--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want to sail your ship in a…" description: "\"If you want to sail your ship in a different direction, you must turn one degree at a time.\" — Brian Tracy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70c/brian-tracy-216_degrees_if-you-want-to-sail-your-ship-in-a-diffe_432831.jpg" --- # If you want to sail your ship in a different direction… ![“If you want to sail your ship in a different direction, you must turn one degree at a time.” quote by Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70c/brian-tracy-216_degrees_if-you-want-to-sail-your-ship-in-a-diffe_432831.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70c/brian-tracy-216_degrees_if-you-want-to-sail-your-ship-in-a-diffe_432831.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70c/brian-tracy-216_degrees_if-you-want-to-sail-your-ship-in-a-diffe_432831.jpg) > “If you want to sail your ship in a different direction, you must turn one degree at a time.” [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Small, consistent adjustments steer long‑term direction more effectively than drastic changes. **In simple terms:** Gradual changes guide big goals. Key Takeaway Make tiny, steady shifts. Themes self‑discipline goal‑setting incremental change Mood determined optimistic Type motivational practical When to use this quote - career planning - personal growth - project management - health improvement Key Concepts behavioral economics habit formation Questions to Reflect On - What tiny change could you make today? - How do you measure progress? A Different Perspective Large overhauls can cause resistance and burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Different directions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-directions/) [Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direction/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Don’t ever rule out the option of U-turn in your life, because one day you will need it! The moment you realize that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/don-t-ever-rule-out-the-option-of-u-turn-in-your-life-because-one-day/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Sail on ship of state, sail on, I union, strong and great! Humanity with all its fears, with all its hopes of future years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/sail-on-ship-of-state-sail-on-i-union-strong-and-great-humanity-with/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning to sail my ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-afraid-of-storms-for-i-m-learning-to-sail-my-ship/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Thou, too, sail on, O Ship of State! Sail on, O Union, strong and great! Humanity with all its fears, With all the hopes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/thou-too-sail-on-o-ship-of-state-sail-on-o-union-strong-and-great/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [I had acquired the skills to sail a ship; I didn't acquire the knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-holland/i-had-acquired-the-skills-to-sail-a-ship-i-didn-t-acquire-the/) [Tom Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-holland/) > [Sail on, O Ship of State! Sail on, O Union, strong and great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/sail-on-o-ship-of-state-sail-on-o-union-strong-and-great/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [I'm not afraid of any storms, for I know how to sail my own ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-afraid-of-any-storms-for-i-know-how-to-sail-my-own-ship/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Take the helm and sail your own ship. Don't just get into the boat with nobody at the helm and merely hope that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/take-the-helm-and-sail-your-own-ship-don-t-just-get-into-the-boat/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/i-am-not-afraid-of-storms-for-i-am-learning-how-to-sail-my-ship/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [I don't worry about the storms, I am learning to sail my own ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/i-don-t-worry-about-the-storms-i-am-learning-to-sail-my-own-ship/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Everybody learns differently and everybody gets to a certain point from a different direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/everybody-learns-differently-and-everybody-gets-to-a-certain-point/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [Once I stopped trying to always do everything my way, and once I asked for God's help, things have truly gone a different direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/once-i-stopped-trying-to-always-do-everything-my-way-and-once-i-asked/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [Photography is only a new road from a different direction, but moving toward the common goal, which is life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-strand/photography-is-only-a-new-road-from-a-different-direction-but-moving/) [Paul Strand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-strand/) > [More and more people seem to be separating from nature. I'm trying to go in a different direction. I'm getting closer and closer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-potter/more-and-more-people-seem-to-be-separating-from-nature-i-m-trying-to/) [Dean Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-potter/) > [People pray in one direction but they walk in a different direction, and direction always determines where we end up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/people-pray-in-one-direction-but-they-walk-in-a-different-direction/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) ## More by Brian Tracy > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [According to the best research, less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/according-to-the-best-research-less-than-3-of-americans-have-written/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [“Rumi says: ‘die before you die’. It means live each moment fully. Then, when the moment dies, there is no pain or regret because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/rumi-says-die-before-you-die-it-means-live-each-moment-fully-then/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [One of the most important rules for success is this: Every great success is the result of hundreds and thousands of small efforts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/one-of-the-most-important-rules-for-success-is-this-every-great/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [Almost any decision is better than no decision at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/almost-any-decision-is-better-than-no-decision-at-all/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [Spend unbroken chunks of time with the most important people in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/spend-unbroken-chunks-of-time-with-the-most-important-people-in-your/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [The effective leader recognizes that she is more dependent on her people than they are on her. Walk softly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/the-effective-leader-recognizes-that-she-is-more-dependent-on-her/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [Develop a mentor at each stage of your career - someone who will give you guidance and advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/develop-a-mentor-at-each-stage-of-your-career-someone-who-will-give/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [I believe each person has far more intelligence than they have ever