---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never miss a good chance to shut up"
description: "\"I never miss a good chance to shut up\" — James Patterson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/james-patterson-171_chance_i-never-miss-a-good-chance-to-shut-up-14_1408834.png"
---

#  I never miss a good chance to shut up

![“I never miss a good chance to shut up” quote by James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/james-patterson-171_chance_i-never-miss-a-good-chance-to-shut-up-14_1408834.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/james-patterson-171_chance_i-never-miss-a-good-chance-to-shut-up-14_1408834.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/james-patterson-171_chance_i-never-miss-a-good-chance-to-shut-up-14_1408834.png)

> “I never miss a good chance to shut up”

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

## About This Quote

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

The speaker claims they never miss an opportunity to stay silent, implying a preference for listening over speaking.

**In simple terms:** I always choose to stay quiet when possible.

Key Takeaway

Value listening over speaking.

Themes

silence communication humility

Mood

introspective pragmatic

Type

advice observational

When to use this quote

- negotiations
- team meetings
- personal relationships
- conflict resolution

Key Concepts

mindfulness self‑control social dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- When is speaking more beneficial than staying silent?
- How does silence affect your influence?

A Different Perspective

Silence can be misinterpreted as disengagement.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/)

## Related quotes

> [Never pass by a chance to shut up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-silverberg/never-pass-by-a-chance-to-shut-up/)

[Robert Silverberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-silverberg/)

> [Never miss a good chance to shut up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-miss-a-good-chance-to-shut-up/)

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

> [Never miss a chance to shut up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/never-miss-a-chance-to-shut-up/)

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

> [Never slap a man who's chewing tobacco. Never kick a cow chip on a hot day. Never miss a good chance to shut up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/never-slap-a-man-who-s-chewing-tobacco-never-kick-a-cow-chip-on-a-hot/)

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

> [Thoughts shut up want air, And spoil, like bales unopen'd to the sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-young/thoughts-shut-up-want-air-and-spoil-like-bales-unopen-d-to-the-sun/)

[Edward Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-young/)

> [Shut up, Nick. (Talon) 'Shut up, Nick, heel, sit, fetch.’ Love you too, Celt. (Nick)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/shut-up-nick-talon-shut-up-nick-heel-sit-fetch-love-you-too-celt-nick/)

[Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/)

> [Shut up, sod off, and let me in. (Fury)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/shut-up-sod-off-and-let-me-in-fury/)

[Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/)

> [I won't sit down And I won't shut up And most of all I will not grow up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-turner/i-won-t-sit-down-and-i-won-t-shut-up-and-most-of-all-i-will-not-grow/)

[Frank Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-turner/)

> [In spite of the opinions of certain narrow-minded people, who would shut up the human race upon this globe, as within some magic circle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/in-spite-of-the-opinions-of-certain-narrow-minded-people-who-would/)

[Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/)

> [Tell your lizard (brain) to shut up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/tell-your-lizard-brain-to-shut-up/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [I remember being a bathtub singer. You know, the type that sings and everybody's like, 'Shut up.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-paul/i-remember-being-a-bathtub-singer-you-know-the-type-that-sings-and/)

[Sean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-paul/)

> [I get a lot of "Shut up, Matilda." I probably get as many "Shut up, Matildas" as Wil Wheaton gets "Shut up, Wesleys." That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-wilson/i-get-a-lot-of-shut-up-matilda-i-probably-get-as-many-shut-up/)

[Mara Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-wilson/)

> [Wow you need to get some sun.” “Shut up. I'm Irish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/wow-you-need-to-get-some-sun-shut-up-i-m-irish/)

[Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/)

> [Shut the fuck up ur so annoying and you think your the shit lmao sit the fuck down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/shut-the-fuck-up-ur-so-annoying-and-you-think-your-the-shit-lmao-sit/)

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

> [Shut up,' he explained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ring-lardner/shut-up-he-explained/)

[Ring Lardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ring-lardner/)

