--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I mistrust total competence. I've always…" description: "\"I mistrust total competence. I've always felt life is a series of small disasters we try to get through.\" — Michael Palin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/michael-palin-7172_competence_i-mistrust-total-competence-i-ve-always_2620166.jpg" --- # I mistrust total competence. I've always felt life is a… ![“I mistrust total competence. I've always felt life is a series of small disasters we try to get through.” quote by Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/michael-palin-7172_competence_i-mistrust-total-competence-i-ve-always_2620166.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/michael-palin-7172_competence_i-mistrust-total-competence-i-ve-always_2620166.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/michael-palin-7172_competence_i-mistrust-total-competence-i-ve-always_2620166.jpg) > “I mistrust total competence. I've always felt life is a series of small disasters we try to get through.” [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Total competence is distrustful; life consists of minor setbacks we navigate. **In simple terms:** Life is a series of small disasters. Key Takeaway Accept imperfection. Themes resilience humor realism Mood lighthearted realistic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily work - project planning - personal setbacks Key Concepts existential risk cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - What small disasters have you overcome? - How do you build resilience? A Different Perspective Overgeneralizes; may cause pessimism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Competence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competence/) [Disaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disaster/) [Disasters Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disasters-try-2104161/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Mistrust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistrust/) [Mistrust Total](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistrust-total-2104159/) [Series](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/series/) [Small Disasters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-disasters-2104160/) [Total Competence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/total-competence-2104162/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [He who mistrusts most should be trusted least.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theognis-of-megara/he-who-mistrusts-most-should-be-trusted-least/) [Theognis of Megara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theognis-of-megara/) > [Never for a moment do we lay aside our mistrust of the ideals established by society, and of the convictions which are kept by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/never-for-a-moment-do-we-lay-aside-our-mistrust-of-the-ideals/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Usually, I would mistrust a book if it took that long to write. Usually, if it isn't done in two years, I suspect there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burnside/usually-i-would-mistrust-a-book-if-it-took-that-long-to-write-usually/) [John Burnside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burnside/) > [ He's \[Louis Brandais\] so suspicious of bigness in government as well as business that he mistrusts even really top-down reforms at the state level.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-rosen/he-s-louis-brandais-so-suspicious-of-bigness-in-government-as-well-as/) [Jeffrey Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-rosen/) > [Always trust, when mistrust comes love goes out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/always-trust-when-mistrust-comes-love-goes-out/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To mistrust science and deny the validity of scientific method is to resign your job as a human. You'd better go look for work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/to-mistrust-science-and-deny-the-validity-of-scientific-method-is-to/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [By a divine instinct, men's minds mistrust ensuing danger; as, by proof, we see the waters swell before a boisterous storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/by-a-divine-instinct-men-s-minds-mistrust-ensuing-danger-as-by-proof/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I'm an anarchist. I'm implacably opposed to heirarchical systems of power and control. I also mistrust crowds, as they often operate according to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-self/i-m-an-anarchist-i-m-implacably-opposed-to-heirarchical-systems-of/) [Will Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-self/) > [“To switch effectively from defense to social engagement strategies, the nervous system must do two things: (1) assess risk, and (2) if the environment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-w-porges/to-switch-effectively-from-defense-to-social-engagement-strategies/) [Stephen W. Porges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-w-porges/) > [“I am unacquainted with His designs, but I shall not cease to believe in them because I cannot fathom them, and I had rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-am-unacquainted-with-his-designs-but-i-shall-not-cease-to-believe/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [I mistrust all frank and simple people, especially when their stories hold together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-mistrust-all-frank-and-simple-people-especially-when-their-stories/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Transparency is not about restoring trust in institutions. Transparency is the politics of managing mistrust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-krastev/transparency-is-not-about-restoring-trust-in-institutions/) [Ivan Krastev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-krastev/) > [You realize that our mistrust of the future makes it hard to give up the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/you-realize-that-our-mistrust-of-the-future-makes-it-hard-to-give-up/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [I would have none of that rigid circumspect charity which is never done without scrutiny, and which always mistrusts the truth of the necessities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-massillon/i-would-have-none-of-that-rigid-circumspect-charity-which-is-never/) [Jean Baptiste Massillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-massillon/) > [Mistrust all men, and slay him whom thou mistrustest overmuch; and as for women, flee from them, for they are evil, and in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-rider-haggard/mistrust-all-men-and-slay-him-whom-thou-mistrustest-overmuch-and-as/) [H. Rider Haggard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-rider-haggard/) ## More by Michael Palin > [People are still crazy about Python after twenty-five years, which I find hard to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/people-are-still-crazy-about-python-after-twenty-five-years-which-i/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) > [The need to eat, sleep and dry out plays havoc with your sense of wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/the-need-to-eat-sleep-and-dry-out-plays-havoc-with-your-sense-of/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) > [Armageddon is not around the corner. This is only what the people of violence want us to believe. The