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Advance Quotes

On preparing early and moving forward with purpose.

This page rounds up quotes using the word advance — from planning speeches well ahead of time to facing blame before anything has even happened. It's a mix of practical and political uses of the same idea.

I don't plan massively in advance.

Quotes by Stella McCartney

The very best impromptu speeches are the ones written well in advance.

Quotes by Ruth Gordon

Diplomacy is not an end in itself if it does not advance U.S. interests.

Quotes by John Bolton

Serbia is blamed in advance for everything.

Quotes by Ivica Dacic

Best Quotes

Societies advance through innovation every bit as much as economies do.

Quotes by Geoff Mulgan

There are people who are trying to advance themselves by wrapping themselves in Reagan.

Quotes by Eugene Jarecki

All that is human must retrograde if it does not advance.

Quotes by Edward Gibbon

Major North and myself went out in advance of the command several miles and killed a number of buffaloes.

Quotes by Buffalo Bill

My jobs on campaigns were pretty low on the totem pole - I was an advance man.

Quotes by Beau Willimon

Blamed Quotes

In theater, we know a scheduled season months in advance.

Quotes by Allison Tolman

Frequently Asked Questions

What angle do these 'advance' quotes take?
They mostly deal with preparation and foresight, planning a speech, a diplomatic move, or a public reaction before it's needed. A couple of them flip the idea around to show how being judged in advance can be unfair rather than useful.
Why is planning ahead such a popular quote theme?
Preparation is one of those values everyone claims to admire but rarely practices consistently, so a sharp line about planning in advance tends to resonate as both aspirational and a little self-critical. It's a theme that fits equally well in personal, creative, and political contexts.
Is there a political quote among these?
Yes, one touches on diplomacy needing to serve national interests rather than existing for its own sake, and another mentions a country being blamed in advance regardless of circumstances. Both use foresight as a lens on international relations.
How do these quotes relate to public speaking?
One of the quotes makes the case that the best impromptu speeches are actually written well in advance, which is a useful, slightly counterintuitive point for anyone preparing remarks. It pairs naturally with material on the Best quotes page.
What's the throughline connecting these otherwise different quotes?
Each one treats advance thought as something that shapes an outcome long before it happens, whether that outcome is a speech, a diplomatic deal, or a country's reputation. For more on how outcomes get shaped by outside judgment, see the Blamed quotes page.

If preparation and readiness interest you, check quotes on doing your best or the role of diplomacy in getting ahead of a problem before it grows.