when sharing a journey, highlighting the trade‑off between competence and vigilance.

**In simple terms:** Choose attentiveness over skill for safety.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize vigilance in collaborative tasks.

Themes

trust collaboration risk assessment

Mood

contemplative analytical

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- driving partners
- project co‑leaders
- medical teams

Key Concepts

decision making human factors teamwork

Questions to Reflect On

- What balance of skill and attention is ideal?
- How do you assess each partner’s strengths?

A Different Perspective

Attentiveness may not compensate for critical skill gaps in high‑stakes situations.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Attentive Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attentive-person-3887595/) [Driver Inattentive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driver-inattentive-3887594/) [Good Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-driver-454012/) [Inattentive Attentive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inattentive-attentive-3887596/) [Long journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-journey/) [Person Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-choose-702277/) [Type of person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/type-of-person/)

## Related quotes

> [You teach your 16-year-old with your heart in your mouth to be a good driver and none of that makes any difference when some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/you-teach-your-16-year-old-with-your-heart-in-your-mouth-to-be-a-good/)

[Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/)

> [“For a gay you are good driver.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-benderson/for-a-gay-you-are-good-driver/)

[Bruce Benderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-benderson/)

> [Father was a good driver and enjoyed driving, but the sight of a female in charge of a vehicle was sometimes too much for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-devonshire/father-was-a-good-driver-and-enjoyed-driving-but-the-sight-of-a/)

[Deborah Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-devonshire/)

> [I don't want to just be a good driver: I want to be a complete driver and hopefully the best driver in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-alonso/i-don-t-want-to-just-be-a-good-driver-i-want-to-be-a-complete-driver/)

[Fernando Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-alonso/)

> [I'm a good driver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-somerhalder/i-m-a-good-driver/)

[Ian Somerhalder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-somerhalder/)

> [If I want to do well in racing I need to be more focused so I stopped going to school. If I wasn't a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lando-norris/if-i-want-to-do-well-in-racing-i-need-to-be-more-focused-so-i-stopped/)

[Lando Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lando-norris/)

> [“I thought, What a miserable life he's had, having to hide his religion, his name, just to get a job as a driver—and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/i-thought-what-a-miserable-life-he-s-had-having-to-hide-his-religion/)

[Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/)

> [“There was a woman. She was rich. She thought she wanted to marry me. It wouldn’t have worked. I’ll probably never see her again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/there-was-a-woman-she-was-rich-she-thought-she-wanted-to-marry-me-it/)

[Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/)

> [What wins still goes back to who you are as a player and what you do well. If you're a great 3-point shooter, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/what-wins-still-goes-back-to-who-you-are-as-a-player-and-what-you-do/)

[Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/)

> [I don't want to brag, but I'm a pretty good driver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piper-perabo/i-don-t-want-to-brag-but-i-m-a-pretty-good-driver/)

[Piper Perabo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piper-perabo/)

> [The car is a big part of it, but you need to be a good driver to get the equipment to the top. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-ricciardo/the-car-is-a-big-part-of-it-but-you-need-to-be-a-good-driver-to-get/)

[Daniel Ricciardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-ricciardo/)

> [Just because you're sober, don't think you're a good driver, Cookie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-you-re-sober-don-t-think-you-re-a-good-driver-cookie/)

[John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/)

> [I think I'm a very good driver. Apparently, the cause of road rage - as with most anger - is some kind of superiority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/i-think-i-m-a-very-good-driver-apparently-the-cause-of-road-rage-as/)

[Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/)

> [No matter how good a driver you are, you have to have the right car and the right team behind you in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-matter-how-good-a-driver-you-are-you-have-to-have-the-right-car/)

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

> [I kind of look up to Lewis, not as a hero, but as a very good driver who is very fast. Everyone has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lando-norris/i-kind-of-look-up-to-lewis-not-as-a-hero-but-as-a-very-good-driver/)

[Lando Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lando-norris/)

## More by Haruki Murakami

> [I always feel like I'm struggling to become someone else. Like I'm trying to find a new place, grab hold of a new life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-always-feel-like-i-m-struggling-to-become-someone-else-like-i-m/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [If writing novels is like planting a forest, then writing short stories is more like planting a garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-writing-novels-is-like-planting-a-forest-then-writing-short/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“The sad truth is that what I could recall in five seconds all too soon needed ten, then thirty, thena full minute...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-sad-truth-is-that-what-i-could-recall-in-five-seconds-all-too/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“Intelligent teenage girls were often instinctively theatrical, purposely eccentric, mouthing highly suggestive words to confuse people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/intelligent-teenage-girls-were-often-instinctively-theatrical/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [Memory is like fiction; or else it's fiction that's like memory. This really came home to me once I started writing fiction, that memory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/memory-is-like-fiction-or-else-it-s-fiction-that-s-like-memory-this/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [The most dangerous creature here would have to be me. So maybe I'm just scared of my own shadow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-most-dangerous-creature-here-would-have-to-be-me-so-maybe-i-m/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [If you listen to the radio for a whole hour there's maybe one decent song. The rest is mass-produced garbage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-you-listen-to-the-radio-for-a-whole-hour-there-s-maybe-one-decent/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“that one of our problems was our inability to recognize and accept our own deformities”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/that-one-of-our-problems-was-our-inability-to-recognize-and-accept/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“When I look back at myself at age twenty, what I remember most is being alone and lonely. I had no girlfriend to warm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-i-look-back-at-myself-at-age-twenty-what-i-remember-most-is/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“There's not a branch of publishing or broadcasting that doesn't depend in some way on advertising. It'd be like an aquarium without water. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/there-s-not-a-branch-of-publishing-or-broadcasting-that-doesn-t/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“One by one, I'll face the tasks before me and complete them as best I can. Focusing on each stride forward, but at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/one-by-one-i-ll-face-the-tasks-before-me-and-complete-them-as-best-i/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“Eleven o'clock had come and gone. I had to find a way to bring this conversation to a successful conclusion and get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/eleven-o-clock-had-come-and-gone-i-had-to-find-a-way-to-bring-this/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“Some people get a kick out of reading railway timetables and that's all they do all day. Some people make huge model boats out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/some-people-get-a-kick-out-of-reading-railway-timetables-and-that-s/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“When the time comes, everybody’s got to end up where they belong. Only me, I didn’t have a place to call my own. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-the-time-comes-everybody-s-got-to-end-up-where-they-belong-only/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“You let something out of the bag before yourself knew what it was all about”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/you-let-something-out-of-the-bag-before-yourself-knew-what-it-was-all/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

