

survive the test of time

1. To work, function, or endure for a very long time. (A less common variant of "stand/withstand the test of time.") As computer technology improves, it's ironically getting harder and harder to find a piece of equipment that can survive the test of time.
2. To be particularly popular or well regarded for a long period of time. Of all the other cast members, hers was the only career that survived the test of time.
See also: of, survive, test, time

no plan survives contact with the enemy

Military plans always need to be changed once they are enacted in real-life military situations. The saying emphasizes the need for flexibility, as opposed to strict adherence to strategy. It is attributed to Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, a 19th-century Prussian field marshal. Men, be ready to make changes on the battlefield—we all know that no plan survives contact with the enemy.
See also: contact, enemy, plan, survive