--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But things never go according to plan. In…" description: "\"“But things never go according to plan. In fact, I think if you're really attached to controlling your future, you should plan for the opposite of what..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/hollis-gillespie-55469_time_but-things-never-go-according-to-plan-in_1099223.jpg" --- # But things never go according to plan. In fact, I think if… ![“But things never go according to plan. In fact, I think if you're really attached to controlling your future, you should plan for the opposite of what you want just to confuse the cosmic comedians whose sole job is to figure out what you think your future should hold so they can preclude it from…” quote by Hollis Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/hollis-gillespie-55469_time_but-things-never-go-according-to-plan-in_1099223.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/hollis-gillespie-55469_time_but-things-never-go-according-to-plan-in_1099223.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/hollis-gillespie-55469_time_but-things-never-go-according-to-plan-in_1099223.jpg) > ““But things never go according to plan. In fact, I think if you're really attached to controlling your future, you should plan for the opposite of what you want just to confuse the cosmic comedians whose sole job is to figure out what you think your future should hold so they can preclude it from ever happening.”” [Hollis Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hollis-gillespie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is unpredictable; trying to control it too tightly invites resistance, so embracing uncertainty can outwit fate. **In simple terms:** Control invites chaos; accept uncertainty. Key Takeaway Embrace flexibility and humor. Themes uncertainty control humor Mood playigh reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal planning - career decisions - creative projects - relationship expectations Key Concepts determinism cosmic irony Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance planning with openness? - What role does humor play in coping with uncertainty? A Different Perspective Plans may backfire if overly rigid. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Knowing the future is difficult, controlling the future is impossible. Knowing today is essential; controlling today is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/knowing-the-future-is-difficult-controlling-the-future-is-impossible/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [“Just one freaking time I would like to have a banner day where everything goes according to plan.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbra-annino/just-one-freaking-time-i-would-like-to-have-a-banner-day-where/) [Barbra Annino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbra-annino/) > [When things are not going according to plan, you show off, it's natural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjun-mathur/when-things-are-not-going-according-to-plan-you-show-off-it-s-natural/) [Arjun Mathur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjun-mathur/) > [“Life never goes according to plan. That's okay, because often our plans are much smaller than life intends. Probably EASIER, but smaller.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-t-hunt/life-never-goes-according-to-plan-that-s-okay-because-often-our-plans/) [Stacey T. Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-t-hunt/) > [“Sometimes the best plan is to simply expect that things might not go according to plan.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/comic-strip-mama/sometimes-the-best-plan-is-to-simply-expect-that-things-might-not-go/) Comic Strip Mama > [I think that no relationship goes completely according to plan or the way you wished it had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-trevorrow/i-think-that-no-relationship-goes-completely-according-to-plan-or-the/) [Colin Trevorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-trevorrow/) > [No battle was ever won according to plan, but no battle was ever won without one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/no-battle-was-ever-won-according-to-plan-but-no-battle-was-ever-won/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [When there are things that don't go according to plan, London will cope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-hunt/when-there-are-things-that-don-t-go-according-to-plan-london-will-cope/) [Jeremy Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-hunt/) > [“Everything's falling apart according to plan.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tottenham/everything-s-falling-apart-according-to-plan/) [John Tottenham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tottenham/) > [Your life can't go according to plan if you have no plan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/your-life-can-t-go-according-to-plan-if-you-have-no-plan/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Well clearly Graeme it all went according to plan, what was the plan exactly ?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-welsby/well-clearly-graeme-it-all-went-according-to-plan-what-was-the-plan/) Elton Welsby > [“She thought that trying to live life according to any plan you actually work out is like trying to buy ingredients for a recipe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/she-thought-that-trying-to-live-life-according-to-any-plan-you/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [Nothing ever happens quickly. Nothing is ever, ever easy. Most of all, nothing ever goes perfectly according to plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-ever-happens-quickly-nothing-is-ever-ever-easy-most-of-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nobody panics when things go “according to plan”. Even if the plan is horrifying!