--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Carry an oar when you drive. Three times…" description: "\"Carry an oar when you drive. Three times I've ended up in water.\" — Phyllis Diller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf8/phyllis-diller-1622_carry_carry-an-oar-when-you-drive-three-times_1373730.png" --- # Carry an oar when you drive. Three times I've ended up in… ![“Carry an oar when you drive. Three times I've ended up in water.” quote by Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf8/phyllis-diller-1622_carry_carry-an-oar-when-you-drive-three-times_1373730.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf8/phyllis-diller-1622_carry_carry-an-oar-when-you-drive-three-times_1373730.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf8/phyllis-diller-1622_carry_carry-an-oar-when-you-drive-three-times_1373730.png) > “Carry an oar when you drive. Three times I've ended up in water.” [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being unprepared (like lacking an oar) leads to repeated mishaps; preparation prevents avoidable trouble. **In simple terms:** Prepare to avoid repeated mistakes. Key Takeaway Always have a backup plan. Themes preparation humor mistakes learning Mood lighthearted pragmatic Type humorous practical When to use this quote - driving - boating - project planning - daily routines Key Concepts Risk management comedy life lessons Questions to Reflect On - What “oar” could you add to your life? - When is improvisation better than preparation? A Different Perspective Over‑preparation can stifle spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drive/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [But oars alone can ne'er prevail To reach the distant coast; The breath of Heaven must swell the sail, Or all the toil is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/but-oars-alone-can-ne-er-prevail-to-reach-the-distant-coast-the/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [Oh swiftly glides the bonnie boat, Just parted from the shore, And to the fisher's chorus-note Soft moves the dipping oar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-baillie/oh-swiftly-glides-the-bonnie-boat-just-parted-from-the-shore-and-to/) [Joanna Baillie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-baillie/) > [If any pale student, glued to his desk, here seek an apology for a way of life whose natural fruits is that pallid and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/if-any-pale-student-glued-to-his-desk-here-seek-an-apology-for-a-way/) [Francis Parkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/) > [Quorum and group leaders should provide the leading voice and laboring oar in every ward and branch council regarding retention of converts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-todd-christofferson/quorum-and-group-leaders-should-provide-the-leading-voice-and/) [D. Todd Christofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-todd-christofferson/) > [Mental purity will come through constant chanting of the divine name. This is the simplest way. You are trying to cross the ocean of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/mental-purity-will-come-through-constant-chanting-of-the-divine-name/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [The judgment is an utensil proper for all subjects, and will have an oar in everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-judgment-is-an-utensil-proper-for-all-subjects-and-will-have-an/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Low stir of leaves and dip of oars And lapsing waves on quiet shores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/low-stir-of-leaves-and-dip-of-oars-and-lapsing-waves-on-quiet-shores/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [He knows enough, the mariner, who knows Where lurk the shelves, and where the whirlpools boil, What signs portend the storm: to subtler minds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/he-knows-enough-the-mariner-who-knows-where-lurk-the-shelves-and/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [In any case, his religious teaching consisted mostly in more or less vague ethical remarks, an obscure mixture of ideals of English gentlemanliness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/in-any-case-his-religious-teaching-consisted-mostly-in-more-or-less/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [The Greek in me wanted to know what it felt like to pull an oar. The intellectual wondered about how to get eight individuals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-s-strauss/the-greek-in-me-wanted-to-know-what-it-felt-like-to-pull-an-oar-the/) [Barry S. Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-s-strauss/) > [Never rest on your oars as a boss. If you do, the whole company starts sinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-iacocca/never-rest-on-your-oars-as-a-boss-if-you-do-the-whole-company-starts/) [Lee Iacocca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-iacocca/) > [To follow the drops sliding from a lifting oar, Head up, while the rower breathes, and the small boat drifts quietly shoreward...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roethke/to-follow-the-drops-sliding-from-a-lifting-oar-head-up-while-the/) [Theodore Roethke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roethke/) > [All in the golden afternoon Full leisurely we glide; For both our oars, with little skill, By little arms are plied, While little hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/all-in-the-golden-afternoon-full-leisurely-we-glide-for-both-our-oars/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [The masses do not see the Sirens. They do not hear songs in the air. Blind, deaf, stooping, they pull at their oars in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/the-masses-do-not-see-the-sirens-they-do-not-hear-songs-in-the-air/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [From the Sun I learned this: when he goes down, overrich; he pours gold into the sea out of inexhaustible riches, so that even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/from-the-sun-i-learned-this-when-he-goes-down-overrich-he-pours-gold/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More by Phyllis Diller > [My mother-in-law must be the probation officer I got for the crime I committed of marrying my husband.