--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So long as your desire to explore is…" description: "\"So long as your desire to explore is greater than your desire to not screw up, you're on the right track.\" — Ed Helms" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ef/ed-helms-4996_desire_so-long-as-your-desire-to-explore-is-gre_206004.png" --- # So long as your desire to explore is greater than your… ![“So long as your desire to explore is greater than your desire to not screw up, you're on the right track.” quote by Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ef/ed-helms-4996_desire_so-long-as-your-desire-to-explore-is-gre_206004.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ef/ed-helms-4996_desire_so-long-as-your-desire-to-explore-is-gre_206004.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ef/ed-helms-4996_desire_so-long-as-your-desire-to-explore-is-gre_206004.png) > “So long as your desire to explore is greater than your desire to not screw up, you're on the right track.” [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desire to explore must outweigh fear of failure to stay on a productive path. **In simple terms:** Explore more than fear. Key Takeaway Prioritize curiosity over perfection. Themes growth risk exploration Mood optimistic determined Type motivational advisory When to use this quote - career decisions - creative projects - travel planning - skill acquisition Key Concepts psychology motivation learning Questions to Reflect On - What would you try if fear weren’t a factor? - How can you balance caution with curiosity? A Different Perspective If fear dominates, exploration stalls. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Right track](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-track/) [Screw ups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screw-ups/) ## Related quotes > [“Screw the right thing to do. What do you want to do?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-reekles/screw-the-right-thing-to-do-what-do-you-want-to-do/) [Beth Reekles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-reekles/) > [For those of us (those that have the desire to explore the world unknown) that grew up going out into the wilds of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-tompkins/for-those-of-us-those-that-have-the-desire-to-explore-the-world/) [Douglas Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-tompkins/) > [The more you engage in any type of emotion or behavior, the greater your desire for it will become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-prentiss/the-more-you-engage-in-any-type-of-emotion-or-behavior-the-greater/) [Chris Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-prentiss/) > [“Remember that any desire is tested; the greater the desire, the greater the tests.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/remember-that-any-desire-is-tested-the-greater-the-desire-the-greater/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > ['Your desire to change must be greater than your desire to stay the SAME!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-desire-to-change-must-be-greater-than-your-desire-to-stay-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My desire to exit the game is greater than my desire to remain in it. I have searched my heart through and through and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sanders/my-desire-to-exit-the-game-is-greater-than-my-desire-to-remain-in-it/) [Barry Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sanders/) > [It seems that more people today have a greater desire to live long than they do to live well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/croft-m-pentz/it-seems-that-more-people-today-have-a-greater-desire-to-live-long/) [Croft M. Pentz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/croft-m-pentz/) > [The fear of loss is greater than the desire for gain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/the-fear-of-loss-is-greater-than-the-desire-for-gain/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Is your fear of failure greater than your desire to succeed?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/is-your-fear-of-failure-greater-than-your-desire-to-succeed/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [You know what you want. If you're not doing whatever it takes to get it, your fear is greater than your desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-what-you-want-if-you-re-not-doing-whatever-it-takes-to-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There appears to exist a greater desire to live long than to live well! Measure by man's desires, he cannot live long enough; measure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/there-appears-to-exist-a-greater-desire-to-live-long-than-to-live/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > [The less satisfaction we derive from being ourselves, the greater is our desire to be like others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-less-satisfaction-we-derive-from-being-ourselves-the-greater-is/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The less the power, the greater the desire to exercise it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-levin/the-less-the-power-the-greater-the-desire-to-exercise-it/) [Bernard Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-levin/) > [There is only so much I can understand and not screw up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krumholtz/there-is-only-so-much-i-can-understand-and-not-screw-up/) [David Krumholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krumholtz/) > [You got to harden yourself. Make, like, a shell around you. But not everyone can do it. If they got nothing to hang on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/you-got-to-harden-yourself-make-like-a-shell-around-you-but-not/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) ## More by Ed Helms > [First there was the New Hampshire primary, and we had nearly a year leading up to it. And now, look! Three primaries in