“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born physicist and founder of the theory of relativity
Variously attributed also to Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain. The earliest known occurrence, and probable origin, is from a 1981 text from Narcotics Anonymous: "Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results." Cf. Rita Mae Brown#Misattributed.
Misattributed
Variant: Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.