---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But all that planning and outlining can…"
description: "\"“But all that planning and outlining can really get a man knotted up thinking things aren’t going his way. It might be that things aren’t going as plan..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/patti-callahan-henry-13546_outlining_but-all-that-planning-and-outlining-can_273111.jpg"
---

#  But all that planning and outlining can really get a man…

![“But all that planning and outlining can really get a man knotted up thinking things aren’t going his way. It might be that things aren’t going as planed but they are going as well as they can.” quote by Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/patti-callahan-henry-13546_outlining_but-all-that-planning-and-outlining-can_273111.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/patti-callahan-henry-13546_outlining_but-all-that-planning-and-outlining-can_273111.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/patti-callahan-henry-13546_outlining_but-all-that-planning-and-outlining-can_273111.jpg)

> ““But all that planning and outlining can really get a man knotted up thinking things aren’t going his way. It might be that things aren’t going as planed but they are going as well as they can.””

[Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Plans often go awry, but adapting to reality is better than being stuck in frustration.

**In simple terms:** Accept that plans change and adjust accordingly.

Key Takeaway

Embrace flexibility when things don’t go as planned.

Themes

adaptability resilience mindset

Mood

reflective encouraging

Type

self‑help motivational

When to use this quote

- project management
- personal setbacks
- career changes

Key Concepts

expectations stress management goal setting

Questions to Reflect On

- What adjustments can you make now?
- How do you balance optimism with realism?

A Different Perspective

Optimism may ignore necessary critical assessment.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Outlining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outlining/)

## Related quotes

> [Outlining is not writing. Coming up with ideas is not writing. Researching is not writing. Creating characters is not writing. Only writing is writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-coben/outlining-is-not-writing-coming-up-with-ideas-is-not-writing/)

[Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-coben/)

> [“Outlining, in short, is not merely a way of organizing ideas but is also a way of getting ideas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvan-barnet/outlining-in-short-is-not-merely-a-way-of-organizing-ideas-but-is/)

[Sylvan Barnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvan-barnet/)

> [“Whenever I write first drafts, I like to maximize the possibility of f-ups, mistakes, mis-written words, digressions, crazy changes in tone, etc. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vandermeer/whenever-i-write-first-drafts-i-like-to-maximize-the-possibility-of-f/)

[Jeff VanderMeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vandermeer/)

> [The Founding Fathers envisioned a federal government that trusts its people with their money and freedom, outlining this limited, non-intrusive federal government in...the Constitution,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-founding-fathers-envisioned-a-federal-government-that-trusts-its/)

[Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/)

> [I spend eight months outlining and researching the novel before I begin to write a single word of the prose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffery-deaver/i-spend-eight-months-outlining-and-researching-the-novel-before-i/)

[Jeffery Deaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffery-deaver/)

> [Planning to write is not writing. Outlining, researching, talking to people about what you're doing - none of that is writing. Writing is writing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/planning-to-write-is-not-writing-outlining-researching-talking-to/)

[E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/)

> [The benefit of this kind of outlining is that you discover a story's flaws before you invest a lot of time writing the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/the-benefit-of-this-kind-of-outlining-is-that-you-discover-a-story-s/)

[George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/)

> [Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama's strategy is to lead from behind. It sounds like what he is outlining is not to lead at all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/hillary-clinton-and-barack-obama-s-strategy-is-to-lead-from-behind-it/)

[Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/)

> [I explained to Amazon that I don't like outlining or projecting what something's going to be. I like to allow a story to arise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/i-explained-to-amazon-that-i-don-t-like-outlining-or-projecting-what/)

[Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/)

> [Once you play with these scenes and you're outlining it, again and again, and telling each other the narrative, and telling it to people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/once-you-play-with-these-scenes-and-you-re-outlining-it-again-and/)

[Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/)

> [I spend a lot of time outlining before I write the first word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-outlining-before-i-write-the-first-word/)

