--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every now and then, quite…" description: "\"“Every now and then, quite unintentionally, someone taught you something about yourself.”\" — Ian McEwan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc8/ian-mcewan-494_quite_every-now-and-then-quite-unintentionally_1409277.png" --- # Every now and then, quite unintentionally, someone taught… ![“Every now and then, quite unintentionally, someone taught you something about yourself.” quote by Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc8/ian-mcewan-494_quite_every-now-and-then-quite-unintentionally_1409277.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc8/ian-mcewan-494_quite_every-now-and-then-quite-unintentionally_1409277.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc8/ian-mcewan-494_quite_every-now-and-then-quite-unintentionally_1409277.png) > ““Every now and then, quite unintentionally, someone taught you something about yourself.”” [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Occasionally, unintentionally, someone teaches you something about yourself. **In simple terms:** Unexpected lessons reveal self‑knowledge. Key Takeaway Embrace accidental self‑discovery. Themes self-awareness learning relationships growth reflection Mood introspective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily interactions - reading - travel - conflict Key Concepts psychology personal development Questions to Reflect On - What recent surprise taught you about yourself? - How do you integrate unexpected lessons? A Different Perspective Self‑insight can be uncomfortable or disruptive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Quite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quite/) [Quite Unintentionally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quite-unintentionally-4961429/) [Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught/) [Unintentionally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unintentionally-325206/) [Unintentionally Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unintentionally-taught-4882311/) ## Related quotes > [Finally, you had to measure yourself by other people - there really was nothing else. every now and then, quite unintentionally, someone taught you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/finally-you-had-to-measure-yourself-by-other-people-there-really-was/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“Unintentional foreshadowing is unintentionally hilarious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wendell/unintentional-foreshadowing-is-unintentionally-hilarious/) [Sarah Wendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wendell/) > [How much wrong have we done unintentionally, meaning the best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-hickman/how-much-wrong-have-we-done-unintentionally-meaning-the-best/) [Tracy Hickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-hickman/) > [I don't think you should ever insult people unintentionally: if you're doing it, you ought to mean it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-don-t-think-you-should-ever-insult-people-unintentionally-if-you-re/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I think unintentionally I gravitate towards concepts and topics that hit home or are something real we can all relate to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-gordon/i-think-unintentionally-i-gravitate-towards-concepts-and-topics-that/) [Seth Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-gordon/) > [I don't say anything unintentionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-monaghan/i-don-t-say-anything-unintentionally/) [Dominic Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-monaghan/) > [Of course, there is no denying that I, too, have made mistakes, intentionally and unintentionally, but the good part is that now I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shehnaaz-gill/of-course-there-is-no-denying-that-i-too-have-made-mistakes/) [Shehnaaz Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shehnaaz-gill/) > [People say things unintentionally, not realizing that it could hurt someone's feelings because they've just never experienced what you have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-macdonald/people-say-things-unintentionally-not-realizing-that-it-could-hurt/) [Danielle Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-macdonald/) > [A gentleman is one who never hurts anyone's feelings unintentionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/a-gentleman-is-one-who-never-hurts-anyone-s-feelings-unintentionally/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't read much of what I write because I worry about unintentionally borrowing something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/i-don-t-read-much-of-what-i-write-because-i-worry-about/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [“Sometimes people do much wrong unintentionally, meaning for the best”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-hickman/sometimes-people-do-much-wrong-unintentionally-meaning-for-the-best/) [Tracy Hickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-hickman/) > [In art, one does not aim for simplicity; one achieves it unintentionally as one gets closer to the real meaning of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constantin-brancusi/in-art-one-does-not-aim-for-simplicity-one-achieves-it/) [Constantin Brancusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constantin-brancusi/) > [A gentleman is someone who never gives offense unintentionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-brann/a-gentleman-is-someone-who-never-gives-offense-unintentionally/) [Eva Brann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-brann/) > [Sometimes when people start dating a hot piece, they take on some of their boo's characteristics unintentionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/sometimes-when-people-start-dating-a-hot-piece-they-take-on-some-of/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [A gentleman never offends unintentionally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/a-gentleman-never-offends-unintentionally/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More by Ian McEwan > [“As you will see, we do not believe that artists have an obligation to strike up attitudes to the war. Indeed, they are wise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/as-you-will-see-we-do-not-believe-that-artists-have-an-obligation-to/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [You could say that all novels are spy novels and all novelists are spy masters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/you-could-say-that-all-novels-are-spy-novels-and-all-novelists-are/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [I've never had a moment's doubt. I love you. I believe in you completely. You are my dearest one. My reason for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-ve-never-had-a-moment-s-doubt-i-love-you-i-believe-in-you/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“It is shaming sometimes, how the body will not, or cannot, lie about emotions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/it-is-shaming-sometimes-how-the-body-will-not-or-cannot-lie-about/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“While my friends struggled and calculated, I reached a solution by a set of floating steps that were partly visual, partly just a feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/while-my-friends-struggled-and-calculated-i-reached-a-solution-by-a/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“Once, on a walk by a river- Eskdale in low reddish sunlight, with a dusting of snow- his daughter quoted to him an opening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/once-on-a-walk-by-a-river-eskdale-in-low-reddish-sunlight-with-a/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“Perhaps it's one of those cases of a microcosm giving you the whole world. Like a spode dinner plate. Or a single