---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He knew better, even then (he was…"
description: "\"“He knew better, even then (he was possessed of powerful hunches and intuitions himself ), but sometimes you had to know. Sometimes you had to see.”\" —..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/stephen-king-13_intuitions_he-knew-better-even-then-he-was-possesse_2554230.jpg"
---

#  He knew better, even then (he was possessed of powerful…

![“He knew better, even then (he was possessed of powerful hunches and intuitions himself ), but sometimes you had to know. Sometimes you had to see.” quote by Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/stephen-king-13_intuitions_he-knew-better-even-then-he-was-possesse_2554230.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/stephen-king-13_intuitions_he-knew-better-even-then-he-was-possesse_2554230.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/stephen-king-13_intuitions_he-knew-better-even-then-he-was-possesse_2554230.jpg)

> ““He knew better, even then (he was possessed of powerful hunches and intuitions himself ), but sometimes you had to know. Sometimes you had to see.””

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

## About This Quote

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

Intuition often guides decisions, yet sometimes knowledge must be sought actively.

**In simple terms:** Trust gut, but also seek knowledge.

Key Takeaway

Balance intuition with deliberate learning.

Themes

intuition knowledge decision‑making growth balance

Mood

analytical inspirational pragmatic

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- business strategy
- personal choices
- creative problem solving
- education

Key Concepts

cognitive bias epistemic humility inner voice

Questions to Reflect On

- When should you trust your gut versus research?
- How can you blend instinct with data?

A Different Perspective

Over‑reliance on intuition can lead to errors; knowledge alone may stifle creativity.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Hunches Intuitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunches-intuitions-1548754/) [Intuitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intuitions/) [Intuitions Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intuitions-know-1548753/) [Knew Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew-better/) [Powerful Hunches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful-hunches-1548755/)

## Related quotes

> [Become a good noticer. Pay attention to the feelings, hunches, and intuitions that flood your life each day. If you do, you will see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-dossey/become-a-good-noticer-pay-attention-to-the-feelings-hunches-and/)

[Larry Dossey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-dossey/)

> [If u knew better u will do better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-stubbs/if-u-knew-better-u-will-do-better/)

[Martin Stubbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-stubbs/)

> [“I knew that it was better to live out one’s own absurdity than to die for that of others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/i-knew-that-it-was-better-to-live-out-one-s-own-absurdity-than-to-die/)

[Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/)

> [“I knew better than to look at her, though. I was afraid she'd do something like run her tongue over the edge of her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-wright/i-knew-better-than-to-look-at-her-though-i-was-afraid-she-d-do/)

[Kristina Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-wright/)

> [Jimmy Lee Baylis was a wise man, and knew better than to talk back to the man who signed his paycheck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hiaasen/jimmy-lee-baylis-was-a-wise-man-and-knew-better-than-to-talk-back-to/)

[Carl Hiaasen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hiaasen/)

> [“...it seemed a part of her life, to step from the ancient to the modern, back and forth. She felt rather sorry for those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/it-seemed-a-part-of-her-life-to-step-from-the-ancient-to-the-modern/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [I somehow instinctively knew it would be much better to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-lucci/i-somehow-instinctively-knew-it-would-be-much-better-to-win/)

[Susan Lucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-lucci/)

> [And I knew that it was better to live out one's absurdity than to die for that of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/and-i-knew-that-it-was-better-to-live-out-one-s-absurdity-than-to-die/)

[Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/)

> [“and that everything at Elsworthy Electronics would carry on as before. But James knew better. If he”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-rimmer/and-that-everything-at-elsworthy-electronics-would-carry-on-as-before/)

[Peter Rimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-rimmer/)

> [“I let her go because I knew she could do better and now she's gone I wonder if I should've just been better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/i-let-her-go-because-i-knew-she-could-do-better-and-now-she-s-gone-i/)

[Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/)

