--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't go around chasing your own…" description: "\"You can't go around chasing your own plays and showing up every time somebody does one somewhere. You just cross your fingers and hope that they're OK...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/tom-stoppard-437_around_you-can-t-go-around-chasing-your-own-pla_414829.jpg" --- # You can't go around chasing your own plays and showing up… ![“You can't go around chasing your own plays and showing up every time somebody does one somewhere. You just cross your fingers and hope that they're OK.” quote by Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/tom-stoppard-437_around_you-can-t-go-around-chasing-your-own-pla_414829.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/tom-stoppard-437_around_you-can-t-go-around-chasing-your-own-pla_414829.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/tom-stoppard-437_around_you-can-t-go-around-chasing-your-own-pla_414829.jpg) > “You can't go around chasing your own plays and showing up every time somebody does one somewhere. You just cross your fingers and hope that they're OK.” [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Relying on others' actions without personal effort leads to missed opportunities and lack of agency. **In simple terms:** Waiting for others' success instead of acting yourself. Key Takeaway Take initiative rather than hope. Themes initiative agency passivity Mood reflective motivational Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - team projects - career advancement - personal goals - creative endeavors Key Concepts personal responsibility effort proactivity Questions to Reflect On - What could you do today to shape your own success? - How does waiting affect your confidence? A Different Perspective Relying solely on luck limits control over outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cross/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [We're just going to be ourselves, and we're just going to cross our fingers and hope that people like it. Because that's all you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-hanson/we-re-just-going-to-be-ourselves-and-we-re-just-going-to-cross-our/) [Isaac Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-hanson/) > [When something works for you, all you can do is cross your fingers and hope that it will work for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-stead/when-something-works-for-you-all-you-can-do-is-cross-your-fingers-and/) [Rebecca Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-stead/) > [“It was a calculated risk.” “It was cross-your-fingers-and-hope-for-the-best. Believe me, I know the difference.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/it-was-a-calculated-risk-it-was-cross-your-fingers-and-hope-for-the/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [With the quarterback position, because you're touching the ball every single snap, you want to make a play and you just have to guard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-pederson/with-the-quarterback-position-because-you-re-touching-the-ball-every/) [Doug Pederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-pederson/) > [The Space Between Our Fingers Were Created So That Another Person's Fingers Could Fill Them In. Hope You'll Find Your Dreams Hand To Hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/the-space-between-our-fingers-were-created-so-that-another-person-s/) Pacifiersucker > [“The evil heart is patient, cross her fingers, palms together, hope, pray and act with faith, that all your hard work may come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dew-platt/the-evil-heart-is-patient-cross-her-fingers-palms-together-hope-pray/) [Dew Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dew-platt/) > [“Don't cross your fingers; fold your hands.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-joy/don-t-cross-your-fingers-fold-your-hands/) Lydia Joy > [“I cross two fingers, a binary precaution against hex, effective as superconductor or simple superstition.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-cross-two-fingers-a-binary-precaution-against-hex-effective-as/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Physically, it's getting impossible for me to travel that much. I want to support my artists by showing up at their openings, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gagosian/physically-it-s-getting-impossible-for-me-to-travel-that-much-i-want/) [Larry Gagosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gagosian/) > [I feel strongly about showing up and being prepared and not taking the opportunity for granted and being conscientious about my fellow co-workers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-schneider/i-feel-strongly-about-showing-up-and-being-prepared-and-not-taking/) [Paul Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-schneider/) > [With independent film, as an actor, you have more involvement - it's very much more connected. It's not just like I'm showing up and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alia-shawkat/with-independent-film-as-an-actor-you-have-more-involvement-it-s-very/) [Alia Shawkat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alia-shawkat/) > [Directing your first film is like showing up to the field trip in seventh grade, getting on the bus, and making an announcement, 'So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/directing-your-first-film-is-like-showing-up-to-the-field-trip-in/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [Instead of showing up to let everyone know how great we are, show up to find out how great everyone else is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/instead-of-showing-up-to-let-everyone-know-how-great-we-are-show-up/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [I've tried open-ended jobs and found myself incredibly unhappy. I don't like the monomania of showing up every day and doing the same thing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-klausner/i-ve-tried-open-ended-jobs-and-found-myself-incredibly-unhappy-i-don/) [Julie