--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Beware of finding what you're looking…" description: "\"Beware of finding what you're looking for. A favorite aphorism he often used.\" — Richard Hamming" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/richard-hamming-14135_aphorism_beware-of-finding-what-you-re-looking-fo_728094.jpg" --- # Beware of finding what you're looking for. A favorite… ![“Beware of finding what you're looking for. A favorite aphorism he often used.” quote by Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/richard-hamming-14135_aphorism_beware-of-finding-what-you-re-looking-fo_728094.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/richard-hamming-14135_aphorism_beware-of-finding-what-you-re-looking-fo_728094.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/richard-hamming-14135_aphorism_beware-of-finding-what-you-re-looking-fo_728094.jpg) > “Beware of finding what you're looking for. A favorite aphorism he often used.” [Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It warns that searching for answers can bias perception, leading to missed opportunities. **In simple terms:** Beware bias in seeking answers. Key Takeaway Question assumptions before accepting. Themes cognition decision making philosophy search bias Mood reflective cautious Type advisory philosophical When to use this quote - research design - software development - personal goal setting - investigation Key Concepts confirmation bias problem solving epistemology critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions are you overlooking? - How can you balance searching with openness? A Different Perspective The advice may discourage proactive searching. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aphorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aphorism/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [“We usually end up finding what we are looking for, but we only look for what we already know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-junger/we-usually-end-up-finding-what-we-are-looking-for-but-we-only-look/) [Alejandro Junger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-junger/) > [“Why is it that the look of another person looking at you is different from everything else in the Cosmos? That is to say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-percy/why-is-it-that-the-look-of-another-person-looking-at-you-is-different/) [Walker Percy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-percy/) > [“The blessing of Google is its uncanny skill in finding what you're looking for; the curse is that it so rarely finds any of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-jacobs/the-blessing-of-google-is-its-uncanny-skill-in-finding-what-you-re/) [Alan Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-jacobs/) > [Finding out something about someone, and never looking at them the same way again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/finding-out-something-about-someone-and-never-looking-at-them-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Serendipity is when you find things you weren't looking for because finding what you are looking for is so damned difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckean/serendipity-is-when-you-find-things-you-weren-t-looking-for-because/) [Erin McKean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckean/) > [The only way we can ever get through to the truth is by finding out what we are not. We do that by looking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-long/the-only-way-we-can-ever-get-through-to-the-truth-is-by-finding-out/) [Barry Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-long/) > [In all my life I'd never been approached this way, the car pulling up, the Where you going? It was something I wish had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/in-all-my-life-i-d-never-been-approached-this-way-the-car-pulling-up/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [I've never looked through a keyhole without finding someone was looking back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-garland/i-ve-never-looked-through-a-keyhole-without-finding-someone-was/) [Judy Garland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-garland/) > [“A premature death does not only rob one of the countless instances where one would have experienced pleasure, it also saves one from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-premature-death-does-not-only-rob-one-of-the-countless-instances/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [A journal takes the place of a confidant, that is, of friend or wife; it becomes a substitute for production, a substitute for country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-journal-takes-the-place-of-a-confidant-that-is-of-friend-or-wife-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The eleventh commandment of art: thou shalt not be boring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-m-driscoll/the-eleventh-commandment-of-art-thou-shalt-not-be-boring/) [W.M. Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-m-driscoll/) > [“An expensive coffin does not decrease the deceased’s chances of going to hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/an-expensive-coffin-does-not-decrease-the-deceased-s-chances-of-going/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Listen! The court jester's cap and bells. The King is coming!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/listen-the-court-jester-s-cap-and-bells-the-king-is-coming/) [Ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/) > [“For their never-ending endeavours to obtain or retain wealth, countries desperately need companies, because they—unlike most human beings—have the means of production, and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/for-their-never-ending-endeavours-to-obtain-or-retain-wealth/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Who flies high, easily chooses his target.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/who-flies-high-easily-chooses-his-target/) [Ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/) ## More by Richard Hamming > [Science is composed of laws which were originally based on a small, carefully selected set of observations, often not very accurately measured originally; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/science-is-composed-of-laws-which-were-originally-based-on-a-small/) [Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) > [Typing is no substitute for thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/typing-is-no-substitute-for-thinking/) [Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) > [Mathematics is an interesting intellectual sport but it should not be allowed to stand in the way of obtaining sensible information about physical processes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/mathematics-is-an-interesting-intellectual-sport-but-it-should-not-be/) [Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) > [Given two people with exactly the same ability, the one person who manages day in and day out to get in one more hour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/given-two-people-with-exactly-the-same-ability-the-one-person-who/) [Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) > [“It is not easy to become an educated person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/it-is-not-easy-to-become-an-educated-person/) [Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) > [The purpose of computing is insight, not numbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/the-purpose-of-computing-is-insight-not-numbers/) [Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) > [Mathematicians stand on each others' shoulders and computer scientists stand on each others' toes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/mathematicians-stand-on-each-others-shoulders-and-computer-scientists/) [Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) > [What are the important problems of your field?