phrase meaning...

[blu3wave]

Where does the phrase" be careful what you wish for" originate from?? I hear it a lot but still find it a strange one ....

[Quizmonster]

The great German poet, Goethe (1749 - 1832), wrote: "Beware of what you wish for in youth, because you will get it in middle life." Since then, there have been lots of variations on the theme such as: �Be careful what you wish for, it just might come true'...or...'you just might get it' and so on.
The idea clearly is that what you think you want may well turn out to be far from the blessing you expect it to be! That gorgeous girl you want to marry may be the worst nag in history!

[VS Prasad]

The version that is more familiar to me is "be careful what you wish for, lest it come true", which always makes me think of the Tale of the Monkey's Paw (Edgar Allen Poe?). Fortunately, when right-minded and well-balanced people come together in communal accord and consensus, the extremes warned about by Mr. Poe (if it was he) never occur.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/37/me ssages/1134.html

When I was a little girl, I had desires like you
One of everything, all the riches
How could I help myself?
I was so na�ve, Santa Claus, Christmas eve, ohhh�.

Careful what you wish for, careful what you do
Even when you whisper, someone's listening to you
Careful what you wish for, careful what you say
Careful what you wish for, 'cuz it just might come true someday

http://www.jonathabrooke.com/music/careful-wha t-you-wish-for/careful-what-you-wish-for

[curiosity]

On a recent team away day after everyone had griped about what should and shouldn't be done, or what does and doesn't happen on a shift, we set about deciding on standards and actions that would be expected by everyone and if not adhered to, would be dealt with. At which point I said "Be careful what you wish for" meaning think before setting standards based on irritation which may lose flexibility & ultimately may make your life harder on a daily basis, which is not taken into account sometimes when away for the day, being positive etc. I wasn't putting a dampener on things, I was being realistic, it's great to set high standards and improve, but don't set standards which are desirable 100% of the time when sometimes it's not possible and put consequences to that if not achieved, when we're already a great team.

[cakelady]

I always took it to mean be careful when you wish for things in anger..like 'I wish I was dead' , or ' I wish she was a million miles away' etc.