--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People only ask questions when they're…" description: "\"People only ask questions when they're ready to hear the answers.\" — John Irving" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc2/john-irving-337_answer_people-only-ask-questions-when-they-re-r_2782131.png" --- # People only ask questions when they're ready to hear the… ![“People only ask questions when they're ready to hear the answers.” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc2/john-irving-337_answer_people-only-ask-questions-when-they-re-r_2782131.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc2/john-irving-337_answer_people-only-ask-questions-when-they-re-r_2782131.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc2/john-irving-337_answer_people-only-ask-questions-when-they-re-r_2782131.png) > “People only ask questions when they're ready to hear the answers.” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People ask questions only when they’re prepared to receive the answers. **In simple terms:** Readiness precedes inquiry. Key Takeaway Seek readiness before questioning. Themes learning growth readiness Mood thoughtful encouraging Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - education - coaching - personal development - leadership Key Concepts Socratic method psychology Questions to Reflect On - Are you truly ready for the answers? - How to cultivate readiness? A Different Perspective People may avoid truth despite readiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [By the time the people asking the questions are ready for the answers, the people doing the work have lost track of the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/by-the-time-the-people-asking-the-questions-are-ready-for-the-answers/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [“You shouldn't ask questions when you know at heart you'd prefer not to hear the answers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-anne-long/you-shouldn-t-ask-questions-when-you-know-at-heart-you-d-prefer-not/) [Julie Anne Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-anne-long/) > [“Many like to ask the questions; few like to hear the answers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/many-like-to-ask-the-questions-few-like-to-hear-the-answers/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [From time to time, ask yourself these questions: "Am I ready to meet my Maker?" "Am I worthy of all the blessings He has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-m-nelson/from-time-to-time-ask-yourself-these-questions-am-i-ready-to-meet-my/) [Russell M. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-m-nelson/) > [In life, it's not always the questions we ask, but rather our ability to hear the answers that truly enriches our understanding. Never, never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-holt/in-life-it-s-not-always-the-questions-we-ask-but-rather-our-ability/) [Lester Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-holt/) > [Sometimes I get a little nervous when people ask questions, because I don't understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-ortiz/sometimes-i-get-a-little-nervous-when-people-ask-questions-because-i/) [Luis Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-ortiz/) > [Television is a great leveler. You always end up sounding like the people who ask the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/television-is-a-great-leveler-you-always-end-up-sounding-like-the/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [There is no such thing as a stupid question, just stupid people who ask questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-berman/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-stupid-question-just-stupid-people-who/) Chris Berman > [Most people ask questions because they want to know the answer; lawyers are trained never to ask questions unless they already know the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lani-guinier/most-people-ask-questions-because-they-want-to-know-the-answer/) Lani Guinier > [Successful people ask questions. They seek new teachers. They're always learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/successful-people-ask-questions-they-seek-new-teachers-they-re-always/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [I think that's always the goal of art, is to make people ask themselves questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chance-the-rapper/i-think-that-s-always-the-goal-of-art-is-to-make-people-ask/) [Chance The Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chance-the-rapper/) > [When you ask for help listen. It's one thing to ask the question and it's another thing to listen to the answer. 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Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tal-m-klein/) ## More by John Irving > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves-religious-make-sure-you-know/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The desire to never leave your side, the desire to never see you again. The desire to see your face asleep on the pillow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-desire-to-never-leave-your-side-the-desire-to-never-see-you-again/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I had been a student in Vienna, and one of the neat little things I had found out was about that zoo. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-had-been-a-student-in-vienna-and-one-of-the-neat-little-things-i/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“God, I think I just hit a high E-flat - and I really held it!" Esmeralda said, after one of her more prolonged orgasms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/god-i-think-i-just-hit-a-high-e-flat-and-i-really-held-it-esmeralda/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Nostalgia!" Miss Frost cried. "You´re nostalgic!" She repeated. "Just how old are you, William?" She asked. "Seventeen, " I told her. "Seventeen!" Miss Frost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/nostalgia-miss-frost-cried-you-re-nostalgic-she-repeated-just-how-old/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [ “JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" \[Owen Meany\] said… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-better-writers-than-the-guys-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is much easier to be flexible about where a story begins than it ever was for me to change my mind about where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/it-is-much-easier-to-be-flexible-about-where-a-story-begins-than-it/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. 