--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I do know, dividing our energies among a…" description: "\"“I do know, dividing our energies among a thousand what-ifs instead of concentrating them for the one sure next-step is a kind of self-sabotage. It’s n..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f0/lois-mcmaster-bujold-716_next-week_i-do-know-dividing-our-energies-among-a_1247604.jpg" --- # I do know, dividing our energies among a thousand what-ifs… ![“I do know, dividing our energies among a thousand what-ifs instead of concentrating them for the one sure next-step is a kind of self-sabotage. It’s not what we do next week, it’s what we do next that counts most.” quote by Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f0/lois-mcmaster-bujold-716_next-week_i-do-know-dividing-our-energies-among-a_1247604.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f0/lois-mcmaster-bujold-716_next-week_i-do-know-dividing-our-energies-among-a_1247604.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f0/lois-mcmaster-bujold-716_next-week_i-do-know-dividing-our-energies-among-a_1247604.jpg) > ““I do know, dividing our energies among a thousand what-ifs instead of concentrating them for the one sure next-step is a kind of self-sabotage. It’s not what we do next week, it’s what we do next that counts most.”” [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Warns against spreading effort across many possibilities, urging focus on the next decisive action. **In simple terms:** Focus on the next step, not many “what‑ifs”. Key Takeaway Prioritize immediate, impactful actions. Themes productivity focus decision‑making Mood motivational strategic Type advice productivity When to use this quote - project planning - career development Key Concepts goal setting time management Questions to Reflect On - What is your most important next step? - How do you balance focus and flexibility? A Different Perspective May ignore benefits of contingency planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dividing Energies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dividing-energies-3919318/) [Energies Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energies-thousand-3919319/) [Instead Concentrating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instead-concentrating-3919320/) [Next week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-week/) [Sabotage Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sabotage-week-3919321/) [Self sabotage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-sabotage/) ## Related quotes > [Instead of concentrating on eliminating the negative, concentrate on creating something positive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/instead-of-concentrating-on-eliminating-the-negative-concentrate-on/) [Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/) > [As a Christian, instead of concentrating on how you feel, focus on what you know to be truth from the Word of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/as-a-christian-instead-of-concentrating-on-how-you-feel-focus-on-what/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“I think it’s pretty common to hold onto people, to bribe them with things, say, a body, in the hopes of keeping them from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kidd/i-think-it-s-pretty-common-to-hold-onto-people-to-bribe-them-with/) [Kris Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kidd/) > [“When you self-sabotage, you undermine yourself and act in ways that dishonor your mind, body and soul, and ultimately weaken you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanesia-harris/when-you-self-sabotage-you-undermine-yourself-and-act-in-ways-that/) [Tanesia Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanesia-harris/) > [We need to ascend beyond our own petty Resistance, our own negative self-judgment and self-sabotage, our own "I'm not worthy" mind-set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/we-need-to-ascend-beyond-our-own-petty-resistance-our-own-negative/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [Turning pro is a mindset. If we are struggling with fear, self-sabotage, procrastination, self-doubt, etc., the problem is, we're thinking like amateurs. Amateurs don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/turning-pro-is-a-mindset-if-we-are-struggling-with-fear-self-sabotage/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“I am the greatest obstacle to my greatest dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/i-am-the-greatest-obstacle-to-my-greatest-dreams/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“I've always believed that we don't choose the life we want, we choose the life we think we deserve. We self-sabotage as a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/i-ve-always-believed-that-we-don-t-choose-the-life-we-want-we-choose/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [“I decry the injustice of my wounds, only to look down and see that I am holding a smoking gun in one hand and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/i-decry-the-injustice-of-my-wounds-only-to-look-down-and-see-that-i/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“And I was sure it was the drink that irrigated White’s self-sabotage, for it is the common trait of alcoholics to make plans and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-macdonald/and-i-was-sure-it-was-the-drink-that-irrigated-white-s-self-sabotage/) [Helen Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-macdonald/) > [Self-deception, sometimes called self-sabotage kills dreams faster than deception from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/self-deception-sometimes-called-self-sabotage-kills-dreams-faster/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There is stability in self-destruction, in prolonging sadness as a means of escaping abstractions like happiness. Rock bottom is a surprisingly comfortable place to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kidd/there-is-stability-in-self-destruction-in-prolonging-sadness-as-a/) [Kris Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kidd/) > [I don't want to completely self-sabotage everything that I've got and alienate everyone. But I definitely want to take some chances as I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-perry/i-don-t-want-to-completely-self-sabotage-everything-that-i-ve-got-and/) [Katy Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-perry/) > [Withholding love is a form of self-sabotage, as what we withhold from others we are withholding from ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/withholding-love-is-a-form-of-self-sabotage-as-what-we-withhold-from/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“Self-sabotage is knowingly doing things that can ruin different aspects of your life and hinder you from reaching your highest potential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanesia-harris/self-sabotage-is-knowingly-doing-things-that-can-ruin-different/) [Tanesia Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanesia-harris/) ## More by Lois McMaster Bujold > [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/) > [Never do yourself, what you can con professionals