--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The great thing in this world is not so…" description: "\"“The great thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are going.”\" — Anonymous" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/anonymous-1_direction_the-great-thing-in-this-world-is-not-so_311948.jpg" --- # The great thing in this world is not so much where we are… ![“The great thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are going.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/anonymous-1_direction_the-great-thing-in-this-world-is-not-so_311948.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/anonymous-1_direction_the-great-thing-in-this-world-is-not-so_311948.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/anonymous-1_direction_the-great-thing-in-this-world-is-not-so_311948.jpg) > ““The great thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are going.”” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote emphasizes that progress matters more than current status, focusing on direction over location. **In simple terms:** Direction matters more than place. Key Takeaway Prioritize setting a clear direction. Themes progress purpose direction Mood reflective determined Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - travel decisions - relationship goals Key Concepts goal setting future orientation Questions to Reflect On - What direction are you heading? - How can you measure progress toward that direction? A Different Perspective Direction alone doesn’t guarantee success without effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direction/) [Direction Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direction-going-491347/) [Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Thing World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-world/) [World Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-direction-1707037/) ## Related quotes > [“The great thing in this world, is not so much where we are, but in which direction we are moving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/the-great-thing-in-this-world-is-not-so-much-where-we-are-but-in/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [And it raises a fundamental question: How long can we move the world in one direction while we move in another direction, and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-spratt/and-it-raises-a-fundamental-question-how-long-can-we-move-the-world/) [John Spratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-spratt/) > [My dreams are like a river, they flow over and around obstacles that fall in their path and they will take me to where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-dreams-are-like-a-river-they-flow-over-and-around-obstacles-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can't lead someone in a direction that you are not going yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-lead-someone-in-a-direction-that-you-are-not-going-yourself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Always lost, always striking out in the wrong direction, always going around in circles. You have suffered from a life-long inability to orient yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/always-lost-always-striking-out-in-the-wrong-direction-always-going/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [When you're starting up a show, you don't really know what direction it's going to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-dratch/when-you-re-starting-up-a-show-you-don-t-really-know-what-direction/) [Rachel Dratch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dratch/) > [A lot of producers always say "what direction are you going in?" and I don't know. I'm just doing music. Right now it's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginuwine/a-lot-of-producers-always-say-what-direction-are-you-going-in-and-i/) [Ginuwine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginuwine/) > [The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr-2/the-greatest-thing-in-this-world-is-not-so-much-where-we-are-but-in/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr-2/) > [Express the world what you can do, it's nothing much, everyone can do it and it's breaking up but the thing that I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/express-the-world-what-you-can-do-it-s-nothing-much-everyone-can-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For all the compasses in the world, there's only one direction, and time is its only measure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/for-all-the-compasses-in-the-world-there-s-only-one-direction-and/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Wine is the most civilized thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wine-is-the-most-civilized-thing-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's the hardest thing in the world to express your feelings sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-the-hardest-thing-in-the-world-to-express-your-feelings-sometimes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The hardest thing in this world, is to live in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-hardest-thing-in-this-world-is-to-live-in-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The real world is not in one direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pranav-mistry/the-real-world-is-not-in-one-direction/) [Pranav Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pranav-mistry/) > [You cannot have an integrated world and have your say all the time. America can lead the world towards that, but we cannot dominate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/you-cannot-have-an-integrated-world-and-have-your-say-all-the-time/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Direction quotes > [I'm not gonna squeal out that this is my 23rd retirement, my real, real retirement. But you know there comes a time where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-funk/i-m-not-gonna-squeal-out-that-this-is-my-23rd-retirement-my-real-real/) [Terry Funk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-funk/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [Every time you think a negative thought, it's one step in the wrong direction, for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-paul/every-time-you-think-a-negative-thought-it-s-one-step-in-the-wrong/) [Sean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-paul/) > [“No matter how many times you get turned around,you will still find yourself going in the right direction \*B\*”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-easley/no-matter-how-many-times-you-get-turned-around-you-will-still-find/) [B. Easley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-easley/) > [Life's lessons don't come with books, notes nor instructions...just mistakes and EVERYONE makes them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/life-s-lessons-don-t-come-with-books-notes-nor-instructions-just/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [I don't think comedy really does change people's minds; I think you can only get someone who is almost ready to change their mind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/i-don-t-think-comedy-really-does-change-people-s-minds-i-think-you/) [Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/) > [The prime communities of the Southwest are survival communities. Their sustenance is governed by rainfall and wind direction. You can study little enclaves of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-predock/the-prime-communities-of-the-southwest-are-survival-communities-their/) [Antoine Predock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-predock/) > [Napster has pointed the way for a new direction for music distribution, and we believe it will form the basis of important and exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-diller/napster-has-pointed-the-way-for-a-new-direction-for-music/) [Barry Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-diller/) > [But I would say if the Security Council is only relevant if it agrees with the United States, then we have come a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/but-i-would-say-if-the-security-council-is-only-relevant-if-it-agrees/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [Vote SNP for a party that always stands up for Scotland, that is stronger for Scotland, and a government that will keep the country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/vote-snp-for-a-party-that-always-stands-up-for-scotland-that-is/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [I have a horrible sense of direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/i-have-a-horrible-sense-of-direction/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [When I see Mario Gotze, his development does not go in the right direction. He has outstanding qualities, but he has not reached his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ballack/when-i-see-mario-gotze-his-development-does-not-go-in-the-right/) [Michael Ballack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ballack/) > [Even in 'Hollyoaks,' we were known as 'the black family' as opposed to just 'the new family.' But that's where we are in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-whittle/even-in-hollyoaks-we-were-known-as-the-black-family-as-opposed-to/) [Ricky Whittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-whittle/) > [I love being a private company. I don't ever want to be forced to not do the things I need to do to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendra-scott/i-love-being-a-private-company-i-don-t-ever-want-to-be-forced-to-not/) [Kendra Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendra-scott/) > [Nobody had anticipated that chemicals was the direction in which Reliance was headed. I did chemical engineering because it was supposed to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mukesh-ambani/nobody-had-anticipated-that-chemicals-was-the-direction-in-which/) [Mukesh Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mukesh-ambani/) [Browse all 2,024 Direction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The great thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are going.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-great-thing-in-this-world-is-not-so-much-where-we-are-but-in-what/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Direction" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-great-thing-in-this-world-is-not-so-much-where-we-are-but-in-what/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/anonymous-1_direction_the-great-thing-in-this-world-is-not-so_311948.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/anonymous-1_direction_the-great-thing-in-this-world-is-not-so_311948.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/anonymous-1_direction_the-great-thing-in-this-world-is-not-so_311948.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The great thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are going.” — Anonymous", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The great thing in this world...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-great-thing-in-this-world-is-not-so-much-where-we-are-but-in-what/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-great-thing-in-this-world-is-not-so-much-where-we-are-but-in-what/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```