---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People are always neglecting something…"
description: "\"People are always neglecting something they can do in trying to do something they can't do.\" — E. W. Howe"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a66/e-w-howe-2815_neglecting_people-are-always-neglecting-something-t_2328078.png"
---

#  People are always neglecting something they can do in…

![“People are always neglecting something they can do in trying to do something they can't do.” quote by E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a66/e-w-howe-2815_neglecting_people-are-always-neglecting-something-t_2328078.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a66/e-w-howe-2815_neglecting_people-are-always-neglecting-something-t_2328078.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a66/e-w-howe-2815_neglecting_people-are-always-neglecting-something-t_2328078.png)

> “People are always neglecting something they can do in trying to do something they can't do.”

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

## About This Quote

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

People waste effort on impossible tasks while ignoring achievable actions.

**In simple terms:** Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize realistic goals.

Themes

productivity focus self‑awareness

Mood

pragmatic motivational

Type

practical inspirational

When to use this quote

- career planning
- personal development
- skill learning

Key Concepts

opportunity cost goal setting

Questions to Reflect On

- What tasks can you delegate or drop?
- How can you balance ambition with practicality?

A Different Perspective

May undervalue ambition.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

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> [The same people neglecting and hating are the ones going through issues in their own lives, and they're scared to face that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-angelique/the-same-people-neglecting-and-hating-are-the-ones-going-through/)

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> [“If your life is like a tragedy it is because you have been neglecting something — most likely yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/if-your-life-is-like-a-tragedy-it-is-because-you-have-been-neglecting/)

[Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/)

> [If one undertakes retrospection of the day's events, one must do it regularly at the appointed hour, not fitfully, not doing it today, neglecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahavira/if-one-undertakes-retrospection-of-the-day-s-events-one-must-do-it/)

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> [We haven't lost romance in the digital age, but we may be neglecting it. In doing so, antiquated art forms are taking on new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-kutcher/we-haven-t-lost-romance-in-the-digital-age-but-we-may-be-neglecting/)

[Ashton Kutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-kutcher/)

> [We need others for our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Without others we are nothing. Our sense that we are an island, an independent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geshe-kelsang-gyatso/we-need-others-for-our-physical-emotional-and-spiritual-well-being/)

[Geshe Kelsang Gyatso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geshe-kelsang-gyatso/)

> [Doom comes about because of neglecting to evaluate one's self and because of just following one's whims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-qayyim-al-jawziyya/doom-comes-about-because-of-neglecting-to-evaluate-one-s-self-and/)

[Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-qayyim-al-jawziyya/)

> [I'm a huge video gamer, sometimes a little too much. I'll shut myself in my room just so I can play video games all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-till/i-m-a-huge-video-gamer-sometimes-a-little-too-much-i-ll-shut-myself/)

[Lucas Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-till/)

> [Charlie Rangel was writing laws on our taxes as chair of the Ways and Means Committee while somehow neglecting to pay his own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/charlie-rangel-was-writing-laws-on-our-taxes-as-chair-of-the-ways-and/)

[Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/)

> [“We always talk about our feelings, neglecting the important matters that have to be look over.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irfa-rahat/we-always-talk-about-our-feelings-neglecting-the-important-matters/)

[Irfa Rahat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irfa-rahat/)

> [When 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' premiered on the WB Network in 1996, American culture was in trouble. Americans were bowling alone, pursuing individual interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-postrel/when-buffy-the-vampire-slayer-premiered-on-the-wb-network-in-1996/)

[Virginia Postrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-postrel/)

> [Stop trying to please everyone else, you just end up neglecting the ones who care about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-martin/stop-trying-to-please-everyone-else-you-just-end-up-neglecting-the/)

[Brandon Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-martin/)

> [We become so caught up in the busyness of our lives. Were we to step back, however, and take a good look at what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/we-become-so-caught-up-in-the-busyness-of-our-lives-were-we-to-step/)

[Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/)

> [“Neglecting them leads to spiritual and emotional problems; having them met, however, frees us to meet the needs of others cheerfully and without resentment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/neglecting-them-leads-to-spiritual-and-emotional-problems-having-them/)

[Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/)

