--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think this was a bad idea,’ he…" description: "\"“I think this was a bad idea,’ he repeated. ‘I think the best thing to do would be to forget all about this and just go back home. We can chalk it up t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/john-boyne-2944_bad-idea_i-think-this-was-a-bad-idea-he-repeated_2943232.jpg" --- # I think this was a bad idea,’ he repeated. ‘I think the… ![“I think this was a bad idea,’ he repeated. ‘I think the best thing to do would be to forget all about this and just go back home. We can chalk it up to experience,” quote by John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/john-boyne-2944_bad-idea_i-think-this-was-a-bad-idea-he-repeated_2943232.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/john-boyne-2944_bad-idea_i-think-this-was-a-bad-idea-he-repeated_2943232.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/john-boyne-2944_bad-idea_i-think-this-was-a-bad-idea-he-repeated_2943232.jpg) > ““I think this was a bad idea,’ he repeated. ‘I think the best thing to do would be to forget all about this and just go back home. We can chalk it up to experience,”” [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character doubts a plan, suggesting forgetting it and returning home as a learning experience. **In simple terms:** Doubt leads to abandoning risky ideas. Key Takeaway Assess risks before proceeding. Themes decision‑making risk learning Mood cautious thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - travel - business ventures - personal projects Key Concepts experience regret adventure Questions to Reflect On - When is it wise to persist? - How to evaluate risk? A Different Perspective Avoiding may miss growth opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-idea/) ## Related quotes > [I'm gonna see how this works out, but I think it's a bad idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-teti/i-m-gonna-see-how-this-works-out-but-i-think-it-s-a-bad-idea/) [Joe Teti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-teti/) > [It might seem like the hardest thing to do, but you have to forget the person who forgot about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-bianco/it-might-seem-like-the-hardest-thing-to-do-but-you-have-to-forget-the/) [Tanya Bianco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-bianco/) > [No, I said. I didn't remember that. There was so much to remember, sometimes the best thing was to forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/no-i-said-i-didn-t-remember-that-there-was-so-much-to-remember/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [It may seem like the hardest thing to do, but you have to forget about the guy who forgot about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-forgotten/it-may-seem-like-the-hardest-thing-to-do-but-you-have-to-forget-about/) The Forgotten > [“It’s a fact of life that everyone is on one side or other of a wall, so the only thing to do is forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-a-fact-of-life-that-everyone-is-on-one-side-or-other-of-a-wall/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [One thing you must forget in this world - your age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-thing-you-must-forget-in-this-world-your-age/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It may seem like the wrong thing to do but you have to forget about the guy who forgot about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-may-seem-like-the-wrong-thing-to-do-but-you-have-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It may seem as the hardest thing to do¦but you have to forget the guy who forgot you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-may-seem-as-the-hardest-thing-to-do-but-you-have-to-forget-the-guy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The hardest thing to do is forget about the guy who forgot about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-hardest-thing-to-do-is-forget-about-the-guy-who-forgot-about-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It may be the hardest thing to do, but you have to forget the guy who forgot about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-notebook/it-may-be-the-hardest-thing-to-do-but-you-have-to-forget-the-guy-who/) The Notebook > [The worst thing anyone can ever do to you is to forget you. And the best thing you can do for yourself, is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-worst-thing-anyone-can-ever-do-to-you-is-to-forget-you-and-the/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“It's amazing to me; when your mind is fixed on one thing, you forget everything. You forget to eat and drink and care. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercy-cortez/it-s-amazing-to-me-when-your-mind-is-fixed-on-one-thing-you-forget/) [Mercy Cortez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercy-cortez/) > [It might seem as the hardest thing to do, but you have to forget the guy who forgot about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/it-might-seem-as-the-hardest-thing-to-do-but-you-have-to-forget-the/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [The awful thing is that if i can forget they're people, it will be no different at all](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/the-awful-thing-is-that-if-i-can-forget-they-re-people-it-will-be-no/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Memory is the thing you forget with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/memory-is-the-thing-you-forget-with/) [Alexander Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chase/) ## More by John Boyne > [“One single syllable of intimacy and the world is put to rights.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/one-single-syllable-of-intimacy-and-the-world-is-put-to-rights/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [“Bruno was jealous, he had to wear stupid pants en shoes while the boys at the other side of the fence were wearing nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/bruno-was-jealous-he-had-to-wear-stupid-pants-en-shoes-while-the-boys/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [ We all are \[normal\]. Their idea of normal just happens to be different to some other people's idea of normal. But this is the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/we-all-are-normal-their-idea-of-normal-just-happens-to-be-different/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [“Maybe there were no villains in my mother’s story at all. Just men and women, trying to do their best by each other. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/maybe-there-were-no-villains-in-my-mother-s-story-at-all-just-men-and/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [I think that books for young people should have serious and important themes, they shouldn't be trivial. So the books I write, they would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/i-think-that-books-for-young-people-should-have-serious-and-important/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [Just because a man glances up at the sky at night does not make him an astronomer, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/just-because-a-man-glances-up-at-the-sky-at-night-does-not-make-him/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [“Every man is afraid of women as far as I can see,” said Julian, displaying an understanding of the universe far beyond his years.