--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No matter how thoroughly you plan, no…" description: "\"“No matter how thoroughly you plan, no matter how much you think you know, you've never thought of everything.”\" — John Flanagan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edd/john-flanagan-904_plan_no-matter-how-thoroughly-you-plan-no-mat_527095.png" --- # No matter how thoroughly you plan, no matter how much you… ![“No matter how thoroughly you plan, no matter how much you think you know, you've never thought of everything.” quote by John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edd/john-flanagan-904_plan_no-matter-how-thoroughly-you-plan-no-mat_527095.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edd/john-flanagan-904_plan_no-matter-how-thoroughly-you-plan-no-mat_527095.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edd/john-flanagan-904_plan_no-matter-how-thoroughly-you-plan-no-mat_527095.png) > ““No matter how thoroughly you plan, no matter how much you think you know, you've never thought of everything.”” [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even thorough planning cannot anticipate every variable, highlighting the limits of foresight. **In simple terms:** Planning can't cover everything. Key Takeaway Stay adaptable and expect surprises. Themes planning uncertainty adaptability Mood prepared cautious Type advisory motivational When to use this quote - project management - emergency response - personal life - business strategy Key Concepts risk management decision making Questions to Reflect On - What unknowns could affect your plan? - How can you build flexibility? A Different Perspective Overreliance on plans can cause rigidity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Plan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plan/) [Planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-know/) [Thoroughly Plan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoroughly-plan-4435812/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Truth of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-of-life/) [Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand/) ## Related quotes > [If you think you know it all, you really know nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/if-you-think-you-know-it-all-you-really-know-nothing/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Koresh believed that God had a plan that would go contrary to any human planning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thibodeau/koresh-believed-that-god-had-a-plan-that-would-go-contrary-to-any/) [David Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thibodeau/) > [God is in control. Trust Him. He has a plan for everything. He has a great plan for you. Have faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surgeo-bell/god-is-in-control-trust-him-he-has-a-plan-for-everything-he-has-a/) [Surgeo Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surgeo-bell/) > [“If you’re not consistently carrying out your plan ninety percent of the time, you really don’t have a plan at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alwyn-cosgrove/if-you-re-not-consistently-carrying-out-your-plan-ninety-percent-of/) [Alwyn Cosgrove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alwyn-cosgrove/) > [Fail to plan, plan to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fail-to-plan-plan-to-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can't plan in advance for everything - every mood swing, every mistake you might make in execution, every shift in your circumstances. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-maisel/you-can-t-plan-in-advance-for-everything-every-mood-swing-every/) [Eric Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-maisel/) > [“This is the best bad plan we have, sir.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-terrio/this-is-the-best-bad-plan-we-have-sir/) [chris terrio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-terrio/) > [“Is it dangerous to plan too much? Yes, we all need to plan, to have a plan, but life goes on regardless of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-w-p-garland/is-it-dangerous-to-plan-too-much-yes-we-all-need-to-plan-to-have-a/) [Leslie W.P. Garland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-w-p-garland/) > [Go make yourself a plan And be a shining light. Then make yourself a second plan, For neither will come right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertolt-brecht/go-make-yourself-a-plan-and-be-a-shining-light-then-make-yourself-a/) [Bertolt Brecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertolt-brecht/) > [If your plan isn't working, adjust your plan. Never give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-martin/if-your-plan-isn-t-working-adjust-your-plan-never-give-up/) [Matt Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-martin/) > [You can never plan the future by the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/you-can-never-plan-the-future-by-the-past/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [We're providing planning to a huge audience who's never had access to financial planners before. This was always my plan for LearnVest. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-von-tobel/we-re-providing-planning-to-a-huge-audience-who-s-never-had-access-to/) [Alexa Von Tobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-von-tobel/) > [“It is one thing being disciplined to plan and it is another thing being a disciple of great work. Be your own disciplinarian.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/it-is-one-thing-being-disciplined-to-plan-and-it-is-another-thing/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Let your mind be its own and enjoy what you can not all things in life are in need of a plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-timbre/let-your-mind-be-its-own-and-enjoy-what-you-can-not-all-things-in/) [Jamie Timbre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-timbre/) > [Our goals may change but God's Plan for us does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-goals-may-change-but-god-s-plan-for-us-does-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John Flanagan > [What about you three, where are you going?" Even before Halt answered, Will knew what he was going to say. But that didn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/what-about-you-three-where-are-you-going-even-before-halt-answered/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [“There's a tavern by the docks. He's there most evenings." "Then I'll talk to him tonight," Halt said. "You can try. But he's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/there-s-a-tavern-by-the-docks-he-s-there-most-evenings-then-i-ll-talk/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [The sun was trembling on the brink of the world, the shadows at their longest, and they still had several kilometers to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/the-sun-was-trembling-on-the-brink-of-the-world-the-shadows-at-their/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [We're going to see Ragnak," Halt told him. "He's going to have to promise to free every slave who fights for Hallasholm." Will shook…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/we-re-going-to-see-ragnak-halt-told-him-he-s-going-to-have-to-promise/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [“We must wait," she said. "They are involved in important buisness." Her tone was serious, almost reverntial. The two of them stopped, some five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/we-must-wait-she-said-they-are-involved-in-important-buisness-her/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [So I'm an ace?' Will grinned. 'I'm flattered Halt, flattered. I had no idea you regarded me so highly.' Halt gave him a long-suffering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/so-i-m-an-ace-will-grinned-i-m-flattered-halt-flattered-i-had-no-idea/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [“Damn! I hate farewells!