--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Just imagine how terrible it might have…" description: "\"“Just imagine how terrible it might have been if we’d been at all competent.”\" — Terry Pratchett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35b/terry-pratchett-19_demotivational_just-imagine-how-terrible-it-might-have_2018968.jpg" --- # Just imagine how terrible it might have been if we’d been… ![“Just imagine how terrible it might have been if we’d been at all competent.” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35b/terry-pratchett-19_demotivational_just-imagine-how-terrible-it-might-have_2018968.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35b/terry-pratchett-19_demotivational_just-imagine-how-terrible-it-might-have_2018968.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35b/terry-pratchett-19_demotivational_just-imagine-how-terrible-it-might-have_2018968.jpg) > ““Just imagine how terrible it might have been if we’d been at all competent.”” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## 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 horror of incompetence, urging competence to avoid terrible outcomes. **In simple terms:** Incompetence can lead to terrible results. Key Takeaway Strive for competence to prevent disaster. Themes competence responsibility humor self-awareness Mood thoughtful motivational lighthearted Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - workplace - project management - personal decision making - team leadership Key Concepts human error organizational failure personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What areas in your life need more competence? - How can you improve skills before crises arise? A Different Perspective Humor may downplay seriousness of incompetence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Demotivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demotivational/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Imagine Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine-terrible-3646795/) [Just Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-imagine-253641/) [Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible/) [Terrible Competent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible-competent-3646796/) ## Related quotes > [Can you imagine how terrible it is when you've got everything and you're still desperately lonely? That is awful beyond words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/can-you-imagine-how-terrible-it-is-when-you-ve-got-everything-and-you/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [I wrote my first song when I was nine, and it was called 'Notice Me'. My Mom still has the piece of paper around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kacey-musgraves/i-wrote-my-first-song-when-i-was-nine-and-it-was-called-notice-me-my/) [Kacey Musgraves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kacey-musgraves/) > [Why don't you just imagine it never happened..??](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/effy-stonem/why-don-t-you-just-imagine-it-never-happened/) [Effy Stonem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/effy-stonem/) > [Just because you can't see or imagine a good reason why God might allow something to happen doesn't mean there can't be one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/just-because-you-can-t-see-or-imagine-a-good-reason-why-god-might/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Life is life and life sucks!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-life-and-life-sucks/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Although some people think women are inferior to men, I think it's a privilege to be a woman. 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It may save your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/food-for-thought-every-dead-body-on-mount-everest-was-once-a-highly/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [CONSULTING: If you're not a part of the solution, there's good money to be made in prolonging the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/consulting-if-you-re-not-a-part-of-the-solution-there-s-good-money-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Saya pasti takut. Kalo tidak takut pasti bukan saya.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/saya-pasti-takut-kalo-tidak-takut-pasti-bukan-saya/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“everything is normal we have our tv and mcdonalds people wash their cars on their driveways on a sunday afternoon and mow their lawns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/u-v-ray/everything-is-normal-we-have-our-tv-and-mcdonalds-people-wash-their/) [U.V. Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/u-v-ray/) ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More Demotivational quotes > [“Food for thought: Every dead body on Mount Everest was once a highly motivated person. Stay lazy my friends. It may save your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/food-for-thought-every-dead-body-on-mount-everest-was-once-a-highly/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [Life is life and life sucks!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-life-and-life-sucks/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Saya pasti takut. Kalo tidak takut pasti bukan saya.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/saya-pasti-takut-kalo-tidak-takut-pasti-bukan-saya/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [CONSULTING: If you're not a part of the solution, there's good money to be made in prolonging the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/consulting-if-you-re-not-a-part-of-the-solution-there-s-good-money-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“everything is normal we have our tv and mcdonalds people wash their cars on their driveways on a sunday afternoon and mow their lawns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/u-v-ray/everything-is-normal-we-have-our-tv-and-mcdonalds-people-wash-their/) [U.V. Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/u-v-ray/) > [“Life is only logical, and to think it's a gift is depressing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad/life-is-only-logical-and-to-think-it-s-a-gift-is-depressing/) [Konrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad/) > [“Teach every child you meet the importance of forgiveness. It's our only hope of surviving their wrath once they realize just how badly we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-sewell/teach-every-child-you-meet-the-importance-of-forgiveness-it-s-our/) [Justin Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-sewell/) > [“There are no stupid questions, but there are a LOT of inquisitive idiots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-sewell/there-are-no-stupid-questions-but-there-are-a-lot-of-inquisitive/) [Justin Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-sewell/) > [“Happy people do not wake up for breakfast.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tetiana-liubetska/happy-people-do-not-wake-up-for-breakfast/) [Tetiana Liubetska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tetiana-liubetska/) > [“Accept that you're just a product, not a gift.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad/accept-that-you-re-just-a-product-not-a-gift/) [Konrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad/) > [“Although some people think women are inferior to men, I think it's a privilege to be a woman. There are so many fun things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-angelina-birch/although-some-people-think-women-are-inferior-to-men-i-think-it-s-a/) [Jessica Angelina Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-angelina-birch/) > [“You can do anything you set your mind to when you have vision, determination, and an endless supply of expendable labor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-sewell/you-can-do-anything-you-set-your-mind-to-when-you-have-vision/) [Justin Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-sewell/) > [“Try & try until you cannot succeed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/self/try-try-until-you-cannot-succeed/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/self/) > [“TEAMWORK: A few harmless flakes working together can unleash an avalanche of destruction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-sewell/teamwork-a-few-harmless-flakes-working-together-can-unleash-an/) [Justin Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-sewell/) > [“Nothing says "you're a loser" more than owning a motivational poster about being a winner.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-sewell/nothing-says-you-re-a-loser-more-than-owning-a-motivational-poster/) [Justin Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-sewell/) [Browse all 19 Demotivational quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demotivational/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Just imagine how terrible it might have been if we’d been at all competent.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terry Pratchett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/just-imagine-how-terrible-it-might-have-been-if-we-d-been-at-all/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Demotivational" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/just-imagine-how-terrible-it-might-have-been-if-we-d-been-at-all/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35b/terry-pratchett-19_demotivational_just-imagine-how-terrible-it-might-have_2018968.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35b/terry-pratchett-19_demotivational_just-imagine-how-terrible-it-might-have_2018968.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35b/terry-pratchett-19_demotivational_just-imagine-how-terrible-it-might-have_2018968.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Just imagine how terrible it might have been if we’d been at all competent.” — Terry Pratchett", "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": "Terry Pratchett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Just imagine how terrible it might...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/just-imagine-how-terrible-it-might-have-been-if-we-d-been-at-all/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/just-imagine-how-terrible-it-might-have-been-if-we-d-been-at-all/#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 } } ] } ```