--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...intentions, good or bad, are not…" description: "\"...intentions, good or bad, are not enough. There's luck or fate or something else that takes over...\" — John Steinbeck" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/john-steinbeck-71_destiny_intentions-good-or-bad-are-not-enough-th_1017421.jpg" --- # ...intentions, good or bad, are not enough. There's luck… ![“...intentions, good or bad, are not enough. There's luck or fate or something else that takes over...” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/john-steinbeck-71_destiny_intentions-good-or-bad-are-not-enough-th_1017421.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/john-steinbeck-71_destiny_intentions-good-or-bad-are-not-enough-th_1017421.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/john-steinbeck-71_destiny_intentions-good-or-bad-are-not-enough-th_1017421.jpg) > “...intentions, good or bad, are not enough. There's luck or fate or something else that takes over...” [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intentions alone are insufficient; external forces like luck, fate, or unknown variables ultimately influence outcomes. **In simple terms:** Good intentions aren’t enough; chance and fate matter. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty beyond your control. Themes fate luck intentions Mood reflective serious Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - relationships - project outcomes Key Concepts philosophy determinism human agency Questions to Reflect On - How do you prepare for unpredictable factors? - Can you influence fate? A Different Perspective Relying solely on intention can lead to disappointment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-luck/) [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Fate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fate/) [Fate Takes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fate-takes-2246619/) [Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/) [Intentions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intentions/) [Intentions Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intentions-good-822737/) [Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luck/) ## Related quotes > [I've taken my knocks here and there, but I believe my intentions are good. Doesn't mean everything I do is perfectly executed or I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-ve-taken-my-knocks-here-and-there-but-i-believe-my-intentions-are/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [Dashed hopes and good intentions. Good, better, best, bested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/dashed-hopes-and-good-intentions-good-better-best-bested/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [Stay aligned with your intentions and your good will find you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cohen/stay-aligned-with-your-intentions-and-your-good-will-find-you/) [Alan Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cohen/) > [My intentions were good, just that I used wrong tactics and ended up being misinterpreted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-drew/my-intentions-were-good-just-that-i-used-wrong-tactics-and-ended-up/) [An Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-drew/) > [I might be one of the most flamboyant characters New Zealand has ever seen, but my intentions are good, and I would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-dotcom/i-might-be-one-of-the-most-flamboyant-characters-new-zealand-has-ever/) [Kim Dotcom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-dotcom/) > [I think every religion is founded with good intentions, but with any good thing, there's a negative use for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-caesar/i-think-every-religion-is-founded-with-good-intentions-but-with-any/) [Daniel Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-caesar/) > [People with bad intentions get with good people only to screw them up so they can be just like them. And thats where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-with-bad-intentions-get-with-good-people-only-to-screw-them-up/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“But what does it even matter if my intentions are never good? My road to hell isn't paved with good intentions – or bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/but-what-does-it-even-matter-if-my-intentions-are-never-good-my-road/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“I disagree with the adage, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Good intentions are powerful mindsets which will drive your actions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/i-disagree-with-the-adage-the-road-to-hell-is-paved-with-good/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [“Listen, my timing might be bad, but my intentions are good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karyn-bosnak/listen-my-timing-might-be-bad-but-my-intentions-are-good/) [Karyn Bosnak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karyn-bosnak/) > [I was very sorry when I found out that your intentions were good and not what I supposed they were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sitting-bull/i-was-very-sorry-when-i-found-out-that-your-intentions-were-good-and/) [Sitting Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sitting-bull/) > [As long as you are Content with your own Life n your Intentions are Good…It should not matter what other People say…!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi/as-long-as-you-are-content-with-your-own-life-n-your-intentions-are/) [Jessi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi/) > [“Dad was always saying that if your feelings or thoughts stemmed from good intentions, than you need to do them, because you never know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-r-paulson/dad-was-always-saying-that-if-your-feelings-or-thoughts-stemmed-from/) [Bonnie R Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-r-paulson/) > [The specific goals we set for ourselves are almost always subsidiary to our long range intentions. A good parent, a good neighbour, a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-allport/the-specific-goals-we-set-for-ourselves-are-almost-always-subsidiary/) [Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-allport/) > [You are lucky enough to be given a second chance. When fate takes over you ought not to loose it again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-lucky-enough-to-be-given-a-second-chance-when-fate-takes-over/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John Steinbeck > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Prayer never brought in no side-meat. Takes a shoat to bring in pork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/prayer-never-brought-in-no-side-meat-takes-a-shoat-to-bring-in-pork/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“And now submarines are armed with mass murder, our silly, only way of deterring mass murder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/and-now-submarines-are-armed-with-mass-murder-our-silly-only-way-of/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“I’d think there are degrees of greatness,” Adam said. “I don’t think so,” said Samuel. “That would be like saying there is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-d-think-there-are-degrees-of-greatness-adam-said-i-don-t-think-so/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“He was forever inventing a new way of doing an old thing and doing it better and quicker, but he never in his whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/he-was-forever-inventing-a-new-way-of-doing-an-old-thing-and-doing-it/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“You come back a changed man. Samuel, you don’t change him. He changes you. I can see the look of him in your face.