cell. Or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/perhaps-it-s-one-of-those-cases-of-a-microcosm-giving-you-the-whole/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [Who you get, and how it works out- there's so much luck involved, as well as the million branching consequences of your conscious choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/who-you-get-and-how-it-works-out-there-s-so-much-luck-involved-as/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“On Chesil Beach he could have called out to Florence, he could have gone after her. He did not know, or would not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/on-chesil-beach-he-could-have-called-out-to-florence-he-could-have/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [It was always the view of my parents...that hot weather encouraged loose morals among young people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/it-was-always-the-view-of-my-parents-that-hot-weather-encouraged/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [I apologize for being obvious, but every time I watch the curtain come down on even a halfway decent production of a Shakespeare play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-apologize-for-being-obvious-but-every-time-i-watch-the-curtain-come/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [I would rather be physically disabled obviously than mentally. I would rather be paraplegic than nuts. And it is a terrifying prospect and actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-would-rather-be-physically-disabled-obviously-than-mentally-i-would/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“Words, as I'm beginning to appreciate, can make things true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/words-as-i-m-beginning-to-appreciate-can-make-things-true/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [I couldn't think about novels at all. It seemed the only writing that was appropriate to that horrendous event was journalism, reportage. And, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-couldn-t-think-about-novels-at-all-it-seemed-the-only-writing-that/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [I did not kill my father, but I sometimes felt I had helped him on his way. And but for the fact that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-did-not-kill-my-father-but-i-sometimes-felt-i-had-helped-him-on-his/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) [Explore all 496 Ian McEwan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) ## More Quite quotes > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I do try and keep my scripts quite economical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-whannell/i-do-try-and-keep-my-scripts-quite-economical/) [Leigh Whannell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-whannell/) > [I don't mind positive criticism, but when it is negative and personal, it is quite hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inzamam-ul-haq/i-don-t-mind-positive-criticism-but-when-it-is-negative-and-personal/) [Inzamam-ul-Haq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inzamam-ul-haq/) > [Our world is drowning in a sea of self-centeredness. You can make yourself quite unique right away by leaving this ocean of selfishness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/our-world-is-drowning-in-a-sea-of-self-centeredness-you-can-make/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [I've actually got quite a good memory. I've good recall. It's often things which other people might not notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-frame/i-ve-actually-got-quite-a-good-memory-i-ve-good-recall-it-s-often/) [Ronald Frame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-frame/) > [My dad's quite a conservative person, and he brought me up to be very questioning of the commercial world. He looked down on pop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-and-the-diamonds/my-dad-s-quite-a-conservative-person-and-he-brought-me-up-to-be-very/) [Marina and the Diamonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-and-the-diamonds/) > [There are many different ways the public can respond to actors - they can see you on TV and feel they know you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/there-are-many-different-ways-the-public-can-respond-to-actors-they/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [It used to be that whenever I introduced myself to people and told them I was a psychologist, they would shrink away from me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/it-used-to-be-that-whenever-i-introduced-myself-to-people-and-told/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [I'm not quite sure how to say this; you made it extreemly easy for me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly/i-m-not-quite-sure-how-to-say-this-you-made-it-extreemly-easy-for-me/) [Molly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly/) > [Many people would be surprised that, in fact, I'm quite shy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/many-people-would-be-surprised-that-in-fact-i-m-quite-shy/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [I wanted him to love me, and I'm quite sure that he didn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-sargent/i-wanted-him-to-love-me-and-i-m-quite-sure-that-he-didn-t/) [Dick Sargent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-sargent/) > [I think we're probably only about halfway through the number of revelations. I'm pretty certain there will be quite detailed stuff on other uses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-a-watson/i-think-we-re-probably-only-about-halfway-through-the-number-of/) [Tom A. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-a-watson/) > [If I had to pick favourite parts of Interlagos, I would say the first and last corners. The first corner is really technical and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-grosjean/if-i-had-to-pick-favourite-parts-of-interlagos-i-would-say-the-first/) [Romain Grosjean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-grosjean/) > [I was quite naughty at school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-arterton/i-was-quite-naughty-at-school/) [Gemma Arterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-arterton/) > [You never exist quite so much as when you are not thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/you-never-exist-quite-so-much-as-when-you-are-not-thinking/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) [Browse all 2,451 Quite quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quite/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Every now and then, quite unintentionally, someone taught you something about yourself.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ian McEwan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/every-now-and-then-quite-unintentionally-someone-taught-you-something/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Quite" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/every-now-and-then-quite-unintentionally-someone-taught-you-something/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc8/ian-mcewan-494_quite_every-now-and-then-quite-unintentionally_1409277.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc8/ian-mcewan-494_quite_every-now-and-then-quite-unintentionally_1409277.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc8/ian-mcewan-494_quite_every-now-and-then-quite-unintentionally_1409277.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Every now and then, quite unintentionally, someone taught you something about yourself.” — Ian McEwan", "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": "Ian McEwan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Every now and then, quite unintentionally,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/every-now-and-then-quite-unintentionally-someone-taught-you-something/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/every-now-and-then-quite-unintentionally-someone-taught-you-something/#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 } } ] } ```