--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I start planning then that's dangerous…" description: "\"If I start planning then that's dangerous because then I have a target that I'm blinkered towards and I won't listen to the warning signs quite so much..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f5/paula-radcliffe-10337_dangerous_if-i-start-planning-then-that-s-dangerou_1856544.jpg" --- # If I start planning then that's dangerous because then I… ![“If I start planning then that's dangerous because then I have a target that I'm blinkered towards and I won't listen to the warning signs quite so much. I'd rather be in shape and then look around and say there's a race next week and jump into that than have it planned.” quote by Paula Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f5/paula-radcliffe-10337_dangerous_if-i-start-planning-then-that-s-dangerou_1856544.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f5/paula-radcliffe-10337_dangerous_if-i-start-planning-then-that-s-dangerou_1856544.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f5/paula-radcliffe-10337_dangerous_if-i-start-planning-then-that-s-dangerou_1856544.jpg) > “If I start planning then that's dangerous because then I have a target that I'm blinkered towards and I won't listen to the warning signs quite so much. I'd rather be in shape and then look around and say there's a race next week and jump into that than have it planned.” [Paula Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-radcliffe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Warns that over‑planning can create tunnel vision, advocating flexible preparation and spontaneous action. **In simple terms:** Avoid rigid plans; stay adaptable. Key Takeaway Balance preparation with flexibility. Themes planning focus adaptability Mood reflective cautious Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - marathon training - career planning - project execution Key Concepts goal setting risk management mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How do you know when to plan? - When is spontaneity beneficial? A Different Perspective Too much spontaneity can be risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) [Dangerous Target](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous-target-2471749/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Next week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-week/) [Planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning/) [Planning Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning-dangerous-2471748/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Race Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race-week-607310/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [Start Planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-planning-623970/) [Target](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/target/) [Warning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/warning/) [Warning signs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/warning-signs/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) ## Related quotes > [We just have to keep our heads down and keep doing everything that we've been doing. This isn't a bunch of guys that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-harvick/we-just-have-to-keep-our-heads-down-and-keep-doing-everything-that-we/) [Kevin Harvick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-harvick/) > [I think what is most important to me is to be competitive week-in and week-out - not winning a race one week and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hailie-deegan/i-think-what-is-most-important-to-me-is-to-be-competitive-week-in-and/) [Hailie Deegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hailie-deegan/) > [I have planned that I will start planning to plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/i-have-planned-that-i-will-start-planning-to-plan/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [“I wish I would have known that there was no need to wait. I went to college. I went to law school. I worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/i-wish-i-would-have-known-that-there-was-no-need-to-wait-i-went-to/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [Disasters occur organically in my work, in that that's the way my thinking tends, more than that's what I start out by planning. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-shepard/disasters-occur-organically-in-my-work-in-that-that-s-the-way-my/) [Jim Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-shepard/) > [“start planning how to achieve those top five goals. And the other twenty? Get rid of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/start-planning-how-to-achieve-those-top-five-goals-and-the-other/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [You get to a point where you have to start planning, when you cross that line where you have enough value to get someone's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pratt/you-get-to-a-point-where-you-have-to-start-planning-when-you-cross-2/) [Chris Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pratt/) > [I feel like it's never too early to start planning your future and learning about business off the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-dinwiddie/i-feel-like-it-s-never-too-early-to-start-planning-your-future-and/) [Spencer Dinwiddie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-dinwiddie/) > [Obviously it's my job, a coach's job to start giving the players a platform and start preparing, start planning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-mason/obviously-it-s-my-job-a-coach-s-job-to-start-giving-the-players-a/) [Ryan Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-mason/) > [You get to a point where you have to start planning, when you cross that line where you have enough value to get someone's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pratt/you-get-to-a-point-where-you-have-to-start-planning-when-you-cross/) [Chris Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pratt/) > [“The sooner you start planning your life, the sooner you will live the life you dream of.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-glint/the-sooner-you-start-planning-your-life-the-sooner-you-will-live-the/) [Hans Glint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-glint/) > [If you start planning too far ahead, the next thing you know you forget you're living today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-dirnt/if-you-start-planning-too-far-ahead-the-next-thing-you-know-you/) [Mike Dirnt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-dirnt/) > [“Yet I had not bargained for this, the girl with tears hanging on her cheeks like stuck pearls, her cunt a split fig below…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-carter/yet-i-had-not-bargained-for-this-the-girl-with-tears-hanging-on-her/) [Angela Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-carter/) > [As I began to love myself I found that anguish and emotional suffering are only warning signs that I was living against my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-chaplin/as-i-began-to-love-myself-i-found-that-anguish-and-emotional/) [Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-chaplin/) > [The landscape of dating is a well-trodden horizon of red flags and green flags. Red