> [Of all the stars whom I worked with, I think Steve knew better what worked for him on the screen than any other. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wise/of-all-the-stars-whom-i-worked-with-i-think-steve-knew-better-what/)

[Robert Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wise/)

> [“I forced myself to stay put and keep looking-impatient assholes would take the leap, letting adrenaline and desperation guide them, but I was fucking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-somers/i-forced-myself-to-stay-put-and-keep-looking-impatient-assholes-would/)

[Jeff Somers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-somers/)

> [People would do better, if they knew better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/people-would-do-better-if-they-knew-better/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [Before this trip and all that she'd learned about the three of them, she would have gotten angry or changed the subject. Anything to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-hannah/before-this-trip-and-all-that-she-d-learned-about-the-three-of-them/)

[Kristin Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-hannah/)

> [“and I knew better than I had ever known before, knew with all the reluctant certainty of a broken heart, that the intimate affection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-w-buffa/and-i-knew-better-than-i-had-ever-known-before-knew-with-all-the/)

[D.W. Buffa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-w-buffa/)

## More by Stephen King

> [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? Not as friends, but as enemies and equals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/shall-there-be-truth-between-us-as-two-men-not-as-friends-but-as/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“October 3, 2017 The clown, Hagarty said, looked like a cross between Ronald McDonald and that old TV clown, Bozo—or so he thought at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/october-3-2017-the-clown-hagarty-said-looked-like-a-cross-between/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“Eddie saw great things and near misses. Albert Einstein as a child, not quite struck by a run-away milk-wagon as he crossed a street.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/eddie-saw-great-things-and-near-misses-albert-einstein-as-a-child-not/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [It hurt, of course, but more often than not the best things do, I've found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/it-hurt-of-course-but-more-often-than-not-the-best-things-do-i-ve/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“The idea that creative endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time... Creative people probably do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-idea-that-creative-endeavor-and-mind-altering-substances-are/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“The sun had burned through and the day had gone from dull to dazzling, yet in the west blask-satin thunderheads continued to stack up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-sun-had-burned-through-and-the-day-had-gone-from-dull-to-dazzling/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“Flakes of snow swirled and danced across the porch. The Overlook faced it as it had for nearly three-quarters of a century, its darkened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/flakes-of-snow-swirled-and-danced-across-the-porch-the-overlook-faced/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“In that instant it all seemed to come clear to him- it came in a grisly flash of light, and he realized that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/in-that-instant-it-all-seemed-to-come-clear-to-him-it-came-in-a/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [Who gets to be best-liked in any community? Who is the most trusted? Why, the man who does the dirty job, of course, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/who-gets-to-be-best-liked-in-any-community-who-is-the-most-trusted/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“¿Lo ves, tonto? Volvió a regañarse. Tú lo inventaste todo, gato asustado. No fue más que tu imaginación, gato asustado, gato asustado... No te…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/lo-ves-tonto-volvi-a-rega-arse-t-lo-inventaste-todo-gato-asustado-no/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“Death . . . but not for you. That was what Walter, clever as Satan even at the end, had said. A lawyer’s answer . . . so close to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/death-but-not-for-you-that-was-what-walter-clever-as-satan-even-at/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [The ghost story movie that scared me the most was The Changeling with George C. Scott. I think that's sometimes overlooked, but it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-ghost-story-movie-that-scared-me-the-most-was-the-changeling-with/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“Climb aboard, Jonesy. I'm going to send you up where the air is rare and the view is much more than fair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/climb-aboard-jonesy-i-m-going-to-send-you-up-where-the-air-is-rare/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

[Explore all 3,589 Stephen King quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

## More Intuitions quotes

> [the wide discrepancy between reason and feeling may be unreal; it is not improbable that intellect is a high form of feeling - a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanne-katherina-langer/the-wide-discrepancy-between-reason-and-feeling-may-be-unreal-it-is/)

[Susanne Katherina Langer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanne-katherina-langer/)