[Explore all 2,928 Haruki Murakami quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

## More Long journey quotes

> [“You’d better keep her tied.” “Why?” A yawn stretched Hunter’s dark face. “Because she’s looking skittish.” “She’s naked.” Sheathing his knife, Hunter flopped on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/you-d-better-keep-her-tied-why-a-yawn-stretched-hunter-s-dark-face/)

[Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/)

> [“There is something that happens to the mind in moments of terror. Perhaps we figure it's the last we'll ever have and we record…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/there-is-something-that-happens-to-the-mind-in-moments-of-terror/)

[Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/)

> [“The two climbers looked at each other, a glance that bored all the way down to Medvetz's DNA - not desperate or pleading or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-heil/the-two-climbers-looked-at-each-other-a-glance-that-bored-all-the-way/)

[Nick Heil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-heil/)

> [Now it is autumn and the falling fruit and the long journey towards oblivion. The apples falling like great drops of dew to bruise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/now-it-is-autumn-and-the-falling-fruit-and-the-long-journey-towards/)

[D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/)

> [Climbing is this long term, lifelong journey. It's really important to just take your time with it and keep it fun. I've seen a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sharma/climbing-is-this-long-term-lifelong-journey-it-s-really-important-to/)

[Chris Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sharma/)

> [It is just the start of your professional career and you have to handle it properly and realise that it is not always like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-bellerin/it-is-just-the-start-of-your-professional-career-and-you-have-to/)

[Hector Bellerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-bellerin/)

> [“I finally have permission to breathe, but I can’t. I inhale like sucking in salt water. I’m drowning in the unexpected. I’m sinking between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-lofty/i-finally-have-permission-to-breathe-but-i-can-t-i-inhale-like/)

[Carrie Lofty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-lofty/)

> [Going to a concert can sometimes be very difficult. It can be a long journey. There's the ticket prices. But when the music goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-dudamel/going-to-a-concert-can-sometimes-be-very-difficult-it-can-be-a-long/)

[Gustavo Dudamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-dudamel/)

> [“That's lovely singing, Saraid," Eile said. "Is Sorry asleep now?" Saraid shook her head solemnly. "Sorry's sad. Crying." She held the doll against her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/that-s-lovely-singing-saraid-eile-said-is-sorry-asleep-now-saraid/)

[Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

> [Its a long journey before we live, and may be longer after we die, destination is just the path, to improve it must our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/its-a-long-journey-before-we-live-and-may-be-longer-after-we-die/)

[Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/)

> [If seeds in the black earth can turn into such beautiful roses, what might not the heart of man become in its long journey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-seeds-in-the-black-earth-can-turn-into-such-beautiful-roses-what/)

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

> [I'm not sure if I'll become Dr. Du Toit. I'm at the early stages of a long journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elize-du-toit/i-m-not-sure-if-i-ll-become-dr-du-toit-i-m-at-the-early-stages-of-a/)

[Elize Du Toit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elize-du-toit/)

> [“I've come full circle after a long journey, even though I’ve only been at sleep-away camp for two months. But this is such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/i-ve-come-full-circle-after-a-long-journey-even-though-i-ve-only-been/)

[Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/)

> [I think it's important to earn your fan base and not just try to immediately advance to the top. If you ride to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/i-think-it-s-important-to-earn-your-fan-base-and-not-just-try-to/)

[Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/)

> [In a long journey straw waighs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/in-a-long-journey-straw-waighs/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

[Browse all 228 Long journey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-journey/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Okay, consider this. Say you’re going to go on a long journey with someone by car. And the two of you will take turns driving. Which type of person would you choose? One who’s a good driver, but inattentive, or an attentive person who’s not such a good driver?”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Haruki Murakami"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/okay-consider-this-say-you-re-going-to-go-on-a-long-journey-with/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Long journey"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/okay-consider-this-say-you-re-going-to-go-on-a-long-journey-with/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/097/haruki-murakami-21_long-journey_okay-consider-this-say-you-re-going-to-g_443837.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/097/haruki-murakami-21_long-journey_okay-consider-this-say-you-re-going-to-g_443837.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/097/haruki-murakami-21_long-journey_okay-consider-this-say-you-re-going-to-g_443837.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Okay, consider this. Say you’re going to go on a long journey with someone by car. And the two of you will…” — Haruki Murakami",
                "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": "Haruki Murakami",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Okay, consider this. Say you’re going...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/okay-consider-this-say-you-re-going-to-go-on-a-long-journey-with/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/okay-consider-this-say-you-re-going-to-go-on-a-long-journey-with/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
