---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Be prepared to re-examine your reasoning"
description: "\"“Be prepared to re-examine your reasoning”\" — Robert S. McNamara"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/556/robert-s-mcnamara-96586_intelligence_be-prepared-to-re-examine-your-reasoning_2129212.jpg"
---

#  Be prepared to re-examine your reasoning

![“Be prepared to re-examine your reasoning” quote by Robert S. McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/556/robert-s-mcnamara-96586_intelligence_be-prepared-to-re-examine-your-reasoning_2129212.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/556/robert-s-mcnamara-96586_intelligence_be-prepared-to-re-examine-your-reasoning_2129212.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/556/robert-s-mcnamara-96586_intelligence_be-prepared-to-re-examine-your-reasoning_2129212.jpg)

> ““Be prepared to re-examine your reasoning””

Robert S. McNamara

## About This Quote

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

Encourages revisiting and questioning one's own reasoning.

**In simple terms:** Re‑examine your reasoning regularly.

Key Takeaway

Continuously challenge your own thoughts.

Themes

critical thinking self‑reflection learning growth analysis

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive analytical

Type

examine:1 intelligence:0 prepared:0 reasoning:1 examine reasoning:1 prepared examine:0

When to use this quote

- education
- leadership training
- personal development
- strategic planning

Key Concepts

philosophy cognitive bias intellectual humility decision making

Questions to Reflect On

- What assumptions underlie your current beliefs?
- How can you balance confidence with critical self‑examination?

A Different Perspective

Over‑analysis can lead to indecision.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Reasoning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasoning/)

## Related quotes

> [God is intelligent; but in what manner? Man is intelligent by the act of reasoning, but the supreme intelligence lies under no necessity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/god-is-intelligent-but-in-what-manner-man-is-intelligent-by-the-act/)

[Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/)

> [To be against rationalization is not the same as to be opposed to reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/to-be-against-rationalization-is-not-the-same-as-to-be-opposed-to/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [It is in the nature of foolish reasonings to seem good to the foolish reasoner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/it-is-in-the-nature-of-foolish-reasonings-to-seem-good-to-the-foolish/)

[George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/)

> [In every enterprise ... the mind is always reasoning, and, even when we seem to act without a motive, an instinctive logic still directs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/in-every-enterprise-the-mind-is-always-reasoning-and-even-when-we/)

[Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/)

> [Mathematics is not just a language. Mathematics is a language plus reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/mathematics-is-not-just-a-language-mathematics-is-a-language-plus/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [“Reason is not always reasonable”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/reason-is-not-always-reasonable/)

[Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/)

> [How dangerous can false reasoning prove!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/how-dangerous-can-false-reasoning-prove/)

[Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/)

> [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/)

[Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/)

> [I see film as a real opportunity to examine the human condition. No matter where the technology goes in the future, the basics don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-schultz/i-see-film-as-a-real-opportunity-to-examine-the-human-condition-no/)

[Michael Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-schultz/)

> [Creativity is magic. Don't examine it too closely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/creativity-is-magic-don-t-examine-it-too-closely/)

[Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

> [Everyone who wants to know what will happen ought to examine what has happened: everything in this world in any epoch has their replicas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/everyone-who-wants-to-know-what-will-happen-ought-to-examine-what-has/)

[Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/)

> [“A Christian should examine himself to see how he reacts to the annoyances that being with other people always produces.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-fernandez/a-christian-should-examine-himself-to-see-how-he-reacts-to-the/)

[Francis Fernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-fernandez/)

> [If you really want to examine your strength, see how many times a day you are disturbed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rama-swami/if-you-really-want-to-examine-your-strength-see-how-many-times-a-day/)

[Rama Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rama-swami/)

> [We examine and highlight the history of the African descendants in America, and know that each and every one of us has come this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvette-clarke/we-examine-and-highlight-the-history-of-the-african-descendants-in/)

[Yvette Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvette-clarke/)

> [Re-examine all you have been told. Dismiss what insults your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/re-examine-all-you-have-been-told-dismiss-what-insults-your-soul/)

[Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/)

