--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is so largely controlled by chance…" description: "\"Life is so largely controlled by chance that its conduct can be but a perpetual improvisation.\" — W. Somerset Maugham" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9d/w-somerset-maugham-237_chance_life-is-so-largely-controlled-by-chance_2402933.jpg" --- # Life is so largely controlled by chance that its conduct… ![“Life is so largely controlled by chance that its conduct can be but a perpetual improvisation.” quote by W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9d/w-somerset-maugham-237_chance_life-is-so-largely-controlled-by-chance_2402933.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9d/w-somerset-maugham-237_chance_life-is-so-largely-controlled-by-chance_2402933.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9d/w-somerset-maugham-237_chance_life-is-so-largely-controlled-by-chance_2402933.jpg) > “Life is so largely controlled by chance that its conduct can be but a perpetual improvisation.” [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is largely unpredictable, requiring constant improvisation and adaptability. **In simple terms:** Life is chance, so improvise. Key Takeaway Embrace flexibility and spontaneity. Themes uncertainty improvisation adaptability Mood thoughtful hopeful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - career changes - creative projects - crisis management Key Concepts existentialism randomness Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance improvisation with planning? - What habits help you stay adaptable? A Different Perspective Improvisation may lack long‑term planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Improvisation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvisation/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [How you manage yourself as you deal with stuff in your life largely determines the quality of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-you-manage-yourself-as-you-deal-with-stuff-in-your-life-largely/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Success in business, as in life, is often largely just a matter of luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-rohatyn/success-in-business-as-in-life-is-often-largely-just-a-matter-of-luck/) [Felix Rohatyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-rohatyn/) > [“He already knew that life was largely illusion, that though wonderful things could happen, nevertheless as many disappointments came in compensation: and he knew,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sansom/he-already-knew-that-life-was-largely-illusion-that-though-wonderful/) [William Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sansom/) > [“Your propensity to succeed in life is largely dependent on your understanding of the concept, your ability to discover your purpose, and your willingness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-s-mashego/your-propensity-to-succeed-in-life-is-largely-dependent-on-your/) [D.S. Mashego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-s-mashego/) > [“You are lost because you have not been being honest with yourself, and your life is largely unexamined and unexerted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/you-are-lost-because-you-have-not-been-being-honest-with-yourself-and/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [Each of us creates his or her own life largely by our attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/each-of-us-creates-his-or-her-own-life-largely-by-our-attitude/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [All good things require effort. That which is worth having will cost part of your physical being, your intellectual power and your soul power.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/all-good-things-require-effort-that-which-is-worth-having-will-cost-2/) [David O. 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P-ray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/when-all-goes-wrong-push-when-you-wish-for-something-push-when-people/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [Letters start with ABC's.. numbers start with 1 2 3.. love start with YOU and ME..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delves-amion/letters-start-with-abc-s-numbers-start-with-1-2-3-love-start-with-you/) Delves Amion > [I'm bored of being bored because being bored is very boring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sachithra/i-m-bored-of-being-bored-because-being-bored-is-very-boring/) [Sachithra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sachithra/) ## More by W. Somerset Maugham > [“A man thinks it quite natural that he should fall out of love with a woman, but it never strikes him for a moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-thinks-it-quite-natural-that-he-should-fall-out-of-love-with-a/) [W. 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Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“There is no more merit in having read a thousand books than in having ploughed a thousand fields.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/there-is-no-more-merit-in-having-read-a-thousand-books-than-in-having/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“I wanted to live again and again. I was willing to accept every sort of life, no matter what its pain and sorrow; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-wanted-to-live-again-and-again-i-was-willing-to-accept-every-sort/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [In Hollywood, the women are all peaches. It makes one long for an apple occasionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/in-hollywood-the-women-are-all-peaches-it-makes-one-long-for-an-apple/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Follow your inclinations with due regard to the policeman round the corner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/follow-your-inclinations-with-due-regard-to-the-policeman-round-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“His love became a prison from which he longed to escape, but he had not the strength merely to open the door-that was all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/his-love-became-a-prison-from-which-he-longed-to-escape-but-he-had/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [I did not believe him capable of love. That is an emotion in which tenderness is an essential part, but Strickland had no tenderness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-did-not-believe-him-capable-of-love-that-is-an-emotion-in-which/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [If only the good were a little less heavy-footed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/if-only-the-good-were-a-little-less-heavy-footed/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Perfection has one grave defect: it is apt to be dull.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/perfection-has-one-grave-defect-it-is-apt-to-be-dull/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“A God that can be understood is no God. Who can explain the Infinite in words?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-god-that-can-be-understood-is-no-god-who-can-explain-the-infinite/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“My dear, you used to be quite a dish; now you're quite a tureen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/my-dear-you-used-to-be-quite-a-dish-now-you-re-quite-a-tureen/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“When people say they do not care what others thing of them, for the most part they deceive themselves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/when-people-say-they-do-not-care-what-others-thing-of-them-for-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) [Explore all 840 W. Somerset Maugham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## More Chance quotes > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I understand it's promotion, but no one ever gave me a chance. No one ever thought I'd be the champ, and look where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stipe-miocic/i-understand-it-s-promotion-but-no-one-ever-gave-me-a-chance-no-one/) [Stipe Miocic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stipe-miocic/) > [I might, by chance, write something just as shoddy; But then I wouldn't show it to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/i-might-by-chance-write-something-just-as-shoddy-but-then-i-wouldn-t/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I have heard that if you pull a bent breath through the second hole of a harmonica tuned to the key of Georgia while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-wakefield/i-have-heard-that-if-you-pull-a-bent-breath-through-the-second-hole/) [Buddy Wakefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-wakefield/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Love changes people, for better or for worse. You could look at it as a chance for you to change. The best kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-changes-people-for-better-or-for-worse-you-could-look-at-it-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's not who, it's when”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-taubas/it-s-not-who-it-s-when/) Alejandro Taubas > [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/) > [I thought my first few jobs would just be off, off, off, off, off broadway. And by chance and how the world works, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-dorfman/i-thought-my-first-few-jobs-would-just-be-off-off-off-off-off/) [Tommy Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-dorfman/) > [If you’re worrying about the past, you’ve got a good chance of screwing up the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-a-tullman/if-you-re-worrying-about-the-past-you-ve-got-a-good-chance-of/) [Howard A. Tullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-a-tullman/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) [Browse all 12,460 Chance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Life is so largely controlled by chance that its conduct can be but a perpetual improvisation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. 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