--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A lady doesn't insist on having her own…" description: "\"“A lady doesn't insist on having her own way. Then, next thing you know, it all works out somehow, without one's even trying. I thought I'd never learn..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/lloyd-alexander-1645_1968_a-lady-doesn-t-insist-on-having-her-own_2496060.png" --- # A lady doesn't insist on having her own way. Then, next… ![“A lady doesn't insist on having her own way. Then, next thing you know, it all works out somehow, without one's even trying. I thought I'd never learn, though it's really quite easy once you get the knack.” quote by Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/lloyd-alexander-1645_1968_a-lady-doesn-t-insist-on-having-her-own_2496060.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/lloyd-alexander-1645_1968_a-lady-doesn-t-insist-on-having-her-own_2496060.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/lloyd-alexander-1645_1968_a-lady-doesn-t-insist-on-having-her-own_2496060.png) > ““A lady doesn't insist on having her own way. Then, next thing you know, it all works out somehow, without one's even trying. I thought I'd never learn, though it's really quite easy once you get the knack.”” [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Flexibility and humility often lead to outcomes that surpass rigid self‑direction, allowing natural solutions to emerge without force. **In simple terms:** Being adaptable lets things work out without trying. Key Takeaway Embrace flexibility and let things unfold. Themes humility adaptability trust effortlessness Mood calm reflective optimistic Type advice philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - team projects - personal relationships - creative problem solving - conflict resolution Key Concepts Stoicism flow serendipity Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance flexibility with purposeful action? - When does letting go become counterproductive? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on flexibility can lead to passivity or missed opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Magick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magick/) ## Related quotes > [“Ah, Princess," Dallben said, with a furrowed smile, "a crown is more discomfort than adornment. If you have learned that, you have already learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/ah-princess-dallben-said-with-a-furrowed-smile-a-crown-is-more/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“I know it isn't nice to vex people on purpose—it's like handing them a toad—but this is much too good to miss and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/i-know-it-isn-t-nice-to-vex-people-on-purpose-it-s-like-handing-them/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [Of course, you have to be happy with what you're doing. Not everything always works, but you have to keep trying and have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-matip/of-course-you-have-to-be-happy-with-what-you-re-doing-not-everything/) [Joel Matip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-matip/) > [Fundamentally, I have no idea how the world works, though I am trying to figure it out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-ware/fundamentally-i-have-no-idea-how-the-world-works-though-i-am-trying/) [Chris Ware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-ware/) > [“People hurt each other. That’s how it works. At least you were trying to do something good. Not everyone can say that much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tana-french/people-hurt-each-other-that-s-how-it-works-at-least-you-were-trying/) [Tana French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tana-french/) > [“It is beyond any man's wisdom to judge the secret heart of another... for in it are good and evil mixed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/it-is-beyond-any-man-s-wisdom-to-judge-the-secret-heart-of-another/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“Once," he added, "you told me that the seeking counts more than the finding. So, too, must the striving count more than the gain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/once-he-added-you-told-me-that-the-seeking-counts-more-than-the/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [A beguiling lady doesn't take after the swarm. She is herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-young/a-beguiling-lady-doesn-t-take-after-the-swarm-she-is-herself/) [Loretta Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-young/) > [Hold the door open for the little old lady & she doesn't even say thank you...smh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-labelle/hold-the-door-open-for-the-little-old-lady-she-doesn-t-even-say-thank/) [Leah LaBelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-labelle/) > [Just because you act like a lady doesn't mean everyone will show you respect. I promise,though, that it is still worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-because-you-act-like-a-lady-doesn-t-mean-everyone-will-show-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some things a lady doesn't tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-hunter/some-things-a-lady-doesn-t-tell/) [Kim Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-hunter/) > [When you're a man, you want to make decisions for your family, and sometimes the lady doesn't see what you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/future/when-you-re-a-man-you-want-to-make-decisions-for-your-family-and/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/future/) > [ Are you the lady who doesn't realize she's pregnant until she's sitting on the toilet and the kid pops out? -Debbie: \[to Alison\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/knocked-up-the-movie/are-you-the-lady-who-doesn-t-realize-she-s-pregnant-until-she-s/) [Knocked Up (The Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/knocked-up-the-movie/) > [A true man doesn't promise, he commits. A true lady doesn't demand, she thanks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/a-true-man-doesn-t-promise-he-commits-a-true-lady-doesn-t-demand-she/) Pacifiersucker > [I have bursts of being a lady, but it doesn't last long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-winters/i-have-bursts-of-being-a-lady-but-it-doesn-t-last-long/) [Shelley Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-winters/) ## More by Lloyd Alexander > [“There are heroes and heroes. I don't deny he's acted bravely on occasion. He's fought beside Lord Gwydion and been proud of himself as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/there-are-heroes-and-heroes-i-don-t-deny-he-s-acted-bravely-on/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“I shall not lie!" Eilonwy cried, "not for this traitor and deserter." "It is not for him," Taran said quietly, "but for the sake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/i-shall-not-lie-eilonwy-cried-not-for-this-traitor-and-deserter-it-is/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“He learned that the lives of men are short and filled with pain, yet each one a priceless treasure, whether it be that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/he-learned-that-the-lives-of-men-are-short-and-filled-with-pain-yet/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [King Constantine IX of Regia had been killed three times and was bored with it. He wanted a bath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/king-constantine-ix-of-regia-had-been-killed-three-times-and-was/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“There is an exuberance in good fantasy quite unlike the most exalted moments of realistic fiction. Both forms have similar goals; but realism walks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/there-is-an-exuberance-in-good-fantasy-quite-unlike-the-most-exalted/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [Stale water is a poor drink. Stale skill is worse. And the man who walks in his own footsteps only ends where he began.