--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thinking well to be wise: planning well…" description: "\"Thinking well to be wise: planning well, wiser: doing well wisest and best of all.\" — Malcolm Forbes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1a/malcolm-forbes-1510_planning_thinking-well-to-be-wise-planning-well-w_1972103.jpg" --- # Thinking well to be wise: planning well, wiser: doing well… ![“Thinking well to be wise: planning well, wiser: doing well wisest and best of all.” quote by Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1a/malcolm-forbes-1510_planning_thinking-well-to-be-wise-planning-well-w_1972103.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1a/malcolm-forbes-1510_planning_thinking-well-to-be-wise-planning-well-w_1972103.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1a/malcolm-forbes-1510_planning_thinking-well-to-be-wise-planning-well-w_1972103.jpg) > “Thinking well to be wise: planning well, wiser: doing well wisest and best of all.” [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wise action requires thoughtful planning, execution, and continual improvement to achieve the highest outcomes. **In simple terms:** Good planning leads to better results. Key Takeaway Plan, act, and refine wisely. Themes wisdom planning execution self‑improvement Mood thoughtful determined Type advice motivational When to use this quote - career advancement - personal projects - leadership decisions - skill development Key Concepts strategic thinking continuous learning Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure your plans stay aligned with your goals? - What habits help you refine your actions? A Different Perspective Neglecting reflection can cause repeated mistakes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [Thinking well is wise; planning well, wiser; but doing well is the wisest and best of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/thinking-well-is-wise-planning-well-wiser-but-doing-well-is-the/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“Doing nothing at all is often the very wisest thing ... as the world is a ball and is turning and everything is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-williams/doing-nothing-at-all-is-often-the-very-wisest-thing-as-the-world-is-a/) [Niall Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-williams/) > [I am convinced that wise planning is good. But plans, like material possessions, must always be held loosely. Yes - always! Plan wisely, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/i-am-convinced-that-wise-planning-is-good-but-plans-like-material/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [It may be considered as an objection inherent in the principle, that as every appeal to the people would carry an implication of some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/it-may-be-considered-as-an-objection-inherent-in-the-principle-that/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [I think William Shakespeare was the wisest human being I ever heard of. To be perfectly frank, though, that's not saying much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-think-william-shakespeare-was-the-wisest-human-being-i-ever-heard/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [We must get away from this limited \*I did this and I did that\* and the self-centeredness, that dominates our society Today. It must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/we-must-get-away-from-this-limited-i-did-this-and-i-did-that-and-the/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [The Providence that watches over the affairs of men works out of their mistakes, at times, a healthier issue than could have been accomplished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/the-providence-that-watches-over-the-affairs-of-men-works-out-of/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [Sometimes 'Hmm' is the wisest thing to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alethea-kontis/sometimes-hmm-is-the-wisest-thing-to-say/) [Alethea Kontis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alethea-kontis/) > [Whatever dramas are going on in my life, I always find that place inside my head where I see myself as the cleanest, tallest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layne-staley/whatever-dramas-are-going-on-in-my-life-i-always-find-that-place/) [Layne Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layne-staley/) > [The wisest among my race understand that agitations of social equality is the extremist folly, and that progress in the enjoyment of all privileges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/the-wisest-among-my-race-understand-that-agitations-of-social/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [Mankind is made up of inconsistencies, and no man acts invariably up to his predominant character. The wisest man sometimes acts weakly, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/mankind-is-made-up-of-inconsistencies-and-no-man-acts-invariably-up/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [ We should realize that, if \[Socrates\] demanded that the wisest men should rule, he clearly stressed that he did not mean the learned men;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-should-realize-that-if-socrates-demanded-that-the-wisest-men/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the world of the Middle East at the moment, the debates are shrill. But ... the wisest voice of all of them may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macgregor/in-the-world-of-the-middle-east-at-the-moment-the-debates-are-shrill/) [Neil MacGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macgregor/) > [The praise of a fool is incense to the wisest of us . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/the-praise-of-a-fool-is-incense-to-the-wisest-of-us/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [And he is oft the wisest manWho is not wise at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/and-he-is-oft-the-wisest-manwho-is-not-wise-at-all/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) ## More by Malcolm Forbes > [Once in a while there's wisdom in recognizing that the Boss is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/once-in-a-while-there-s-wisdom-in-recognizing-that-the-boss-is/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [ I don't think anybody can be a success who doesn't like what they do. \[But it's\] no job if it has no challenge; there's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/i-don-t-think-anybody-can-be-a-success-who-doesn-t-like-what-they-do/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Why, just a couple of economic seasons ago, was idle cash considered an indication of bad management or lazy management? Because it meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/why-just-a-couple-of-economic-seasons-ago-was-idle-cash-considered-an/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Real writers-that is, capital W Writers-rarely make much money. Their biggest reward is the occasional reader's response… Commentators-in-print voicing big fat opinions-you might call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/real-writers-that-is-capital-w-writers-rarely-make-much-money-their/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [When things are bad, we take comfort in the thought that they could always be worse. And when they are, we find hope in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/when-things-are-bad-we-take-comfort-in-the-thought-that-they-could/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Some people as a result of adversity are sadder, wiser, kinder, more human. Most of us are better, though, when things go better. Knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/some-people-as-a-result-of-adversity-are-sadder-wiser-kinder-more/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [The