--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The goal is not necessarily to succeed…" description: "\"“The goal is not necessarily to succeed but to keep trying, to be the kind of person who has ideas and see them through. We’ll”\" — Esmé Raji Codell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/esm-raji-codell-26371_goals_the-goal-is-not-necessarily-to-succeed-b_3098925.jpg" --- # The goal is not necessarily to succeed but to keep trying… ![“The goal is not necessarily to succeed but to keep trying, to be the kind of person who has ideas and see them through. We’ll” quote by Esmé Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/esm-raji-codell-26371_goals_the-goal-is-not-necessarily-to-succeed-b_3098925.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/esm-raji-codell-26371_goals_the-goal-is-not-necessarily-to-succeed-b_3098925.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/esm-raji-codell-26371_goals_the-goal-is-not-necessarily-to-succeed-b_3098925.jpg) > ““The goal is not necessarily to succeed but to keep trying, to be the kind of person who has ideas and see them through. We’ll”” [Esmé Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success is less about outcomes and more about persisting and executing ideas despite uncertainty. **In simple terms:** Keep trying and finish ideas. Key Takeaway Persist and follow through. Themes perseverance creativity execution Mood determined optimistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - research projects - artistic creation - personal development Key Concepts Growth mindset idea implementation Questions to Reflect On - What ideas have you abandoned too soon? - How can you balance persistence with realistic assessment? A Different Perspective Consistent effort may still lead to failure without adaptation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [The goal is not necessarily to succeed but to keep trying, to be the kind of person who has ideas and see them through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/the-goal-is-not-necessarily-to-succeed-but-to-keep-trying-to-be-the/) [Esme Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [Hollywood has never been a goal, necessarily - there was no 'Conquer America' game plan for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/hollywood-has-never-been-a-goal-necessarily-there-was-no-conquer/) [Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/) > [I don't know if the goal is necessarily to hit the ball in the air; I think when my swing is right it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buster-posey/i-don-t-know-if-the-goal-is-necessarily-to-hit-the-ball-in-the-air-i/) [Buster Posey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buster-posey/) > [And the truth is, those who are terrorists only have to succeed once, and those of us who are trying to build an inclusive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-miliband/and-the-truth-is-those-who-are-terrorists-only-have-to-succeed-once/) [David Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-miliband/) > [It's not just how hard you try, it's how well you will succeed from trying hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-thompson/it-s-not-just-how-hard-you-try-it-s-how-well-you-will-succeed-from/) Miles Thompson > [You learn more about a person from the people around that person than you do from the person themselves. We all have our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-kinnear/you-learn-more-about-a-person-from-the-people-around-that-person-than/) [Greg Kinnear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-kinnear/) > [Be sympathetic with the other person's ideas and desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/be-sympathetic-with-the-other-person-s-ideas-and-desires/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [“Metaphorically speaking, a person's ideas must be the building he lives in - otherwise there is something terribly wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/metaphorically-speaking-a-person-s-ideas-must-be-the-building-he/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [No other person's ideas, and none of my own ideas, are as authoritative as my experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/no-other-person-s-ideas-and-none-of-my-own-ideas-are-as-authoritative/) [Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/) > [“the measure of a person was her ideas”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-fagone/the-measure-of-a-person-was-her-ideas/) [Jason Fagone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-fagone/) > [My willingness to fail gives me the ability to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/my-willingness-to-fail-gives-me-the-ability-to-succeed/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wc-fields/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-try-try-again-then-quit-no-use-being-a/) [WC Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wc-fields/) > [You need to remind people that you vote, you matter, and that they can't succeed without your help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-need-to-remind-people-that-you-vote-you-matter-and-that-they-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If you start and persist you will succeed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/if-you-start-and-persist-you-will-succeed/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) ## More by Esmé Raji Codell > [“Nobody really knows which is happening when the teacher closes the door. At worst, mediocrity. At best, miracles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/nobody-really-knows-which-is-happening-when-the-teacher-closes-the/) [Esmé Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [A library is a platform upon which we catch trains to Every Where and Any Place, Another Time and Across Space. All aboard!