--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They know they're supposed to do…" description: "\"“They know they're supposed to do something, but they're not sure what. And you know what they do when they're not sure-- of course you do: They either..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/beb/jill-conner-browne-24312_know_they-know-they-re-supposed-to-do-somethi_2861772.jpg" --- # They know they're supposed to do something, but they're… ![“They know they're supposed to do something, but they're not sure what. And you know what they do when they're not sure-- of course you do: They either do the wrong thing or they do nothing, and it's a toss up as to which is worse.” quote by Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/beb/jill-conner-browne-24312_know_they-know-they-re-supposed-to-do-somethi_2861772.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/beb/jill-conner-browne-24312_know_they-know-they-re-supposed-to-do-somethi_2861772.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/beb/jill-conner-browne-24312_know_they-know-they-re-supposed-to-do-somethi_2861772.jpg) > ““They know they're supposed to do something, but they're not sure what. And you know what they do when they're not sure-- of course you do: They either do the wrong thing or they do nothing, and it's a toss up as to which is worse.”” [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When people lack clarity, they either act incorrectly or stay idle, both potentially harmful. **In simple terms:** Uncertainty leads to wrong actions or inaction. Key Takeaway Seek clarity before acting. Themes uncertainty decision-making action risk Mood anxious reflective Type advice observational When to use this quote - workplace planning - personal goals - emergency response Key Concepts psychology behavioral economics Questions to Reflect On - How can you improve decision clarity? - What steps prevent inaction? A Different Perspective Without clear direction, even good intentions can cause harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Men and women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-and-women/) [Valentines day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/valentines-day/) [Wrong thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-thing/) ## Related quotes > [“FINANCIAL TIP For guys-- buying the stupid flowers when you're supposed to will be way cheaper than what you'll have to buy and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/financial-tip-for-guys-buying-the-stupid-flowers-when-you-re-supposed/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) > [“Pre-forty, you can wash your face with Tide and use Vaseline for moisturizer, toss on a little mascara and lip gloss, and you're a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/pre-forty-you-can-wash-your-face-with-tide-and-use-vaseline-for/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) > [“Rich old people are more attractive than poor old people, so by all means, try to get rich before age sets in. Otherwise, you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/rich-old-people-are-more-attractive-than-poor-old-people-so-by-all/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) > [“We read in the paper about a fifty-five-year-old woman-you read right, that's fifty five- who had quadruplets! Since the pregnancy was in vitro, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/we-read-in-the-paper-about-a-fifty-five-year-old-woman-you-read-right/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) > [My Bad :) I didn't know I was supposed to care what you think about Me :o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenyetta/my-bad-i-didn-t-know-i-was-supposed-to-care-what-you-think-about-me-o/) [Kenyetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenyetta/) > [“Singaporeans know who we are supposed to be, but have not been given much of a chance to say who we want to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudhir-thomas-vadaketh/singaporeans-know-who-we-are-supposed-to-be-but-have-not-been-given/) Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh > [FBI wants to know everything about you, and you're not supposed to know anything about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/fbi-wants-to-know-everything-about-you-and-you-re-not-supposed-to/) [William Binney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/) > [“You can forget about yourself and still know you will always do everything you are supposed to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-spiewak-eng/you-can-forget-about-yourself-and-still-know-you-will-always-do/) Jill Spiewak Eng > [I always know that I am where I am supposed to be. I don't feel torn and I think that is really important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethenny-frankel/i-always-know-that-i-am-where-i-am-supposed-to-be-i-don-t-feel-torn/) [Bethenny Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethenny-frankel/) > [I know I’m not supposed to say this, but I love you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/i-know-i-m-not-supposed-to-say-this-but-i-love-you/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I'm up under Nick Saban. I know how its supposed to be. What it's supposed to look like in order for you to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamarcus-russell/i-m-up-under-nick-saban-i-know-how-its-supposed-to-be-what-it-s/) [JaMarcus Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamarcus-russell/) > [I know I'm supposed to be looking for someone, but I just can't remember.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dory/i-know-i-m-supposed-to-be-looking-for-someone-but-i-just-can-t/) [Dory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dory/) > [I never know what the next lesson is going to be, because we're not supposed to know -- we're supposed to trust ourselves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-beattie/i-never-know-what-the-next-lesson-is-going-to-be-because-we-re-not/) [Melody Beattie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-beattie/) > [“Because now I know what I have been waiting for. I know exactly why the other processes didn't work. I know I was supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-vardalos/because-now-i-know-what-i-have-been-waiting-for-i-know-exactly-why/) [Nia Vardalos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-vardalos/) > [But I know that I'm not who I was supposed to be. Who I could have been. And I know it's because I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-werlin/but-i-know-that-i-m-not-who-i-was-supposed-to-be-who-i-could-have/) [Nancy Werlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-werlin/) ## More by Jill Conner Browne > [“FINANCIAL TIP For guys-- buying the stupid flowers when you're supposed to will be way cheaper than what you'll have to buy and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/financial-tip-for-guys-buying-the-stupid-flowers-when-you-re-supposed/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) > [“My