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/every-man-is-afraid-of-women-as-far-as-i-can-see-said-julian/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [I don't buy into the idea that an Irish writer should write about Ireland, or a gay writer should write about being gay. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/i-don-t-buy-into-the-idea-that-an-irish-writer-should-write-about/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [“For a moment he considered running across the platform to tell people about the empty seats in the carriage, but he decided not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/for-a-moment-he-considered-running-across-the-platform-to-tell-people/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [I move between the two: I write an adult novel, and then I write a children's book. I quite enjoy that. It's a nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/i-move-between-the-two-i-write-an-adult-novel-and-then-i-write-a/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [“Pavel is not a doctor any more, Bruno' said Maria quietly. 'But he was. In another life. Before he came here”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/pavel-is-not-a-doctor-any-more-bruno-said-maria-quietly-but-he-was-in/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [You’re my best friend, Shmuel,’ he said. ‘My best friend for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/you-re-my-best-friend-shmuel-he-said-my-best-friend-for-life/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [“Astonishing how everyone is willing to go abroad to fight for the rights of foreigners while having such little concern for those of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/astonishing-how-everyone-is-willing-to-go-abroad-to-fight-for-the/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [Bruno opened his eyes in wonder at the things he saw. In his imagination he had tough that all the huts were full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/bruno-opened-his-eyes-in-wonder-at-the-things-he-saw-in-his/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [I wrote my first book at 20, but my whole focus from about the age of 12 was to be a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/i-wrote-my-first-book-at-20-but-my-whole-focus-from-about-the-age-of/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) [Explore all 135 John Boyne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) ## More Bad idea quotes > [“In the parking lot, she drove and parked in a dark area with no other cars around. She reclined her seat, and listened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/in-the-parking-lot-she-drove-and-parked-in-a-dark-area-with-no-other/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [By the time I was seventeen, I was on my way to Hollywood and didn't look back. My family is supportive now, but like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-heard/by-the-time-i-was-seventeen-i-was-on-my-way-to-hollywood-and-didn-t/) [Amber Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-heard/) > [One thing I know is that it is a bad idea to marry someone who had bad parents. If they hated their mother, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/one-thing-i-know-is-that-it-is-a-bad-idea-to-marry-someone-who-had/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [Government likes committees... a lot. Committees kill all the really good ideas and generally all the really bad ideas. They produce middle-ground mush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-devos/government-likes-committees-a-lot-committees-kill-all-the-really-good/) [Betsy DeVos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-devos/) > [It's not a bad idea to call this Cthulhuism & Yog-Sothothery of mine "The Mythology of Hastur" - although it was really from Machen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft/it-s-not-a-bad-idea-to-call-this-cthulhuism-yog-sothothery-of-mine/) [H. P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft/) > [More than any other personality trait, my mother seemed to be ruled by anger and sadness. She seemed to hate being a mother. Watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merrill-markoe/more-than-any-other-personality-trait-my-mother-seemed-to-be-ruled-by/) [Merrill Markoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merrill-markoe/) > [“Sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to inflict my rantings on you, even though we are destined to spend the rest of our lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-willis/sorry-he-apologized-i-didn-t-mean-to-inflict-my-rantings-on-you-even/) [connie willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-willis/) > [“Jesus. Chicago, Kansas City, Denver, Phoenix, L.A., and Seattle, plus two small towns she'd never heard of in the Gulf Coast region. The unit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-hooper/jesus-chicago-kansas-city-denver-phoenix-l-a-and-seattle-plus-two/) [Kay Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-hooper/) > [“Civilization is an experiment, a very recent way of life in the human career, and it has a habit of walking into what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-wright/civilization-is-an-experiment-a-very-recent-way-of-life-in-the-human/) [Ronald Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-wright/) > [Idea-Advocacy Matrix highlights a couple of things: that good ideas need to be "sold" if they are ever going to see the light of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-daly/idea-advocacy-matrix-highlights-a-couple-of-things-that-good-ideas/) [John Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-daly/) > [“It is not a bad idea to get into the habbit of writing one's thoughts. It saves one having to bother anyone else with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-colegate/it-is-not-a-bad-idea-to-get-into-the-habbit-of-writing-one-s-thoughts/) Isabel Colegate > [“Medical research has revealed that in about one-tenth of the population, the liver processes alcohol differently, releasing a chemical messenger that creates the craving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaylie-jones/medical-research-has-revealed-that-in-about-one-tenth-of-the/) [Kaylie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaylie-jones/) > [“Sometimes I have good ideas, sometimes I have bad ideas and sometimes I have colossally bad ideas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-cellier/sometimes-i-have-good-ideas-sometimes-i-have-bad-ideas-and-sometimes/) Melanie Cellier > [I have done conferences explaining that cloud is a bad idea. It's putting all your eggs in one basket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-demon-calce/i-have-done-conferences-explaining-that-cloud-is-a-bad-idea-it-s/) [Michael Demon Calce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-demon-calce/) > [Minimum sales prices for alcohol are a startlingly bad idea. As with excise duties, the effects are regressive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-farage/minimum-sales-prices-for-alcohol-are-a-startlingly-bad-idea-as-with/) [Nigel Farage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-farage/) [Browse all 550 Bad idea quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-idea/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I think this was a bad idea,’ he repeated. ‘I think the best thing to do would be to forget all about this and just go back home. 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