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/a-library-is-a-platform-upon-which-we-catch-trains-to-every-where-and/) [Esme Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [“And when you go to God's house, it ain't got to be no fashion show. You just come as you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/and-when-you-go-to-god-s-house-it-ain-t-got-to-be-no-fashion-show-you/) [Esmé Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [But certain people just think it's their job to freak out. As long as they're freaking out, they feel busy, like they must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/but-certain-people-just-think-it-s-their-job-to-freak-out-as-long-as/) [Esme Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [“I tend not to share things unnecessarily with those I despise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/i-tend-not-to-share-things-unnecessarily-with-those-i-despise/) [Esme Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [If you give people an idea these days, they just think you are sharing it with them so they can critique it, play devil's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/if-you-give-people-an-idea-these-days-they-just-think-you-are-sharing/) [Esme Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [“Why do these dumb fucks keep guns around the house? They make the world as ruinous as they imagine it is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/why-do-these-dumb-fucks-keep-guns-around-the-house-they-make-the/) [Esmé Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [The goal is not necessarily to succeed but to keep trying, to be the kind of person who has ideas and see them through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/the-goal-is-not-necessarily-to-succeed-but-to-keep-trying-to-be-the/) [Esme Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [“Today so many creative and devoted teachers not only have to struggle against unimaginative administrations, fearful parents, and wearied colleagues, they have also to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/today-so-many-creative-and-devoted-teachers-not-only-have-to-struggle/) [Esmé Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [“So much of teaching is sharing. Learning results in sharing, sharing results in change, change is learning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/so-much-of-teaching-is-sharing-learning-results-in-sharing-sharing/) [Esmé Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [“So much of teaching is sharing. Learning results in sharing, sharing results in change, change is learning. The only other job with so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/so-much-of-teaching-is-sharing-learning-results-in-sharing-sharing-2/) [Esmé Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [So much of teaching is sharing. Learning results in sharing, sharing results in change, change is learning. The only other job with so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/so-much-of-teaching-is-sharing-learning-results-in-sharing-sharing-3/) [Esme Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [“The difference between a beginning teacher and an experienced one is that the beginning teacher asks, "How am I doing?" and the experienced teacher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/the-difference-between-a-beginning-teacher-and-an-experienced-one-is/) [Esme Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [“Mr. Turner gets mad when I say, “I don’t work for you, I work for the children.” But it’s true. Isn’t it? I’ll find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/mr-turner-gets-mad-when-i-say-i-don-t-work-for-you-i-work-for-the/) [Esmé Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [“It's not our job to be liked(teachers)", I reminded her. "Its our job to help them be smart(students)". Secretly, I thought, who gives a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/it-s-not-our-job-to-be-liked-teachers-i-reminded-her-its-our-job-to/) [Esme Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) [Explore all 22 Esmé Raji Codell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) ## More Goals 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/) > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [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/) > [Every drop of rain hits its appointed target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/every-drop-of-rain-hits-its-appointed-target/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [“Achieving mental harmony is one of the greatest goals and experiences in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kambiz-mostofizadeh/achieving-mental-harmony-is-one-of-the-greatest-goals-and-experiences/) [Kambiz Mostofizadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kambiz-mostofizadeh/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Too many times we flitter our energy into too many goals and in the process don't achieve much. Focus is very important in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaishali-kasture/too-many-times-we-flitter-our-energy-into-too-many-goals-and-in-the/) [Vaishali Kasture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaishali-kasture/) > [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [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/) > [“What shapes us is not always our achievements but our omissions. Not lies; simply the truths we don’t tell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-tudor/what-shapes-us-is-not-always-our-achievements-but-our-omissions-not/) [C.J. Tudor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-tudor/) [Browse all 21,276 Goals quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The goal is not necessarily to succeed but to keep trying, to be the kind of person who has ideas and see them through. 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