sister, Judy, has always said that she would like to lie in state, propped up in her coffin with her eyes blared wide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/my-sister-judy-has-always-said-that-she-would-like-to-lie-in-state/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) > [“If some area of your life sucks - do something else. Life is too short - and too long - to spend it being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/if-some-area-of-your-life-sucks-do-something-else-life-is-too-short/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) > [“I believe that the ability to laugh at oneself is fundamental to the resiliency of the human spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/i-believe-that-the-ability-to-laugh-at-oneself-is-fundamental-to-the/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) > [“Familiarity, not survival, is the strongest drive in human beings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/familiarity-not-survival-is-the-strongest-drive-in-human-beings/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) > [“Life. It's your birthday present. Open it up and play with it. Act like you like it. (The One who gave it to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/life-it-s-your-birthday-present-open-it-up-and-play-with-it-act-like/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) > [“Cheap jewelry, however, is worse than no jewelry at all, and there are very few things in life than are worse than no jewelry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/cheap-jewelry-however-is-worse-than-no-jewelry-at-all-and-there-are/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) > [“If you are stuck sweating on a sandbar in the river of your life you've got to find a way back into those swift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/if-you-are-stuck-sweating-on-a-sandbar-in-the-river-of-your-life-you/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) > [“Stay fit and live long and prosper, but write your own obituary now, while you can, just in case.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/stay-fit-and-live-long-and-prosper-but-write-your-own-obituary-now/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) > [“The lesson of the Funk Dog: “You can forget what it used to feel like to feel good about life; feeling rotten—or just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/the-lesson-of-the-funk-dog-you-can-forget-what-it-used-to-feel-like/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) > [“Rich old people are more attractive than poor old people, so by all means, try to get rich before age sets in. Otherwise, you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/rich-old-people-are-more-attractive-than-poor-old-people-so-by-all/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) > [“But, if you've decided to go out on a limb and kill one, for goodness' sake, be prepared. We all read, with dismay, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/but-if-you-ve-decided-to-go-out-on-a-limb-and-kill-one-for-goodness/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) > [“Suzanne Sugarbaker of Designing Women was so right when she said, “There’s just nothing better in life than to ride around on the back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/suzanne-sugarbaker-of-designing-women-was-so-right-when-she-said/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) > [“It’s vitally important that you buy your own crown and declare yourself Queen, and then spend the rest of your life living into that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/it-s-vitally-important-that-you-buy-your-own-crown-and-declare/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) > [“If there exists in this universe anything more infuriating and crazy-making than a man, I don't know what it is, thank you, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/if-there-exists-in-this-universe-anything-more-infuriating-and-crazy/) [Jill Conner Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) [Explore all 24 Jill Conner Browne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/) ## More Know quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [“To know someone, to be known. That matters more than he'd ever thought it would.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/to-know-someone-to-be-known-that-matters-more-than-he-d-ever-thought/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [I know what you're thinking... and you oughtta be ashamed of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-preston/i-know-what-you-re-thinking-and-you-oughtta-be-ashamed-of-yourself/) Robert Preston > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [You will never know just how beautiful you are to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-never-know-just-how-beautiful-you-are-to-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [“Take your time to find and understand what you don’t know and in the end, you shall know that it is not all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/take-your-time-to-find-and-understand-what-you-don-t-know-and-in-the/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) Browse all 22,299 Know quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“They know they're supposed to do something, but they're not sure what. And you know what they do when they're not sure-- of course you do: They either do the wrong thing or they do nothing, and it's a toss up as to which is worse.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jill Conner Browne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/they-know-they-re-supposed-to-do-something-but-they-re-not-sure-what/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Know" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/they-know-they-re-supposed-to-do-something-but-they-re-not-sure-what/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/beb/jill-conner-browne-24312_know_they-know-they-re-supposed-to-do-somethi_2861772.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/beb/jill-conner-browne-24312_know_they-know-they-re-supposed-to-do-somethi_2861772.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/beb/jill-conner-browne-24312_know_they-know-they-re-supposed-to-do-somethi_2861772.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They know they're supposed to do something, but they're not sure what. And you know what they do when…” — Jill Conner Browne", "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": "Jill Conner Browne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-conner-browne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“They know they're supposed to do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/they-know-they-re-supposed-to-do-something-but-they-re-not-sure-what/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-conner-browne/they-know-they-re-supposed-to-do-something-but-they-re-not-sure-what/#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 } } ] } ```