--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have always thought that while it's…" description: "\"I have always thought that while it's wonderful to be the first to do something, you don't want to be the last.\" — Sandra Day O'Connor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb7/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_thought_i-have-always-thought-that-while-it-s-wo_2768031.png" --- # I have always thought that while it's wonderful to be the… ![“I have always thought that while it's wonderful to be the first to do something, you don't want to be the last.” quote by Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb7/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_thought_i-have-always-thought-that-while-it-s-wo_2768031.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb7/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_thought_i-have-always-thought-that-while-it-s-wo_2768031.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb7/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_thought_i-have-always-thought-that-while-it-s-wo_2768031.png) > “I have always thought that while it's wonderful to be the first to do something, you don't want to be the last.” [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights the value of pioneering while cautioning against being left behind. **In simple terms:** Be first, but avoid being last. Key Takeaway Innovate responsibly and stay relevant. Themes innovation legacy responsibility Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - product launches - technological breakthroughs - social movements Key Concepts first-mover advantage ethical foresight sustainability Questions to Reflect On - What does being 'last' mean to you? - How can you ensure lasting impact? A Different Perspective Being first can entail risks and unforeseen consequences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Thought Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-wonderful-235843/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) [Wonderful Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful-don-3221574/) ## Related quotes > [I can’t tell you just how wonderful she is. I don’t want you to know. I don’t want any one to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-can-t-tell-you-just-how-wonderful-she-is-i-don-t-want-you-to-know-i/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [I don't beg for attention. Either you give it to me because I'm so wonderful or you don't because you're wrong and stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-beg-for-attention-either-you-give-it-to-me-because-i-m-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nikki Giovanni! I got a book of hers from the library, and there was this woman who could paint me on paper with words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-scott/nikki-giovanni-i-got-a-book-of-hers-from-the-library-and-there-was/) [Jill Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-scott/) > [I always thought that's the wonderful thing about filmmaking: people see things differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/i-always-thought-that-s-the-wonderful-thing-about-filmmaking-people/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [When I was young, I had idols that I thought were wonderful. I wanted to be just like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/when-i-was-young-i-had-idols-that-i-thought-were-wonderful-i-wanted/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [“Our friends were not poetical, and the sight suggested to them no metaphors of human destiny; they thought only of the wonderful efficiency of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/upton-sinclair/our-friends-were-not-poetical-and-the-sight-suggested-to-them-no/) [Upton Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/upton-sinclair/) > [I spent all that time looking for you, Doctor, because I thought it would be so wonderful out here. I want to go home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-noble/i-spent-all-that-time-looking-for-you-doctor-because-i-thought-it/) [Donna Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-noble/) > [From the time I could visually perceive film or TV, I was just enthralled by it. I thought it was the most wonderful thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-banks/from-the-time-i-could-visually-perceive-film-or-tv-i-was-just/) [Jonathan Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-banks/) > [When I was put up in posh hotels, I thought it was wonderful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cilla-black/when-i-was-put-up-in-posh-hotels-i-thought-it-was-wonderful/) [Cilla Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cilla-black/) > [What a wonderful song, she thought-everything was wonderful tonight, most of all this romantic scene in the den with their hands clinging and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/what-a-wonderful-song-she-thought-everything-was-wonderful-tonight/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“I thought then, and indeed have thought ever since, what a wonderful person Max is. He is so quiet, so sparing with words of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/i-thought-then-and-indeed-have-thought-ever-since-what-a-wonderful/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [Wake up every morning with the thought that something wonderful is about to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wake-up-every-morning-with-the-thought-that-something-wonderful-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Seeing David Mackenzie's work in "Starred Up," I thought that was a wonderful film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/seeing-david-mackenzie-s-work-in-starred-up-i-thought-that-was-a/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [I used to think hard work made me come alive, honestly. I used to have a daily work schedule with millions of things on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-bingbing/i-used-to-think-hard-work-made-me-come-alive-honestly-i-used-to-have/) [Li Bingbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-bingbing/) > [“I thought that was a wonderful idea, that one could be on hell without being in it, like “Just Visiting” on the Monopoly board.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-vann/i-thought-that-was-a-wonderful-idea-that-one-could-be-on-hell-without/) [David Vann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-vann/) ## More by Sandra Day O'Connor > [When I went to law school, which after all was back in the dark ages, we never looked beyond our borders for precedents. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/when-i-went-to-law-school-which-after-all-was-back-in-the-dark-ages/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [I think I learned to appreciate and treasure each day, because you don't know how many you're going to be given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-think-i-learned-to-appreciate-and-treasure-each-day-because-you-don/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [I loved my husband very much, and it was heartbreaking to have him develop Alzheimer's disease, and to stand by and watch him decline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-loved-my-husband-very-much-and-it-was-heartbreaking-to-have-him/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [My concerns through the years increased about the concerns of an independent judiciary and how we maintain it. Certainly in the states. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/my-concerns-through-the-years-increased-about-the-concerns-of-an/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [The courts of this country should not be the places where resolution of disputes begins. They should be the places where the disputes end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/the-courts-of-this-country-should-not-be-the-places-where-resolution/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [Young women today often have very little appreciation for the real battles that took place to get women where they are today in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/young-women-today-often-have-very-little-appreciation-for-the-real/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [You have to answer the question, like it or not. And the questions deserve a valid legal response, even if the response isn't one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/you-have-to-answer-the-question-like-it-or-not-and-the-questions/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [A fundamental premise of American democratic theory is that government exists to serve the people. ... Public records are one portal through which the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/a-fundamental-premise-of-american-democratic-theory-is-that/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [This chance will stand before you only once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/this-chance-will-stand-before-you-only-once/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [I care very much about women and their progress. I didn't go march in the streets, but when I was in the Arizona Legislature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-care-very-much-about-women-and-their-progress-i-didn-t-go-march-in/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [There was no hostility at the court when I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/there-was-no-hostility-at-the-court-when-i-arrived/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [And I went off to Stanford, I was pretty young and pretty naive. And I had a professor I really loved, who was himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/and-i-went-off-to-stanford-i-was-pretty-young-and-pretty-naive-and-i/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [The really expert riders of horses let the horse know immediately who is in control, but then they guide the horse with loose reins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/the-really-expert-riders-of-horses-let-the-horse-know-immediately-who/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [It is true that as you have children, there are a good many months when you don't want to be working full-time. I agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/it-is-true-that-as-you-have-children-there-are-a-good-many-months/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [The abortion cases produced an enormous amount of mail to my chambers, vastly more than to the other chambers, I am sure. I sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/the-abortion-cases-produced-an-enormous-amount-of-mail-to-my-chambers/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) [Explore all 124 Sandra Day O'Connor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) ## More Thought quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [Life thought me how to laugh, how to cry, how to stick around, how to let go. I've seen things I wish to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usman-ismaheel/life-thought-me-how-to-laugh-how-to-cry-how-to-stick-around-how-to/) [Usman Ismaheel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/usman-ismaheel/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [“Money is not every thing" but if u are saying this thought u should have enough money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-jaiswal/money-is-not-every-thing-but-if-u-are-saying-this-thought-u-should/) [Ajay Jaiswal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-jaiswal/) > [If you strike upon a thought that baffles you, break off from that entanglement and try another, so shall your wits be fresh to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/if-you-strike-upon-a-thought-that-baffles-you-break-off-from-that/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [“Always wash you feet last.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/always-wash-you-feet-last/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“sometimes when everything seems at its worst when all conspires and gnaws and the hours, days, weeks years seem wasted – stretched there upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/sometimes-when-everything-seems-at-its-worst-when-all-conspires-and/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [People take years learning how to act; it's a skill, not just a job. If I tried it out and thought I'd be OK,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-fimmel/people-take-years-learning-how-to-act-it-s-a-skill-not-just-a-job-if/) [Travis Fimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-fimmel/) > [Forgotten thought is the ultimate entropy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-lintern/forgotten-thought-is-the-ultimate-entropy/) [Neil Lintern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-lintern/) > [“What is all that men have done and thought over thousands of years, compared with one moment of love. But in all Nature, too,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-h-lderlin/what-is-all-that-men-have-done-and-thought-over-thousands-of-years/) [Friedrich Hölderlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-h-lderlin/) > [It doesn't matter what your circumstances are at the present moment. Think positively, expect only favorable results and situations, and circumstances will change accordingly.Your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/it-doesn-t-matter-what-your-circumstances-are-at-the-present-moment/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [I thought I had rheumatoid arthritis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-thought-i-had-rheumatoid-arthritis/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Imagine what you'd do if it absolutely didn't matter what people thought of you. Got it? Good. Never go back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/imagine-what-you-d-do-if-it-absolutely-didn-t-matter-what-people/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [No matter how serious life gets, You still gotta have that one person you can be completely stupid with..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/no-matter-how-serious-life-gets-you-still-gotta-have-that-one-person/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) [Browse all 11,729 Thought quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have always thought that while it's wonderful to be the first to do something, you don't want to be the last.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sandra Day O'Connor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-have-always-thought-that-while-it-s-wonderful-to-be-the-first-to-do/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Thought" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-have-always-thought-that-while-it-s-wonderful-to-be-the-first-to-do/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb7/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_thought_i-have-always-thought-that-while-it-s-wo_2768031.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb7/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_thought_i-have-always-thought-that-while-it-s-wo_2768031.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb7/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_thought_i-have-always-thought-that-while-it-s-wo_2768031.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have always thought that while it's wonderful to be the first to do something, you don't want to be the…” — Sandra Day O'Connor", "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": "Sandra Day O'Connor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have always thought that while...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-have-always-thought-that-while-it-s-wonderful-to-be-the-first-to-do/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-have-always-thought-that-while-it-s-wonderful-to-be-the-first-to-do/#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 } } ] } ```