Unfortunately, Susan didn't remember what Jane Fulton once said, 'Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results.
About This Quote
Interpretation
The line defines “insanity” as a pattern of repetitive behavior paired with an irrational hope for a different outcome. Its force comes from the mismatch between action and expectation: if nothing in the process changes, expecting change in results is self-deception. In narrative use, it typically functions as a pointed diagnosis of a character’s stuckness—habits, relationships, or strategies repeated despite evidence they fail. More broadly, it has become a modern proverb about learning from experience and adjusting methods rather than doubling down on ineffective routines.
Variations
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
