--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We live in our desires rather than in our…" description: "\"“We live in our desires rather than in our achievements”\" — George Moore" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/george-moore-38154_achievements_we-live-in-our-desires-rather-than-in-ou_2541412.jpg" --- # We live in our desires rather than in our achievements ![“We live in our desires rather than in our achievements” quote by George Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/george-moore-38154_achievements_we-live-in-our-desires-rather-than-in-ou_2541412.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/george-moore-38154_achievements_we-live-in-our-desires-rather-than-in-ou_2541412.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/george-moore-38154_achievements_we-live-in-our-desires-rather-than-in-ou_2541412.jpg) > ““We live in our desires rather than in our achievements”” [George Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-moore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It suggests people prioritize yearning over actual success, living in imagined futures rather than real accomplishments. **In simple terms:** People focus on wishes instead of achievements. Key Takeaway Shift focus to tangible results. Themes desire achievement illusion Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal goal setting - career planning - relationship expectations Key Concepts psychology motivation self‑deception Questions to Reflect On - Are your goals driven by desire or achievement? - How can you balance dreaming with doing? A Different Perspective Desires can motivate but may also distract from progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achievements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievements/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desires/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [“I believe sex is a life force and I try to write about it as straightforwardly as I can. I try to let characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-gibbon/i-believe-sex-is-a-life-force-and-i-try-to-write-about-it-as/) Maureen Gibbon > [“Nor can a man any more live, whose Desires are at an end, than he, whose Senses and Imaginations are at a stand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/nor-can-a-man-any-more-live-whose-desires-are-at-an-end-than-he-whose/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [“You are what you desire. You may live with desires and determine all that you want; But your actions determine what and how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gian-kumar/you-are-what-you-desire-you-may-live-with-desires-and-determine-all/) [Gian Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gian-kumar/) > [“Desires and wishes don’t lead to success. Plans and efforts do. Create a vision, chalk out an action plan, put in your best efforts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roopleen/desires-and-wishes-don-t-lead-to-success-plans-and-efforts-do-create/) Roopleen > [I was able to turn to classical music many people, who saw my programs live and on YouTube, and this is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksey-igudesman/i-was-able-to-turn-to-classical-music-many-people-who-saw-my-programs/) [Aleksey Igudesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksey-igudesman/) > [The problem for us is not are our desires satisfied or not. The problem is how do we know what we desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slavoj-i-ek/the-problem-for-us-is-not-are-our-desires-satisfied-or-not-the/) [Slavoj Žižek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slavoj-i-ek/) > [“People make themselves unhappy by desiring and praising only one thing, by becoming too one-sided in trying to find contentment. If we were just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adalbert-stifter/people-make-themselves-unhappy-by-desiring-and-praising-only-one/) [Adalbert Stifter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adalbert-stifter/) > [Christ desires nothing more of us than that we speak of him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/christ-desires-nothing-more-of-us-than-that-we-speak-of-him/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [It is a happy circumstance that when nature gives us true burning desires, she also gives us the means to satisfy them. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-seykota/it-is-a-happy-circumstance-that-when-nature-gives-us-true-burning/) [Ed Seykota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-seykota/) > [“The desires of the flesh leads to sin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-desires-of-the-flesh-leads-to-sin/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [The best kind of wealth is to give up inordinate desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/the-best-kind-of-wealth-is-to-give-up-inordinate-desires/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [My intentions go one way, my desires another. Thus I feel both self-indulgent and deprived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/my-intentions-go-one-way-my-desires-another-thus-i-feel-both-self/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Our desires have a way of getting bigger with our incomes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/our-desires-have-a-way-of-getting-bigger-with-our-incomes/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [“The best way to achieve a wonderful life is to have wonderful desires.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/the-best-way-to-achieve-a-wonderful-life-is-to-have-wonderful-desires/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) ## More by George Moore > [It appears to me that in Ethics, as in all other philosophical studies, the difficulties and disagreements, of which history is full, are mainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-moore/it-appears-to-me-that-in-ethics-as-in-all-other-philosophical-studies/) [George Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-moore/) > [A very slight change of our habits is sufficient to destroy our sense of our daily reality, and the reality of the world around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-moore/a-very-slight-change-of-our-habits-is-sufficient-to-destroy-our-sense/) [George Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-moore/) > [Celibates replace sentiment by habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-moore/celibates-replace-sentiment-by-habits/) [George Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-moore/) > [The mind petrifies if a circle be drawn around it, and it can hardly be that dogma draws a circle round the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-moore/the-mind-petrifies-if-a-circle-be-drawn-around-it-and-it-can-hardly/) [George Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-moore/) > [We humans are more complicated than animals, and we love through the imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-moore/we-humans-are-more-complicated-than-animals-and-we-love-through-the/) [George Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-moore/) > [A man travels the world in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-moore/a-man-travels-the-world-in-search-of-what-he-needs-and-returns-home/) [George Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-moore/) > [After all, there is but one race: humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-moore/after-all-there-is-but-one-race-humanity/) [George Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-moore/) > [God is a great expense but government would be impossible without him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-moore/god-is-a-great-expense-but-government-would-be-impossible-without-him/) [George Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-moore/) > [“Who can say for certain that he is sincere, who can say for certain that he believes? In the midst of of our deepest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-moore/who-can-say-for-certain-that-he-is-sincere-who-can-say-for-certain/) [George Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-moore/) > [Reality can destroy dreams. Why shouldn't dreams destroy reality?