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heath-ledger/nobody-panics-when-things-go-according-to-plan-even-if-the-plan-is/) [Heath Ledger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heath-ledger/) > [...nothing ever happens quickly (except when it does). Nothing is ever, ever easy (except when it is). And, most of all, nothing ever goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/nothing-ever-happens-quickly-except-when-it-does-nothing-is-ever-ever/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) ## More by Hollis Gillespie > [“Our duty," he said, "is to catapult each other into greatness!" We are not great yet, but at least we sometimes experience moments of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hollis-gillespie/our-duty-he-said-is-to-catapult-each-other-into-greatness-we-are-not/) [Hollis Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hollis-gillespie/) > [“That's the detail of the dead woman I always remember: her bare left foot, along with packets of Top Ramen and a torn box…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hollis-gillespie/that-s-the-detail-of-the-dead-woman-i-always-remember-her-bare-left/) [Hollis Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hollis-gillespie/) > [“We were all like a gaggle of hermit crabs without shells, flopping around trying to find ourselves. Instead we found each other, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hollis-gillespie/we-were-all-like-a-gaggle-of-hermit-crabs-without-shells-flopping/) [Hollis Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hollis-gillespie/) > [“...dismayed that I would pass up true adventure for the sake of a fake one I'd never get around to inventing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hollis-gillespie/dismayed-that-i-would-pass-up-true-adventure-for-the-sake-of-a-fake/) [Hollis Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hollis-gillespie/) > [“I'm sure you've heard people use the term, "You just don't get it." Well, I figured out the 'it' is the point in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hollis-gillespie/i-m-sure-you-ve-heard-people-use-the-term-you-just-don-t-get-it-well/) [Hollis Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hollis-gillespie/) [Explore all 6 Hollis Gillespie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hollis-gillespie/) ## More Time quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“William didn't look like he'd be difficult about anything - he was thin and sandy-haired and already wore eyeglasses like his father. Most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/william-didn-t-look-like-he-d-be-difficult-about-anything-he-was-thin/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [Intel has a very complete process that I go through any time I want to sell that ensures I have no insider information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-krzanich/intel-has-a-very-complete-process-that-i-go-through-any-time-i-want/) [Brian Krzanich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-krzanich/) > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [I feel like the future is unwritten. So many of the things that we write now haven't been about educating people on the environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-feel-like-the-future-is-unwritten-so-many-of-the-things-that-we/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Conception is the beginning of human life. From the time that an ovum is fertilized a new life begins that is neither that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/conception-is-the-beginning-of-human-life-from-the-time-that-an-ovum/) Declaration on Procured Abortion Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 1974 > [“You put together two things that have not been put together before. And the world is changed. People may not notice at the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-put-together-two-things-that-have-not-been-put-together-before/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“It was about damn time something happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/it-was-about-damn-time-something-happened/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) [Browse all 215,255 Time quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But things never go according to plan. In fact, I think if you're really attached to controlling your future, you should plan for the opposite of what you want just to confuse the cosmic comedians whose sole job is to figure out what you think your future should hold so they can preclude it from ever happening.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hollis Gillespie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hollis-gillespie/but-things-never-go-according-to-plan-in-fact-i-think-if-you-re/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Time" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hollis-gillespie/but-things-never-go-according-to-plan-in-fact-i-think-if-you-re/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/hollis-gillespie-55469_time_but-things-never-go-according-to-plan-in_1099223.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/hollis-gillespie-55469_time_but-things-never-go-according-to-plan-in_1099223.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/hollis-gillespie-55469_time_but-things-never-go-according-to-plan-in_1099223.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But things never go according to plan. In fact, I think if you're really attached to controlling your…” — Hollis Gillespie", "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": "Hollis Gillespie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hollis-gillespie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But things never go according to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hollis-gillespie/but-things-never-go-according-to-plan-in-fact-i-think-if-you-re/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hollis-gillespie/but-things-never-go-according-to-plan-in-fact-i-think-if-you-re/#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 } } ] } ```