--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man must shape himself to a new mark…" description: "\"A man must shape himself to a new mark directly the old one goes to ground.\" — Ernest Shackleton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/ernest-shackleton-19828_mark_a-man-must-shape-himself-to-a-new-mark-d_1855589.jpg" --- # A man must shape himself to a new mark directly the old… ![“A man must shape himself to a new mark directly the old one goes to ground.” quote by Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/ernest-shackleton-19828_mark_a-man-must-shape-himself-to-a-new-mark-d_1855589.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/ernest-shackleton-19828_mark_a-man-must-shape-himself-to-a-new-mark-d_1855589.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/ernest-shackleton-19828_mark_a-man-must-shape-himself-to-a-new-mark-d_1855589.jpg) > “A man must shape himself to a new mark directly the old one goes to ground.” [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A person must adapt and reinvent themselves when old ways become obsolete. **In simple terms:** Adapt when old ways fail. Key Takeaway Embrace change quickly. Themes adaptation resilience self‑renewal Mood determined reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career transition - skill upgrading - personal crisis - cultural shift Key Concepts personal growth change management Questions to Reflect On - What old habit must you let go? - How can you prepare for inevitable change? A Different Perspective Change can be painful and uncertain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goes Ground](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goes-ground-2464215/) [Man Shape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-shape-2464213/) [Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mark/) [Mark Directly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mark-directly-2464216/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [New Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-mark-2464214/) [Shape New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shape-new-674623/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) ## Related quotes > [Man must shape his tools lest they shape him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/man-must-shape-his-tools-lest-they-shape-him/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [“Utopia is the hope that the scattered fragments of good that we come across from time to time in our lives can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-bostrom/utopia-is-the-hope-that-the-scattered-fragments-of-good-that-we-come/) [Nick Bostrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-bostrom/) > [I don't understand how women can manage to get back in shape with a new baby and a job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-garner/i-don-t-understand-how-women-can-manage-to-get-back-in-shape-with-a/) [Jennifer Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-garner/) > [Whatever we may say against collections, which present authors in a disjointed form, they nevertheless bring about many excellent results. We are not always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/whatever-we-may-say-against-collections-which-present-authors-in-a/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I admire Mark Zuckerberg... for not selling out, for wanting to make a company. I admire that a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-admire-mark-zuckerberg-for-not-selling-out-for-wanting-to-make-a/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I look upon The Animals, they were a great band initially, we left our mark, but thing was it was a band that couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-burdon/i-look-upon-the-animals-they-were-a-great-band-initially-we-left-our/) [Eric Burdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-burdon/) > [O! many a shaft, at random sent, Finds mark the archer little meant! And many a word, at random spoken, May soothe or wound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/o-many-a-shaft-at-random-sent-finds-mark-the-archer-little-meant-and/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [You perceive, now, that these things are all impossible except in a dream. You perceive that they are pure and puerile insanities, the silly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/you-perceive-now-that-these-things-are-all-impossible-except-in-a/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“Scattered among these things are reminders that sound once existed: a metronome, a drumming pad, a guitar pick, a trumpet mouthpiece, a music stand,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-o-brien/scattered-among-these-things-are-reminders-that-sound-once-existed-a/) [Geoffrey O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-o-brien/) > [Jesus taught that the mark of the Christian is the observable love shown among all true believers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/jesus-taught-that-the-mark-of-the-christian-is-the-observable-love/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [My first big show was with Tim McGraw and Mark Chesnutt, and that was overwhelming. There was probably 25,000 people there. I was nervous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ann-womack/my-first-big-show-was-with-tim-mcgraw-and-mark-chesnutt-and-that-was/) [Lee Ann Womack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ann-womack/) > [For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-as-much-as-government-can-do-and-must-do-it-is-ultimately-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) > [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/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) ## More by Ernest Shackleton > [“A strange occurrence was the sudden appearance of eight emperor penguins from a crack 100 yds. away at the moment when the pressure upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/a-strange-occurrence-was-the-sudden-appearance-of-eight-emperor/) [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) > [Now my eyes are turned from the South to the North, and I want to lead one more Expedition. This will be the last...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/now-my-eyes-are-turned-from-the-south-to-the-north-and-i-want-to-lead/) [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) > [No person who has not spent a period of his life in those 'stark and sullen solitudes that sentinel the Pole' will understand fully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/no-person-who-has-not-spent-a-period-of-his-life-in-those-stark-and/) [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) > [We had seen God in His splendors, heard the text that Nature renders. We had reached the naked soul of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/we-had-seen-god-in-his-splendors-heard-the-text-that-nature-renders/) [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) > [“Men Wanted: For hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/men-wanted-for-hazardous-journey-small-wages-bitter-cold-long-months/) [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) > [“The moving of the boulders was weary and painful work. We came to know every one of the stones by sight and touch, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/the-moving-of-the-boulders-was-weary-and-painful-work-we-came-to-know/) [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) > [After months of want and hunger, we suddenly found ourselves able to have meals fit for the