Klausner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-klausner/) > [Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/courage-starts-with-showing-up-and-letting-ourselves-be-seen/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) ## More by Tom Stoppard > [If I wanted to change the world, the last thing I would do is write a play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-i-wanted-to-change-the-world-the-last-thing-i-would-do-is-write-a/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [If you want to change something by Tuesday, theater is no good. Journalism is what does that. But, if you want to just alter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-you-want-to-change-something-by-tuesday-theater-is-no-good/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [After all these years, I definitely associate having a pen in my hand with having an ashtray just out of eye line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/after-all-these-years-i-definitely-associate-having-a-pen-in-my-hand/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [The universe is deterministic all right, just like Newton said, I mean it's trying to be, but the only thing going wrong is people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/the-universe-is-deterministic-all-right-just-like-newton-said-i-mean/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [For me, human rights simply endorse a view of life and a set of moral values that are perfectly clear to an eight-year-old child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/for-me-human-rights-simply-endorse-a-view-of-life-and-a-set-of-moral/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [“What is an artist? For every thousand people there's nine hundred doing the work, ninety doing well, nine doing good, and one lucky bastard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/what-is-an-artist-for-every-thousand-people-there-s-nine-hundred/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Dying is not romantic, and death is not a game which will soon be over... Death is not anything... death is not... It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/dying-is-not-romantic-and-death-is-not-a-game-which-will-soon-be-over/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I'm not interested in clothes; I just like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/i-m-not-interested-in-clothes-i-just-like-them/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [For 10 years of my life, 3 times a day, I thanked the Lord for what I was about to receive and thanked him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/for-10-years-of-my-life-3-times-a-day-i-thanked-the-lord-for-what-i/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [You should not translate for more than two hours at a time. After that, you lose your edge, the language becomes clumsy, rigid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/you-should-not-translate-for-more-than-two-hours-at-a-time-after-that/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [No matter how imperfect things are, if you've got a free press everything is correctable, and without it everything is concealable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/no-matter-how-imperfect-things-are-if-you-ve-got-a-free-press/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [We must be born with an intuition of mortality. Before we know the word for it. Before we know that there are words. Out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/we-must-be-born-with-an-intuition-of-mortality-before-we-know-the/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Eternity's a terrible thought. I mean, where's it all going to end?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/eternity-s-a-terrible-thought-i-mean-where-s-it-all-going-to-end/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [There is truth and falsehood in a comma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/there-is-truth-and-falsehood-in-a-comma/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) [Explore all 559 Tom Stoppard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) ## More Around quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. 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It's a time when you really get to do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/you-always-hear-actors-say-theater-is-my-first-love-and-it-is-it-s-a/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [Not having drops and not taking plays off, if I do that it will make everyone around me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/not-having-drops-and-not-taking-plays-off-if-i-do-that-it-will-make/) [Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/) > [I can look around a room and tell you if there are hidden cameras or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-ash/i-can-look-around-a-room-and-tell-you-if-there-are-hidden-cameras-or/) [Lauren Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-ash/) > [You couldn't get me to go travel around and sit in a hotel room again. I have no interest in doing that. So everybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-everly/you-couldn-t-get-me-to-go-travel-around-and-sit-in-a-hotel-room-again/) [Phil Everly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-everly/) > [I drink maple syrup. Then I'm hyper so I just run around like crazy and work it all off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-mcadams/i-drink-maple-syrup-then-i-m-hyper-so-i-just-run-around-like-crazy/) [Rachel McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-mcadams/) > [Music is almost like a therapy for me. It helps keep me centered and think straight. Before I discovered it, I was walking around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/music-is-almost-like-a-therapy-for-me-it-helps-keep-me-centered-and/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I have to say, I grew up with fashion because my mother was a seamstress, and she had an atelier. 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