--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everything we do has a result. But that…" description: "\"Everything we do has a result. But that which is right and prudent does not always lead to good, nor the contrary to what is bad.\" — Johann Wolfgang vo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ed/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_contrary_everything-we-do-has-a-result-but-that-w_3016504.jpg" --- # Everything we do has a result. But that which is right and… ![“Everything we do has a result. But that which is right and prudent does not always lead to good, nor the contrary to what is bad.” quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ed/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_contrary_everything-we-do-has-a-result-but-that-w_3016504.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ed/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_contrary_everything-we-do-has-a-result-but-that-w_3016504.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ed/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_contrary_everything-we-do-has-a-result-but-that-w_3016504.jpg) > “Everything we do has a result. But that which is right and prudent does not always lead to good, nor the contrary to what is bad.” [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actions have consequences, but moral correctness does not always produce positive outcomes, nor do immoral acts always cause harm. **In simple terms:** Right actions don’t always lead to good, wrong actions not always to bad. Key Takeaway Consider complexity of outcomes. Themes morality consequence complexity Mood analytical thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - policy making - personal decisions - legal judgments Key Concepts ethics philosophy causality Questions to Reflect On - How do you evaluate the true impact of a decision? - Can good intentions justify harmful results? A Different Perspective It may oversimplify moral causality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Prudence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prudence/) ## Related quotes > [Being prudent does not mean being fearful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/didier-deschamps/being-prudent-does-not-mean-being-fearful/) [Didier Deschamps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/didier-deschamps/) > [Prudent and active men, who know their strength and use it with limit and circumspection, alone go far in the affairs of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/prudent-and-active-men-who-know-their-strength-and-use-it-with-limit/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“Don’t underestimate the result of a right and positive anger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/don-t-underestimate-the-result-of-a-right-and-positive-anger/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [The future is the result of what we do right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/the-future-is-the-result-of-what-we-do-right-now/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [I'm trying to lead a good Christian life, so there ain't too much spicy to tell about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-lynn/i-m-trying-to-lead-a-good-christian-life-so-there-ain-t-too-much/) [Loretta Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-lynn/) > [Songwriting is a give-and-take process, and it can lead to some good, healthy debates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-sambora/songwriting-is-a-give-and-take-process-and-it-can-lead-to-some-good/) [Richie Sambora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-sambora/) > [Don't go growing a conscience on me," I said. "I've been down that road. It doesn't lead you to anything good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/don-t-go-growing-a-conscience-on-me-i-said-i-ve-been-down-that-road/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [“Anywhere you can lead your life, you can lead a good one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/anywhere-you-can-lead-your-life-you-can-lead-a-good-one/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“A lead is good not because it dances, fires cannons, or whistles like a train but because it is absolute to what follows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcphee/a-lead-is-good-not-because-it-dances-fires-cannons-or-whistles-like-a/) [John McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcphee/) > [These symbolize (Proverbs 30:14) the greedy and usurers whose teeth are swords and knifes which they use to devour the poor and steal their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-of-padua/these-symbolize-proverbs-30-14-the-greedy-and-usurers-whose-teeth-are/) [Anthony of Padua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-of-padua/) > [Youth is an unpleasant period; for then it is not possible or not prudent to be productive in any sense whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/youth-is-an-unpleasant-period-for-then-it-is-not-possible-or-not/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Be disciplined and prudent in the way you manage your time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/be-disciplined-and-prudent-in-the-way-you-manage-your-time/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“The prudent man always studies seriously and earnestly to understand whatever he professes to understand, and not merely to persuade other people that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/the-prudent-man-always-studies-seriously-and-earnestly-to-understand/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [Wise and prudent men and intelligent conservatives have long known that in a changing world worthy institutions can be conserved only by adjusting them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/wise-and-prudent-men-and-intelligent-conservatives-have-long-known/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [“Prudence is precaution, prudence is protection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/prudence-is-precaution-prudence-is-protection/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) ## More by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [All lyrical work must, as a whole, be perfectly intelligible, but in some particulars a little unintelligible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/all-lyrical-work-must-as-a-whole-be-perfectly-intelligible-but-in/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [It is easier to perceive error than to find truth, for the former lies on the surface and is easily seen, while the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/it-is-easier-to-perceive-error-than-to-find-truth-for-the-former-lies/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [There is no patriotic art and no patriotic science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/there-is-no-patriotic-art-and-no-patriotic-science/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The connoisseur of art must be able to appreciate what is simply beautiful, but the common run of people is satisfied with ornament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-connoisseur-of-art-must-be-able-to-appreciate-what-is-simply/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Nothing is worse than active ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/nothing-is-worse-than-active-ignorance/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Let us not dream that reason can ever be popular. Passions, emotions, may be made popular; but reason remains ever the property of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/let-us-not-dream-that-reason-can-ever-be-popular-passions-emotions/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Our foibles are really what make us lovable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/our-foibles-are-really-what-make-us-lovable/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/instruction-does-much-but-encouragement-everything/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Giving is the business of the rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/giving-is-the-business-of-the-rich/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Just begin and the mind grows heated; continue, and the task will be completed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/just-begin-and-the-mind-grows-heated-continue-and-the-task-will-be/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I look upon all four Gospels as thoroughly genuine, for there shines forth from them the reflected splendor of a sublimity proceeding from Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-look-upon-all-four-gospels-as-thoroughly-genuine-for-there-shines/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Whatever we may say against collections, which present authors in a disjointed form, they nevertheless bring about many excellent results. We are not always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/whatever-we-may-say-against-collections-which-present-authors-in-a/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) [Explore all 2,052 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## More Contrary quotes > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. 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On the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-duras/alcohol-doesn-t-console-it-doesn-t-fill-up-anyone-s-psychological/) [Marguerite Duras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-duras/) > [No truly conscious human being sabotages himself - it's impossible, because it's contrary to Nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-finley/no-truly-conscious-human-being-sabotages-himself-it-s-impossible/) [Guy Finley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-finley/) > [If you abide in the love of Christ, rooted in the faith, you will encounter, even amid setbacks and suffering, the source of true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/if-you-abide-in-the-love-of-christ-rooted-in-the-faith-you-will/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [With a full century of contrary proof in our possession and despite our demonstrated capacity for cooperative teamwork, some among us seem to accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/with-a-full-century-of-contrary-proof-in-our-possession-and-despite/) [Dwight D. 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It is so completely contrary to the way man does things that it must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-halverson/christianity-righty-understood-is-utterly-unlike-religion-that-man/) [Richard Halverson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-halverson/) Browse all 1,589 Contrary quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Everything we do has a result. 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