## More by Robert S. McNamara

> [“There's something beyond one's self”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-s-mcnamara/there-s-something-beyond-one-s-self/)

Robert S. McNamara

Explore all 2 Robert S. McNamara quotes

## More Examine quotes

> [We examine and highlight the history of the African descendants in America, and know that each and every one of us has come this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvette-clarke/we-examine-and-highlight-the-history-of-the-african-descendants-in/)

[Yvette Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvette-clarke/)

> [“A Christian should examine himself to see how he reacts to the annoyances that being with other people always produces.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-fernandez/a-christian-should-examine-himself-to-see-how-he-reacts-to-the/)

[Francis Fernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-fernandez/)

> [Everyone who wants to know what will happen ought to examine what has happened: everything in this world in any epoch has their replicas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/everyone-who-wants-to-know-what-will-happen-ought-to-examine-what-has/)

[Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/)

> [I see film as a real opportunity to examine the human condition. No matter where the technology goes in the future, the basics don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-schultz/i-see-film-as-a-real-opportunity-to-examine-the-human-condition-no/)

[Michael Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-schultz/)

> [Re-examine all you have been told. Dismiss what insults your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/re-examine-all-you-have-been-told-dismiss-what-insults-your-soul/)

[Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/)

> [Creativity is magic. Don't examine it too closely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/creativity-is-magic-don-t-examine-it-too-closely/)

[Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

> [If you really want to examine your strength, see how many times a day you are disturbed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rama-swami/if-you-really-want-to-examine-your-strength-see-how-many-times-a-day/)

[Rama Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rama-swami/)

> [“The more I examine my own mind, the more romantic I find myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kelahan/the-more-i-examine-my-own-mind-the-more-romantic-i-find-myself/)

[Michael Kelahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelahan/)

> [Having kids sets a bomb off in your life. It really makes you examine who you are, what you believe in and what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-cullum/having-kids-sets-a-bomb-off-in-your-life-it-really-makes-you-examine/)

[Jamie Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-cullum/)

> [In self-examination, take no account of yourself by your thoughts and resolutions in the days of religion and solemnity; examine how it is with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/in-self-examination-take-no-account-of-yourself-by-your-thoughts-and/)

[Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/)

> [To mark all that I say in conversation, merely to beget in others, a good opinion of myself, and examine it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/to-mark-all-that-i-say-in-conversation-merely-to-beget-in-others-a/)

[Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/)

> [War is not a petri dish to examine and analyze our emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/war-is-not-a-petri-dish-to-examine-and-analyze-our-emotions/)

[Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/)

> [You need only examine your present situation to discover unlimited resources and opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-kiev/you-need-only-examine-your-present-situation-to-discover-unlimited/)

[Ari Kiev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-kiev/)

> [“THE MAXIMS OF MEDICINE Before you examine the body of a patient, Be patient to learn his story. For once you learn his story,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-maxims-of-medicine-before-you-examine-the-body-of-a-patient-be/)

[Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/)

> [Trees ask us to examine how we live in the natural world, with one another, and intrapersonally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-reitman/trees-ask-us-to-examine-how-we-live-in-the-natural-world-with-one/)

[Greg Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-reitman/)

Browse all 161 Examine quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Be prepared to re-examine your reasoning”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Robert S. McNamara"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-s-mcnamara/be-prepared-to-re-examine-your-reasoning/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Examine"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-s-mcnamara/be-prepared-to-re-examine-your-reasoning/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/556/robert-s-mcnamara-96586_intelligence_be-prepared-to-re-examine-your-reasoning_2129212.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/556/robert-s-mcnamara-96586_intelligence_be-prepared-to-re-examine-your-reasoning_2129212.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/556/robert-s-mcnamara-96586_intelligence_be-prepared-to-re-examine-your-reasoning_2129212.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Be prepared to re-examine your reasoning” — Robert S. McNamara",
                "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": "Robert S. McNamara",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-s-mcnamara/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Be prepared to re-examine your reasoning”",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-s-mcnamara/be-prepared-to-re-examine-your-reasoning/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-s-mcnamara/be-prepared-to-re-examine-your-reasoning/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