[John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/)

> [I really need to know where I'm going with fiction to write it in a way that at least I'm happy with. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/i-really-need-to-know-where-i-m-going-with-fiction-to-write-it-in-a/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [“Plot is certainly a part of constructing a story. It’s a factor in outlining. But believe it or not, it’s the least important factor.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libbie-hawker/plot-is-certainly-a-part-of-constructing-a-story-it-s-a-factor-in/)

Libbie Hawker

> [Outlining is like putting on training wheels. It gives me the courage to write, but we always go off the outline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hallie-ephron/outlining-is-like-putting-on-training-wheels-it-gives-me-the-courage/)

[Hallie Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hallie-ephron/)

> [I don't like outlining, because books are organic things. Sometimes a book doesn't want to be written in a certain way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/i-don-t-like-outlining-because-books-are-organic-things-sometimes-a/)

[Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/)

## More by Patti Callahan Henry

> [“There are trials and mistakes and even wars along the path of marriage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/there-are-trials-and-mistakes-and-even-wars-along-the-path-of-marriage/)

[Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/)

> [“Stories are always braided together - one affecting the other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/stories-are-always-braided-together-one-affecting-the-other/)

[Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/)

> [“You'll let him talk you out of your dreams. That's what love does sometimes- talks you out of your dreams." "Not me," Katie said.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/you-ll-let-him-talk-you-out-of-your-dreams-that-s-what-love-does/)

[Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/)

> [“It is not about how it ends; it is about the journey. The full story. You have to know the full story to care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/it-is-not-about-how-it-ends-it-is-about-the-journey-the-full-story/)

[Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/)

> [“Souls bound together can't be forever torn apart by distance and neither by death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/souls-bound-together-can-t-be-forever-torn-apart-by-distance-and/)

[Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/)

> [“Be careful what you believe - it is who you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/be-careful-what-you-believe-it-is-who-you-are/)

[Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/)

> [“...hidden truths morph in the dark soil of deceit into something much worse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/hidden-truths-morph-in-the-dark-soil-of-deceit-into-something-much/)

[Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/)

> [“Sometimes we tell our stories and sometimes our stories tell us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/sometimes-we-tell-our-stories-and-sometimes-our-stories-tell-us/)

[Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/)

> [“Things aren't obvious unless we see them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/things-aren-t-obvious-unless-we-see-them/)

[Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/)

> [“You think it is so different because you live here in this time, in this place, because I'm from the far side of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/you-think-it-is-so-different-because-you-live-here-in-this-time-in/)

[Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/)

> [“The right thing at the wrong time is never the right thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/the-right-thing-at-the-wrong-time-is-never-the-right-thing/)

[Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/)

> [“...memory is a cloudy, disjointed thing - like disconnected dreams with images scattered and thrown to settle where they please.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/memory-is-a-cloudy-disjointed-thing-like-disconnected-dreams-with/)

[Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/)

> [“If you don’t know where you are going, you should know where you came from.” —GULLAH PROVERB”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/if-you-don-t-know-where-you-are-going-you-should-know-where-you-came/)

[Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/)

> [“I believe it's a miracle in life when you find people who care about and desire the same things you do, and creativity does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/i-believe-it-s-a-miracle-in-life-when-you-find-people-who-care-about/)

[Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/)

> [“What fills the eye fills the heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/what-fills-the-eye-fills-the-heart/)

[Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/)

[Explore all 50 Patti Callahan Henry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/)

## More Outlining quotes

> [Outlining is not writing. Coming up with ideas is not writing. Researching is not writing. Creating characters is not writing. Only writing is writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-coben/outlining-is-not-writing-coming-up-with-ideas-is-not-writing/)

[Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-coben/)

> [Outlining is like putting on training wheels. It gives me the courage to write, but we always go off the outline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hallie-ephron/outlining-is-like-putting-on-training-wheels-it-gives-me-the-courage/)