used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-believe-each-person-has-far-more-intelligence-than-they-have-ever/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [Our mind is the most valuable possession that we have. The quality of our lives is, and will be, a reflection of how well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/our-mind-is-the-most-valuable-possession-that-we-have-the-quality-of/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [Intense, burning desire is the motivational force that enables you to overcome any obstacle and achieve almost any goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/intense-burning-desire-is-the-motivational-force-that-enables-you-to/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [Any system or blueprint for success is better than none at all. Think on paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/any-system-or-blueprint-for-success-is-better-than-none-at-all-think/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [Being true to yourself means living in truth with each person in your life. It means refusing to say or do something that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/being-true-to-yourself-means-living-in-truth-with-each-person-in-your/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [The happiest people in the world are those who feel absolutely terrific about themselves, and this is the natural outgrowth of accepting total responsibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/the-happiest-people-in-the-world-are-those-who-feel-absolutely/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [The value of a promise is the cost to you of keeping your word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/the-value-of-a-promise-is-the-cost-to-you-of-keeping-your-word/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) [Explore all 882 Brian Tracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) ## More Degrees quotes > [ \[Photography is \] likewise even French impressionists. So the Sculls bought pop. It was politics, and they moved with it. And I think that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/photography-is-likewise-even-french-impressionists-so-the-sculls/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [The Only cure for nihilism is for liberal democratic societies - their electorates, their judiciary, and their political leadership- to insist that force is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/the-only-cure-for-nihilism-is-for-liberal-democratic-societies-their/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [A free society depends upon a high degree of mutual trust. The public will not give that trust to officials who are not seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/a-free-society-depends-upon-a-high-degree-of-mutual-trust-the-public/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) > [I was a full time student either at Stony Brook or NYU getting my masters degree. After I graduated with my masters I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-algieri/i-was-a-full-time-student-either-at-stony-brook-or-nyu-getting-my/) [Chris Algieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-algieri/) > [Life comes from death. To the degree that I can live in the death of Jesus - to that degree I can channel God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/life-comes-from-death-to-the-degree-that-i-can-live-in-the-death-of/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [By heaven we understand a state of happiness infinite in degree, and endless in duration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/by-heaven-we-understand-a-state-of-happiness-infinite-in-degree-and/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [As hard as I try to live with some degree of faith in my life, I just can't believe that the full moon can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gould/as-hard-as-i-try-to-live-with-some-degree-of-faith-in-my-life-i-just/) [Dana Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gould/) > [The male dares to be different to the degree that he accepts his passivity and his desire to be female, his fagginess. The farthest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-solanas/the-male-dares-to-be-different-to-the-degree-that-he-accepts-his/) [Valerie Solanas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-solanas/) > [ What are you for? It may be, to a degree, consoling that white brothers and sisters did not vote for \[Donald\] Trump, and do… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/what-are-you-for-it-may-be-to-a-degree-consoling-that-white-brothers/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [My mother taught me three things, respect, knowledge-search for knowledge, it's an eternal journey. That's like my hair-cut, the line, 360 degrees, find knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/my-mother-taught-me-three-things-respect-knowledge-search-for/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [I work with different actors with varied degrees of experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-baker/i-work-with-different-actors-with-varied-degrees-of-experience/) [Sean Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-baker/) > [We are only alive to the degree that we can let ourselves be moved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hyde/we-are-only-alive-to-the-degree-that-we-can-let-ourselves-be-moved/) [Lewis Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hyde/) > [Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The insolence of base minds in success is boundless; and would scarce admit of a comparison, did not they themselves furnish us with one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/the-insolence-of-base-minds-in-success-is-boundless-and-would-scarce/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [Each year we pump at least six billion tons of heat-trapping carbon into the innermost layer of our atmosphere, whose outer extent is only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-gelbspan/each-year-we-pump-at-least-six-billion-tons-of-heat-trapping-carbon/) [Ross Gelbspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-gelbspan/) Browse all 3,453 Degrees quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you want to sail your ship in a different direction, you must turn one degree at a time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brian Tracy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/if-you-want-to-sail-your-ship-in-a-different-direction-you-must-turn/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Degrees" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/if-you-want-to-sail-your-ship-in-a-different-direction-you-must-turn/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70c/brian-tracy-216_degrees_if-you-want-to-sail-your-ship-in-a-diffe_432831.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70c/brian-tracy-216_degrees_if-you-want-to-sail-your-ship-in-a-diffe_432831.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70c/brian-tracy-216_degrees_if-you-want-to-sail-your-ship-in-a-diffe_432831.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you want to sail your ship in a different direction, you must turn one degree at a time.” — Brian Tracy", "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": "Brian Tracy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you want to sail your...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/if-you-want-to-sail-your-ship-in-a-different-direction-you-must-turn/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/if-you-want-to-sail-your-ship-in-a-different-direction-you-must-turn/#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 } } ] } ```