---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The goal matters not only the journey to…"
description: "\"The goal matters not only the journey to it.\" — Carl Hess"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/carl-hess-39537_goal_the-goal-matters-not-only-the-journey-to_3104260.jpg"
---

#  The goal matters not only the journey to it.

![“The goal matters not only the journey to it.” quote by Carl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/carl-hess-39537_goal_the-goal-matters-not-only-the-journey-to_3104260.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/carl-hess-39537_goal_the-goal-matters-not-only-the-journey-to_3104260.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/carl-hess-39537_goal_the-goal-matters-not-only-the-journey-to_3104260.jpg)

> “The goal matters not only the journey to it.”

[Carl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hess/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The importance lies not just in reaching a goal, but also in the purpose and value of the journey itself.

**In simple terms:** Goals matter, but the journey matters too.

Key Takeaway

Value the process as much as the outcome.

Themes

purpose journey goal-setting

Mood

motivational reflective

Type

advice inspirational

When to use this quote

- starting a new project
- training for a marathon
- career advancement

Key Concepts

meaningful effort intrinsic motivation

Questions to Reflect On

- What aspects of your current goal give you meaning?
- How can you balance process and outcome?

A Different Perspective

Focusing on the journey can distract from achieving the endpoint.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goal Matters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal-matters-1988255/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Matters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matters/) [Matters Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matters-journey-1103949/) [N-a](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/n-a/)

## Related quotes

> [When you can have anything you want by uttering a few words, the goal matters not, only the journey to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/when-you-can-have-anything-you-want-by-uttering-a-few-words-the-goal/)

[Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/)

> [It is not the life that matters, but the journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-is-not-the-life-that-matters-but-the-journey/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [Its not about how many times you fall down it about how many times you get up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hess/its-not-about-how-many-times-you-fall-down-it-about-how-many-times/)

[Carl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hess/)

> [Lifes not the breath you take but the moments that take your breath away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hess/lifes-not-the-breath-you-take-but-the-moments-that-take-your-breath/)

[Carl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hess/)

> [In hard times when many choises are before you and you dont know what to do. Listen to your heart. for the only true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hess/in-hard-times-when-many-choises-are-before-you-and-you-dont-know-what/)

[Carl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hess/)

> [Time changes everything but somethings time changes for the good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hess/time-changes-everything-but-somethings-time-changes-for-the-good/)

[Carl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hess/)

> [“It's not what you know-or when you see-that matters. It's about the journey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-park/it-s-not-what-you-know-or-when-you-see-that-matters-it-s-about-the/)

[Jessica Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-park/)

> [“It is not life that matters, but the journey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-is-not-life-that-matters-but-the-journey/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [The only thing that truly matters on the journey of life is the company of those we choose to share it with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-only-thing-that-truly-matters-on-the-journey-of-life-is-the/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

> [“What matters most is that you take the journey (of self awareness and transformation).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-dentinger/what-matters-most-is-that-you-take-the-journey-of-self-awareness-and/)

[Diana Dentinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-dentinger/)

> [When a goal matters enough to a person, that person will find a way to accomplish what at first seemed impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-a-goal-matters-enough-to-a-person-that-person-will-find-a-way-to/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [In philosophy, it is not the attainment of the goal that matters, it is the things that are met along the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/in-philosophy-it-is-not-the-attainment-of-the-goal-that-matters-it-is/)

[Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/)

> [“That’s why at the start of every season I always encouraged players to focus on the journey rather than the goal. What matters most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/that-s-why-at-the-start-of-every-season-i-always-encouraged-players/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [In philosophy, it is not the attainment of the goal that matters, it is the things that are met with by the way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/in-philosophy-it-is-not-the-attainment-of-the-goal-that-matters-it-is-2/)

[Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/)

> [Fame is a by-product. It's not a goal. What matters is loving your work and loving what you do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/fame-is-a-by-product-it-s-not-a-goal-what-matters-is-loving-your-work/)

[Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/)

## More by Carl Hess

> [Its not about how many times you fall down it about how many times you get up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hess/its-not-about-how-many-times-you-fall-down-it-about-how-many-times/)

[Carl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hess/)

> [Time changes everything but somethings time changes for the good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hess/time-changes-everything-but-somethings-time-changes-for-the-good/)

[Carl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hess/)

> [Often the ones we love the most are the most alien to us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hess/often-the-ones-we-love-the-most-are-the-most-alien-to-us/)

[Carl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hess/)

> [A candle loses no light lighting another candle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hess/a-candle-loses-no-light-lighting-another-candle/)

[Carl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hess/)

> [You never know how many pages someones on until you know theyre gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hess/you-never-know-how-many-pages-someones-on-until-you-know-theyre-gone/)

[Carl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hess/)

> [Lifes not the breath you take but the moments that take your breath away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hess/lifes-not-the-breath-you-take-but-the-moments-that-take-your-breath/)

[Carl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hess/)

> [It doesnt matter about your name for a rose by any other name would smell jsut as sweet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hess/it-doesnt-matter-about-your-name-for-a-rose-by-any-other-name-would/)

[Carl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hess/)

> [In hard times when many choises are before you and you dont know what to do. Listen to your heart. for the only true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hess/in-hard-times-when-many-choises-are-before-you-and-you-dont-know-what/)

[Carl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hess/)

> [If you think youre about ready to give up. dont because maybe who youre looking for is somebody in the next car. somebody on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hess/if-you-think-youre-about-ready-to-give-up-dont-because-maybe-who/)

[Carl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hess/)

> [The only true guide is your heart. For your heart's desire is the only thing that counts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hess/the-only-true-guide-is-your-heart-for-your-heart-s-desire-is-the-only/)

[Carl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hess/)

[Explore all 11 Carl Hess quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hess/)

## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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 goal matters not only the journey to it.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Carl Hess"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hess/the-goal-matters-not-only-the-journey-to-it/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Goal"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hess/the-goal-matters-not-only-the-journey-to-it/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/carl-hess-39537_goal_the-goal-matters-not-only-the-journey-to_3104260.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/carl-hess-39537_goal_the-goal-matters-not-only-the-journey-to_3104260.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/carl-hess-39537_goal_the-goal-matters-not-only-the-journey-to_3104260.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The goal matters not only the journey to it.” — Carl Hess",
                "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": "Carl Hess",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hess/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The goal matters not only the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hess/the-goal-matters-not-only-the-journey-to-it/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hess/the-goal-matters-not-only-the-journey-to-it/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
