--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The center of every man's existence is a…" description: "\"The center of every man's existence is a dream.\" — Gilbert K. Chesterton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_anticipation_the-center-of-every-man-s-existence-is-a_2270891.png" --- # The center of every man's existence is a dream. ![“The center of every man's existence is a dream.” quote by Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_anticipation_the-center-of-every-man-s-existence-is-a_2270891.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_anticipation_the-center-of-every-man-s-existence-is-a_2270891.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_anticipation_the-center-of-every-man-s-existence-is-a_2270891.png) > “The center of every man's existence is a dream.” [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A person's deepest purpose is driven by their aspirations and inner visions. **In simple terms:** Dreams shape our existence. Key Takeaway Identify and pursue your core dream. Themes purpose aspiration identity Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - creative projects - personal growth - goal setting Key Concepts existentialism self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What dream defines you? - How can you align daily actions with that dream? A Different Perspective Dreams may be unrealistic or change over time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Toothache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toothache/) ## Related quotes > [You're looking for that prototypical second-line center man. They're not out there. They're just not out there. No one's selling them. No one's giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-trotz/you-re-looking-for-that-prototypical-second-line-center-man-they-re/) [Barry Trotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-trotz/) > [I grew up at a rec center, man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-rozier/i-grew-up-at-a-rec-center-man/) [Terry Rozier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-rozier/) > [I BELIEVE IN A DREAM, A dream of that like a child look up to his ambitious father and say I want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaze-olamiday/i-believe-in-a-dream-a-dream-of-that-like-a-child-look-up-to-his/) [Blaze Olamiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaze-olamiday/) > [“You are not you--you have no body, no blood, no bones, you are but a thought. I myself have no existence; I am but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/you-are-not-you-you-have-no-body-no-blood-no-bones-you-are-but-a/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [It is by no means an irrational fancy that, in a future existence, we shall look upon what we think our present existence, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/it-is-by-no-means-an-irrational-fancy-that-in-a-future-existence-we/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [Since Freud, the center of man is not where we thought it was; one has to go on from there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lacan/since-freud-the-center-of-man-is-not-where-we-thought-it-was-one-has/) [Jacques Lacan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lacan/) > [“At the center of a man's purpose rests the hunger for competition, war, chaos, and calmness. You take it away, there is nothing but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-suggs/at-the-center-of-a-man-s-purpose-rests-the-hunger-for-competition-war/) [Lionel Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-suggs/) > [Food that is necessary for man’s existence is as sacred as life itself. Everything that is indispensable for its preservation is the common property…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximilien-robespierre/food-that-is-necessary-for-man-s-existence-is-as-sacred-as-life/) [Maximilien Robespierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximilien-robespierre/) > [“The first sentiment of man was that of his existence, his first care that of preserving it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-first-sentiment-of-man-was-that-of-his-existence-his-first-care/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“Oppression has been in existence as long as man himself has been in existence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/oppression-has-been-in-existence-as-long-as-man-himself-has-been-in/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Even at his most powerless, man's existence is never without meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suikoden/even-at-his-most-powerless-man-s-existence-is-never-without-meaning/) Suikoden > [Science is our only hope to be the 'Holy Rope' tying man to the existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/science-is-our-only-hope-to-be-the-holy-rope-tying-man-to-the/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The fundamental axiom, then, for the study of man is the existence of individual consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/the-fundamental-axiom-then-for-the-study-of-man-is-the-existence-of/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [“This uniqueness and singleness which distinguishes each individual and gives a meaning to his existence has a bearing on creative work as much as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/this-uniqueness-and-singleness-which-distinguishes-each-individual/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [Man's existence precedes his essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/man-s-existence-precedes-his-essence/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) ## More by Gilbert K. Chesterton > [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/) > [Youth is always too serious, and just now it is too serious about frivolity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/youth-is-always-too-serious-and-just-now-it-is-too-serious-about/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Tradition does not mean a dead town; it does not mean that the living are dead but that the dead are alive. It means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/tradition-does-not-mean-a-dead-town-it-does-not-mean-that-the-living/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [It is shorter to state the things forbidden than the things permitted; precisely because most things are permitted and only a few things forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/it-is-shorter-to-state-the-things-forbidden-than-the-things-permitted/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Everyone seems to assume that the unscrupulous parts of journalism will be the frivolous or jocular parts. This is against all ethical experience. Jokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/everyone-seems-to-assume-that-the-unscrupulous-parts-of-journalism/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [For Scotland has a double dose of the poison called heredity; the sense of blood in the aristocrat, the sense of doom in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/for-scotland-has-a-double-dose-of-the-poison-called-heredity-the/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Faith is always at a disadvantage; it is a perpetually defeated thing which survives all conquerors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/faith-is-always-at-a-disadvantage-it-is-a-perpetually-defeated-thing/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [A building is akin to dogma; it is insolent, like dogma. Whether or no it is permanent, it claims permanence, like a dogma. