--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The tragedy is that everyone thinks they…" description: "\"The tragedy is that everyone thinks they already have goals. But what they really have are hopes and wishes.\" — Brian Tracy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d90/brian-tracy-216_goal_the-tragedy-is-that-everyone-thinks-they_1329553.jpg" --- # The tragedy is that everyone thinks they already have… ![“The tragedy is that everyone thinks they already have goals. But what they really have are hopes and wishes.” quote by Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d90/brian-tracy-216_goal_the-tragedy-is-that-everyone-thinks-they_1329553.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d90/brian-tracy-216_goal_the-tragedy-is-that-everyone-thinks-they_1329553.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d90/brian-tracy-216_goal_the-tragedy-is-that-everyone-thinks-they_1329553.jpg) > “The tragedy is that everyone thinks they already have goals. But what they really have are hopes and wishes.” [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. Many mistake hopes and wishes for concrete goals, which lack the structure needed for achievement. **In simple terms:** Hopes ≠ actionable goals. Key Takeaway Turn wishes into specific, measurable goals. Themes goal setting clarity motivation Mood focused determined Type practical motivational When to use this quote - business strategy - personal development - project management - coaching sessions Key Concepts SMART criteria planning accountability Questions to Reflect On - What wish can you define as a goal? - How will you measure progress? A Different Perspective Goals require realistic timelines and resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [“Let the sky celebrate! Let it pour some rain to wash away the past years' grief. Let the fireworks speak announcing a New Year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noha-alaa-el-din/let-the-sky-celebrate-let-it-pour-some-rain-to-wash-away-the-past/) Noha Alaa El-Din > [Have faith, little one, til your hopes and your wishes come true. You must try to be brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-rescuers/have-faith-little-one-til-your-hopes-and-your-wishes-come-true-you/) The Rescuers > [Every single life only becomes great when the individual sets upon a goal or goals which they really believe in, which they can really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/every-single-life-only-becomes-great-when-the-individual-sets-upon-a/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [I am sure my fellow-scientists will agree with me if I say that whatever we were able to achieve in our later years had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-bloch/i-am-sure-my-fellow-scientists-will-agree-with-me-if-i-say-that/) [Felix Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-bloch/) > [“Hopes and wishes are overrated, but your future and your dreams is your reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juantressa-rosette/hopes-and-wishes-are-overrated-but-your-future-and-your-dreams-is/) Juantressa Rosette > [There's nothing wrong with having your goals really high and trying to achieve them. That's the fun part. You may come up short. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiger-woods/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-having-your-goals-really-high-and-trying/) [Tiger Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiger-woods/) > [I set some goals for myself. I really want to run through this whole heavyweight division.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-lewis/i-set-some-goals-for-myself-i-really-want-to-run-through-this-whole/) [Derrick Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-lewis/) > [If there's one thing I learned in life is that you can't keep waiting for the ones you think you love. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martika-cgo/if-there-s-one-thing-i-learned-in-life-is-that-you-can-t-keep-waiting/) Martika Cgo > [What I've always done is write out my goals really specifically. When I was first starting, I said, 'OK, I'm going to tweet, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-sennott/what-i-ve-always-done-is-write-out-my-goals-really-specifically-when/) [Rachel Sennott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-sennott/) > [Those who know me well know how much I am determined to reach my goals. I really want to get it done and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-radrizzani/those-who-know-me-well-know-how-much-i-am-determined-to-reach-my/) [Andrea Radrizzani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-radrizzani/) > [We knew they were going to be coming at us. I think they got their first two goals by getting underneath us in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-desko/we-knew-they-were-going-to-be-coming-at-us-i-think-they-got-their/) [John Desko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-desko/) > [When you can win with a couple of goals, it is always really good for confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-babel/when-you-can-win-with-a-couple-of-goals-it-is-always-really-good-for/) [Ryan Babel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-babel/) > [My goals are really to play well and put the team in a position to win. If I do that well, then I've had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-jones/my-goals-are-really-to-play-well-and-put-the-team-in-a-position-to/) [Daniel Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-jones/) > [I still audition a lot and work really hard to get work. So I don't really walk around feeling like I've made it. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-thirlby/i-still-audition-a-lot-and-work-really-hard-to-get-work-so-i-don-t/) [Olivia Thirlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-thirlby/) > [One of my goals from really early on was that if I was ever fortunate enough to be successful in music, I would want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/one-of-my-goals-from-really-early-on-was-that-if-i-was-ever-fortunate/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) ## 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 Goal quotes > [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/) > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The goal of spiritual practice is full recovery, and the only thing you need to recover from is a fractured sense of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-goal-of-spiritual-practice-is-full-recovery-and-the-only-thing/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [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/) > [When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“my role my goal my dream my life not yours -all mine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emi-sisk/my-role-my-goal-my-dream-my-life-not-yours-all-mine/) Emi Sisk > [Eugenic goals are most likely to be attained under another name than eugenics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-osborn/eugenic-goals-are-most-likely-to-be-attained-under-another-name-than/) [Frederick Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-osborn/) > [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/) > [Everybody tries to score a great goal, and I am lucky I have netted a few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zlatan-ibrahimovic/everybody-tries-to-score-a-great-goal-and-i-am-lucky-i-have-netted-a/) [Zlatan Ibrahimovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zlatan-ibrahimovic/) > [However, however, if the goal is to abandon America's free enterprise economy, if the goal is to convert America into a submissive member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/however-however-if-the-goal-is-to-abandon-america-s-free-enterprise/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [When you look around the room during meetings and practice, you see that everyone has the same goal. It's obvious by the way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kendricks/when-you-look-around-the-room-during-meetings-and-practice-you-see/) Eric Kendricks > [I like to wake up and just feel gratitude. Gratitude for waking up, for my health, for my kids, for my family. A lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-corcoran/i-like-to-wake-up-and-just-feel-gratitude-gratitude-for-waking-up-for/) [Barbara Corcoran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-corcoran/) > [“Dreams will come true as long as you give some effort towards your goal”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dayana/dreams-will-come-true-as-long-as-you-give-some-effort-towards-your/) Dayana > [“There are two kinds of people: goal-oriented and ego-oriented. Goal-oriented people work together and get things gone. Ego-oriented people don’t work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charbel-tadros/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-goal-oriented-and-ego-oriented-goal/) [Charbel Tadros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charbel-tadros/) [Browse all 9,890 Goal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The tragedy is that everyone thinks they already have goals. 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