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/my-mother-in-law-must-be-the-probation-officer-i-got-for-the-crime-i/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I don't know how you feel about old age... but in my case I didn't even see it coming. It hit me from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-don-t-know-how-you-feel-about-old-age-but-in-my-case-i-didn-t-even/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [If it weren't for baseball, many kids wouldn't know what a millionaire looked like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/if-it-weren-t-for-baseball-many-kids-wouldn-t-know-what-a-millionaire/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I'm the only woman who can walk in Central Park at night... and reduce the crime rate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-m-the-only-woman-who-can-walk-in-central-park-at-night-and-reduce/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I was the world's ugliest baby. When I was born, the doctor slapped everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-was-the-world-s-ugliest-baby-when-i-was-born-the-doctor-slapped/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [By far the most common craving of pregnant women is not to be pregnant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/by-far-the-most-common-craving-of-pregnant-women-is-not-to-be-pregnant/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [For Fang, getting out of bed in the morning is a career move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/for-fang-getting-out-of-bed-in-the-morning-is-a-career-move/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [Women want men, careers, money, children, friends, luxury, comfort, independence, freedom, respect, love, and a three-dollar pantyhose that won't run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/women-want-men-careers-money-children-friends-luxury-comfort/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I admit, I have a tremendous sex drive. My boyfriend lives forty miles away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/i-admit-i-have-a-tremendous-sex-drive-my-boyfriend-lives-forty-miles/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [The reason women don't play football is because 11 of them would never wear the same outfit in public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/the-reason-women-don-t-play-football-is-because-11-of-them-would/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [If you don't have wrinkles, you haven't laughed enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/if-you-don-t-have-wrinkles-you-haven-t-laughed-enough/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [“A smile is a curve that sets things right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/a-smile-is-a-curve-that-sets-things-right/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [Every time I go near the stove, the dog howls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/every-time-i-go-near-the-stove-the-dog-howls/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [Some wives have model husbands, I got one that needed remodeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/some-wives-have-model-husbands-i-got-one-that-needed-remodeling/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [My idea of exercise is a good brisk sit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/my-idea-of-exercise-is-a-good-brisk-sit/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) [Explore all 222 Phyllis Diller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) ## More Carry quotes > [There's always gonna be people with a lot of money making film, and the goal is to make profit and carry on. 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It turns into something you can crawl out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay-abaire/nat-i-don-t-know-the-weight-of-it-i-guess-at-some-point-it-becomes/) [David Lindsay-Abaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay-abaire/) > [It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it. Carry it by the comfortable handles of gratitude for what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/it-s-not-the-load-that-breaks-you-down-it-s-the-way-you-carry-it/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [I will miss you, carry on and live for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-will-miss-you-carry-on-and-live-for-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Carry yourself as one who will change the world, because you will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-morgan/carry-yourself-as-one-who-will-change-the-world-because-you-will/) [Robin Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-morgan/) > [“You want to carry my baby?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-smith/you-want-to-carry-my-baby/) [Andrea Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-smith/) > [You can hold onto anything to make you carry on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-winman/you-can-hold-onto-anything-to-make-you-carry-on/) [Sarah Winman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-winman/) > [I'm just becoming more and more aware of this truly profound responsibility that we carry as individuals. And it's a responsibility not only to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-jordan/i-m-just-becoming-more-and-more-aware-of-this-truly-profound/) [Chris Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-jordan/) > [“Carry on. Just be careful with whom you carry on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-peterson/carry-on-just-be-careful-with-whom-you-carry-on/) Dick Peterson > [“So long as you don't bleed in the shape of wing joints, you should pass for human. Oh, and don't let anyone pick you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-ee/so-long-as-you-don-t-bleed-in-the-shape-of-wing-joints-you-should/) [Susan Ee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-ee/) > [Never own more than you can carry in both hands at a dead run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/never-own-more-than-you-can-carry-in-both-hands-at-a-dead-run/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [I wouldn't do a film like 'The Dirty Picture.' I have a husband and kids, and I won't be able to do justice to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kajol/i-wouldn-t-do-a-film-like-the-dirty-picture-i-have-a-husband-and-kids/) [Kajol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kajol/) Browse all 869 Carry quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Carry an oar when you drive. 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