complexity and diversity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/armageddon-is-not-around-the-corner-this-is-only-what-the-people-of/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) > [I'd got over playing a character. People accepted who I was, and if I was incompetent and useless, they felt quite endeared to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/i-d-got-over-playing-a-character-people-accepted-who-i-was-and-if-i/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) > [The kids growing up is a separate strand to your life. However bad a day you've had, that's the most important thing, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/the-kids-growing-up-is-a-separate-strand-to-your-life-however-bad-a/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) > [Travelling, and being paid for it, is just great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/travelling-and-being-paid-for-it-is-just-great/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) > [I am certainly more interested in interviewing than being interviewed. Sometimes you find yourself attacked from the start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/i-am-certainly-more-interested-in-interviewing-than-being-interviewed/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) > [I do have high standards. I look at everything I have done and think, 'Why wasn't that better?' Part of my motivation is from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/i-do-have-high-standards-i-look-at-everything-i-have-done-and-think/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) > [Geography prepares for the world of work - geographers, with their skills of analysis are highly employable!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/geography-prepares-for-the-world-of-work-geographers-with-their/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) > [My parents have been married forty-two years. I wonder how many of those were happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/my-parents-have-been-married-forty-two-years-i-wonder-how-many-of/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) > [Hollywood was possible for a while! Why didn't I go along with it? Well, the other things that were pulling me back were more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/hollywood-was-possible-for-a-while-why-didn-t-i-go-along-with-it-well/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) > [I've been lucky enough to stand on both poles, but the place that seemed the remotest to me was Butugychag, a former gulag in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-stand-on-both-poles-but-the-place-that/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) > [When I'm travelling, I always take my little notebook and scribble things down as I watch them; I'm very much geared to everything that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/when-i-m-travelling-i-always-take-my-little-notebook-and-scribble/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) > [People say the most stupid things on the spur of the moment that they then have to retract.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/people-say-the-most-stupid-things-on-the-spur-of-the-moment-that-they/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) > [Geography is the subject which holds the key to our future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/geography-is-the-subject-which-holds-the-key-to-our-future/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) [Explore all 94 Michael Palin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) ## More Competence quotes > [A bad artist almost always tries to conceal his incompetence by whooping up a new formula.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/a-bad-artist-almost-always-tries-to-conceal-his-incompetence-by/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“You understand how much you know about a subject the moment you give explanations to someone who doesn't know anything about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luigina-sgarro/you-understand-how-much-you-know-about-a-subject-the-moment-you-give/) [Luigina Sgarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luigina-sgarro/) > [Bruce Katz is a spectacular talent! He's a brilliant composer and arranger who uses uncommon and unique musical intelligence to redefine jazz and blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-coryell/bruce-katz-is-a-spectacular-talent-he-s-a-brilliant-composer-and/) [Larry Coryell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-coryell/) > [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [“it is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didnt”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-buren/it-is-easier-to-do-a-job-right-than-to-explain-why-you-didnt/) [Martin Van Buren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-buren/) > [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/) > [You can't fake competence, creativity, or sexual arousal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/you-can-t-fake-competence-creativity-or-sexual-arousal/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Everybody's got a different circle of competence. The important thing is not how big the circle is. The important thing is staying inside the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/everybody-s-got-a-different-circle-of-competence-the-important-thing/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Friendships are nice. So is competence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/friendships-are-nice-so-is-competence/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Having spent years ruining the housing markets with their interference, leading to a housing meltdown that has taken the whole economy down with it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/having-spent-years-ruining-the-housing-markets-with-their/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [ A nominee \[to Supreme Court\] must possess the competence, character and temperament to serve on the bench. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-kohl/a-nominee-to-supreme-court-must-possess-the-competence-character-and/) [Herb Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-kohl/) > [Over the first two weeks of the Donald Trump administration, Steve Bannon has emerged as one of the most powerful figures in the White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/over-the-first-two-weeks-of-the-donald-trump-administration-steve/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [The individual attributes of warmth and competence are often perceived to be negatively correlated. That doesn't mean they actually are, but that's how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/the-individual-attributes-of-warmth-and-competence-are-often/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively; unless you can choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/do-not-stop-thinking-of-life-as-an-adventure-you-have-no-security/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Great writers zealously learn the craft of their profession so they can release the power and the depth of their imagination and experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bishop/great-writers-zealously-learn-the-craft-of-their-profession-so-they/) [Leonard Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bishop/) [Browse all 452 Competence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I mistrust total competence. 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