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-moore/reality-can-destroy-dreams-why-shouldn-t-dreams-destroy-reality/) [George Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-moore/) > [A very slight change in our habits is sufficient to destroy our sense of our daily reality, and the reality of the world about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-moore/a-very-slight-change-in-our-habits-is-sufficient-to-destroy-our-sense/) [George Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-moore/) [Explore all 12 George Moore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-moore/) ## More Achievements quotes > [“Desires and wishes don’t lead to success. Plans and efforts do. Create a vision, chalk out an action plan, put in your best efforts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roopleen/desires-and-wishes-don-t-lead-to-success-plans-and-efforts-do-create/) Roopleen > [One of the achievements of the reform movement is that people realize that they can be democrats and remain faithful Muslims. Democracy is now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/one-of-the-achievements-of-the-reform-movement-is-that-people-realize/) [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) > [If I stayed in this game for individual achievements, I don't think I'd still be playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chili-davis/if-i-stayed-in-this-game-for-individual-achievements-i-don-t-think-i/) [Chili Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chili-davis/) > [Big achievements come one small advantage at a time, one step at a time, one day at time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/big-achievements-come-one-small-advantage-at-a-time-one-step-at-a/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [“Leaders spend time reviewing their mistakes rather than having fantasies over their achievements! They look for every way to do the undone!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/leaders-spend-time-reviewing-their-mistakes-rather-than-having/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [A woman's professional achievements are always overlooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simi-garewal/a-woman-s-professional-achievements-are-always-overlooked/) [Simi Garewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simi-garewal/) > [I was able to turn to classical music many people, who saw my programs live and on YouTube, and this is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksey-igudesman/i-was-able-to-turn-to-classical-music-many-people-who-saw-my-programs/) [Aleksey Igudesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksey-igudesman/) > [Fame is like the dessert that comes with your achievements - it's not an achievement in itself, but sometimes it can overpower the work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clayton/fame-is-like-the-dessert-that-comes-with-your-achievements-it-s-not/) [Adam Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clayton/) > [“If this conviction had not been a strongly emotional one and if those searching for knowledge had not been inspired by Spinoza 's Amor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/if-this-conviction-had-not-been-a-strongly-emotional-one-and-if-those/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I love the success of my teammates more than my individual achievements. I've just always cared more about that since I started playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/i-love-the-success-of-my-teammates-more-than-my-individual/) [LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/) > [It's very confusing when fame comes early on in your career. You get a little bit bent out of shape in terms of what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clayton/it-s-very-confusing-when-fame-comes-early-on-in-your-career-you-get-a/) [Adam Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clayton/) > [“To have the wisdom is rarely achieved by seeking the knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/to-have-the-wisdom-is-rarely-achieved-by-seeking-the-knowledge/) Will Advise > [It's not that I think weddings - or marriages - are letdowns. It's just that I want to see my wedding as one awesome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-klein/it-s-not-that-i-think-weddings-or-marriages-are-letdowns-it-s-just/) [Jessi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-klein/) > [All my achievements - even if they may seem small - are mine. No one has contributed to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koena-mitra/all-my-achievements-even-if-they-may-seem-small-are-mine-no-one-has/) [Koena Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koena-mitra/) > [I'm not sure my achievements have been 'great.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/i-m-not-sure-my-achievements-have-been-great/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) [Browse all 319 Achievements quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievements/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We live in our desires rather than in our achievements”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Moore" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-moore/we-live-in-our-desires-rather-than-in-our-achievements/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Achievements" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-moore/we-live-in-our-desires-rather-than-in-our-achievements/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/george-moore-38154_achievements_we-live-in-our-desires-rather-than-in-ou_2541412.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/george-moore-38154_achievements_we-live-in-our-desires-rather-than-in-ou_2541412.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/717/george-moore-38154_achievements_we-live-in-our-desires-rather-than-in-ou_2541412.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We live in our desires rather than in our achievements” — George Moore", "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": "George Moore", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-moore/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We live in our desires rather...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-moore/we-live-in-our-desires-rather-than-in-our-achievements/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-moore/we-live-in-our-desires-rather-than-in-our-achievements/#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 } } ] } ```