[Hallie Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hallie-ephron/)

> [“Plot is certainly a part of constructing a story. It’s a factor in outlining. But believe it or not, it’s the least important factor.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libbie-hawker/plot-is-certainly-a-part-of-constructing-a-story-it-s-a-factor-in/)

Libbie Hawker

> [I really need to know where I'm going with fiction to write it in a way that at least I'm happy with. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/i-really-need-to-know-where-i-m-going-with-fiction-to-write-it-in-a/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [I spend a lot of time outlining before I write the first word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-outlining-before-i-write-the-first-word/)

[John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/)

> [Once you play with these scenes and you're outlining it, again and again, and telling each other the narrative, and telling it to people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/once-you-play-with-these-scenes-and-you-re-outlining-it-again-and/)

[Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/)

> [I explained to Amazon that I don't like outlining or projecting what something's going to be. I like to allow a story to arise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/i-explained-to-amazon-that-i-don-t-like-outlining-or-projecting-what/)

[Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/)

> [Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama's strategy is to lead from behind. It sounds like what he is outlining is not to lead at all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/hillary-clinton-and-barack-obama-s-strategy-is-to-lead-from-behind-it/)

[Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/)

> [The benefit of this kind of outlining is that you discover a story's flaws before you invest a lot of time writing the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/the-benefit-of-this-kind-of-outlining-is-that-you-discover-a-story-s/)

[George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/)

> [Planning to write is not writing. Outlining, researching, talking to people about what you're doing - none of that is writing. Writing is writing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/planning-to-write-is-not-writing-outlining-researching-talking-to/)

[E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/)

> [I spend eight months outlining and researching the novel before I begin to write a single word of the prose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffery-deaver/i-spend-eight-months-outlining-and-researching-the-novel-before-i/)

[Jeffery Deaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffery-deaver/)

> [The Founding Fathers envisioned a federal government that trusts its people with their money and freedom, outlining this limited, non-intrusive federal government in...the Constitution,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-founding-fathers-envisioned-a-federal-government-that-trusts-its/)

[Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/)

> [“Whenever I write first drafts, I like to maximize the possibility of f-ups, mistakes, mis-written words, digressions, crazy changes in tone, etc. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vandermeer/whenever-i-write-first-drafts-i-like-to-maximize-the-possibility-of-f/)

[Jeff VanderMeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vandermeer/)

> [“Outlining, in short, is not merely a way of organizing ideas but is also a way of getting ideas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvan-barnet/outlining-in-short-is-not-merely-a-way-of-organizing-ideas-but-is/)

[Sylvan Barnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvan-barnet/)

> [I don't like outlining, because books are organic things. Sometimes a book doesn't want to be written in a certain way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/i-don-t-like-outlining-because-books-are-organic-things-sometimes-a/)

[Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/)

[Browse all 28 Outlining quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outlining/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“But all that planning and outlining can really get a man knotted up thinking things aren’t going his way. It might be that things aren’t going as planed but they are going as well as they can.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Patti Callahan Henry"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/but-all-that-planning-and-outlining-can-really-get-a-man-knotted-up/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Outlining"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/but-all-that-planning-and-outlining-can-really-get-a-man-knotted-up/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/patti-callahan-henry-13546_outlining_but-all-that-planning-and-outlining-can_273111.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/patti-callahan-henry-13546_outlining_but-all-that-planning-and-outlining-can_273111.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/patti-callahan-henry-13546_outlining_but-all-that-planning-and-outlining-can_273111.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“But all that planning and outlining can really get a man knotted up thinking things aren’t going his way. It…” — Patti Callahan Henry",
                "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": "Patti Callahan Henry",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“But all that planning and outlining...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/but-all-that-planning-and-outlining-can-really-get-a-man-knotted-up/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/but-all-that-planning-and-outlining-can-really-get-a-man-knotted-up/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```