--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the long run, you hit only what you…" description: "\"In the long run, you hit only what you aim at.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cb/henry-david-thoreau-20_aim_in-the-long-run-you-hit-only-what-you-ai_3211146.jpg" --- # In the long run, you hit only what you aim at. ![“In the long run, you hit only what you aim at.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cb/henry-david-thoreau-20_aim_in-the-long-run-you-hit-only-what-you-ai_3211146.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cb/henry-david-thoreau-20_aim_in-the-long-run-you-hit-only-what-you-ai_3211146.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cb/henry-david-thoreau-20_aim_in-the-long-run-you-hit-only-what-you-ai_3211146.jpg) > “In the long run, you hit only what you aim at.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success depends on setting clear goals; you only achieve what you intentionally target. **In simple terms:** Aim clearly to achieve. Key Takeaway Set precise goals and pursue them. Themes goal‑setting focus self‑reliance productivity determination Mood motivational determined Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - Career planning - academic research - personal fitness - project management - creative endeavors Key Concepts Intentionality psychology of achievement mindset Questions to Reflect On - What are your current targets? - How do you stay focused amid distractions? A Different Perspective Unforeseen obstacles can derail even well‑aimed efforts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Long runs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-runs/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [In the long run, men hit only what they aim at. Therefore, they had better aim at something high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-the-long-run-men-hit-only-what-they-aim-at-therefore-they-had/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Government programs aim at getting money for poor people. Our hope was that knowledge would in the long run be more useful, provide more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/government-programs-aim-at-getting-money-for-poor-people-our-hope-was/) [Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) > [There is nothing to be intimidated about - it's just another long run where a few more people show up and they happen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wess-stafford/there-is-nothing-to-be-intimidated-about-it-s-just-another-long-run/) [Wess Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wess-stafford/) > [In the long run it makes little difference how cleverly others are deceived; if we are not doing what we are best equipped to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-brande/in-the-long-run-it-makes-little-difference-how-cleverly-others-are/) [Dorothea Brande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-brande/) > [A society in which conjugal infidelity is tolerated must always be in the long run a society adverse to women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-society-in-which-conjugal-infidelity-is-tolerated-must-always-be-in/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I don't think telling the truth ever gets anyone in trouble in the long run. Maybe the day after, but not in the long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-spurrier/i-don-t-think-telling-the-truth-ever-gets-anyone-in-trouble-in-the/) [Steve Spurrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-spurrier/) > [In the long run my observations have convinced me that some men, reasoning preposterously, first establish some conclusion in their minds which, either because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/in-the-long-run-my-observations-have-convinced-me-that-some-men/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [Debunking bad science should be constant obligation of the science community, even if it takes time away from serious research or seems to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/debunking-bad-science-should-be-constant-obligation-of-the-science/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [As a fighter pilot I know from my own experiences how decisive surprise and luck can be for success, which in the long run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-galland/as-a-fighter-pilot-i-know-from-my-own-experiences-how-decisive/) [Adolf Galland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-galland/) > [IMMORAL, adj. Inexpedient. Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men find to be generally inexpedient comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/immoral-adj-inexpedient-whatever-in-the-long-run-and-with-regard-to/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [ \[U\]nless oppressed groups stick together, and on alliances of self interest rather than do-goodism; nothing can be accomplished in the long run to dismantle… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shulamith-firestone/u-nless-oppressed-groups-stick-together-and-on-alliances-of-self/) [Shulamith Firestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shulamith-firestone/) > [There are few husbands whom the wife cannot win in the long run, by patience and love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-of-valois/there-are-few-husbands-whom-the-wife-cannot-win-in-the-long-run-by/) [Margaret of Valois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-of-valois/) > [I don't want to be just a straight pop singer. I'm a vocalist and that's what I want to be seen as in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-aguilera/i-don-t-want-to-be-just-a-straight-pop-singer-i-m-a-vocalist-and-that/) [Christina Aguilera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-aguilera/) > [I feel like a big trend is just to model your success off someone else and I don't think that ever works in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mamrie-hart/i-feel-like-a-big-trend-is-just-to-model-your-success-off-someone/) Mamrie Hart > [There is no domestic issue more important to America in the long run than the conservation and proper use of our natural resources, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-nelson/there-is-no-domestic-issue-more-important-to-america-in-the-long-run/) [Gaylord Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-nelson/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## 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 the long run, you hit only what you aim at.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-the-long-run-you-hit-only-what-you-aim-at/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aim" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-the-long-run-you-hit-only-what-you-aim-at/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cb/henry-david-thoreau-20_aim_in-the-long-run-you-hit-only-what-you-ai_3211146.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cb/henry-david-thoreau-20_aim_in-the-long-run-you-hit-only-what-you-ai_3211146.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cb/henry-david-thoreau-20_aim_in-the-long-run-you-hit-only-what-you-ai_3211146.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the long run, you hit only what you aim at.” — Henry David Thoreau", "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": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In the long run, you hit...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-the-long-run-you-hit-only-what-you-aim-at/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-the-long-run-you-hit-only-what-you-aim-at/#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 } } ] } ```