## More by E. W. Howe

> [There is always a type of man who says he loves his fellow men, and expects to make a living at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/there-is-always-a-type-of-man-who-says-he-loves-his-fellow-men-and/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [I believe in grumbling; it is the politest form of fighting known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/i-believe-in-grumbling-it-is-the-politest-form-of-fighting-known/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [A theory is no more like a fact than a photograph is like a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/a-theory-is-no-more-like-a-fact-than-a-photograph-is-like-a-person/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [Few men progress, except as they are pushed along by events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/few-men-progress-except-as-they-are-pushed-along-by-events/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [Men are a good deal better collectively than they are individually. Many a man will do that privately which he will denounce in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/men-are-a-good-deal-better-collectively-than-they-are-individually/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [The modest person is usually admired, if people ever hear of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/the-modest-person-is-usually-admired-if-people-ever-hear-of-them/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [The greatest thing in the world is for a man to be able to do something well, and say nothing about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/the-greatest-thing-in-the-world-is-for-a-man-to-be-able-to-do/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [No man would listen to you talk if he didn't know it was his turn next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/no-man-would-listen-to-you-talk-if-he-didn-t-know-it-was-his-turn-next/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

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[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

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[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

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[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [Some men storm imaginary Alps all their lives, and die in the foothills cursing difficulties which do not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/some-men-storm-imaginary-alps-all-their-lives-and-die-in-the/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [There is something in the red of a raspberry pie that looks as good to a man as the red in a sheep looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/there-is-something-in-the-red-of-a-raspberry-pie-that-looks-as-good/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [Love affairs have always greatly interested me, but I do not greatly care for them in books or moving pictures. In a love affair,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/love-affairs-have-always-greatly-interested-me-but-i-do-not-greatly/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

[Explore all 149 E. W. Howe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

## More Neglecting quotes

> [“Neglecting them leads to spiritual and emotional problems; having them met, however, frees us to meet the needs of others cheerfully and without resentment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/neglecting-them-leads-to-spiritual-and-emotional-problems-having-them/)

[Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/)

> [We become so caught up in the busyness of our lives. Were we to step back, however, and take a good look at what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/we-become-so-caught-up-in-the-busyness-of-our-lives-were-we-to-step/)

[Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/)

> [Stop trying to please everyone else, you just end up neglecting the ones who care about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-martin/stop-trying-to-please-everyone-else-you-just-end-up-neglecting-the/)

[Brandon Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-martin/)

> [When 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' premiered on the WB Network in 1996, American culture was in trouble. Americans were bowling alone, pursuing individual interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-postrel/when-buffy-the-vampire-slayer-premiered-on-the-wb-network-in-1996/)

[Virginia Postrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-postrel/)

> [“We always talk about our feelings, neglecting the important matters that have to be look over.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irfa-rahat/we-always-talk-about-our-feelings-neglecting-the-important-matters/)

[Irfa Rahat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irfa-rahat/)

> [Charlie Rangel was writing laws on our taxes as chair of the Ways and Means Committee while somehow neglecting to pay his own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/charlie-rangel-was-writing-laws-on-our-taxes-as-chair-of-the-ways-and/)

[Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/)

> [I'm a huge video gamer, sometimes a little too much. I'll shut myself in my room just so I can play video games all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-till/i-m-a-huge-video-gamer-sometimes-a-little-too-much-i-ll-shut-myself/)

[Lucas Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-till/)

> [Doom comes about because of neglecting to evaluate one's self and because of just following one's whims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-qayyim-al-jawziyya/doom-comes-about-because-of-neglecting-to-evaluate-one-s-self-and/)

[Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-qayyim-al-jawziyya/)

> [We need others for our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Without others we are nothing. Our sense that we are an island, an independent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geshe-kelsang-gyatso/we-need-others-for-our-physical-emotional-and-spiritual-well-being/)

[Geshe Kelsang Gyatso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geshe-kelsang-gyatso/)

> [We haven't lost romance in the digital age, but we may be neglecting it. In doing so, antiquated art forms are taking on new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-kutcher/we-haven-t-lost-romance-in-the-digital-age-but-we-may-be-neglecting/)

[Ashton Kutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-kutcher/)

> [If one undertakes retrospection of the day's events, one must do it regularly at the appointed hour, not fitfully, not doing it today, neglecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahavira/if-one-undertakes-retrospection-of-the-day-s-events-one-must-do-it/)

[Mahavira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahavira/)

> [“If your life is like a tragedy it is because you have been neglecting something — most likely yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/if-your-life-is-like-a-tragedy-it-is-because-you-have-been-neglecting/)

[Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/)

> [Neglecting small things under the pretext of wanting to accomplish large ones is the excuse of a coward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-david-neel/neglecting-small-things-under-the-pretext-of-wanting-to-accomplish/)

[Alexandra David-Neel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-david-neel/)

> [Being a woman in music and having kids, it's very hard to do both without neglecting one a bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-wainwright/being-a-woman-in-music-and-having-kids-it-s-very-hard-to-do-both/)

[Martha Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-wainwright/)

> [I want to tell you about your heart— you've probably been neglecting your heart—and you don’t know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-want-to-tell-you-about-your-heart-you-ve-probably-been-neglecting/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

Browse all 43 Neglecting quotes

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