gods, and with appetites the gods might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/after-months-of-want-and-hunger-we-suddenly-found-ourselves-able-to/) [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) > [Loneliness is the penalty of leadership, but the man who has to make the decisions is assisted greatly if he feels that there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/loneliness-is-the-penalty-of-leadership-but-the-man-who-has-to-make/) [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) > [Superhuman effort isn't worth a damn unless it achieves results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/superhuman-effort-isn-t-worth-a-damn-unless-it-achieves-results/) [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) > [When things are easy, I hate it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/when-things-are-easy-i-hate-it/) [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) > [From the sentimental point of view, it is the last great Polar journey that can be made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/from-the-sentimental-point-of-view-it-is-the-last-great-polar-journey/) [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) > [By endurance we conquer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/by-endurance-we-conquer/) [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) > [Men Wanted for Dangerous Expedition: Low Wages for Long Hours of Arduous Labour under Brutal Conditions; Months of Continual Darkness and Extreme Cold; Great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/men-wanted-for-dangerous-expedition-low-wages-for-long-hours-of/) [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) > [I thought you'd rather have a live donkey than a dead lion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/i-thought-you-d-rather-have-a-live-donkey-than-a-dead-lion/) [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) > [“We had two tins of Virol, which we were keeping for an emergency; but, finding ourselves in need of an oil-lamp to eke out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/we-had-two-tins-of-virol-which-we-were-keeping-for-an-emergency-but/) [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) [Explore all 32 Ernest Shackleton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) ## More Mark quotes > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [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/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) > [For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-as-much-as-government-can-do-and-must-do-it-is-ultimately-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My first big show was with Tim McGraw and Mark Chesnutt, and that was overwhelming. There was probably 25,000 people there. I was nervous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ann-womack/my-first-big-show-was-with-tim-mcgraw-and-mark-chesnutt-and-that-was/) [Lee Ann Womack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ann-womack/) > [Jesus taught that the mark of the Christian is the observable love shown among all true believers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/jesus-taught-that-the-mark-of-the-christian-is-the-observable-love/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [“Scattered among these things are reminders that sound once existed: a metronome, a drumming pad, a guitar pick, a trumpet mouthpiece, a music stand,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-o-brien/scattered-among-these-things-are-reminders-that-sound-once-existed-a/) [Geoffrey O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-o-brien/) > [You perceive, now, that these things are all impossible except in a dream. You perceive that they are pure and puerile insanities, the silly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/you-perceive-now-that-these-things-are-all-impossible-except-in-a/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [O! many a shaft, at random sent, Finds mark the archer little meant! And many a word, at random spoken, May soothe or wound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/o-many-a-shaft-at-random-sent-finds-mark-the-archer-little-meant-and/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [I look upon The Animals, they were a great band initially, we left our mark, but thing was it was a band that couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-burdon/i-look-upon-the-animals-they-were-a-great-band-initially-we-left-our/) [Eric Burdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-burdon/) > [I admire Mark Zuckerberg... for not selling out, for wanting to make a company. I admire that a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-admire-mark-zuckerberg-for-not-selling-out-for-wanting-to-make-a/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Whatever we may say against collections, which present authors in a disjointed form, they nevertheless bring about many excellent results. We are not always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/whatever-we-may-say-against-collections-which-present-authors-in-a/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [But it is the mark of all movements, however well-intentioned, that their pioneers tend, by much lashing of themselves into excitement, to lose sight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/but-it-is-the-mark-of-all-movements-however-well-intentioned-that/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [You're never too young or too old to make your own kind of mark in your own kind of time. You're never the wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgette-mosbacher/you-re-never-too-young-or-too-old-to-make-your-own-kind-of-mark-in/) [Georgette Mosbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgette-mosbacher/) > [Amberley excelled at chess - a mark, Watson, of a scheming mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/amberley-excelled-at-chess-a-mark-watson-of-a-scheming-mind/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) [Browse all 3,012 Mark quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mark/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A man must shape himself to a new mark directly the old one goes to ground.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ernest Shackleton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/a-man-must-shape-himself-to-a-new-mark-directly-the-old-one-goes-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Mark" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/a-man-must-shape-himself-to-a-new-mark-directly-the-old-one-goes-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/ernest-shackleton-19828_mark_a-man-must-shape-himself-to-a-new-mark-d_1855589.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/ernest-shackleton-19828_mark_a-man-must-shape-himself-to-a-new-mark-d_1855589.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/ernest-shackleton-19828_mark_a-man-must-shape-himself-to-a-new-mark-d_1855589.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A man must shape himself to a new mark directly the old one goes to ground.” — Ernest Shackleton", "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": "Ernest Shackleton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A man must shape himself to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/a-man-must-shape-himself-to-a-new-mark-directly-the-old-one-goes-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/a-man-must-shape-himself-to-a-new-mark-directly-the-old-one-goes-to/#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 } } ] } ```