--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Although I usually think I know what I'm…" description: "\"Although I usually think I know what I'm going to be writing about, what I'm going to say, most of the time it doesn't happen that way at all. At some ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/lewis-thomas-2299_bits_although-i-usually-think-i-know-what-i-m_2061844.png" --- # Although I usually think I know what I'm going to be… ![“Although I usually think I know what I'm going to be writing about, what I'm going to say, most of the time it doesn't happen that way at all. At some point I get misled down a garden path, I get surprised by an idea that I hadn't anticipated getting, which is a little bit like being in a…” quote by Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/lewis-thomas-2299_bits_although-i-usually-think-i-know-what-i-m_2061844.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/lewis-thomas-2299_bits_although-i-usually-think-i-know-what-i-m_2061844.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/lewis-thomas-2299_bits_although-i-usually-think-i-know-what-i-m_2061844.png) > “Although I usually think I know what I'm going to be writing about, what I'm going to say, most of the time it doesn't happen that way at all. At some point I get misled down a garden path, I get surprised by an idea that I hadn't anticipated getting, which is a little bit like being in a laboratory.” [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers often plan topics, yet unexpected ideas can arise, redirecting thoughts like a lab experiment. **In simple terms:** Plans change when new ideas appear. Key Takeaway Embrace surprise in writing. Themes creativity uncertainty discovery Mood reflective inquisitive Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - academic writing - brainstorming - creative workshops - research projects Key Concepts cognitive flexibility serendipity Questions to Reflect On - How do you capture sudden ideas? - What habits keep you flexible? A Different Perspective Unexpected ideas may derail deadlines if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Laboratory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laboratory/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“What we usually think of as the self is very temporal and an illusion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gyomay-m-kubose/what-we-usually-think-of-as-the-self-is-very-temporal-and-an-illusion/) [Gyomay M. Kubose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gyomay-m-kubose/) > [I usually think to do pep talks on Twitter if I'm on the road, at home and my girlfriend is out of town, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-gondelman/i-usually-think-to-do-pep-talks-on-twitter-if-i-m-on-the-road-at-home/) [Josh Gondelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-gondelman/) > [Most of us can do more than we think but usually do less than we think we have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/most-of-us-can-do-more-than-we-think-but-usually-do-less-than-we/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I usually think about a play anywhere from six months to a year and a half before I sit down to write it out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/i-usually-think-about-a-play-anywhere-from-six-months-to-a-year-and-a/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [Usually, if I think something is really funny, it doesn't get any reaction whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/usually-if-i-think-something-is-really-funny-it-doesn-t-get-any/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [People usually think with their brain or go with their heart, but a good place to start is if you have a gut feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mackey/people-usually-think-with-their-brain-or-go-with-their-heart-but-a/) [Emma Mackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mackey/) > [I don't fight for much, but when I fight for something, it's usually because I think I'm going to be right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krysten-ritter/i-don-t-fight-for-much-but-when-i-fight-for-something-it-s-usually/) [Krysten Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krysten-ritter/) > [People who make fun of others usually cant think of a single good thing to say about themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-who-make-fun-of-others-usually-cant-think-of-a-single-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Usually, if you think something's wrong, it probably is...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayce-o-neal/usually-if-you-think-something-s-wrong-it-probably-is/) [Jayce O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayce-o-neal/) > [When you find yourself a mom, you will be by no means seriously by itself with your ideas. A mother usually should think twice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-loren/when-you-find-yourself-a-mom-you-will-be-by-no-means-seriously-by/) [Sophia Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-loren/) > [I usually think in terms of music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-west/i-usually-think-in-terms-of-music/) [Shane West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-west/) > [I'm not usually where I think I am. It's kind of spooky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-anderson/i-m-not-usually-where-i-think-i-am-it-s-kind-of-spooky/) [Laurie Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-anderson/) > [People just usually think I'm someone else. They'll look at me twice, and I'll just say, 'Not Ellen Page.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-woodward/people-just-usually-think-i-m-someone-else-they-ll-look-at-me-twice/) [Shannon Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-woodward/) > [Usually, I think you have most of your musical influences locked down by the time you're 16.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/win-butler/usually-i-think-you-have-most-of-your-musical-influences-locked-down/) [Win Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/win-butler/) > [People usually think according to their inclinations, speak according to their learning and ingrained opinions, but generally act according to custom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/people-usually-think-according-to-their-inclinations-speak-according/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) ## More by Lewis Thomas > [“We are endowed with genes which code out our reaction to beavers and otters, maybe our reaction to each other as well. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-endowed-with-genes-which-code-out-our-reaction-to-beavers-and/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [We are a spectacular, splendid manifestation of life. We have language. . . . We have affection. We have genes for usefulness, and usefulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-a-spectacular-splendid-manifestation-of-life-we-have-language/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [“It is not a simple thing to decide where we fit, for at one time or another in our lives we manage to organize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/it-is-not-a-simple-thing-to-decide-where-we-fit-for-at-one-time-or/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [It is in our genes to understand the universe if we can, to keep trying even if we cannot, and to be enchanted by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/it-is-in-our-genes-to-understand-the-universe-if-we-can-to-keep/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [If an idea cannot move on its own, pushing it doesn't help; best to let it lie there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/if-an-idea-cannot-move-on-its-own-pushing-it-doesn-t-help-best-to-let/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [Left to ourselves, mechanistic and autonomic, we hanker for friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/left-to-ourselves-mechanistic-and-autonomic-we-hanker-for-friends/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [I do not agree with this century's fashion of running down the human species as a failed try, a doomed sport. At our worst,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/i-do-not-agree-with-this-century-s-fashion-of-running-down-the-human/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [It would seem to me... an offense against nature, for us to come on the same scene endowed as we are with the curiosity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/it-would-seem-to-me-an-offense-against-nature-for-us-to-come-on-the/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [The drive to be useful is encoded in our genes. But when we gather in very large numbers, as in the modern nation-state, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/the-drive-to-be-useful-is-encoded-in-our-genes-but-when-we-gather-in/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [I would send the complete works of Johann Sebastian Bach into outer space on the Voyager spacecraft. But that would be boasting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/i-would-send-the-complete-works-of-johann-sebastian-bach-into-outer/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [“Nature abhors a long silence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/nature-abhors-a-long-silence/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [“The future is too interesting and dangerous to be entrusted to any predictable, reliable agency. We need all the fallibility we can get. 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