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But they both must have known that you can know someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/you-re-nice-cushie-told-him-squeezing-his-hand-and-you-re-my-oldest/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Did anyone who was in love and was unsatisfied with how he was loved in return ever feel saved?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/did-anyone-who-was-in-love-and-was-unsatisfied-with-how-he-was-loved/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“I TRUST THAT GOD WILL HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO LOOKS VERY HARD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-trust-that-god-will-help-me-because-what-i-m-supposed-to-do-looks/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Explore all 641 John Irving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More Answer quotes > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [What you are is a question only you can answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/what-you-are-is-a-question-only-you-can-answer/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) > [The boldness of asking deep questions may require unforeseen flexibility if we are to accept the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/the-boldness-of-asking-deep-questions-may-require-unforeseen/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [“And if you can’t say yes, answer anyway. Because I’d rather live with the answer than die with the question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ellis/and-if-you-can-t-say-yes-answer-anyway-because-i-d-rather-live-with/) Jon Ellis > [“There is a cure and answer to everything, we just haven't found them yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-halimi/there-is-a-cure-and-answer-to-everything-we-just-haven-t-found-them/) [Eve Halimi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-halimi/) > [Whenever I'm asked about Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, I always answer: 'Neymar is the best,' not just because of his goals but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/whenever-i-m-asked-about-cristiano-ronaldo-or-lionel-messi-i-always/) [Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/) > [A wiki works best where you're trying to answer a question that you can't easily pose, where there's not a natural structure that's known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/a-wiki-works-best-where-you-re-trying-to-answer-a-question-that-you/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [“Those are good questions. I recognize good questions, because I can come up with them myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-brust/those-are-good-questions-i-recognize-good-questions-because-i-can/) [Steven Brust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-brust/) > [My answer is bring 'em on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-answer-is-bring-em-on/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I'll answer anything... I'm brutally honest, actually, which gets me in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mclachlan/i-ll-answer-anything-i-m-brutally-honest-actually-which-gets-me-in/) [Sarah McLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mclachlan/) > [“...I guess I can put two and two together." "Sometimes the answer's four," I said, "and sometimes it's twenty-two...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/i-guess-i-can-put-two-and-two-together-sometimes-the-answer-s-four-i/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [Jumping someone is never the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/jumping-someone-is-never-the-answer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I play along myself, even though I can't help the player. So I can't say what I think the answer might be. But I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-mcguinness/i-play-along-myself-even-though-i-can-t-help-the-player-so-i-can-t/) [Paddy McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-mcguinness/) > [Sometimes the question is complicated, but the answers are simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-suess/sometimes-the-question-is-complicated-but-the-answers-are-simple/) [Dr Suess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-suess/) Browse all 2,090 Answer quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People only ask questions when they're ready to hear the answers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Irving" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/people-only-ask-questions-when-they-re-ready-to-hear-the-answers/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Answer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/people-only-ask-questions-when-they-re-ready-to-hear-the-answers/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc2/john-irving-337_answer_people-only-ask-questions-when-they-re-r_2782131.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc2/john-irving-337_answer_people-only-ask-questions-when-they-re-r_2782131.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc2/john-irving-337_answer_people-only-ask-questions-when-they-re-r_2782131.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People only ask questions when they're ready to hear the answers.” — John Irving", "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 Irving", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "People only ask questions when they're...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/people-only-ask-questions-when-they-re-ready-to-hear-the-answers/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/people-only-ask-questions-when-they-re-ready-to-hear-the-answers/#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 } } ] } ```