--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never look down to test the ground before…" description: "\"Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step; only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far horizon will find the right road.\" — Dag Ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/dag-hammarskj-ld-2606_eye_never-look-down-to-test-the-ground-befor_1730557.png" --- # Never look down to test the ground before taking your next… ![“Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step; only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far horizon will find the right road.” quote by Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/dag-hammarskj-ld-2606_eye_never-look-down-to-test-the-ground-befor_1730557.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/dag-hammarskj-ld-2606_eye_never-look-down-to-test-the-ground-befor_1730557.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/dag-hammarskj-ld-2606_eye_never-look-down-to-test-the-ground-befor_1730557.png) > “Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step; only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far horizon will find the right road.” [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success comes from focusing on long‑term goals rather than immediate obstacles; vision guides the right path. **In simple terms:** Focus on the future, not the present obstacle. Key Takeaway Keep your eyes on the horizon. Themes vision leadership focus Mood determined inspired Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - career planning - project management - personal development - risk assessment Key Concepts strategic foresight goal setting Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance long‑term vision with immediate needs? - What short‑term steps support your far‑horizon goal? A Different Perspective Over‑emphasis on distant goals can cause neglect of necessary short‑term actions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Far Horizon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/far-horizon-1426405/) [Fixed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fixed/) [Horizon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horizon/) [Horizon Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horizon-right-1426404/) [Keeps Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keeps-eye-1426403/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Next step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-step/) [Right road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-road/) [Road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/road/) ## Related quotes > [That distant day had a significance I could not give it then. So we wheeled and came back south towards the city. The Temple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-arthur-lewis/that-distant-day-had-a-significance-i-could-not-give-it-then-so-we/) [Cecil Arthur Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecil-arthur-lewis/) > [And one thing about Mick Jagger is he keeps his eye very closely on not only where the dollars go but where the pennies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lindsay-hogg/and-one-thing-about-mick-jagger-is-he-keeps-his-eye-very-closely-on/) [Michael Lindsay-Hogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lindsay-hogg/) > [A man who keeps on going; a man who keeps his eye on the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-paisley/a-man-who-keeps-on-going-a-man-who-keeps-his-eye-on-the-ball/) [Ian Paisley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-paisley/) > [It's never too late to think big. Widen your horizons. Look beyond your normal limits. See things in a larger picture. Consider the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bourget/it-s-never-too-late-to-think-big-widen-your-horizons-look-beyond-your/) [Paul Bourget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bourget/) > [“The mark of a short-sighted goal is that it is solely designed to achieve whatever needs to be achieved as a means of achieving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/the-mark-of-a-short-sighted-goal-is-that-it-is-solely-designed-to/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“The humorous self-sufficiency of genius is the unity of a modest resignation in the world and a proud elevation above the world: of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/the-humorous-self-sufficiency-of-genius-is-the-unity-of-a-modest/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [The question is not whether a doctrine is beautiful but whether it is true. When we wish to go to a place, we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-hare/the-question-is-not-whether-a-doctrine-is-beautiful-but-whether-it-is/) [Augustus Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-hare/) > [“What is the use of running if we are not on the right road? –German proverb”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-the-use-of-running-if-we-are-not-on-the-right-road-german/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are lost, but other animals point to the right road. They are the right road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-zerzan/we-are-lost-but-other-animals-point-to-the-right-road-they-are-the/) [John Zerzan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-zerzan/) > [One should never take the easy road, but rather the right road, no matter how long the travel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cerreta/one-should-never-take-the-easy-road-but-rather-the-right-road-no/) [Scott Cerreta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cerreta/) > [They're on the right road, but there's a long way to go on concussions, not only in the NFL, but college football, high school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/they-re-on-the-right-road-but-there-s-a-long-way-to-go-on-concussions/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [“A good wife would have sorted him out and put him on the right road..." There comes that right road again. I wonder where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-stubbs/a-good-wife-would-have-sorted-him-out-and-put-him-on-the-right-road/) [Jean Stubbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-stubbs/) > [“As mundane beings, we really need to make friends with people of good character, for they can have a positive influence on us by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shih-cheng-yen/as-mundane-beings-we-really-need-to-make-friends-with-people-of-good/) [Shih Cheng Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shih-cheng-yen/) > [“Labour to get Christ, and through him hopes of heaven, and thou takest the right road to content; thou”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/labour-to-get-christ-and-through-him-hopes-of-heaven-and-thou-takest/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [We embark unhesitatingly on the path, in a direction that is absolutely right and urgent, supported by everyone, in the knowledge that this path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yehudi-menuhin/we-embark-unhesitatingly-on-the-path-in-a-direction-that-is/) [Yehudi Menuhin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yehudi-menuhin/) ## More by Dag Hammarskjold > [“Didst thou give me this inescapable loneliness so that it would be easier for me to give thee all?