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/damn-i-hate-farewells/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [“They sailed into Raguza and Hal said, as bold as brass, “We’ve come to challenge Zavac and we plan to kick his—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/they-sailed-into-raguza-and-hal-said-as-bold-as-brass-we-ve-come-to/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [Are there bears in these mountains?" he asked. His companion nodded. "Of course. But it's a bit early in the year for them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/are-there-bears-in-these-mountains-he-asked-his-companion-nodded-of/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [Well I'm not dancing," Will said through gritted teeth. "I don't know how." Oh yes you are," Alyss told him. "Let's hope you're a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/well-i-m-not-dancing-will-said-through-gritted-teeth-i-don-t-know-how/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [The battle, if you could call it that, lasted no more than a few seconds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/the-battle-if-you-could-call-it-that-lasted-no-more-than-a-few-seconds/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [Well, we can ride together for a while longer. The highway south is farther along this way. I'll be glad of some cheerful company."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/well-we-can-ride-together-for-a-while-longer-the-highway-south-is/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [“Does it matter?" Halt asked. Horace shrugged. "Not really, I suppose. I just wondered why you'd gone to the kitchen and why you took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/does-it-matter-halt-asked-horace-shrugged-not-really-i-suppose-i-just/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [Maybe we should have gone with him," he said, a few minutes after his friend was lost to sight. "Three of us would make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/maybe-we-should-have-gone-with-him-he-said-a-few-minutes-after-his/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [Best way then is to be waiting for them to bring Halt and the others out of that prison,” he said, almost to himself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/best-way-then-is-to-be-waiting-for-them-to-bring-halt-and-the-others/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) [Explore all 327 John Flanagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) ## More Plan quotes > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [Sometimes your plan doesn't work.out because God has better ones..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-your-plan-doesn-t-work-out-because-god-has-better-ones/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we shipped 'Borderlands 2,' we didn't ship it with a plan of how the level cap was going to increase. We didn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/when-we-shipped-borderlands-2-we-didn-t-ship-it-with-a-plan-of-how/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [it's never been a plan to have this or that. It's just where I am in my life, at that time, and where my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cam-gigandet/it-s-never-been-a-plan-to-have-this-or-that-it-s-just-where-i-am-in/) [Cam Gigandet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cam-gigandet/) > [“But I also know we can’t plan on anyone else rescuing us. We have to do it ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/but-i-also-know-we-can-t-plan-on-anyone-else-rescuing-us-we-have-to/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [Like many other scientists who hold the Catholic faith, I see the Creator's plan and purpose fulfilled in our universe. I see a planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-r-miller/like-many-other-scientists-who-hold-the-catholic-faith-i-see-the/) [Kenneth R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-r-miller/) > [I plan on actually governing in a nonpartisan fashion because I think that 90% of the problems we face are nonpartisan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/i-plan-on-actually-governing-in-a-nonpartisan-fashion-because-i-think/) [John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [“Have a plan and change it often.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mikulovsky/have-a-plan-and-change-it-often/) [David Mikulovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mikulovsky/) > [I don't think anyone wants to do the same thing over and over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bachmann/i-don-t-think-anyone-wants-to-do-the-same-thing-over-and-over-again/) [Eric Bachmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bachmann/) > [Koresh believed that God had a plan that would go contrary to any human planning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thibodeau/koresh-believed-that-god-had-a-plan-that-would-go-contrary-to-any/) [David Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thibodeau/) > [Let your mind be its own and enjoy what you can not all things in life are in need of a plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-timbre/let-your-mind-be-its-own-and-enjoy-what-you-can-not-all-things-in/) [Jamie Timbre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-timbre/) > [Many of us believe that we need health care reform. That being said - Americans felt like they weren't being listened to. There were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/many-of-us-believe-that-we-need-health-care-reform-that-being-said/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It is one thing being disciplined to plan and it is another thing being a disciple of great work. Be your own disciplinarian.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/it-is-one-thing-being-disciplined-to-plan-and-it-is-another-thing/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [God has a plan for all of us, but He expects us to do our share of the work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minnie-pearl/god-has-a-plan-for-all-of-us-but-he-expects-us-to-do-our-share-of-the/) [Minnie Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minnie-pearl/) [Browse all 2,847 Plan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plan/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“No matter how thoroughly you plan, no matter how much you think you know, you've never thought of everything.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Flanagan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/no-matter-how-thoroughly-you-plan-no-matter-how-much-you-think-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Plan" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/no-matter-how-thoroughly-you-plan-no-matter-how-much-you-think-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edd/john-flanagan-904_plan_no-matter-how-thoroughly-you-plan-no-mat_527095.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edd/john-flanagan-904_plan_no-matter-how-thoroughly-you-plan-no-mat_527095.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edd/john-flanagan-904_plan_no-matter-how-thoroughly-you-plan-no-mat_527095.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No matter how thoroughly you plan, no matter how much you think you know, you've never thought of everything.” — John Flanagan", "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": "John Flanagan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“No matter how thoroughly you plan,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/no-matter-how-thoroughly-you-plan-no-matter-how-much-you-think-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/no-matter-how-thoroughly-you-plan-no-matter-how-much-you-think-you/#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 } } ] } ```