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/stale-water-is-a-poor-drink-stale-skill-is-worse-and-the-man-who/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [Forgive me…I called you an idiot. I spoke too hastily. You are not. Had I given it more thought, I would have called you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/forgive-me-i-called-you-an-idiot-i-spoke-too-hastily-you-are-not-had/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“On the level of high art, in their common efforts to express human truths, relationships, attitudes, and personal visions, children's literature and adult literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/on-the-level-of-high-art-in-their-common-efforts-to-express-human/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [What seems to be love beyond any question is usually a simple case of indigestion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/what-seems-to-be-love-beyond-any-question-is-usually-a-simple-case-of/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [The art is more important than the artist. The work is more important than the person who does it. You must be prepared to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/the-art-is-more-important-than-the-artist-the-work-is-more-important/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“Once," he added, "you told me that the seeking counts more than the finding. So, too, must the striving count more than the gain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/once-he-added-you-told-me-that-the-seeking-counts-more-than-the/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [I came to fantasy fairly late. For some ten years, I had been happily writing fiction and non-fiction for adults. But I always loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/i-came-to-fantasy-fairly-late-for-some-ten-years-i-had-been-happily/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [Talented people are finding that writing for young people is as demanding of high quality as writing for adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/talented-people-are-finding-that-writing-for-young-people-is-as/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“In some cases we learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/in-some-cases-we-learn-more-by-looking-for-the-answer-to-a-question/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [A crown is more discomfort than adornment. If you have learned that, you have already learned much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/a-crown-is-more-discomfort-than-adornment-if-you-have-learned-that/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) [Explore all 220 Lloyd Alexander quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) ## More 1968 quotes > [“...you are strong only as long as you don't deprive people of everything . For a person you've taken everything from is no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/you-are-strong-only-as-long-as-you-don-t-deprive-people-of-everything/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [“Nationalism always preserved this initial intimate loyalty to the government and never quite lost its function of preserving a precarious balance between nation and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/nationalism-always-preserved-this-initial-intimate-loyalty-to-the/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“What imperialists actually wanted was expansion of political power without the foundation of the body politic. Imperialist expansion had been touched off by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/what-imperialists-actually-wanted-was-expansion-of-political-power/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“Once," he added, "you told me that the seeking counts more than the finding. So, too, must the striving count more than the gain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/once-he-added-you-told-me-that-the-seeking-counts-more-than-the/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“It is a human characteristic, which has been richly exploited in every era, that while hope of survival is still alive in a man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/it-is-a-human-characteristic-which-has-been-richly-exploited-in-every/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [“Very often the test of one's allegiance to a cause or to a people is precisely the willingness to stay the course when things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/very-often-the-test-of-one-s-allegiance-to-a-cause-or-to-a-people-is/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“No one, even as a joke, could call a member of the all-Union Communist Party a Neo-Hegelian, a Neo-Kantian, a Subjectivist, an Agnostic, or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/no-one-even-as-a-joke-could-call-a-member-of-the-all-union-communist/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [“As far as the Jews were concerned, the transformation of the "crime" of Judaism into the fashionable "vice" of Jewishness was dangerous in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/as-far-as-the-jews-were-concerned-the-transformation-of-the-crime-of/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“The North Korean capital, Pyongyang, is a city consecrated to the worship of a father-son dynasty. (I came to think of them, with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-north-korean-capital-pyongyang-is-a-city-consecrated-to-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“It is beyond any man's wisdom to judge the secret heart of another... for in it are good and evil mixed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/it-is-beyond-any-man-s-wisdom-to-judge-the-secret-heart-of-another/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“… the Nazis, without admitting it, learned as much from American gangster organizations as their propaganda, admittedly, learned from American business publicity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/the-nazis-without-admitting-it-learned-as-much-from-american-gangster/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“Between 1882 and 1968, more black people were lynched in MIssissippi than in any other state.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/between-1882-and-1968-more-black-people-were-lynched-in-mississippi-2/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [“The fall of the protecting class walls transformed the slumbering majorities behind all parties into one great unorganized, structureless mass of furious individuals who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/the-fall-of-the-protecting-class-walls-transformed-the-slumbering/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“The temporary alliance between the elite and the mob rested largely on this genuine delight with which the former watched the latter destroy respectability.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/the-temporary-alliance-between-the-elite-and-the-mob-rested-largely/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“The fact that no one made demands on her knowledge in her special field was lucky for Simochka. Not only she but many of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/the-fact-that-no-one-made-demands-on-her-knowledge-in-her-special/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) Browse all 27 1968 quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A lady doesn't insist on having her own way. Then, next thing you know, it all works out somehow, without one's even trying. 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