into doing for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/never-do-yourself-what-you-can-con-professionals-into-doing-for-you/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“It reminded him of that definition of his father's. A weapon is a device for making your enemy change his mind. The mind was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/it-reminded-him-of-that-definition-of-his-father-s-a-weapon-is-a/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“I was imagining the most bizarre things befalling you.” “Did they include a six-hundred-pound ice bear and a pirate poet?” “No…” “Then they weren’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/i-was-imagining-the-most-bizarre-things-befalling-you-did-they/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [There is a sad disconnectedness that overcomes a library when its owner is gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/there-is-a-sad-disconnectedness-that-overcomes-a-library-when-its/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“No, amusing me only, I wonder if they realize how they are used?" "Not a bit. They think they are the emperors of creation."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/no-amusing-me-only-i-wonder-if-they-realize-how-they-are-used-not-a/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“You bastards are on the top of Imperial Lord Auditor Miles Vorkosigan's very own shit list now, you bet. But under what name? Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/you-bastards-are-on-the-top-of-imperial-lord-auditor-miles-vorkosigan/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“Anyway, if the Cetagandans really wanted to assassinate you, they'd hardly do it here. They'd slip something subtle under your skin that wouldn't go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/anyway-if-the-cetagandans-really-wanted-to-assassinate-you-they-d/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [Endure pain, find joy, and make your own meaning, because the universe certainly isn't going to supply it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/endure-pain-find-joy-and-make-your-own-meaning-because-the-universe/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [Your Reverence, I do not hate any man in this world enough to inflict the results of my prayers upon him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/your-reverence-i-do-not-hate-any-man-in-this-world-enough-to-inflict/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“I always thought my parents could fix anything. Now it's my turn. Dear God, how did this happen?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/i-always-thought-my-parents-could-fix-anything-now-it-s-my-turn-dear/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“I think it is not so much the growth of virtue, as simply the replacement of prior vices with an addiction to one’s god.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/i-think-it-is-not-so-much-the-growth-of-virtue-as-simply-the/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“Mark’s ideas tended to the bland, and there was no point in asking Miles, whose embittered suggestions all ran to things like Vomit Vanilla…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/mark-s-ideas-tended-to-the-bland-and-there-was-no-point-in-asking/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is a duty of the living to do so for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/the-dead-cannot-cry-out-for-justice-it-is-a-duty-of-the-living-to-do/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“Gardens were meant to be seen, smelled, walked through, grubbed in. A hundred objective measurements didn't sum the worth of a garden; only the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/gardens-were-meant-to-be-seen-smelled-walked-through-grubbed-in-a/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) [Explore all 392 Lois McMaster Bujold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) ## More Next week quotes > [I'll see you next week and I promise we are going to have the fastest turtle in the history of turtles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-dyrdek/i-ll-see-you-next-week-and-i-promise-we-are-going-to-have-the-fastest/) [Rob Dyrdek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-dyrdek/) > [I know that I'm going to have to work hard, keep working hard, and not because of this victory think, "I'm back." I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-clijsters/i-know-that-i-m-going-to-have-to-work-hard-keep-working-hard-and-not/) [Kim Clijsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-clijsters/) > [“For the next week that was all I heard - manana, a lovely word and one that probably means heaven.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/for-the-next-week-that-was-all-i-heard-manana-a-lovely-word-and-one/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Strax gave a snort of amusement. ‘It is surely a very simple choice. One option is for a quiet life with honest work amongst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-richards/strax-gave-a-snort-of-amusement-it-is-surely-a-very-simple-choice-one/) [Justin Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-richards/) > [Farmers, get out your sense of humor. Congress meets to relieve you again next week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/farmers-get-out-your-sense-of-humor-congress-meets-to-relieve-you/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [“You just asked me to marry you," he said, still waiting for me to admit some kind of trickery. "I know." 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The halls rang with the laughter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-savage/the-last-days-before-graduation-are-bad-enough-god-knows-out-of-the/) [Elizabeth Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-savage/) > [“The Italian philosopher Paolo Virno says we have moved from having a “proletariat”—a solid block of manual workers with jobs—to a “precariat,” a shifting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-hari/the-italian-philosopher-paolo-virno-says-we-have-moved-from-having-a/) [Johann Hari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-hari/) > [“Bryan gaped, as though that was more than he'd been expecting. "Oh. Okay. Well, um, there's a silent film festival downtown next week. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/bryan-gaped-as-though-that-was-more-than-he-d-been-expecting-oh-okay/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [The only thing that scares me in the tech area is that it moves so fast that you have to be ready to invest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daymond-john/the-only-thing-that-scares-me-in-the-tech-area-is-that-it-moves-so/) [Daymond John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daymond-john/) > [I do want to say that I was just endorsed - and more are coming next week - it will be over 200 admirals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-do-want-to-say-that-i-was-just-endorsed-and-more-are-coming-next/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“It's a promise ring. 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