--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had expected the well to be full for…" description: "\"“ I had expected the well to be full for some reason. Not that it had ever been before. I kept looking for signs of water in the dark insides. I heard ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/def/joan-bauer-3032_bucket_i-had-expected-the-well-to-be-full-for-s_1148319.jpg" --- # I had expected the well to be full for some reason. Not… ![“I had expected the well to be full for some reason. Not that it had ever been before. I kept looking for signs of water in the dark insides. I heard my bucket clank as it hit Against the walls that held nothing. I look at the bucket that came up empty And made a decision that changed my life. I…” quote by Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/def/joan-bauer-3032_bucket_i-had-expected-the-well-to-be-full-for-s_1148319.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/def/joan-bauer-3032_bucket_i-had-expected-the-well-to-be-full-for-s_1148319.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/def/joan-bauer-3032_bucket_i-had-expected-the-well-to-be-full-for-s_1148319.jpg) > ““ I had expected the well to be full for some reason. Not that it had ever been before. I kept looking for signs of water in the dark insides. I heard my bucket clank as it hit Against the walls that held nothing. I look at the bucket that came up empty And made a decision that changed my life. I will keep my bucket and find another well. ”” [Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When a plan fails, pivot to a new approach rather than giving up. **In simple terms:** Fail, then try a different path. Key Takeaway Adapt and persist after setbacks. Themes resilience adaptability perseverance Mood hopeful determined Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career change - personal growth - problem solving Key Concepts learning from failure strategic pivot Questions to Reflect On - What alternative wells can you seek? - How do you know when to persist vs. pivot? A Different Perspective Changing direction may involve risk and uncertainty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [“began removing things from the bucket. First came a Swiss Army knife, a flashlight, a penlight, and a bottle of extra-strength glue, which Kate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trenton-lee-stewart/began-removing-things-from-the-bucket-first-came-a-swiss-army-knife-a/) [Trenton Lee Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trenton-lee-stewart/) > [“Life is a bucket of shit with a barbed wire handle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-thompson/life-is-a-bucket-of-shit-with-a-barbed-wire-handle/) [Jim Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-thompson/) > [Your life is in the bucket!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/your-life-is-in-the-bucket/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [I want to go to Scotland in particular. If I had a bucket list, that would be on my bucket list.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-izzo/i-want-to-go-to-scotland-in-particular-if-i-had-a-bucket-list-that/) [Tom Izzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-izzo/) > [Question Time' had been on my fantasy bucket list for some time. Of all the jobs in broadcasting that's the job I knew I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-bruce/question-time-had-been-on-my-fantasy-bucket-list-for-some-time-of-all/) [Fiona Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-bruce/) > [“Kick the blanket, don’t kick the bucket—especially if that bucket is full of death (or bricks). ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/kick-the-blanket-don-t-kick-the-bucket-especially-if-that-bucket-is/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/advertising-is-the-rattling-of-a-stick-inside-a-swill-bucket/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [I want to speak Spanish fluently; that's on my bucket list.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-martinez/i-want-to-speak-spanish-fluently-that-s-on-my-bucket-list/) [Angie Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-martinez/) > [“three gallons of crazy in a two-gallon bucket.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-fox/three-gallons-of-crazy-in-a-two-gallon-bucket/) [Angie Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-fox/) > [Narcissism is a trait universally unappreciated by human beings, and NFL players fall into this human bucket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabe-kapler/narcissism-is-a-trait-universally-unappreciated-by-human-beings-and/) [Gabe Kapler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabe-kapler/) > [Two tears in a bucket. Motherfuck it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berendt/two-tears-in-a-bucket-motherfuck-it/) [John Berendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berendt/) > [It's on my bucket list, to get in a real fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naya-rivera/it-s-on-my-bucket-list-to-get-in-a-real-fight/) [Naya Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naya-rivera/) > [“You can’t let it go when you don’t get your own way. You can’t just chuck shit in the ‘Fuck It’ bucket and get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-wright/you-can-t-let-it-go-when-you-don-t-get-your-own-way-you-can-t-just/) [Suzanne Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-wright/) > [“Sometimes... the smallest drops in the bucket make the biggest ripples.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-m-hodgson/sometimes-the-smallest-drops-in-the-bucket-make-the-biggest-ripples/) A.M. Hodgson > [“I wasn’t a nerd, mind you, but I’d spent a lot of my youth studying Epics, so I’d had limited experience with social interaction.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-wasn-t-a-nerd-mind-you-but-i-d-spent-a-lot-of-my-youth-studying/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) ## More by Joan Bauer > [“You need a negative charge and a positive one to get something moving. We've got the negative; we're going to find the positive if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bauer/you-need-a-negative-charge-and-a-positive-one-to-get-something-moving/) [Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/) > [“I watched that plant in the office every day. Watered it; misted it. I loved thinking about it like G.T. said, but part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bauer/i-watched-that-plant-in-the-office-every-day-watered-it-misted-it-i/) [Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/) > [I'll tell you something about tough times. They just about kill you, but if you decide to keep working at them, you'll find your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bauer/i-ll-tell-you-something-about-tough-times-they-just-about-kill-you/) [Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/) > [“Why do you think, A.J.," they say in unison, "that you find these boys so attractive?" I didn't say that this fiery chemical explosion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bauer/why-do-you-think-a-j-they-say-in-unison-that-you-find-these-boys-so/) [Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/) > [“Millstone sputtered, "I don't know where you're getting your information, G.T., but that's as bogus as a barking cat!