"The most efficient way to live reasonably is every morning to make a plan of one's day and every night to examine the results obtained"
About this Quote
The intent is efficiency, but the subtext is control. “Live reasonably” sounds humane, even modest, yet it quietly reframes a day as a unit of production with inputs and outputs. Planning becomes the daily “method,” and the evening audit turns experience into results “obtained” - a telling verb that treats living like a yield. The quote works because it offers consolation in exchange for discipline: uncertainty is reduced to a checklist, regret converted into actionable feedback. It’s self-help with a slide rule.
Context matters. Carrel lived in an era intoxicated by scientific management, eugenic fantasies, and the promise that society - and the self - could be optimized if only we applied the right techniques. His broader legacy is morally complicated, which sharpens the line’s edge: the same mindset that can make a person more reflective can also drift toward technocratic arrogance, as if every value can be operationalized.
Still, the appeal is durable because it doesn’t ask for inspiration; it asks for a routine. In a culture of distraction and performative busyness, the quote flatters the reader with a sober identity: be your own researcher, and let your life submit to evidence.
Quote Details
| Topic | Self-Discipline |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Carrel, Alexis. (2026, January 18). The most efficient way to live reasonably is every morning to make a plan of one's day and every night to examine the results obtained. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-most-efficient-way-to-live-reasonably-is-16698/
Chicago Style
Carrel, Alexis. "The most efficient way to live reasonably is every morning to make a plan of one's day and every night to examine the results obtained." FixQuotes. January 18, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-most-efficient-way-to-live-reasonably-is-16698/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"The most efficient way to live reasonably is every morning to make a plan of one's day and every night to examine the results obtained." FixQuotes, 18 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-most-efficient-way-to-live-reasonably-is-16698/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.