flags are, of course, warning signs - anything about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-cooper/the-landscape-of-dating-is-a-well-trodden-horizon-of-red-flags-and/) [Brett Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-cooper/) ## More by Paula Radcliffe > [For an athlete, the biggest pressure comes from within. You know what you want to do and what you're capable of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-radcliffe/for-an-athlete-the-biggest-pressure-comes-from-within-you-know-what/) [Paula Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-radcliffe/) > [I've been to three Olympics and I don't feel I've ever quite achieved my best at any of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-radcliffe/i-ve-been-to-three-olympics-and-i-don-t-feel-i-ve-ever-quite-achieved/) [Paula Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-radcliffe/) > [I've had a lot of success over the years racing in New York, but the main point is that I feel the marathon is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-radcliffe/i-ve-had-a-lot-of-success-over-the-years-racing-in-new-york-but-the/) [Paula Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-radcliffe/) > [The biggest danger is trying to put too much pressure on yourself, trying to get in too good shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-radcliffe/the-biggest-danger-is-trying-to-put-too-much-pressure-on-yourself/) [Paula Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-radcliffe/) > [The cheats always have a way of justifying their behaviour - everyone else is getting away with it, so why shouldn't I? But because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-radcliffe/the-cheats-always-have-a-way-of-justifying-their-behaviour-everyone/) [Paula Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-radcliffe/) > [I was thinking back to all the time in the gym, working hard, and that spurred me on \[winning New York marathon just ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-radcliffe/i-was-thinking-back-to-all-the-time-in-the-gym-working-hard-and-that/) [Paula Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-radcliffe/) > [As an athlete, there are advantages being with a team and getting regular physio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-radcliffe/as-an-athlete-there-are-advantages-being-with-a-team-and-getting/) [Paula Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-radcliffe/) > [I'm not meek at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-radcliffe/i-m-not-meek-at-all/) [Paula Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-radcliffe/) > [If you look back at my marathons and ask whether I would swap one of them for my one balls-up, of course I would.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-radcliffe/if-you-look-back-at-my-marathons-and-ask-whether-i-would-swap-one-of/) [Paula Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-radcliffe/) > [You can't magic yourself back 10 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-radcliffe/you-can-t-magic-yourself-back-10-years/) [Paula Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-radcliffe/) > [An Olympic medal won't define my whole life, although it might look like it to onlookers. When I look back, I should have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-radcliffe/an-olympic-medal-won-t-define-my-whole-life-although-it-might-look/) [Paula Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-radcliffe/) > [I have achieved a lot and I'm grateful for that - I'm just a bit greedy because I want to add the Olympics. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-radcliffe/i-have-achieved-a-lot-and-i-m-grateful-for-that-i-m-just-a-bit-greedy/) [Paula Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-radcliffe/) > [I have been doing 120 miles a week, when normally I would do about 140.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-radcliffe/i-have-been-doing-120-miles-a-week-when-normally-i-would-do-about-140/) [Paula Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-radcliffe/) > [I can't imagine living and not running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-radcliffe/i-can-t-imagine-living-and-not-running/) [Paula Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-radcliffe/) > [Actually I don't choose to expose myself in public. I choose to compete; the other side just comes with the package.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-radcliffe/actually-i-don-t-choose-to-expose-myself-in-public-i-choose-to/) [Paula Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-radcliffe/) [Explore all 66 Paula Radcliffe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-radcliffe/) ## More Dangerous quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [We're not very dangerous animals; we don't have a horn like a rhino or quills like a porcupine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fisher/we-re-not-very-dangerous-animals-we-don-t-have-a-horn-like-a-rhino-or/) [Helen Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fisher/) > [“It is dangerous to lock oneself away and lose track of what is happening outside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/it-is-dangerous-to-lock-oneself-away-and-lose-track-of-what-is/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [Its extremely dangerous to compare anyone else to Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/its-extremely-dangerous-to-compare-anyone-else-to-shakespeare/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [In my youth-team days, I was always a left-winger who would stay close to the byline and put crosses in the box, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjen-robben/in-my-youth-team-days-i-was-always-a-left-winger-who-would-stay-close/) [Arjen Robben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjen-robben/) > [The temptations of God were always more dangerous for mankind than those of Satan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-temptations-of-god-were-always-more-dangerous-for-mankind-than/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [When you start talking about elections being rigged, you're pushing people beyond democratic governance. And it's a very, very dangerous thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/when-you-start-talking-about-elections-being-rigged-you-re-pushing/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [Die gefährlichste Weltanschauung ist die Weltanschauung derer, die die Welt nie angeschaut haben. (The most dangerous worldview is the worldview of those who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-von-humboldt/die-gef-hrlichste-weltanschauung-ist-die-weltanschauung-derer-die-die/) [Alexander von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-von-humboldt/) > [The most dangerous creature here would have to be me. 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They feel that it makes their profession too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-proliferation-of-right-to-carry-laws-throughout-the-states-has/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) [Browse all 6,450 Dangerous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I start planning then that's dangerous because then I have a target that I'm blinkered towards and I won't listen to the warning signs quite so much. 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