--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In this life we get only those things for…" description: "\"In this life we get only those things for which we hunt, for which we strive, and for which we are willing to sacrifice. It is better to aim for someth..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/george-matthew-adams-11465_aim_in-this-life-we-get-only-those-things-fo_663791.jpg" --- # In this life we get only those things for which we hunt… ![“In this life we get only those things for which we hunt, for which we strive, and for which we are willing to sacrifice. It is better to aim for something that you want-even though you miss it-than to get something that you didn't aim to get, and which you don't want! If we look long enough for…” quote by George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/george-matthew-adams-11465_aim_in-this-life-we-get-only-those-things-fo_663791.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/george-matthew-adams-11465_aim_in-this-life-we-get-only-those-things-fo_663791.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/george-matthew-adams-11465_aim_in-this-life-we-get-only-those-things-fo_663791.jpg) > “In this life we get only those things for which we hunt, for which we strive, and for which we are willing to sacrifice. It is better to aim for something that you want-even though you miss it-than to get something that you didn't aim to get, and which you don't want! If we look long enough for what we want in life we are almost sure to find it, no matter what that objective may be.” [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote emphasizes that purposeful pursuit, effort, and sacrifice lead to obtaining desired outcomes, and that aiming for what you truly want, even if missed, is preferable to receiving unwanted results. **In simple terms:** Aim and work for what you truly want, even if you miss it. Key Takeaway Pursue goals you value, not random gains. Themes purpose effort goal‑setting sacrifice desire Mood determined reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - career aspirations - personal relationships - creative projects - health goals - financial planning Key Concepts motivation intentionality outcome focus Questions to Reflect On - What are you willing to sacrifice for your biggest goal? - How do you handle missing a target you aimed for? A Different Perspective It may overlook the value of serendipity and adaptability when plans fail. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [This life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-life/) ## Related quotes > [In this life we get only those things for which we hunt, for which we strive, and for which we are willing to sacrifice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/in-this-life-we-get-only-those-things-for-which-we-hunt-for-which-we-2/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [It's a funny thing about looking for things. If you hunt for a needle in a haystack you don't find it. If you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-a-funny-thing-about-looking-for-things-if-you-hunt-for-a-needle/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [That's the way to get young people. Once they see there are wonderful things to hunt for, to rediscover a species that was thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/that-s-the-way-to-get-young-people-once-they-see-there-are-wonderful/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [Nobody can be whatever they want to be. No kid can do whatever they want to do. It's a total lie. But they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/nobody-can-be-whatever-they-want-to-be-no-kid-can-do-whatever-they/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [You aim for what you want and if you don't get it, you don't get it, but if you don't aim, you don't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-prose/you-aim-for-what-you-want-and-if-you-don-t-get-it-you-don-t-get-it/) [Francine Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-prose/) > [“Life is achievement…Give yourself an aim, something you want to do, then go after it, breaking through everything, with nothing in mind but your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/life-is-achievement-give-yourself-an-aim-something-you-want-to-do/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“Like Claire said, there were other things to hunt and most of them were much less likely to hunt me back. But there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-chance/like-claire-said-there-were-other-things-to-hunt-and-most-of-them/) [Karen Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-chance/) > [Aim for what u want and the year will all make a sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/aim-for-what-u-want-and-the-year-will-all-make-a-sense/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't think we'll discover anything, myself. I think what will happen is we'll discover people who will tell us where to go find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-don-t-think-we-ll-discover-anything-myself-i-think-what-will-happen/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [It’s been such an honor to be your Owen Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mckidd/it-s-been-such-an-honor-to-be-your-owen-hunt/) [Kevin McKidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mckidd/) > [Everyone loves a witch hunt as long as it's someone else's witch being hunted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/everyone-loves-a-witch-hunt-as-long-as-it-s-someone-else-s-witch/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [No one holds command over me. No man. No god. No Prince. What is a claim of age for ones who are immortal? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-one-holds-command-over-me-no-man-no-god-no-prince-what-is-a-claim/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Go afield with a good attitude, with respect for the wildlife you hunt and for the forest and fields in which you walk. Immerse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-bear/go-afield-with-a-good-attitude-with-respect-for-the-wildlife-you-hunt/) [Fred Bear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-bear/) > [Something I like to do a lot is just sit by water when there’s a current and just stare into the water. I don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/something-i-like-to-do-a-lot-is-just-sit-by-water-when-there-s-a/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [My kids all do love to hunt and fish. When they get together, I think that's what they get together more for than anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/my-kids-all-do-love-to-hunt-and-fish-when-they-get-together-i-think/) [Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/) ## More by George Matthew Adams > [There is no such thing as a "self-made" man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-self-made-man-we-are-made-up-of-thousands/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [Sailing a boat calls for quick action, a blending of feeling with the wind and water as well as with the very heart and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/sailing-a-boat-calls-for-quick-action-a-blending-of-feeling-with-the/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [What is more beautiful than a sea of water with a number of white-winged boats skirting its surface? Poetry and beauty contesting with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/what-is-more-beautiful-than-a-sea-of-water-with-a-number-of-white/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [“Every one of us, unconsciously, works out a personal philosophy of life, by which we are guided, inspired, and corrected, as time goes on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/every-one-of-us-unconsciously-works-out-a-personal-philosophy-of-life/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [One reason why so many people are unhappy, not knowing why, is that they have burdened their minds with resentments. These evil thoughts pile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/one-reason-why-so-many-people-are-unhappy-not-knowing-why-is-that/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [I say to myself that I shall try to make my life like an open fireplace, so that people may be warmed and cheered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/i-say-to-myself-that-i-shall-try-to-make-my-life-like-an-open/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [“Each day of your life, as soon as you open your eyes in the morning, you can square away for a happy and successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/each-day-of-your-life-as-soon-as-you-open-your-eyes-in-the-morning/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [It's what each of us sows, and how, that gives us character and prestige.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/it-s-what-each-of-us-sows-and-how-that-gives-us-character-and-prestige/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [It is easier to win than to fail. Everybody sides with the winner. But the failure walks alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/it-is-easier-to-win-than-to-fail-everybody-sides-with-the-winner-but/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [We can accomplish almost anything within our ability if we but think we can! Every great achievement in this world was first carefully thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/we-can-accomplish-almost-anything-within-our-ability-if-we-but-think/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [It's marvelous the change that comes about when a man gets together all his forces and centers them upon the doing of one thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/it-s-marvelous-the-change-that-comes-about-when-a-man-gets-together/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [No one ever gets too big to make mistakes. The secret is that the big man is greater than his mistakes, because he rises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/no-one-ever-gets-too-big-to-make-mistakes-the-secret-is-that-the-big/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [What you think means more than anything else in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/what-you-think-means-more-than-anything-else-in-your-life/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [No one owns you. One hundred per cent of the stock in your personal corporation belongs to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/no-one-owns-you-one-hundred-per-cent-of-the-stock-in-your-personal/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [Few people wear out before their time. Mostly they rust out, worry out, run out - spill out. A machine must have care and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/few-people-wear-out-before-their-time-mostly-they-rust-out-worry-out/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) [Explore all 59 George Matthew Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) ## 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/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [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/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [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/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ 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/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [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/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [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 ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In this life we get only those things for which we hunt, for which we strive, and for which we are willing to sacrifice. It is better to aim for something that you want-even though you miss it-than to get something that you didn't aim to get, and which you don't want! 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