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bauer/millstone-sputtered-i-don-t-know-where-you-re-getting-your/) [Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/) > [“How could a man with so much heart die from a heart attack?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bauer/how-could-a-man-with-so-much-heart-die-from-a-heart-attack/) [Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/) > [“Mother, this is a confidential business discussion. I hardly think that your driver can add anything noteworthy." I could kick you in the stomach,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bauer/mother-this-is-a-confidential-business-discussion-i-hardly-think-that/) [Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/) > [“Perchance, I would listen. Have you said anything?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bauer/perchance-i-would-listen-have-you-said-anything/) [Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/) > [My father always told me that in this world we are going to make a truckload of mistakes, but the best mistake we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bauer/my-father-always-told-me-that-in-this-world-we-are-going-to-make-a/) [Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/) > [“COOK’S TIP: Bake every day. If you have to leave town fast, you’ll always have something good to eat in the car.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bauer/cook-s-tip-bake-every-day-if-you-have-to-leave-town-fast-you-ll/) [Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/) > [Mom put dense cheddar bread into a bag for a man who said this was his wife's favorite - he'd driven all the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bauer/mom-put-dense-cheddar-bread-into-a-bag-for-a-man-who-said-this-was/) [Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/) > [“you’ve got to love yourself with all your shortcomings, and you’ve got to love the world, no matter how bad it gets.” Boy,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bauer/you-ve-got-to-love-yourself-with-all-your-shortcomings-and-you-ve-got/) [Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/) > [“I don’t want you to leap into another relationship without thinking. Looking for perfect is a big, fat myth because perfect isn’t out there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bauer/i-don-t-want-you-to-leap-into-another-relationship-without-thinking/) [Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/) > [Sometimes the best thing that can happen to a person is to have a puppy lick your face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bauer/sometimes-the-best-thing-that-can-happen-to-a-person-is-to-have-a/) [Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/) > [“We've got so much in this life that all we know how to do is want more. So we concentrate on the wrong things--things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bauer/we-ve-got-so-much-in-this-life-that-all-we-know-how-to-do-is-want/) [Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/) [Explore all 139 Joan Bauer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/) ## More Bucket quotes > [“I wasn’t a nerd, mind you, but I’d spent a lot of my youth studying Epics, so I’d had limited experience with social interaction.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-wasn-t-a-nerd-mind-you-but-i-d-spent-a-lot-of-my-youth-studying/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Sometimes... the smallest drops in the bucket make the biggest ripples.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-m-hodgson/sometimes-the-smallest-drops-in-the-bucket-make-the-biggest-ripples/) A.M. Hodgson > [“You can’t let it go when you don’t get your own way. You can’t just chuck shit in the ‘Fuck It’ bucket and get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-wright/you-can-t-let-it-go-when-you-don-t-get-your-own-way-you-can-t-just/) [Suzanne Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-wright/) > [It's on my bucket list, to get in a real fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naya-rivera/it-s-on-my-bucket-list-to-get-in-a-real-fight/) [Naya Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naya-rivera/) > [Two tears in a bucket. Motherfuck it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berendt/two-tears-in-a-bucket-motherfuck-it/) [John Berendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berendt/) > [Narcissism is a trait universally unappreciated by human beings, and NFL players fall into this human bucket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabe-kapler/narcissism-is-a-trait-universally-unappreciated-by-human-beings-and/) [Gabe Kapler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabe-kapler/) > [“three gallons of crazy in a two-gallon bucket.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-fox/three-gallons-of-crazy-in-a-two-gallon-bucket/) [Angie Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-fox/) > [I want to speak Spanish fluently; that's on my bucket list.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-martinez/i-want-to-speak-spanish-fluently-that-s-on-my-bucket-list/) [Angie Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-martinez/) > [Advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/advertising-is-the-rattling-of-a-stick-inside-a-swill-bucket/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“Kick the blanket, don’t kick the bucket—especially if that bucket is full of death (or bricks). ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/kick-the-blanket-don-t-kick-the-bucket-especially-if-that-bucket-is/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Question Time' had been on my fantasy bucket list for some time. Of all the jobs in broadcasting that's the job I knew I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-bruce/question-time-had-been-on-my-fantasy-bucket-list-for-some-time-of-all/) [Fiona Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-bruce/) > [I want to go to Scotland in particular. If I had a bucket list, that would be on my bucket list.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-izzo/i-want-to-go-to-scotland-in-particular-if-i-had-a-bucket-list-that/) [Tom Izzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-izzo/) > [We were never the family that ordered pizza, and my mom never came home with a bucket of fried chicken. My mom always made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haylie-duff/we-were-never-the-family-that-ordered-pizza-and-my-mom-never-came/) [Haylie Duff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haylie-duff/) > [The past is a bucket of ashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/the-past-is-a-bucket-of-ashes/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Whitley Bay was my first experience of the seaside. I'd buy my bucket and spade, and beach ball, and all the shops were teeming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherie-lunghi/whitley-bay-was-my-first-experience-of-the-seaside-i-d-buy-my-bucket/) [Cherie Lunghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherie-lunghi/) Browse all 164 Bucket quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“ I had expected the well to be full for some reason. Not that it had ever been before. I kept looking for signs of water in the dark insides. 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