--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: These are only hints and guesses, Hints…" description: "\"These are only hints and guesses, Hints followed by guesses; and the rest Is prayer, observance, discipline, thought and action.\" — T. S. Eliot" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d5/t-s-eliot-633_action_these-are-only-hints-and-guesses-hints-f_925819.png" --- # These are only hints and guesses, Hints followed by… ![“These are only hints and guesses, Hints followed by guesses; and the rest Is prayer, observance, discipline, thought and action.” quote by T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d5/t-s-eliot-633_action_these-are-only-hints-and-guesses-hints-f_925819.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d5/t-s-eliot-633_action_these-are-only-hints-and-guesses-hints-f_925819.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d5/t-s-eliot-633_action_these-are-only-hints-and-guesses-hints-f_925819.png) > “These are only hints and guesses, Hints followed by guesses; and the rest Is prayer, observance, discipline, thought and action.” [T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hints, guesses, prayer, discipline, thought, and action together form a path to understanding. **In simple terms:** Combining intuition, belief, and effort leads to insight. Key Takeaway Blend speculation with practice for growth. Themes spirituality creativity process Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - problem solving - artistic creation - personal development Key Concepts philosophy mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance guesswork with analysis? - When is prayer or discipline most effective? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on intuition can ignore evidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Guesses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guesses/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Thoughts and actions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts-and-actions/) ## Related quotes > [These are only hints an guesses... the rest is prayer, observance, discipline, thought, and action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/these-are-only-hints-an-guesses-the-rest-is-prayer-observance/) [T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/) > [Insights from myth, dreams, and intuitions, from glimpses of an invisible reality, and from perennial human wisdom provide us with hints and guesses about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-shinoda-bolen/insights-from-myth-dreams-and-intuitions-from-glimpses-of-an/) [Jean Shinoda Bolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-shinoda-bolen/) > [I am a man who knows nothing, guesses sometimes, finds frequently and who's always amazed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auguste-de-villiers-de-l-isle-adam/i-am-a-man-who-knows-nothing-guesses-sometimes-finds-frequently-and/) [Auguste de Villiers de l'Isle-Adam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auguste-de-villiers-de-l-isle-adam/) > [An artist observes, selects, guesses, and synthesizes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/an-artist-observes-selects-guesses-and-synthesizes/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [Hollywood usually guesses that extraterrestrials would only be interested in one of three things: (1) They want to breed with us, because their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/hollywood-usually-guesses-that-extraterrestrials-would-only-be/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [That's what law is: educated guesses at right and wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/that-s-what-law-is-educated-guesses-at-right-and-wrong/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [I am less attracted to guesses about what cannot be done, than about making progress on a problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-churchland/i-am-less-attracted-to-guesses-about-what-cannot-be-done-than-about/) [Patricia Churchland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-churchland/) > [“Are we all here standing naked, taking guesses at the actual date and time?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/are-we-all-here-standing-naked-taking-guesses-at-the-actual-date-and/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [Expert: a man who makes three correct guesses consecutively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/expert-a-man-who-makes-three-correct-guesses-consecutively/) [Laurence J. 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I have guesses enough of my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/if-a-man-writes-a-book-let-him-set-down-only-what-he-knows-i-have/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## More by T. S. Eliot > [The Nobel is a ticket to one's own funeral. No one has ever done anything after he got it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/the-nobel-is-a-ticket-to-one-s-own-funeral-no-one-has-ever-done/) [T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/) > [Dear Mother, I am getting on nicely in my work at the bank, and like it ... I want to find out something about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/dear-mother-i-am-getting-on-nicely-in-my-work-at-the-bank-and-like-it/) [T. S. 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