---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The man who fails because he aims astray…"
description: "\"The man who fails because he aims astray or because he does not aim at all is to be found everywhere.\" — Frank Arthur Swinnerton"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/frank-arthur-swinnerton-54628_aim_the-man-who-fails-because-he-aims-astray_2538571.jpg"
---

#  The man who fails because he aims astray or because he…

![“The man who fails because he aims astray or because he does not aim at all is to be found everywhere.” quote by Frank Arthur Swinnerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/frank-arthur-swinnerton-54628_aim_the-man-who-fails-because-he-aims-astray_2538571.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/frank-arthur-swinnerton-54628_aim_the-man-who-fails-because-he-aims-astray_2538571.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/frank-arthur-swinnerton-54628_aim_the-man-who-fails-because-he-aims-astray_2538571.jpg)

> “The man who fails because he aims astray or because he does not aim at all is to be found everywhere.”

[Frank Arthur Swinnerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-arthur-swinnerton/)

## About This Quote

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

Aimlessness leads to failure; purposeful direction prevents it.

**In simple terms:** Lack of aim causes failure.

Key Takeaway

Set clear goals.

Themes

purpose failure aim

Mood

determined serious

Type

motivational philosophical

When to use this quote

- career planning
- academic pursuits
- personal projects
- entrepreneurship
- health goals

Key Concepts

direction intentionality goal‑setting

Questions to Reflect On

- What is your true aim?
- How can you stay focused on it?

A Different Perspective

People may struggle to define meaningful aims.

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[Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/)

## Related quotes

> [Of course I shall go astray often...for who does not make mistakes? But I cannot go far wrong for I have seen the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/of-course-i-shall-go-astray-often-for-who-does-not-make-mistakes-but/)

[Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/)

> [When a man has fulfilled all four of these requisites-to be wide awake, to have fear, respect, and absolute assurance-there are no mistakes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/when-a-man-has-fulfilled-all-four-of-these-requisites-to-be-wide/)

[Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/)

> [Many a man fails as an original thinker simply because his memory it too good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/many-a-man-fails-as-an-original-thinker-simply-because-his-memory-it/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [The man who fails while trying to do good has more honor than he who succeeds by accident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/the-man-who-fails-while-trying-to-do-good-has-more-honor-than-he-who/)

[Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/)

> [“Many a man fails to become a thinker for the sole reason that his memory is too good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/many-a-man-fails-to-become-a-thinker-for-the-sole-reason-that-his/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [Many a man never fails because he never tries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-macewen/many-a-man-never-fails-because-he-never-tries/)

Norman MacEwen

> [A man who fails well is greater than one who succeeds badly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/a-man-who-fails-well-is-greater-than-one-who-succeeds-badly/)

[Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/)

> [When a man fails to understand something he is conscious of a discord, and seeks for the cause of it not in himself, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/when-a-man-fails-to-understand-something-he-is-conscious-of-a-discord/)

[Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/)

> [No man fails who does his best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/no-man-fails-who-does-his-best/)

[Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/)

> [Many a man fails as an original thinker simply because his memory is too good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/many-a-man-fails-as-an-original-thinker-simply-because-his-memory-is/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [Every man fails in any aspect because of a girl in him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymonds/every-man-fails-in-any-aspect-because-of-a-girl-in-him/)

Raymonds

> [A father is a man who fails every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/a-father-is-a-man-who-fails-every-day/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [A man who fails is funny... if my sketches teach anything, it is that, for the male, sex is a snare and a delusion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-hill/a-man-who-fails-is-funny-if-my-sketches-teach-anything-it-is-that-for/)

[Benny Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-hill/)

> [“There are times when the understanding does not come until later, when it no longer matters. Other times I do what I must do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/there-are-times-when-the-understanding-does-not-come-until-later-when/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“A man who saw has turned blind, A hearer deaf, A leader now leads astray!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-lichtheim/a-man-who-saw-has-turned-blind-a-hearer-deaf-a-leader-now-leads-astray/)

[Miriam Lichtheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-lichtheim/)

## More by Frank Arthur Swinnerton

> [No man can be satisfied with his attainment, although he may be satisfied with his circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-arthur-swinnerton/no-man-can-be-satisfied-with-his-attainment-although-he-may-be/)

[Frank Arthur Swinnerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-arthur-swinnerton/)

> [We would rather be in the company of somebody we like than in the company of the most superior being of our acquaintance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-arthur-swinnerton/we-would-rather-be-in-the-company-of-somebody-we-like-than-in-the/)

[Frank Arthur Swinnerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-arthur-swinnerton/)

> [The wisest man I have ever known once said to me: 'Nine out of every ten people improve on acquaintance,' and I have found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-arthur-swinnerton/the-wisest-man-i-have-ever-known-once-said-to-me-nine-out-of-every/)

[Frank Arthur Swinnerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-arthur-swinnerton/)

> [When you have done your best for a flower, and it fails, you have some reason to be aggrieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-arthur-swinnerton/when-you-have-done-your-best-for-a-flower-and-it-fails-you-have-some/)

[Frank Arthur Swinnerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-arthur-swinnerton/)

> [To be agreeable, all that is necessary is to take an interest in other persons and in other things, to recognize that other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-arthur-swinnerton/to-be-agreeable-all-that-is-necessary-is-to-take-an-interest-in-other/)

[Frank Arthur Swinnerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-arthur-swinnerton/)

[Explore all 6 Frank Arthur Swinnerton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-arthur-swinnerton/)

## More Aim quotes

> [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/)

[Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/)

> [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/)

[John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/)

> [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/)

[William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/)

> [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/)

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> [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/)

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> [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/)

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> [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/)

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> [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/)

[Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/)

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[Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/)

> [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/)

[Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/)

> [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/)

[Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/)

Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes

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