best vision is insight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/the-best-vision-is-insight/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [When you don't understand, it's sometimes easier to look like you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/when-you-don-t-understand-it-s-sometimes-easier-to-look-like-you-do/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [It's so much easier to suggest solutions when you don't know too much about the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-s-so-much-easier-to-suggest-solutions-when-you-don-t-know-too-much/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Security isn't securities. It's knowing that someone cares whether you are or cease to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/security-isn-t-securities-it-s-knowing-that-someone-cares-whether-you/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [It is unfortunate we can't buy many business executives for what they are worth and sell them for what they think they are worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-is-unfortunate-we-can-t-buy-many-business-executives-for-what-they/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [It is all one to me if a man comes from Sing Sing Prison or Harvard. We hire a man, not his history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-is-all-one-to-me-if-a-man-comes-from-sing-sing-prison-or-harvard/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Compliment others on the virtues they have; and they're not half as pleased as being complimented for the ones they don't have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/compliment-others-on-the-virtues-they-have-and-they-re-not-half-as/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [. . . the most difficult thing asked by our young is not our earnings but our ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/the-most-difficult-thing-asked-by-our-young-is-not-our-earnings-but/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) [Explore all 232 Malcolm Forbes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) ## More Planning quotes > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [Whether you are buying a car or casting a ballot, choosing a job or planning a family, follow your moral compass. Don't let others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/whether-you-are-buying-a-car-or-casting-a-ballot-choosing-a-job-or/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [Weekend planning is a prime time to apply the Deathbed Priority Test: On your deathbed, will you wish you'd spent more prime weekend hours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-borland/weekend-planning-is-a-prime-time-to-apply-the-deathbed-priority-test/) [Hal Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-borland/) > [Elevated locations imply elevated purposes, even in American cities departing as radically as Los Angeles does from the traditional planning patterns of the Eastern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-filler/elevated-locations-imply-elevated-purposes-even-in-american-cities/) [Martin Filler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-filler/) > [Koresh believed that God had a plan that would go contrary to any human planning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thibodeau/koresh-believed-that-god-had-a-plan-that-would-go-contrary-to-any/) [David Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thibodeau/) > [God's plans are never beyond your reach, sometimes you just have to move closer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lee-riner/god-s-plans-are-never-beyond-your-reach-sometimes-you-just-have-to/) [Justin Lee Riner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lee-riner/) > [Grand business plans are all very well, but nothing beats dipping your toe in the water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-bilimoria-karan-bilimoria/grand-business-plans-are-all-very-well-but-nothing-beats-dipping-your/) Baron Bilimoria Karan Bilimoria > [Let your mind be its own and enjoy what you can not all things in life are in need of a plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-timbre/let-your-mind-be-its-own-and-enjoy-what-you-can-not-all-things-in/) [Jamie Timbre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-timbre/) > [At LearnVest, we're working to make financial planning both accessible and affordable so that everyone has the opportunity to get on track financially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-von-tobel/at-learnvest-we-re-working-to-make-financial-planning-both-accessible/) [Alexa Von Tobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-von-tobel/) > [“It is one thing being disciplined to plan and it is another thing being a disciple of great work. Be your own disciplinarian.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/it-is-one-thing-being-disciplined-to-plan-and-it-is-another-thing/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [No matter how sad we might be, the universe is still planning our happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/no-matter-how-sad-we-might-be-the-universe-is-still-planning-our/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I can tell you who's planning terroris attacks. The leaders of ISIL. And I can tell you where they're at. They're in Raqqa, Syria.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-can-tell-you-who-s-planning-terroris-attacks-the-leaders-of-isil/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [Be much alone with God, and take time to get thoroughly acquainted. Converse over everything with Him. Unburden yourself wholly -every thought, feeling, wish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatius-bonar/be-much-alone-with-god-and-take-time-to-get-thoroughly-acquainted/) [Horatius Bonar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatius-bonar/) > [Stephen Colbert's recent comment is apropos: When the Republican legislature of North Carolina responded to a scientific study predicting a threatening rise in sea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/stephen-colbert-s-recent-comment-is-apropos-when-the-republican/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Browse all 1,995 Planning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Thinking well to be wise: planning well, wiser: doing well wisest and best of all.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Malcolm Forbes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/thinking-well-to-be-wise-planning-well-wiser-doing-well-wisest-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Planning" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/thinking-well-to-be-wise-planning-well-wiser-doing-well-wisest-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1a/malcolm-forbes-1510_planning_thinking-well-to-be-wise-planning-well-w_1972103.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1a/malcolm-forbes-1510_planning_thinking-well-to-be-wise-planning-well-w_1972103.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1a/malcolm-forbes-1510_planning_thinking-well-to-be-wise-planning-well-w_1972103.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Thinking well to be wise: planning well, wiser: doing well wisest and best of all.” — Malcolm Forbes", "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": "Malcolm Forbes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Thinking well to be wise: planning...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/thinking-well-to-be-wise-planning-well-wiser-doing-well-wisest-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/thinking-well-to-be-wise-planning-well-wiser-doing-well-wisest-and/#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 } } ] } ```