--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first step in the journey is to lose…" description: "\"The first step in the journey is to lose your way.\" — Galway Kinnell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba7/galway-kinnell-14406_first-step_the-first-step-in-the-journey-is-to-lose_2823700.png" --- # The first step in the journey is to lose your way. ![“The first step in the journey is to lose your way.” quote by Galway Kinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba7/galway-kinnell-14406_first-step_the-first-step-in-the-journey-is-to-lose_2823700.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba7/galway-kinnell-14406_first-step_the-first-step-in-the-journey-is-to-lose_2823700.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba7/galway-kinnell-14406_first-step_the-first-step-in-the-journey-is-to-lose_2823700.png) > “The first step in the journey is to lose your way.” [Galway Kinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The initial phase of any quest often involves losing direction before finding purpose. **In simple terms:** First you lose your way, then you find purpose. Key Takeaway Accept confusion as part of growth. Themes journey self-discovery uncertainty Mood reflective inquisitive hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career change - personal growth - spiritual quest - creative projects Key Concepts existential paradoxical Questions to Reflect On - When have you felt lost before a breakthrough? - How can uncertainty be a catalyst? A Different Perspective The phrase can be vague, lacking concrete guidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [First step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-step/) [First steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-steps/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) ## Related quotes > [The first step of a journey is always the longest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/the-first-step-of-a-journey-is-always-the-longest/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [I have found that you have only to take that one step toward the gods, and they will then take ten steps toward you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/i-have-found-that-you-have-only-to-take-that-one-step-toward-the-gods/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [“In the middle of this journey, we lose a bit of ourselves. We do not know where we are or where we’re headed. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-crisner/in-the-middle-of-this-journey-we-lose-a-bit-of-ourselves-we-do-not/) Joanne Crisner > [The first step... shall be to lose the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/the-first-step-shall-be-to-lose-the-way/) [Galway Kinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/) > [Sometimes, on the road of life, we must lose ourselves to find our way..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-moores/sometimes-on-the-road-of-life-we-must-lose-ourselves-to-find-our-way/) [Sarah Moores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-moores/) > [I have enjoyed every single step of the journey that I've been on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-fitzpatrick/i-have-enjoyed-every-single-step-of-the-journey-that-i-ve-been-on/) [Ryan Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-fitzpatrick/) > [“Keep trusting God. He will lead you in every step of the journey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/keep-trusting-god-he-will-lead-you-in-every-step-of-the-journey/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“I might not know every step of my journey, but standing still wouldn’t accomplish a thing. Sometimes you just had to take a step,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-brashear/i-might-not-know-every-step-of-my-journey-but-standing-still-wouldn-t/) [Jean Brashear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-brashear/) > [“The miracles of our dreams lie beneath our foot soles -- in each and every tiny step we take as we journey to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/besa-kosova/the-miracles-of-our-dreams-lie-beneath-our-foot-soles-in-each-and/) [Besa Kosova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/besa-kosova/) > [“It’s lucid fact that there is no hidden secret to success; this is a step by step journey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junaid-raza/it-s-lucid-fact-that-there-is-no-hidden-secret-to-success-this-is-a/) Junaid Raza > [You take a step, then another. That's the journey. 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David Walker > [There's a lot of 'who you know' in this business, and I don't think I skipped a step on the journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/there-s-a-lot-of-who-you-know-in-this-business-and-i-don-t-think-i/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [“We take a giant step in our journey when we become aware that it's only our own thoughts that hurt us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-jampolsky/we-take-a-giant-step-in-our-journey-when-we-become-aware-that-it-s/) [Jerry Jampolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-jampolsky/) > [“Always take the first step. That's where the journey begins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/echo-bliss/always-take-the-first-step-that-s-where-the-journey-begins/) Echo Bliss ## More by Galway Kinnell > [Turn on the dream you lived through the unwavering gaze. It is as you thought: the living burn. In the floating days may you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/turn-on-the-dream-you-lived-through-the-unwavering-gaze-it-is-as-you/) [Galway Kinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/) > [“The wages of dying are love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/the-wages-of-dying-are-love/) [Galway Kinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/) > [Is there a mechanism of death, that so mutilates existence no one, gets over it not even the dead?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/is-there-a-mechanism-of-death-that-so-mutilates-existence-no-one-gets/) [Galway Kinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/) > [I start off but I don't know where I'm going; I try this avenue and that avenue, that turns out to be a dead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/i-start-off-but-i-don-t-know-where-i-m-going-i-try-this-avenue-and/) [Galway Kinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/) > [“The Correspondence-School Instructor Says Goodbye to His Poetry Students Goodbye, lady in Bangor, who sent me snapshots of yourself, after definitely hinting you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/the-correspondence-school-instructor-says-goodbye-to-his-poetry/) [Galway Kinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/) > [the rest of my days I spend wandering: wondering what, anyway, was that sticky infusion, that rank flavor of blood, that poetry, by which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/the-rest-of-my-days-i-spend-wandering-wondering-what-anyway-was-that/) [Galway Kinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/) > [I love to go out in late September among the fat, overripe, icy, black blackberries to eat blackberries for breakfast, the stalks very prickly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/i-love-to-go-out-in-late-september-among-the-fat-overripe-icy-black/) [Galway Kinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/) > [“Bending over her bed, I saw the smile I must have seen when gaping up from the crib. Knowing death will come, sensing its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/bending-over-her-bed-i-saw-the-smile-i-must-have-seen-when-gaping-up/) [Galway Kinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/) > [“When the man touches through to the exact center of the woman, he lies motionless, in equilibrium, in absolute desire, at the threshold of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/when-the-man-touches-through-to-the-exact-center-of-the-woman-he-lies/) [Galway Kinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/) > [“This happened to your father and to you, Galway-sick to stay, longing to come up against the ends of the earth, and climb over.