--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What lies before us and what lies behind…" description: "\"What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us. And when we bring what is within out into the world, mir..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/henry-david-thoreau-20_behinds_what-lies-before-us-and-what-lies-behind_2859317.jpg" --- # What lies before us and what lies behind us are small… ![“What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us. And when we bring what is within out into the world, miracles happen.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/henry-david-thoreau-20_behinds_what-lies-before-us-and-what-lies-behind_2859317.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/henry-david-thoreau-20_behinds_what-lies-before-us-and-what-lies-behind_2859317.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/henry-david-thoreau-20_behinds_what-lies-before-us-and-what-lies-behind_2859317.jpg) > “What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us. And when we bring what is within out into the world, miracles happen.” [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. He claims inner qualities outweigh external circumstances; expressing inner strengths leads to miracles. **In simple terms:** Inner strength matters most. Key Takeaway Tap inner potential to create change. Themes inner strength miracles self‑reliance potential Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - creative projects - community leadership - spiritual practice Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What inner resources have you untapped? - How can we nurture inner growth? A Different Perspective Inner work can be uncomfortable and requires vulnerability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Inner peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inner-peace/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Matters Compared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matters-compared-400131/) [Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle/) [Miracles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracles/) [Miracles Happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracles-happen/) [Small Matters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-matters-367255/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Miracles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-miracles-937462/) ## Related quotes > [“What lies before us and what lies within us are small matters compared to what lies within us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-lies-before-us-and-what-lies-within-us-are-small-matters/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we bring what is within out into the world, miracles happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-we-bring-what-is-within-out-into-the-world-miracles-happen/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us."--Ralph Waldo Emerson”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-lies-behind-us-and-what-lies-before-us-are-small-matters/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to WHAT LIES WITHIN US.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/admin-darkangel/what-lies-behind-us-and-what-lies-before-us-are-small-matters-2/) [Admin Darkangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/admin-darkangel/) > [“What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us. And when we bring what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/what-lies-before-us-and-what-lies-behind-us-are-small-matters/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/what-lies-behind-us-and-what-lies-ahead-of-us-are-tiny-matters/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Oliver Wendell Holmes has said, “What lies before us and what lies behind us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/oliver-wendell-holmes-has-said-what-lies-before-us-and-what-lies/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/what-lies-behind-us-and-what-lies-before-us-are-tiny-matters-compared-3/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [What Lies Behind Us and What Lies Before Us are Tiny Matters Compared to What Lies With In Us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-wald-emerson/what-lies-behind-us-and-what-lies-before-us-are-tiny-matters-compared-2/) [Ralph Wald Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-wald-emerson/) > [“dashed across streets without looking, they got horsing around in the lake and suddenly realized they had floated far past their depth on their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/dashed-across-streets-without-looking-they-got-horsing-around-in-the/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Do not loss your hope for what is not yet to come, this world is full of miracles. Believe in yourself and keep going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ky-vanchhay/do-not-loss-your-hope-for-what-is-not-yet-to-come-this-world-is-full/) [Ky Vanchhay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ky-vanchhay/) > [What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-lies-behind-us-and-what-lies-before-us-are-tiny-matters-compared/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [WHAT lies behind us and WHAT before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/what-lies-behind-us-and-what-before-us-are-tiny-matters-compared-to/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [This isn't a Christmas special! This is my life. In the real world, miracles and goodness just don't happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/this-isn-t-a-christmas-special-this-is-my-life-in-the-real-world/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [What we need is a world full of miracles, like the miracle of seeing the young child seeking work and independence, and manifesting a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/what-we-need-is-a-world-full-of-miracles-like-the-miracle-of-seeing/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) ## 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 Behinds quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. 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If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm really thankful to God, man. Like now, I'm really making a real comeback with my group. 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All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) [Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us. 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