--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is what you don't expect... that most…" description: "\"It is what you don't expect... that most needs looking for.\" — Neal Stephenson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/neal-stephenson-362_looking_it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-that-most-ne_1522413.png" --- # It is what you don't expect... that most needs looking for. ![“It is what you don't expect... that most needs looking for.” quote by Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/neal-stephenson-362_looking_it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-that-most-ne_1522413.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/neal-stephenson-362_looking_it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-that-most-ne_1522413.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/neal-stephenson-362_looking_it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-that-most-ne_1522413.png) > “It is what you don't expect... that most needs looking for.” [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Unexpected events often hold the most valuable insights; the unknown is where true discovery lies. **In simple terms:** Unexpected things hold value. Key Takeaway Embrace the unexpected. Themes surprise discovery expectation Mood curious inquisitive Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - research - creative work - life planning Key Concepts serendipity novelty risk Questions to Reflect On - What do you overlook when expecting the usual? - How can you prepare for unforeseen opportunities? A Different Perspective Unexpectedness can cause anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Don Expect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-expect/) [Expect Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expect-needs-1147789/) [Looking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Needs Looking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs-looking-407200/) ## Related quotes > [“It is what you don’t expect,” he’d said, “that most needs looking for.” “Do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-he-d-said-that-most-needs-looking-for-do/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [It is a mistake to expect all of our needs to be met by one person or in one relationship. Honor and be grateful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-shoshanna/it-is-a-mistake-to-expect-all-of-our-needs-to-be-met-by-one-person-or/) [Brenda Shoshanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-shoshanna/) > [No, if there is an aspect of the executive branch of the government that needs looking at, I'm liable to be called in to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-goldberg/no-if-there-is-an-aspect-of-the-executive-branch-of-the-government/) [Bill Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-goldberg/) > [“Don't expect a man will try any harder to keep you than he did to get you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-n-blount/don-t-expect-a-man-will-try-any-harder-to-keep-you-than-he-did-to-get/) [Angela N. Blount](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-n-blount/) > [I've had to learn that not everybody does things my way. But I do expect the absolute best of everyone around me, and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-johnson/i-ve-had-to-learn-that-not-everybody-does-things-my-way-but-i-do/) [Michael Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-johnson/) > [Don't expect anyone to give you anything. If you really believe in something, then fight for it...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-dash/don-t-expect-anyone-to-give-you-anything-if-you-really-believe-in/) [Damon Dash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-dash/) > [Don't expect me to die for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/don-t-expect-me-to-die-for-you/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [“Don't expect too much from people- expect it from yourself”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radostin-chernev/don-t-expect-too-much-from-people-expect-it-from-yourself/) [Radostin Chernev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radostin-chernev/) > [“sometimes we win and sometimes we lose , don't expect anything to get back”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/sometimes-we-win-and-sometimes-we-lose-don-t-expect-anything-to-get/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Don't expect too much and you wont be disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/don-t-expect-too-much-and-you-wont-be-disappointed/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [If you're a boring person don't expect to have an exciting life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-re-a-boring-person-don-t-expect-to-have-an-exciting-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don't expect to sit next to the moon unless you are a star!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-darn/don-t-expect-to-sit-next-to-the-moon-unless-you-are-a-star/) [Kevin Darné](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-darn/) > [“I don't expect people to know me...I am just someone you need to get along with. I am who I am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bowman/i-don-t-expect-people-to-know-me-i-am-just-someone-you-need-to-get/) [Bowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bowman/) > [I'm not gonna hate you but don't expect me to love you!!!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/i-m-not-gonna-hate-you-but-don-t-expect-me-to-love-you/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Don't expect people to respect you for what you are "planning" to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/don-t-expect-people-to-respect-you-for-what-you-are-planning-to-do/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) ## More by Neal Stephenson > [“I study dead languages for a living,” I said. “That’s why you hired me. Why should I be up to speed on your line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/i-study-dead-languages-for-a-living-i-said-that-s-why-you-hired-me/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Other people - store clerks, burger flippers, software engineers, the whole vocabulary of meaningless jobs that make up Life in America - other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/other-people-store-clerks-burger-flippers-software-engineers-the/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“It is what you don’t expect,” he’d said, “that most needs looking for.” “Do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-he-d-said-that-most-needs-looking-for-do/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“...the insects here see you as a big slab of animated but not very well defended food. The ability to move, far from being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-insects-here-see-you-as-a-big-slab-of-animated-but-not-very-well/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“There was no way that these guys were going to let a bleeding, barefoot woman simply wander off alone into the streets. Two of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/there-was-no-way-that-these-guys-were-going-to-let-a-bleeding/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Space and Time! Two minor omissions that no one is likely to notice," grumbled Newton.