--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greater danger for most of us lies…" description: "\"The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.\" — An..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/anonymous-1_achieving_the-greater-danger-for-most-of-us-lies-n_2621140.jpg" --- # The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our… ![“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/anonymous-1_achieving_the-greater-danger-for-most-of-us-lies-n_2621140.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/anonymous-1_achieving_the-greater-danger-for-most-of-us-lies-n_2621140.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/anonymous-1_achieving_the-greater-danger-for-most-of-us-lies-n_2621140.jpg) > “The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” [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. Setting low goals leads to mediocrity; aim high to achieve meaningful results. **In simple terms:** Aim high, avoid mediocrity. Key Takeaway Set ambitious goals. Themes ambition goal setting achievement Mood inspirational cautionary Type motivational self‑help When to use this quote - career planning - academic pursuits - personal projects Key Concepts psychology of motivation performance theory Questions to Reflect On - What high goal excites you? - How do you balance ambition and well‑being? A Different Perspective May cause burnout if unrealistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aim high](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim-high/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) ## Related quotes > [“The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greater-danger-for-most-of-us-is-not-that-our-aim-is-too-high-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no greater danger than underestimating your opponent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-no-greater-danger-than-underestimating-your-opponent/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Curiosity is a restless propensity and often does but hurry us forward the more irresistably, the greater is the danger that attends its indulgence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/curiosity-is-a-restless-propensity-and-often-does-but-hurry-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've always believed the greater danger is not aiming too high, but too low, settling for a bogey rather than shooting for an eagle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-scott/i-ve-always-believed-the-greater-danger-is-not-aiming-too-high-but/) [Peter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-scott/) > [There is a time when to avoid trouble is to store up trouble, and when to seek for a lazy and a cowardly peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/there-is-a-time-when-to-avoid-trouble-is-to-store-up-trouble-and-when/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [“You really don't have to subscribe to the life that had been written for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-hennessy/you-really-don-t-have-to-subscribe-to-the-life-that-had-been-written/) Allan Hennessy > [You have some intelligent quotes, But I'm also seeing a lot of immature and second-rate quotes here. I do wish you would vet them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-have-some-intelligent-quotes-but-i-m-also-seeing-a-lot-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Always aim high simply because with that direction there comes no limit...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/always-aim-high-simply-because-with-that-direction-there-comes-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Dream big! Aim high! Know that YOU can make a difference!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dream-big-aim-high-know-that-you-can-make-a-difference/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Aim high, nothing is impossible just walk with Faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/aim-high-nothing-is-impossible-just-walk-with-faith/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Seven secrets of success... I found the answers in my room. 1. Roof said, 'Aim high.' 2.Fan said, 'Be cool' 3.Clock said, 'Every minute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/seven-secrets-of-success-i-found-the-answers-in-my-room-1-roof-said/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [7 Secrets of Success¦ I found the answers in my room. roof said:Aim high Fan said:Be cool Clock said:Every minute is precious Mirror said:Reflect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/7-secrets-of-success-i-found-the-answers-in-my-room-roof-said-aim/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Get going. Move forward. Aim High. Plan a takeoff. Dont just sit on the runway and hope someone will come along and push the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/get-going-move-forward-aim-high-plan-a-takeoff-dont-just-sit-on-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Confucius say Aim high, not failure, but low aim is crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/confucius-say-aim-high-not-failure-but-low-aim-is-crime/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Aim high. Inspire others to come with you. Equip them. Be ready for challenges. Stay your course!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/aim-high-inspire-others-to-come-with-you-equip-them-be-ready-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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 Achieving quotes > [“Achieving mental harmony is one of the greatest goals and experiences in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kambiz-mostofizadeh/achieving-mental-harmony-is-one-of-the-greatest-goals-and-experiences/) [Kambiz Mostofizadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kambiz-mostofizadeh/) > [“And...how much are we getting paid for achieving the impossible?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/and-how-much-are-we-getting-paid-for-achieving-the-impossible/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Desires and wishes don’t lead to success. Plans and efforts do. Create a vision, chalk out an action plan, put in your best efforts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roopleen/desires-and-wishes-don-t-lead-to-success-plans-and-efforts-do-create/) Roopleen > [Ever proud to represent Jamaica achieving new levels in any endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skip-marley/ever-proud-to-represent-jamaica-achieving-new-levels-in-any-endeavor/) [Skip Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skip-marley/) > [My whole life, I've wanted things before I was ready. I was always pushing for the next job, the next success. I was so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duchovny/my-whole-life-i-ve-wanted-things-before-i-was-ready-i-was-always/) [David Duchovny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duchovny/) > [Have dreams/goals and never quit working toward achieving them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rodriguez/have-dreams-goals-and-never-quit-working-toward-achieving-them/) [Adam Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rodriguez/) > [The night is saturated with inspiration¦ I cant imagine wasting a minute of it with my eyes or ears closed. 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But it's been about becoming, achieving, and pushing myself further.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/for-me-my-career-has-never-been-about-what-i-ve-done-but-it-s-been/) [Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/) > [My AMBITION will drive me to achieving my DREAMS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-ambition-will-drive-me-to-achieving-my-dreams/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is nice to be recognised for actually achieving something in life as opposed to spending seven weeks in a house on TV with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wiggins/it-is-nice-to-be-recognised-for-actually-achieving-something-in-life/) [Bradley Wiggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wiggins/) > [Discipline: A Key to Achieving your Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/discipline-a-key-to-achieving-your-goals/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [The love of what you do, combined with your belief in what you do, will not determine your success. It will determine how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-gitomer/the-love-of-what-you-do-combined-with-your-belief-in-what-you-do-will/) [Jeffrey Gitomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-gitomer/) > [Today I know that there is still work to be done, but along the way I am achieving my dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-parker/today-i-know-that-there-is-still-work-to-be-done-but-along-the-way-i/) [Candace Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-parker/) Browse all 335 Achieving quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greater-danger-for-most-of-us-lies-not-in-setting-our-aim-too/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Achieving" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greater-danger-for-most-of-us-lies-not-in-setting-our-aim-too/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/anonymous-1_achieving_the-greater-danger-for-most-of-us-lies-n_2621140.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/anonymous-1_achieving_the-greater-danger-for-most-of-us-lies-n_2621140.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/anonymous-1_achieving_the-greater-danger-for-most-of-us-lies-n_2621140.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our…” — 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 greater danger for most of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greater-danger-for-most-of-us-lies-not-in-setting-our-aim-too/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greater-danger-for-most-of-us-lies-not-in-setting-our-aim-too/#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 } } ] } ```