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/a-building-is-akin-to-dogma-it-is-insolent-like-dogma-whether-or-no/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [The triangle of truisms, of father, mother and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-triangle-of-truisms-of-father-mother-and-child-cannot-be/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Criticism is only words about words, and of what use are words about such words as these?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/criticism-is-only-words-about-words-and-of-what-use-are-words-about/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [What we suffer from today is humility in the wrong place...The old humility was a spur that prevented a man from stopping; not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/what-we-suffer-from-today-is-humility-in-the-wrong-place-the-old/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Plato was only a Bernard Shaw who unfortunately made his jokes in Greek.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/plato-was-only-a-bernard-shaw-who-unfortunately-made-his-jokes-in/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [The word good has many meanings...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-word-good-has-many-meanings/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Music with dinner is an insult both to the cook and the violinist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/music-with-dinner-is-an-insult-both-to-the-cook-and-the-violinist/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Eugenics asserts that all men must be so stupid that they cannot manage their own affairs; and also so clever that they can manage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/eugenics-asserts-that-all-men-must-be-so-stupid-that-they-cannot/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) [Explore all 868 Gilbert K. Chesterton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) ## More Anticipation quotes > [There is something to be said though when you have 4 or 5 guys playing with no net, there is a sense of urgency,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-mendoza/there-is-something-to-be-said-though-when-you-have-4-or-5-guys/) [Marco Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-mendoza/) > [Long intros are cool because there's a little bit of anticipation, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-lambert/long-intros-are-cool-because-there-s-a-little-bit-of-anticipation-you/) [Miranda Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-lambert/) > [Playing shortstop is 75 to 80 percent anticipation, knowing the hitter and the pitch being thrown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-boudreau/playing-shortstop-is-75-to-80-percent-anticipation-knowing-the-hitter/) [Lou Boudreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-boudreau/) > [Marriages are always moving from one season to another. Sometimes we find ourselves in winter--discouraged, detached, and dissatisfied; other times we experience springtime, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/marriages-are-always-moving-from-one-season-to-another-sometimes-we/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [“O I'm so afraid that it's true about to travel hopefully being better than to arrive. It might be all in the quest, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-brophy/o-i-m-so-afraid-that-it-s-true-about-to-travel-hopefully-being-better/) [Brigid Brophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-brophy/) > [“If you come at four in the afternoon, I'll begin to be happy by three.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-come-at-four-in-the-afternoon-i-ll-begin-to-be-happy-by-three/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Science is not a system of certain, or -established, statements; nor is it a system which steadily advances towards a state of finality... And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/science-is-not-a-system-of-certain-or-established-statements-nor-is/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [\[It is hard to know what is good luck and what isn't and therefore whether we should be happy or sad about it. Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zelig-pliskin/it-is-hard-to-know-what-is-good-luck-and-what-isn-t-and-therefore/) [Zelig Pliskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zelig-pliskin/) > [The so called unconscious inferences can be traced back to the all-preserving memory, which presents us with parallel experiences and hence already knows the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-so-called-unconscious-inferences-can-be-traced-back-to-the-all/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [ The only thing is that ordinarily when I do dance with \[women\] they think I am suddenly going to throw them over a table… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/the-only-thing-is-that-ordinarily-when-i-do-dance-with-women-they/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [Many live in dread of what is coming. Why should we? The unknown puts adventure into life. ... The unexpected around the corner gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-stanley-jones/many-live-in-dread-of-what-is-coming-why-should-we-the-unknown-puts/) [E. Stanley Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-stanley-jones/) > [The pilot who is always dreading a rock or a tempest must not complain if he remain a poor fisherman. We must at times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-metastasio/the-pilot-who-is-always-dreading-a-rock-or-a-tempest-must-not/) [Pietro Metastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-metastasio/) > [I am honoured to be asked to take on this role, especially as it comes at such an integral time for our relationship with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-boateng/i-am-honoured-to-be-asked-to-take-on-this-role-especially-as-it-comes/) Paul Boateng > [“I can handle Evil, but I cannot handle Anticipation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabbo-de-la-parra/i-can-handle-evil-but-i-cannot-handle-anticipation/) [Gabbo De La Parra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabbo-de-la-parra/) > [Hope is itself a species of happiness...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/hope-is-itself-a-species-of-happiness/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) Browse all 758 Anticipation quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The center of every man's existence is a dream.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gilbert K. 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