--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: sometimes when you go looking for what…" description: "\"“sometimes when you go looking for what you want, you run right into what you need.”\" — Wally Lamb" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/wally-lamb-1817_looking_sometimes-when-you-go-looking-for-what-y_2024481.png" --- # sometimes when you go looking for what you want, you run… ![“sometimes when you go looking for what you want, you run right into what you need.” quote by Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/wally-lamb-1817_looking_sometimes-when-you-go-looking-for-what-y_2024481.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/wally-lamb-1817_looking_sometimes-when-you-go-looking-for-what-y_2024481.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/wally-lamb-1817_looking_sometimes-when-you-go-looking-for-what-y_2024481.png) > ““sometimes when you go looking for what you want, you run right into what you need.”” [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeking desires often leads to unexpected needs that fulfill deeper purposes. **In simple terms:** Desires reveal hidden needs. Key Takeaway Stay open to unexpected outcomes. Themes desire need serendipity Mood hopeful curious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - relationships - creative projects Key Concepts growth purpose Questions to Reflect On - What need might you be overlooking? - How can you embrace unexpected paths? A Different Perspective Not all needs are obvious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-nothing-like-looking-if-you-want-to-find-something/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In fiction: we find the predictable boring. In real life: we find the unpredictable terrifying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/in-fiction-we-find-the-predictable-boring-in-real-life-we-find-the/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“And here we see again that we do not decide our own lives. Dieneke, even if we won't see each other again on earth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diet-eman/and-here-we-see-again-that-we-do-not-decide-our-own-lives-dieneke/) [Diet Eman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diet-eman/) > [“When we try to contain reality, to define it, to write down its laws, we fail. We should recognise the universe its right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rossana-condoleo/when-we-try-to-contain-reality-to-define-it-to-write-down-its-laws-we/) [Rossana Condoleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rossana-condoleo/) > [“Yes, he was that good looking. Take-your-breath-away good looking. Want-to-strip-your-body-naked-and-let-him-devour-you-alive good looking. Certified-eye-candy good looking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-mchugh/yes-he-was-that-good-looking-take-your-breath-away-good-looking-want/) [Gail McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-mchugh/) > [If I start to go around and look for stuff that's being written about me or about the band, chances are I'm not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tad-kubler/if-i-start-to-go-around-and-look-for-stuff-that-s-being-written-about/) [Tad Kubler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tad-kubler/) > [It seems that with other kind of music, they are looking for the next big thing, but with country music, they might be looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darius-rucker/it-seems-that-with-other-kind-of-music-they-are-looking-for-the-next/) [Darius Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darius-rucker/) > [Too many times in life we are too busy looking for what we want that we are blind to the fact that we already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/too-many-times-in-life-we-are-too-busy-looking-for-what-we-want-that/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [That's what America is always looking for - they want to know who is going to be the next champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shelton/that-s-what-america-is-always-looking-for-they-want-to-know-who-is/) [Ben Shelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shelton/) > [I'm done looking. I want someone to find me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-m-done-looking-i-want-someone-to-find-me/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-nothing-like-looking-if-you-want-to-find-something-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's okay to be kind of looking for what you want and trying out all kinds of different ideas and different course work, etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/it-s-okay-to-be-kind-of-looking-for-what-you-want-and-trying-out-all/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [Rat race is the perfect name for it,' she said. 'We're always going and going and going, and never asking where. Did you ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rat-race-is-the-perfect-name-for-it-she-said-we-re-always-going-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“it doesn't matter how you are looking.. but how you want to look …it matters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco/it-doesn-t-matter-how-you-are-looking-but-how-you-want-to-look-it/) [Marco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco/) > [“There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jrr-tolkein/there-is-nothing-like-looking-if-you-want-to-find-something-you-2/) JRR Tolkein ## More by Wally Lamb > [“Sometimes we want something to be true so badly that we convince ourselves that it is true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/sometimes-we-want-something-to-be-true-so-badly-that-we-convince/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [I like to write first-person because I like to become the character I'm writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/i-like-to-write-first-person-because-i-like-to-become-the-character-i/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [But I think this: that whatever prices I've paid, whatever sorrows I shoulder, well, I have blessings, too. Not just my family now, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/but-i-think-this-that-whatever-prices-i-ve-paid-whatever-sorrows-i/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“why would white dudes want to change things when they held all the cards?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/why-would-white-dudes-want-to-change-things-when-they-held-all-the/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“And in taking on the subject of themselves-making themselves vulnerable to the unseen reader-they have exchanged powerlessness for for the power that comes with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/and-in-taking-on-the-subject-of-themselves-making-themselves/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“People had always amazed him, he began. But they amazed him more since the sickness. For as long as the two of them had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/people-had-always-amazed-him-he-began-but-they-amazed-him-more-since/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“So I got my stuff and the girl at the register puts these other things in my bag, too. Little free samples: gum and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/so-i-got-my-stuff-and-the-girl-at-the-register-puts-these-other/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [What if I don’t like adventure? Then cultivate a taste for it. Take a chance. That’s how you grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/what-if-i-don-t-like-adventure-then-cultivate-a-taste-for-it-take-a/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“Guess what?' I said. 