> [The moment of truth, the sudden emergence of a new insight, is an act of intuition. Such intuitions give the appearance of miraculous flushes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-moment-of-truth-the-sudden-emergence-of-a-new-insight-is-an-act/)

[Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/)

> [I've always worked with my partner, my husband, Cameron, since 'Raw Like Sushi,' and in a way, I feel very free with what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neneh-cherry/i-ve-always-worked-with-my-partner-my-husband-cameron-since-raw-like/)

[Neneh Cherry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neneh-cherry/)

> [“The obvious cure for the tragic shortcomings of human intuition in a high-tech world is education. And this offers priorities for educational policy: to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-obvious-cure-for-the-tragic-shortcomings-of-human-intuition-in-a/)

[Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/)

> [We #fear our intuitions because we fear the transformational power within our revelations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/we-fear-our-intuitions-because-we-fear-the-transformational-power/)

[Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/)

> [“The bat-and-ball problem is our first encounter with an observation that will be a recurrent theme of this book: many people are overconfident, prone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/the-bat-and-ball-problem-is-our-first-encounter-with-an-observation/)

[Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/)

> [Intuition attracts those who wish to be spiritual without any bother, because it promises a heaven where the intuitions of others can be ignored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/intuition-attracts-those-who-wish-to-be-spiritual-without-any-bother/)

[E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/)

> [“Intuition goes before you, showing you the way. Emotion follows behind, to let you know when you go astray. Listen to your inner voice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/intuition-goes-before-you-showing-you-the-way-emotion-follows-behind/)

[Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/)

> [Doubts of all things earthly, and intuitions of some things heavenly; this combination makes neither believer nor infidel, but makes a man who regards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael/doubts-of-all-things-earthly-and-intuitions-of-some-things-heavenly/)

[Ishmael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael/)

> [A man who has trained himself in goodness come to have certain direct intuitions about character, about the relations between human beings, about his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/a-man-who-has-trained-himself-in-goodness-come-to-have-certain-direct/)

[Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/)

> [“Transforming our intuitions into articulate form is precisely the purpose of this book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/transforming-our-intuitions-into-articulate-form-is-precisely-the/)

[Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/)

> [“Perhaps she wrote that life is really lived through dreams and intuitions, not fate and circumstance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-davenport/perhaps-she-wrote-that-life-is-really-lived-through-dreams-and/)

[Kiana Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-davenport/)

> [Thoughts without content are empty, intuitions without concepts are blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/thoughts-without-content-are-empty-intuitions-without-concepts-are/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [When you live your life acting upon your deepest intuitions, no decision you ever make in life will be feared or a risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keshia-chante/when-you-live-your-life-acting-upon-your-deepest-intuitions-no/)

[Keshia Chante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keshia-chante/)

> [Not only the individual experience slowly acquired, but the accumulated experience of the race, organized in language, condensed in instruments and axioms, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/not-only-the-individual-experience-slowly-acquired-but-the/)

[George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/)

[Browse all 76 Intuitions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intuitions/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“He knew better, even then (he was possessed of powerful hunches and intuitions himself ), but sometimes you had to know. Sometimes you had to see.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Stephen King"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/he-knew-better-even-then-he-was-possessed-of-powerful-hunches-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Intuitions"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/he-knew-better-even-then-he-was-possessed-of-powerful-hunches-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/stephen-king-13_intuitions_he-knew-better-even-then-he-was-possesse_2554230.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/stephen-king-13_intuitions_he-knew-better-even-then-he-was-possesse_2554230.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/stephen-king-13_intuitions_he-knew-better-even-then-he-was-possesse_2554230.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“He knew better, even then (he was possessed of powerful hunches and intuitions himself ), but sometimes you…” — Stephen King",
                "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": "Stephen King",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“He knew better, even then (he...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/he-knew-better-even-then-he-was-possessed-of-powerful-hunches-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/he-knew-better-even-then-he-was-possessed-of-powerful-hunches-and/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