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/what-are-the-important-problems-of-your-field/) [Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) > [In mathematics we do not appeal to authority, but rather you are responsible for what you believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/in-mathematics-we-do-not-appeal-to-authority-but-rather-you-are/) [Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) > [Mathematics is not merely an idle art form, it is an essential part of our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/mathematics-is-not-merely-an-idle-art-form-it-is-an-essential-part-of/) [Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) > [Perhaps the central problem we face in all of computer science is how we are to get to the situation where we build on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/perhaps-the-central-problem-we-face-in-all-of-computer-science-is-how/) [Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) > [One of the characteristics of successful scientists is having courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/one-of-the-characteristics-of-successful-scientists-is-having-courage/) [Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) > [There are wavelengths that people cannot see, there are sounds that people cannot hear, and maybe computers have thoughts that people cannot think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/there-are-wavelengths-that-people-cannot-see-there-are-sounds-that/) [Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) > [“The more you know, the more you learn; the more you learn, the more you can do; the more you can do, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/the-more-you-know-the-more-you-learn-the-more-you-learn-the-more-you/) [Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) > [Computer scientists stand on each other's feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/computer-scientists-stand-on-each-other-s-feet/) [Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) [Explore all 47 Richard Hamming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/) ## More Aphorism quotes > [“Who flies high, easily chooses his target.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/who-flies-high-easily-chooses-his-target/) [Ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/) > [“For their never-ending endeavours to obtain or retain wealth, countries desperately need companies, because they—unlike most human beings—have the means of production, and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/for-their-never-ending-endeavours-to-obtain-or-retain-wealth/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Listen! The court jester's cap and bells. The King is coming!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/listen-the-court-jester-s-cap-and-bells-the-king-is-coming/) [Ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/) > [“An expensive coffin does not decrease the deceased’s chances of going to hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/an-expensive-coffin-does-not-decrease-the-deceased-s-chances-of-going/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“The eleventh commandment of art: thou shalt not be boring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-m-driscoll/the-eleventh-commandment-of-art-thou-shalt-not-be-boring/) [W.M. Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-m-driscoll/) > [A journal takes the place of a confidant, that is, of friend or wife; it becomes a substitute for production, a substitute for country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-journal-takes-the-place-of-a-confidant-that-is-of-friend-or-wife-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A premature death does not only rob one of the countless instances where one would have experienced pleasure, it also saves one from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-premature-death-does-not-only-rob-one-of-the-countless-instances/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“The real purpose of the opposition is to minimize the amount of money the ruling party will have stolen from the people at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/the-real-purpose-of-the-opposition-is-to-minimize-the-amount-of-money/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“I played the best role in my life. I had a great director.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/i-played-the-best-role-in-my-life-i-had-a-great-director/) [Ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/) > [“Be ware! Santa Claus is a fake profile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/be-ware-santa-claus-is-a-fake-profile/) [Ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/) > [“He who lies and steals ...and forms a government.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/he-who-lies-and-steals-and-forms-a-government/) [Ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/) > [“I got married. A bright past is ahead of me!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/i-got-married-a-bright-past-is-ahead-of-me/) [ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/) > [“People who smile while they are alone used to be called insane, until we invented smartphones and social media.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/people-who-smile-while-they-are-alone-used-to-be-called-insane-until/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Why must an aphorism be brief? Because only a fool gives a speech in a burning house.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-geary/why-must-an-aphorism-be-brief-because-only-a-fool-gives-a-speech-in-a/) [James Geary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-geary/) > [How many of us have been attracted to reason; first learned to think, to draw conclusions, to extract a moral from the follies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-many-of-us-have-been-attracted-to-reason-first-learned-to-think/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 399 Aphorism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aphorism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Beware of finding what you're looking for. A favorite aphorism he often used.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Hamming" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/beware-of-finding-what-you-re-looking-for-a-favorite-aphorism-he/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aphorism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/beware-of-finding-what-you-re-looking-for-a-favorite-aphorism-he/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/richard-hamming-14135_aphorism_beware-of-finding-what-you-re-looking-fo_728094.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/richard-hamming-14135_aphorism_beware-of-finding-what-you-re-looking-fo_728094.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/richard-hamming-14135_aphorism_beware-of-finding-what-you-re-looking-fo_728094.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Beware of finding what you're looking for. A favorite aphorism he often used.” — Richard Hamming", "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": "Richard Hamming", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Beware of finding what you're looking...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/beware-of-finding-what-you-re-looking-for-a-favorite-aphorism-he/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/beware-of-finding-what-you-re-looking-for-a-favorite-aphorism-he/#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 } } ] } ```