## More by James Patterson

> [It was a little weird that they were friends. But then, maybe freaks just tended to find each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/it-was-a-little-weird-that-they-were-friends-but-then-maybe-freaks/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [“The next forty-five minutes in that office was about as much fun as a day at Disney World—when it’s pouring rain. And all there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/the-next-forty-five-minutes-in-that-office-was-about-as-much-fun-as-a/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [As we go through this transition where a lot more people will be reading on devices, nobody is paying enough attention to make sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/as-we-go-through-this-transition-where-a-lot-more-people-will-be/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [Max—you have a bigger mission than finding the flock's parents. Focus on helping the whole world, not just your friends. I held my wings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/max-you-have-a-bigger-mission-than-finding-the-flock-s-parents-focus/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [You're lying through your fangs," Iggy accused. Fang tried to play innocent--but "innocent Fang" is an oxymoron, so it didn't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/you-re-lying-through-your-fangs-iggy-accused-fang-tried-to-play/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [There are reasons people seek escape in books, and one of those reasons is that the boundary of what can happen is beyond what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/there-are-reasons-people-seek-escape-in-books-and-one-of-those/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [I shot him the bird. (Get it? I shot him the—never mind.)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/i-shot-him-the-bird-get-it-i-shot-him-the-never-mind/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [I get up every morning and chop wood, and I pretty much do it seven days a week, and I like to do it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/i-get-up-every-morning-and-chop-wood-and-i-pretty-much-do-it-seven/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [Witihin seconds the headhunter had lost control of his car and it squealed, sliding sideways right into several other cars. Cool!' said the Gasman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/witihin-seconds-the-headhunter-had-lost-control-of-his-car-and-it/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [“It was scary. More than Sara could possibly know. More than anybody ought to know, or ever would. History wasn't for the general public--it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/it-was-scary-more-than-sara-could-possibly-know-more-than-anybody/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [Did I want a dog? No. Did I need a dog? Also no. We were six kids running for our lives, not knowing where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/did-i-want-a-dog-no-did-i-need-a-dog-also-no-we-were-six-kids-running/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [I'm a girl who has been tamping down her emotions and keeping them tightly guarded her whole life. And that works really well for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/i-m-a-girl-who-has-been-tamping-down-her-emotions-and-keeping-them/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [When my son, Jack, was four, I had to make a trip to Los Angeles. I asked him if he was going to miss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/when-my-son-jack-was-four-i-had-to-make-a-trip-to-los-angeles-i-asked/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [“that kid’s nothing but a little hoodlum.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/that-kid-s-nothing-but-a-little-hoodlum/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [Jeezum—humans were like eggshells.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/jeezum-humans-were-like-eggshells/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

[Explore all 983 James Patterson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

## More Chance quotes

> [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/)

[Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/)

> [I understand it's promotion, but no one ever gave me a chance. No one ever thought I'd be the champ, and look where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stipe-miocic/i-understand-it-s-promotion-but-no-one-ever-gave-me-a-chance-no-one/)

[Stipe Miocic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stipe-miocic/)

> [I might, by chance, write something just as shoddy; But then I wouldn't show it to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/i-might-by-chance-write-something-just-as-shoddy-but-then-i-wouldn-t/)

[Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/)

> [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/)

[Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/)

> [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/)

[Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/)

> [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/)

[Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/)

> [I have heard that if you pull a bent breath through the second hole of a harmonica tuned to the key of Georgia while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-wakefield/i-have-heard-that-if-you-pull-a-bent-breath-through-the-second-hole/)

[Buddy Wakefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-wakefield/)

> [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/)

[Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/)

> [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/)

[Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/)

> [Love changes people, for better or for worse. You could look at it as a chance for you to change. The best kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-changes-people-for-better-or-for-worse-you-could-look-at-it-as-a/)

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

> [“It's not who, it's when”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-taubas/it-s-not-who-it-s-when/)

Alejandro Taubas

> [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [I thought my first few jobs would just be off, off, off, off, off broadway. And by chance and how the world works, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-dorfman/i-thought-my-first-few-jobs-would-just-be-off-off-off-off-off/)

[Tommy Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-dorfman/)

> [If you’re worrying about the past, you’ve got a good chance of screwing up the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-a-tullman/if-you-re-worrying-about-the-past-you-ve-got-a-good-chance-of/)

[Howard A. Tullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-a-tullman/)

> [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/)

[Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/)

[Browse all 12,460 Chance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I never miss a good chance to shut up",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "James Patterson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/i-never-miss-a-good-chance-to-shut-up/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Chance"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/i-never-miss-a-good-chance-to-shut-up/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/james-patterson-171_chance_i-never-miss-a-good-chance-to-shut-up-14_1408834.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/james-patterson-171_chance_i-never-miss-a-good-chance-to-shut-up-14_1408834.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/james-patterson-171_chance_i-never-miss-a-good-chance-to-shut-up-14_1408834.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I never miss a good chance to shut up” — James Patterson",
                "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": "James Patterson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I never miss a good chance...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/i-never-miss-a-good-chance-to-shut-up/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/i-never-miss-a-good-chance-to-shut-up/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
