--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No matter how much planning you do the…" description: "\"“No matter how much planning you do the story will always tell itself the way it wants to be told.”\" — Stoo Goff" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/stoo-goff-280177_quote_no-matter-how-much-planning-you-do-the-s_1309074.jpg" --- # No matter how much planning you do the story will always… ![“No matter how much planning you do the story will always tell itself the way it wants to be told.” quote by Stoo Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/stoo-goff-280177_quote_no-matter-how-much-planning-you-do-the-s_1309074.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/stoo-goff-280177_quote_no-matter-how-much-planning-you-do-the-s_1309074.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/stoo-goff-280177_quote_no-matter-how-much-planning-you-do-the-s_1309074.jpg) > ““No matter how much planning you do the story will always tell itself the way it wants to be told.”” Stoo Goff ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stories follow their own path regardless of how much we plan, revealing an autonomous narrative force. **In simple terms:** Stories have their own will beyond planning. Key Takeaway Accept story’s natural flow. Themes creativity storytelling control acceptance autonomy Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical creative When to use this quote - writing workshops - film directing - creative brainstorming Key Concepts narrative theory plot dynamics authorial intent Questions to Reflect On - How does planning affect story quality? - What yields let stories guide you? A Different Perspective Over‑planning can stifle spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) ## Related quotes > [“I always loved it when I had a story to tell her, because her attention was complete and felt like sunlight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/i-always-loved-it-when-i-had-a-story-to-tell-her-because-her/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [Everyone has a story to tell. Some of us tell them so much we get better at it. Eventually we get really good...and published.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-has-a-story-to-tell-some-of-us-tell-them-so-much-we-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We all have a story to tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/he-is-we/we-all-have-a-story-to-tell/) He Is We > [everybody has a story to tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-strummer/everybody-has-a-story-to-tell/) [Joe Strummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-strummer/) > [It wasn't until my fifth or sixth book where I realized I'm trying to do the same thing in every story I tell, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/it-wasn-t-until-my-fifth-or-sixth-book-where-i-realized-i-m-trying-to/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [To be a person is to have a story to tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isak-dinesen/to-be-a-person-is-to-have-a-story-to-tell/) [Isak Dinesen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isak-dinesen/) > [“Telling a story is like reaching into a granary full of wheat and drawing out a handful. There is always more to tell than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/telling-a-story-is-like-reaching-into-a-granary-full-of-wheat-and/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The story being told in 'Star Wars' is a classic one. Every few hundred years, the story is retold because we have a tendency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/the-story-being-told-in-star-wars-is-a-classic-one-every-few-hundred/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [I approach stories as a private educational enterprise: I want to learn about something. I teach myself through research, reporting, and thinking, and then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-approach-stories-as-a-private-educational-enterprise-i-want-to/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [“Now," those Plumbago lips say, "You are going to tell me your story like you just did. Write it all down. Tell that story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/now-those-plumbago-lips-say-you-are-going-to-tell-me-your-story-like/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“He must tell his own story.' 'But he will tell only half of it.' 'A quarter would be enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/he-must-tell-his-own-story-but-he-will-tell-only-half-of-it-a-quarter/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“Write like you are the last person on earth; like no one will ever read your story. Tell the story YOU want to read!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuseppe-bianco/write-like-you-are-the-last-person-on-earth-like-no-one-will-ever/) [Giuseppe Bianco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuseppe-bianco/) > [“So, then. You want a story and I will tell you one. But just the one. Don’t either of you ask me for more.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/so-then-you-want-a-story-and-i-will-tell-you-one-but-just-the-one-don/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“Behind the story I tell is the one I don't. Behind the story you hear is the one I wish I could make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/behind-the-story-i-tell-is-the-one-i-don-t-behind-the-story-you-hear/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [If you don't have story to tell the public at large - you have to be able to sort of go listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/if-you-don-t-have-story-to-tell-the-public-at-large-you-have-to-be/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) ## More Planning quotes > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [Whether you are buying a car or casting a ballot, choosing a job or planning a family, follow your moral compass. Don't let others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/whether-you-are-buying-a-car-or-casting-a-ballot-choosing-a-job-or/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [Weekend planning is a prime time to apply the Deathbed Priority Test: On your deathbed, will you wish you'd spent more prime weekend hours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-borland/weekend-planning-is-a-prime-time-to-apply-the-deathbed-priority-test/) [Hal Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-borland/) > [Elevated locations imply elevated purposes, even in American cities departing as radically as Los Angeles does from the traditional planning patterns of the Eastern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-filler/elevated-locations-imply-elevated-purposes-even-in-american-cities/) [Martin Filler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-filler/) > [Koresh believed that God had a plan that would go contrary to any human planning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thibodeau/koresh-believed-that-god-had-a-plan-that-would-go-contrary-to-any/) [David Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thibodeau/) > [God's plans are never beyond your reach, sometimes you just have to move closer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lee-riner/god-s-plans-are-never-beyond-your-reach-sometimes-you-just-have-to/) [Justin Lee Riner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lee-riner/) > [Grand business plans are all very well, but nothing beats dipping your toe in the water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-bilimoria-karan-bilimoria/grand-business-plans-are-all-very-well-but-nothing-beats-dipping-your/) Baron Bilimoria Karan Bilimoria > [Let your mind be its own and enjoy what you can not all things in life are in need of a plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-timbre/let-your-mind-be-its-own-and-enjoy-what-you-can-not-all-things-in/) [Jamie Timbre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-timbre/) > [At LearnVest, we're working to make financial planning both accessible and affordable so that everyone has the opportunity to get on track financially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-von-tobel/at-learnvest-we-re-working-to-make-financial-planning-both-accessible/) [Alexa Von Tobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-von-tobel/) > [“It is one thing being disciplined to plan and it is another thing being a disciple of great work. Be your own disciplinarian.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/it-is-one-thing-being-disciplined-to-plan-and-it-is-another-thing/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [No matter how sad we might be, the universe is still planning our happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/no-matter-how-sad-we-might-be-the-universe-is-still-planning-our/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I can tell you who's planning terroris attacks. The leaders of ISIL. And I can tell you where they're at. 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Unburden yourself wholly -every thought, feeling, wish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatius-bonar/be-much-alone-with-god-and-take-time-to-get-thoroughly-acquainted/) [Horatius Bonar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatius-bonar/) > [Stephen Colbert's recent comment is apropos: When the Republican legislature of North Carolina responded to a scientific study predicting a threatening rise in sea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/stephen-colbert-s-recent-comment-is-apropos-when-the-republican/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Browse all 1,995 Planning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“No matter how much planning you do the story will always tell itself the way it wants to be told.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stoo Goff" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stoo-goff/no-matter-how-much-planning-you-do-the-story-will-always-tell-itself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Planning" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stoo-goff/no-matter-how-much-planning-you-do-the-story-will-always-tell-itself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/stoo-goff-280177_quote_no-matter-how-much-planning-you-do-the-s_1309074.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/stoo-goff-280177_quote_no-matter-how-much-planning-you-do-the-s_1309074.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/stoo-goff-280177_quote_no-matter-how-much-planning-you-do-the-s_1309074.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No matter how much planning you do the story will always tell itself the way it wants to be told.” — Stoo Goff", "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": "Stoo Goff", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stoo-goff/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“No matter how much planning you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stoo-goff/no-matter-how-much-planning-you-do-the-story-will-always-tell-itself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stoo-goff/no-matter-how-much-planning-you-do-the-story-will-always-tell-itself/#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 } } ] } ```