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/you-come-back-a-changed-man-samuel-you-don-t-change-him-he-changes/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I find out of long experience that I admire all nations and hate all governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-find-out-of-long-experience-that-i-admire-all-nations-and-hate-all/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [At about 10 o'clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows and in and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/at-about-10-o-clock-in-the-morning-the-sun-threw-a-bright-dust-laden/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Who in his mind has not probe the dark water?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/who-in-his-mind-has-not-probe-the-dark-water/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Sometimes, a lie is told in kindness. I don't believe it ever works kindly. The quick pain of truth can pass away, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/sometimes-a-lie-is-told-in-kindness-i-don-t-believe-it-ever-works/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [People like you to be something, preferably what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/people-like-you-to-be-something-preferably-what-they-are/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Suddenly he knew joy and sorrow felted into one fabric. Courage and fear were one thing too. He found that he had started to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/suddenly-he-knew-joy-and-sorrow-felted-into-one-fabric-courage-and/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I am writing this from what we Americans call Yurrp. In Yurrp writers are taken as seriously as Lana Turner's legs are in America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-am-writing-this-from-what-we-americans-call-yurrp-in-yurrp-writers/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I write because I like to write. I find joy in the texture and tone and rhythm of words. It is a satisfaction like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-write-because-i-like-to-write-i-find-joy-in-the-texture-and-tone/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) [Explore all 1,589 John Steinbeck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## More Bad luck quotes > [“You never talk to the pitcher when…” He shook his head. “You just never talk to the pitcher when--” “I just wanted to congratulate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawthorne/you-never-talk-to-the-pitcher-when-he-shook-his-head-you-just-never/) [Rachel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawthorne/) > [Bad luck isn't brought by broken mirrors, but by broken minds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramandeep-singh/bad-luck-isn-t-brought-by-broken-mirrors-but-by-broken-minds/) [Ramandeep Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramandeep-singh/) > [I never knew an early-rising, hard-working, prudent man, careful of his earnings, and strictly honest who complained of bad luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/i-never-knew-an-early-rising-hard-working-prudent-man-careful-of-his/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“I didn't do any of what they told me,' she said, 'because the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/i-didn-t-do-any-of-what-they-told-me-she-said-because-the-more-i/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [“Everyone knows it is bad luck to step on a toad or on the shadow of a tree, to walk under a ladder,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-knows-it-is-bad-luck-to-step-on-a-toad-or-on-the-shadow-of-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Because the core of my personal philosophy is that everything that happens to us benefits us, I was also spared the futility of cursing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/because-the-core-of-my-personal-philosophy-is-that-everything-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There is no bad luck in the world but whitefolks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-is-no-bad-luck-in-the-world-but-whitefolks/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [The biggest trap, the biggest dungeon in life isn't laziness or bad luck, it's comfort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/the-biggest-trap-the-biggest-dungeon-in-life-isn-t-laziness-or-bad/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [All of us have bad luck and good luck. The man who persists through the bad luck - who keeps right on going -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/all-of-us-have-bad-luck-and-good-luck-the-man-who-persists-through/) [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) > [“I was just beginning to wonder how long I would have to wait when finally a guard sauntered up and said, “Galloway, get your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-galloway/i-was-just-beginning-to-wonder-how-long-i-would-have-to-wait-when/) [Noah Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-galloway/) > [“Oh, I don’t buy lottery tickets... because if I won, and I was capable of that kind of odd luck, then I would also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissi-sepe/oh-i-don-t-buy-lottery-tickets-because-if-i-won-and-i-was-capable-of/) [Chrissi Sepe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissi-sepe/) > [“Before Tessa could answer, there was a knock at the door, and a familiar voice. "It's Jem. Tessa, are you there?" Charlotte sat bolt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/before-tessa-could-answer-there-was-a-knock-at-the-door-and-a/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“If you were crossing the road and saw a black cat passing, you may possibly get hit by a car, or a mail boy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/basma-salem/if-you-were-crossing-the-road-and-saw-a-black-cat-passing-you-may/) [Basma Salem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/basma-salem/) > [I'm very superstitious, and I think it's bad luck. You don't have to show your love by tattooing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priya-sachdev/i-m-very-superstitious-and-i-think-it-s-bad-luck-you-don-t-have-to/) [Priya Sachdev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priya-sachdev/) > [To my bad luck, my first schedule for 'Natasaarvabhowma' was in Kolkata and I was not really introduced to the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anupama-parameswaran/to-my-bad-luck-my-first-schedule-for-natasaarvabhowma-was-in-kolkata/) [Anupama Parameswaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anupama-parameswaran/) [Browse all 529 Bad luck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-luck/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "...intentions, good or bad, are not enough. There's luck or fate or something else that takes over...", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Steinbeck" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/intentions-good-or-bad-are-not-enough-there-s-luck-or-fate-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad luck" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/intentions-good-or-bad-are-not-enough-there-s-luck-or-fate-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/john-steinbeck-71_destiny_intentions-good-or-bad-are-not-enough-th_1017421.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/john-steinbeck-71_destiny_intentions-good-or-bad-are-not-enough-th_1017421.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f06/john-steinbeck-71_destiny_intentions-good-or-bad-are-not-enough-th_1017421.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“...intentions, good or bad, are not enough. There's luck or fate or something else that takes over...” — John Steinbeck", "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 Steinbeck", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "...intentions, good or bad, are not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/intentions-good-or-bad-are-not-enough-there-s-luck-or-fate-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/intentions-good-or-bad-are-not-enough-there-s-luck-or-fate-or/#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 } } ] } ```