--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not important to have said a thing…" description: "\"It is not important to have said a thing first, or best - or even most interestingly. What is important is to say it on the right occasion.\" — Idries Shah" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/idries-shah-450_firsts_it-is-not-important-to-have-said-a-thing_2958431.jpg" --- # It is not important to have said a thing first, or best… ![“It is not important to have said a thing first, or best - or even most interestingly. What is important is to say it on the right occasion.” quote by Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/idries-shah-450_firsts_it-is-not-important-to-have-said-a-thing_2958431.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/idries-shah-450_firsts_it-is-not-important-to-have-said-a-thing_2958431.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/idries-shah-450_firsts_it-is-not-important-to-have-said-a-thing_2958431.jpg) > “It is not important to have said a thing first, or best - or even most interestingly. What is important is to say it on the right occasion.” [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Timing matters more than originality; delivering a message when it resonates is key. **In simple terms:** Say it at the right moment. Key Takeaway Choose the optimal timing. Themes communication timing relevance Mood thoughtful strategic Type advice insightful When to use this quote - public speaking - marketing campaigns - personal conversations - teaching Key Concepts psychology contextual impact Questions to Reflect On - When have you missed the right moment? - How can you gauge timing? A Different Perspective Even a perfect message can fail if delivered poorly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-said-761874/) [Important Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-say/) [Occasions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occasions/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Said Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-thing/) [Say Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-right/) [Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk/) ## Related quotes > [When mouths close, it’s because there’s something important to be said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-mouths-close-it-s-because-there-s-something-important-to-be-said/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“I work at a retirement home. I'm a CNA.” “What's that?” “It stands for Certified Nursing Assistant.” “That sounds important,” I said. She laughed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/i-work-at-a-retirement-home-i-m-a-cna-what-s-that-it-stands-for/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [Meanings is not important, said the BFG. I cannot be right all the time. Quite often I is left instead of right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/meanings-is-not-important-said-the-bfg-i-cannot-be-right-all-the-time/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [“Necks, of course, are important," said Big Dog.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-verdak/necks-of-course-are-important-said-big-dog/) [Thea Verdak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-verdak/) > [When mouths close, its because theres something important to be said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-mouths-close-its-because-theres-something-important-to-be-said/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Well I feel like if you can go days without talking to me, then I wasn't really all that important to you as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-marcellin/well-i-feel-like-if-you-can-go-days-without-talking-to-me-then-i-wasn/) [Sam Marcellin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-marcellin/) > [“children never forget. For this reason, it was so important what one said, and what one did, and it was a relief when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/children-never-forget-for-this-reason-it-was-so-important-what-one-2/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [What we are is more important than what we have or what is said of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/what-we-are-is-more-important-than-what-we-have-or-what-is-said-of-us/) [Marvin J. Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [“I know nothing I’m doing is important,' he said. 'Sure, I’m just a waste product of history. 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'I'm not important. You're not important. Winning the war, that's the only important thing.' 'No,' I said, 'I disagree.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-benioff/markov-s-not-important-she-said-i-m-not-important-you-re-not/) [David Benioff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-benioff/) > [“What has been said is often less important than what has not been said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-a-johnson/what-has-been-said-is-often-less-important-than-what-has-not-been-said/) [Eric A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-a-johnson/) ## More by Idries Shah > [“To be a Sufi is to detach from fixed ideas and from preconceptions; and not to try to avoid what is your lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/to-be-a-sufi-is-to-detach-from-fixed-ideas-and-from-preconceptions/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Teach honesty by all means - you do know what it is, don't you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/teach-honesty-by-all-means-you-do-know-what-it-is-don-t-you/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Sufism is transmitted by means of the human exemplar, the teacher.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/sufism-is-transmitted-by-means-of-the-human-exemplar-the-teacher/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“No existe práctica en aislamiento.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/no-existe-pr-ctica-en-aislamiento/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [A king who feared wasps once decreed that they were abolished. As it happened, they did him no harm. 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But Truth is always being shown there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/yes-the-world-is-an-illusion-but-truth-is-always-being-shown-there/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [It is the message, not the man, which is important to the Sufis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/it-is-the-message-not-the-man-which-is-important-to-the-sufis/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [The human being, whether he realises it or not, is trusting someone or something every moment of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/the-human-being-whether-he-realises-it-or-not-is-trusting-someone-or/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Who is the wrong person to criticise? You”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/who-is-the-wrong-person-to-criticise-you/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“You may be able to get the bone down your throat But if it reaches your stomach it will tear your navel. (Gulistan)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/you-may-be-able-to-get-the-bone-down-your-throat-but-if-it-reaches/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“People are always trying to understand. There is only one way to do that. It is to discover < + i + >why< +…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/people-are-always-trying-to-understand-there-is-only-one-way-to-do/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [We view Sufism not as an ideology that molds people to the right way of belief or action, but as an art or science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/we-view-sufism-not-as-an-ideology-that-molds-people-to-the-right-way/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) [Explore all 365 Idries Shah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) ## More Firsts quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. 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