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/didst-thou-give-me-this-inescapable-loneliness-so-that-it-would-be/) [Dag Hammarskjöld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [Beneath the hush a whisper from long ago, promising peace of mind and a burden shared. No peace which is not peace for all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/beneath-the-hush-a-whisper-from-long-ago-promising-peace-of-mind-and/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [For the sacrificed, in the hour of sacrifice, only one thing counts: faith-alone among enemies and skeptics. Faith, in spite of the humiliation which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/for-the-sacrificed-in-the-hour-of-sacrifice-only-one-thing-counts/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [Friendship needs no words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/friendship-needs-no-words/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [If even dying is to be made a social function, then, grant me the favor of sneaking out on tiptoe without disturbing the party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/if-even-dying-is-to-be-made-a-social-function-then-grant-me-the-favor/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [Your position never gives you the right to command. It only imposes on you the duty of so living your life that others can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/your-position-never-gives-you-the-right-to-command-it-only-imposes-on/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [I have only my own burden to bear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/i-have-only-my-own-burden-to-bear/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [Life yields only to the conqueror. Never accept whatcan be gained by giving in. You will be living off stolen goods, and your muscles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/life-yields-only-to-the-conqueror-never-accept-whatcan-be-gained-by/) [Dag Hammarskjöld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [I never discuss discussions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/i-never-discuss-discussions/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [We all have within us a center of stillness surrounded by silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/we-all-have-within-us-a-center-of-stillness-surrounded-by-silence/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [There is a point at which everything becomes simple and there is no longer any question of choice, because all you have staked will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/there-is-a-point-at-which-everything-becomes-simple-and-there-is-no/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [God does not die on the day when we cease to believe in a personal deity, but we die on the day when our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/god-does-not-die-on-the-day-when-we-cease-to-believe-in-a-personal/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [The concept of loyalty is distorted when it is understood to mean blind acceptance. It is correctly interpreted when it is assumed to cover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/the-concept-of-loyalty-is-distorted-when-it-is-understood-to-mean/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [Those who invoke history will certainly be heard by history. And they will have to accept its verdict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/those-who-invoke-history-will-certainly-be-heard-by-history-and-they/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [Your body must become familiar with its death - in all its possible forms and degrees - as a self-evident, imminent, and emotionally neutral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/your-body-must-become-familiar-with-its-death-in-all-its-possible/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) [Explore all 155 Dag Hammarskjold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) ## More Eye quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [“He blinked. His eyes fell as he processed her response. Then he lifted his chin and attempted a grin that was almost painfully dejected.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/he-blinked-his-eyes-fell-as-he-processed-her-response-then-he-lifted/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [Quotations can be valuable, like raisins in the rice pudding, for adding iron as well as eye appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/quotations-can-be-valuable-like-raisins-in-the-rice-pudding-for/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [Clearly, when we baptize, our eyes should gaze beyond the baptismal font to the holy temple. The great garner into which the sheaves should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/clearly-when-we-baptize-our-eyes-should-gaze-beyond-the-baptismal/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [At the end of night, before you close your eyes, be content with what you've done and be proud of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/at-the-end-of-night-before-you-close-your-eyes-be-content-with-what/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it, nor too precisely in it; what custom hath civilized is become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/be-neither-too-early-in-the-fashion-nor-too-long-out-of-it-nor-too/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [It lies around us like a cloud- A world we do not see; Yet the sweet closing of an eye May bring us there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/it-lies-around-us-like-a-cloud-a-world-we-do-not-see-yet-the-sweet/) [Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [She'd read once that if you ran into a bear in the woods you should avoid eye contact and you shouldn't run away, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-ursu/she-d-read-once-that-if-you-ran-into-a-bear-in-the-woods-you-should/) [Anne Ursu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-ursu/) > [Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) [Browse all 16,237 Eye quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step; only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far horizon will find the right road.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dag Hammarskjold" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/never-look-down-to-test-the-ground-before-taking-your-next-step-only/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Eye" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/never-look-down-to-test-the-ground-before-taking-your-next-step-only/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/dag-hammarskj-ld-2606_eye_never-look-down-to-test-the-ground-befor_1730557.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/dag-hammarskj-ld-2606_eye_never-look-down-to-test-the-ground-befor_1730557.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d2/dag-hammarskj-ld-2606_eye_never-look-down-to-test-the-ground-befor_1730557.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step; only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far…” — Dag Hammarskjold", "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": "Dag Hammarskjold", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Never look down to test the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/never-look-down-to-test-the-ground-before-taking-your-next-step-only/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/never-look-down-to-test-the-ground-before-taking-your-next-step-only/#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 } } ] } ```