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/this-happened-to-your-father-and-to-you-galway-sick-to-stay-longing/) [Galway Kinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/) > [“Wait Wait, for now. Distrust everything, if you have to. But trust the hours. Haven't they carried you everywhere, up to now? Personal events…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/wait-wait-for-now-distrust-everything-if-you-have-to-but-trust-the/) [Galway Kinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/) > [Prose is walking; poetry is flying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/prose-is-walking-poetry-is-flying/) [Galway Kinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/) > [Never mind. The self is the least of it. Let our scars fall in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/never-mind-the-self-is-the-least-of-it-let-our-scars-fall-in-love/) [Galway Kinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/) > [That's the way it is with poetry: When it is incomprehensible it seems profound, and when you understand it, it is only ridiculous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/that-s-the-way-it-is-with-poetry-when-it-is-incomprehensible-it-seems/) [Galway Kinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/) > [Little sleep's-head sprouting hair in the moonlight, when I come back we will go out together, we will walk out together among, the ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/little-sleep-s-head-sprouting-hair-in-the-moonlight-when-i-come-back/) [Galway Kinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/) [Explore all 46 Galway Kinnell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/) ## More First step quotes > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [“I remember wondering, within a year or two of taking my first steps, why only men sat to drink tea and converse, and why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-hill/i-remember-wondering-within-a-year-or-two-of-taking-my-first-steps/) [Lawrence Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-hill/) > [At least before my hip replacement, I had a quick first step. I could get by you off the dribble. My business game is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/at-least-before-my-hip-replacement-i-had-a-quick-first-step-i-could/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [Larry Kramer wisely realized so early on that to change the world, people have to know you. If they know you and see that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-murphy/larry-kramer-wisely-realized-so-early-on-that-to-change-the-world/) [Ryan Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-murphy/) > [“How, then, do you make failure into something people can face without fear? Part of the answer is simple: If we as leaders can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/how-then-do-you-make-failure-into-something-people-can-face-without/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“A skillful literary artist has constructed a tale. If wise, he has not fashioned his thoughts to accommodate his incidents; but having conceived, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/a-skillful-literary-artist-has-constructed-a-tale-if-wise-he-has-not/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [The cultural integration of psychedelics won't happen overnight, and the question of young people is perhaps the most difficult involved. The first step is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-doblin/the-cultural-integration-of-psychedelics-won-t-happen-overnight-and/) [Rick Doblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-doblin/) > [“Women create an idealized, hopeful vision for the future to inspire other women. Fiction and fantasy are the crucial first steps to changing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-rodale/women-create-an-idealized-hopeful-vision-for-the-future-to-inspire/) [Maya Rodale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-rodale/) > [“What liberty we find when we trade self-esteem for God-esteem, relying on what God’s Word says about us rather than looking solely to our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-gallier/what-liberty-we-find-when-we-trade-self-esteem-for-god-esteem-relying/) [Laura Gallier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-gallier/) > [How do you turn the invisible into the visible? The first step is to define your dream precisely; the only limit to what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/how-do-you-turn-the-invisible-into-the-visible-the-first-step-is-to/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Russia may soon get another chance to move closer to the West, to make a step - I do believe the first step toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-voinovich/russia-may-soon-get-another-chance-to-move-closer-to-the-west-to-make/) [Vladimir Voinovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-voinovich/) > [The first step toward maintaining autonomy in any programmed environment is to be aware that there's programming going on. It's as simple as understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/the-first-step-toward-maintaining-autonomy-in-any-programmed/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [I can turn an idea into a business before you know it's going to be important. My first step will blow by you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/i-can-turn-an-idea-into-a-business-before-you-know-it-s-going-to-be/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [“So, how do you make value flow? The first step, once value is defined and the entire value stream is identified, is to focus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-p-womack/so-how-do-you-make-value-flow-the-first-step-once-value-is-defined/) [James P. Womack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-p-womack/) > [“The first step in awareness is to be watchful of your body. Slowly,slowly one becomes alert about each gesture,each movement. And as you become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/the-first-step-in-awareness-is-to-be-watchful-of-your-body-slowly/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) [Browse all 1,815 First step quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-step/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first step in the journey is to lose your way.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Galway Kinnell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/the-first-step-in-the-journey-is-to-lose-your-way/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "First step" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/the-first-step-in-the-journey-is-to-lose-your-way/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba7/galway-kinnell-14406_first-step_the-first-step-in-the-journey-is-to-lose_2823700.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba7/galway-kinnell-14406_first-step_the-first-step-in-the-journey-is-to-lose_2823700.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba7/galway-kinnell-14406_first-step_the-first-step-in-the-journey-is-to-lose_2823700.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first step in the journey is to lose your way.” — Galway Kinnell", "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": "Galway Kinnell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first step in the journey...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/the-first-step-in-the-journey-is-to-lose-your-way/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/the-first-step-in-the-journey-is-to-lose-your-way/#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 } } ] } ```