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/space-and-time-two-minor-omissions-that-no-one-is-likely-to-notice/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [See, the world is full of things more powerful than us. But if you know how to catch a ride, you can go places,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/see-the-world-is-full-of-things-more-powerful-than-us-but-if-you-know/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Hey,” Shaftoe says, “if we surrender to you, you’ll kill us. Right?” “Yes.” “If you guys surrender to us, we won’t kill you. Promise.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/hey-shaftoe-says-if-we-surrender-to-you-you-ll-kill-us-right-yes-if/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“My men think you are dead now, and won’t waste balls on you,” Jack said. “In fact I have let you live, but for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/my-men-think-you-are-dead-now-and-won-t-waste-balls-on-you-jack-said/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“You’ve probably heard the expression that the Industry feeds off of biomass, like a whale straining krill from the ocean.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/you-ve-probably-heard-the-expression-that-the-industry-feeds-off-of/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“The Deliverator belongs to an elite order, a hallowed subcategory. He’s got esprit up to here. Right now, he is preparing to carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-deliverator-belongs-to-an-elite-order-a-hallowed-subcategory-he-s/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [Interesting things happen along borders - transitions - not in the middle where everything is the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/interesting-things-happen-along-borders-transitions-not-in-the-middle/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“and people could only make sense of complicated matters through stories. Likewise”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/and-people-could-only-make-sense-of-complicated-matters-through/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Van Eck phreaking,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/van-eck-phreaking/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“When the Deliverator puts the hammer down, shit happens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/when-the-deliverator-puts-the-hammer-down-shit-happens/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) [Explore all 633 Neal Stephenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) ## More Looking quotes > [I'm tired of looking for the perfect guy. From now on.. he can look for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-tired-of-looking-for-the-perfect-guy-from-now-on-he-can-look-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [Once you stop looking for what you what you find exactly what you need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia/once-you-stop-looking-for-what-you-what-you-find-exactly-what-you-need/) [Cynthia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia/) > [I'm looking to fight the best guys in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-rodriguez/i-m-looking-to-fight-the-best-guys-in-the-world/) [Yair Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-rodriguez/) > [I'm just always looking forwards. I spend very little time, looking backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-m-just-always-looking-forwards-i-spend-very-little-time-looking/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) [Darlene Senger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-senger/) > [Nothing is really broke, so it's not like I can fix it. I just have to keep trying to find what I'm looking for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-addison-allen/nothing-is-really-broke-so-it-s-not-like-i-can-fix-it-i-just-have-to/) [Sarah Addison Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-addison-allen/) > [The hard-working Mexican tries to get up here looking for opportunities because America's one of the greatest countries in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-ruiz-jr/the-hard-working-mexican-tries-to-get-up-here-looking-for/) [Andy Ruiz Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-ruiz-jr/) > [Whenever I was flying commercial, I would land in Chicago, and they would announce, 'Get your passports out.' It happened so often, I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahid-khan/whenever-i-was-flying-commercial-i-would-land-in-chicago-and-they/) [Shahid Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahid-khan/) > [If it comes, it comes, but its not like a main focus. If you go looking for something youre never gone find what youre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akon/if-it-comes-it-comes-but-its-not-like-a-main-focus-if-you-go-looking/) [Akon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akon/) > [I've played a mother before, but it's always been a very young child, which is closer to what I can imagine my own life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/i-ve-played-a-mother-before-but-it-s-always-been-a-very-young-child/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) > [“I’ve been looking for you my whole damn life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-ve-been-looking-for-you-my-whole-damn-life/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“God isn't looking for perfect people. He is looking to perfect people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hileman/god-isn-t-looking-for-perfect-people-he-is-looking-to-perfect-people/) [John Hileman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hileman/) > [The woman who gave birth to me, I don't have a relationship with. I'm not looking for one, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-fisher/the-woman-who-gave-birth-to-me-i-don-t-have-a-relationship-with-i-m/) [Jordan Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-fisher/) > [It's very important to me that I look good when I go out publicly. I like looking at my clothes rack in the morning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-wintour/it-s-very-important-to-me-that-i-look-good-when-i-go-out-publicly-i/) [Anna Wintour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-wintour/) [Browse all 5,428 Looking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is what you don't expect... that most needs looking for.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neal Stephenson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-that-most-needs-looking-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Looking" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-that-most-needs-looking-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/neal-stephenson-362_looking_it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-that-most-ne_1522413.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/neal-stephenson-362_looking_it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-that-most-ne_1522413.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/neal-stephenson-362_looking_it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-that-most-ne_1522413.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is what you don't expect... that most needs looking for.” — Neal Stephenson", "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": "Neal Stephenson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is what you don't expect......", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-that-most-needs-looking-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-that-most-needs-looking-for/#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 } } ] } ```