'I have a psychic.' His head tilted questioningly, birdlike. A sidekick?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/guess-what-i-said-i-have-a-psychic-his-head-tilted-questioningly/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [The evidence of God exists in the roundness of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/the-evidence-of-god-exists-in-the-roundness-of-things/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [Life is a whoopee cushion, a chair pulled away just as you were taking a seat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/life-is-a-whoopee-cushion-a-chair-pulled-away-just-as-you-were-taking/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“What I remembered about those seesaw rides was the way Thomas would get mad at me, midride, and evacuate. Send me crashing back down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/what-i-remembered-about-those-seesaw-rides-was-the-way-thomas-would/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“I didn't respond to him. Couldn't speak at all. Couldn't look at his self-mutilation--not even the clean, bandaged version of it. Instead, I looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/i-didn-t-respond-to-him-couldn-t-speak-at-all-couldn-t-look-at-his/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [I write to find out what the story means to me, that is what I try to do especially with the first draft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/i-write-to-find-out-what-the-story-means-to-me-that-is-what-i-try-to/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“As anxious and limited as that love might have been, it had been love nonetheless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/as-anxious-and-limited-as-that-love-might-have-been-it-had-been-love/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) [Explore all 204 Wally Lamb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) ## More Looking quotes > [I'm tired of looking for the perfect guy. From now on.. he can look for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-tired-of-looking-for-the-perfect-guy-from-now-on-he-can-look-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [Once you stop looking for what you what you find exactly what you need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia/once-you-stop-looking-for-what-you-what-you-find-exactly-what-you-need/) [Cynthia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia/) > [I'm looking to fight the best guys in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-rodriguez/i-m-looking-to-fight-the-best-guys-in-the-world/) [Yair Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-rodriguez/) > [I'm just always looking forwards. I spend very little time, looking backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-m-just-always-looking-forwards-i-spend-very-little-time-looking/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) Darlene Senger > [Nothing is really broke, so it's not like I can fix it. I just have to keep trying to find what I'm looking for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-addison-allen/nothing-is-really-broke-so-it-s-not-like-i-can-fix-it-i-just-have-to/) [Sarah Addison Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-addison-allen/) > [The hard-working Mexican tries to get up here looking for opportunities because America's one of the greatest countries in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-ruiz-jr/the-hard-working-mexican-tries-to-get-up-here-looking-for/) [Andy Ruiz Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-ruiz-jr/) > [Whenever I was flying commercial, I would land in Chicago, and they would announce, 'Get your passports out.' It happened so often, I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahid-khan/whenever-i-was-flying-commercial-i-would-land-in-chicago-and-they/) [Shahid Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahid-khan/) > [If it comes, it comes, but its not like a main focus. If you go looking for something youre never gone find what youre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akon/if-it-comes-it-comes-but-its-not-like-a-main-focus-if-you-go-looking/) [Akon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akon/) > [I've played a mother before, but it's always been a very young child, which is closer to what I can imagine my own life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/i-ve-played-a-mother-before-but-it-s-always-been-a-very-young-child/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) > [“I’ve been looking for you my whole damn life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-ve-been-looking-for-you-my-whole-damn-life/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“God isn't looking for perfect people. He is looking to perfect people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hileman/god-isn-t-looking-for-perfect-people-he-is-looking-to-perfect-people/) John Hileman > [The woman who gave birth to me, I don't have a relationship with. I'm not looking for one, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-fisher/the-woman-who-gave-birth-to-me-i-don-t-have-a-relationship-with-i-m/) [Jordan Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-fisher/) > [It's very important to me that I look good when I go out publicly. I like looking at my clothes rack in the morning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-wintour/it-s-very-important-to-me-that-i-look-good-when-i-go-out-publicly-i/) [Anna Wintour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-wintour/) Browse all 5,428 Looking quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“sometimes when you go looking for what you want, you run right into what you need.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wally Lamb" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/sometimes-when-you-go-looking-for-what-you-want-you-run-right-into/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Looking" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/sometimes-when-you-go-looking-for-what-you-want-you-run-right-into/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/wally-lamb-1817_looking_sometimes-when-you-go-looking-for-what-y_2024481.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/wally-lamb-1817_looking_sometimes-when-you-go-looking-for-what-y_2024481.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/wally-lamb-1817_looking_sometimes-when-you-go-looking-for-what-y_2024481.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“sometimes when you go looking for what you want, you run right into what you need.” — Wally Lamb", "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": "Wally Lamb", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“sometimes when you go looking for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/sometimes-when-you-go-looking-for-what-you-want-you-run-right-into/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/sometimes-when-you-go-looking-for-what-you-want-you-run-right-into/#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 } } ] } ```