one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/first-there-was-the-new-hampshire-primary-and-we-had-nearly-a-year/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [The biggest thing that comes out of improv that gets built on is just character traits. You know, for me the singing was born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/the-biggest-thing-that-comes-out-of-improv-that-gets-built-on-is-just/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [When you're playing a fictional character reacting to the real world, it's incredibly difficult and confusing and kind of messes with your values a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/when-you-re-playing-a-fictional-character-reacting-to-the-real-world/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [ It was never tough \[ being the new guy\]. It's just the warmest group of people \[The Office stuff\] you could ever hope to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/it-was-never-tough-being-the-new-guy-it-s-just-the-warmest-group-of/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [ What's cool is that in the story of the movie \[The Hangover\] our characters are also really kind of getting to know each other… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/what-s-cool-is-that-in-the-story-of-the-movie-the-hangover-our/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [Sometimes you just create a joke out of thin air in the editing room. I'm really glad I've had that experience. It gives me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/sometimes-you-just-create-a-joke-out-of-thin-air-in-the-editing-room/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [I love travel. I love to go spend time in new places. And even though I got horribly sick in Thailand, and it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/i-love-travel-i-love-to-go-spend-time-in-new-places-and-even-though-i/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [ One of the biggest breaks we had actually, one of the biggest, the hardest I laughed on the movie \[The Hangover\] was the baby… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/one-of-the-biggest-breaks-we-had-actually-one-of-the-biggest-the/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [ Todd \[Phillips\] doesn't care. That's part of his genius as a director, he will say anything to anybody. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/todd-phillips-doesn-t-care-that-s-part-of-his-genius-as-a-director-he/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [People now genuinely respond to it and associate me with music. It's really fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/people-now-genuinely-respond-to-it-and-associate-me-with-music-it-s/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [I'm a very jaded and cynical person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/i-m-a-very-jaded-and-cynical-person/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [When you're in New York City or Los Angeles, even if you're not dealing with show business, there's still this sense that it's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/when-you-re-in-new-york-city-or-los-angeles-even-if-you-re-not/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [That's actually a rare thing to be on a set full of people that you admire and make you laugh all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/that-s-actually-a-rare-thing-to-be-on-a-set-full-of-people-that-you/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [People who grew up in New York City or Los Angeles tend not to even understand what goes on in the rest of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/people-who-grew-up-in-new-york-city-or-los-angeles-tend-not-to-even/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [To be totally candid, it was really born out of a panic attack the summer between my sophomore and junior years, when I realized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/to-be-totally-candid-it-was-really-born-out-of-a-panic-attack-the/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) [Explore all 104 Ed Helms quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) ## More Desire quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [“from THE DEVIL YOU KNOW : She wanted him too. He could see it in the rapid rise of her breasts. He could smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emery-lee/from-the-devil-you-know-she-wanted-him-too-he-could-see-it-in-the/) [Emery Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emery-lee/) [Browse all 15,155 Desire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "So long as your desire to explore is greater than your desire to not screw up, you're on the right track.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ed Helms" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/so-long-as-your-desire-to-explore-is-greater-than-your-desire-to-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Desire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/so-long-as-your-desire-to-explore-is-greater-than-your-desire-to-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ef/ed-helms-4996_desire_so-long-as-your-desire-to-explore-is-gre_206004.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ef/ed-helms-4996_desire_so-long-as-your-desire-to-explore-is-gre_206004.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ef/ed-helms-4996_desire_so-long-as-your-desire-to-explore-is-gre_206004.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“So long as your desire to explore is greater than your desire to not screw up, you're on the right track.” — Ed Helms", "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": "Ed Helms", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "So long as your desire to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/so-long-as-your-desire-to-explore-is-greater-than-your-desire-to-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/so-long-as-your-desire-to-explore-is-greater-than-your-desire-to-not/#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 } } ] } ```