--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everything that impeded him had to be…" description: "\"“Everything that impeded him had to be outweighed, even if only by a fraction, by all that drove him on.”\" — Ian McEwan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/360/ian-mcewan-494_outweighed_everything-that-impeded-him-had-to-be-ou_2111436.png" --- # Everything that impeded him had to be outweighed, even if… ![“Everything that impeded him had to be outweighed, even if only by a fraction, by all that drove him on.” quote by Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/360/ian-mcewan-494_outweighed_everything-that-impeded-him-had-to-be-ou_2111436.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/360/ian-mcewan-494_outweighed_everything-that-impeded-him-had-to-be-ou_2111436.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/360/ian-mcewan-494_outweighed_everything-that-impeded-him-had-to-be-ou_2111436.png) > ““Everything that impeded him had to be outweighed, even if only by a fraction, by all that drove him on.”” [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Obstacles must be outweighed by stronger motivations, even if only slightly. **In simple terms:** Drive must outweigh obstacles. Key Takeaway Let stronger purpose dominate challenges. Themes motivation overcoming obstacles purpose Mood determined reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - career setbacks - personal goals - relationship conflicts - health challenges Key Concepts psychology resilience cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - What drives you more than your fears? - How can you amplify your motivations? A Different Perspective Even a small advantage may not be enough against major barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fraction Drove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fraction-drove-4264330/) [Impeded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impeded-1948261/) [Impeded Outweighed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impeded-outweighed-4264328/) [Outweighed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outweighed-846548/) [Outweighed Fraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outweighed-fraction-4264329/) ## Related quotes > [It's the impeded stream that sings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/it-s-the-impeded-stream-that-sings/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-mind-that-is-not-baffled-is-not-employed-the-impeded-stream-is/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“My view was that we were all so far from achieving our goal that to hoard ideas only impeded our ability to get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/my-view-was-that-we-were-all-so-far-from-achieving-our-goal-that-to/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“Form serves us best when it works as an obstruction to baffle us and deflect our intended course. It may be that when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dani-shapiro/form-serves-us-best-when-it-works-as-an-obstruction-to-baffle-us-and/) [Dani Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dani-shapiro/) > [Once I got into the music, I realized that I had a passion for it that far outweighed what it was for baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lane/once-i-got-into-the-music-i-realized-that-i-had-a-passion-for-it-that/) [Chris Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lane/) > [Your ambition outweighed your talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stoner/your-ambition-outweighed-your-talent/) [Casey Stoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stoner/) > [“Kasandra’s theory had the backing of so many official sources in the books she’d read that it practically outweighed Johnny’s, which was merely based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/kasandra-s-theory-had-the-backing-of-so-many-official-sources-in-the/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Everything I dared dream of has come to fruition. Which is not to say that I don't grumble with the best of them, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-e-grant/everything-i-dared-dream-of-has-come-to-fruition-which-is-not-to-say/) [Richard E. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-e-grant/) > [I weighed the pros and cons of both, and college outweighed the pro ranks at the time and I'm definitely glad I made the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacoby-ellsbury/i-weighed-the-pros-and-cons-of-both-and-college-outweighed-the-pro/) [Jacoby Ellsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacoby-ellsbury/) ## More by Ian McEwan > [“As you will see, we do not believe that artists have an obligation to strike up attitudes to the war. Indeed, they are wise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/as-you-will-see-we-do-not-believe-that-artists-have-an-obligation-to/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [You could say that all novels are spy novels and all novelists are spy masters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/you-could-say-that-all-novels-are-spy-novels-and-all-novelists-are/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [I've never had a moment's doubt. I love you. I believe in you completely. You are my dearest one. My reason for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-ve-never-had-a-moment-s-doubt-i-love-you-i-believe-in-you/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“It is shaming sometimes, how the body will not, or cannot, lie about emotions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/it-is-shaming-sometimes-how-the-body-will-not-or-cannot-lie-about/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“While my friends struggled and calculated, I reached a solution by a set of floating steps that were partly visual, partly just a feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/while-my-friends-struggled-and-calculated-i-reached-a-solution-by-a/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“Once, on a walk by a river- Eskdale in low reddish sunlight, with a dusting of snow- his daughter quoted to him an opening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/once-on-a-walk-by-a-river-eskdale-in-low-reddish-sunlight-with-a/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“Perhaps it's one of those cases of a microcosm giving you the whole world. Like a spode dinner plate. Or a single cell. Or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/perhaps-it-s-one-of-those-cases-of-a-microcosm-giving-you-the-whole/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [Who you get, and how it works out- there's so much luck involved, as well as the million branching consequences of your conscious choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/who-you-get-and-how-it-works-out-there-s-so-much-luck-involved-as/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“On Chesil Beach he could have called out to Florence, he could have gone after her. He did not know, or would not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/on-chesil-beach-he-could-have-called-out-to-florence-he-could-have/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [It was always the view of my parents...that hot weather encouraged loose morals among young people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/it-was-always-the-view-of-my-parents-that-hot-weather-encouraged/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [I apologize for being obvious, but every time I watch the curtain come down on even a halfway decent production of a Shakespeare play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-apologize-for-being-obvious-but-every-time-i-watch-the-curtain-come/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [I would rather be physically disabled obviously than mentally. I would rather be paraplegic than nuts. And it is a terrifying prospect and actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-would-rather-be-physically-disabled-obviously-than-mentally-i-would/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“Words, as I'm beginning to appreciate, can make things true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/words-as-i-m-beginning-to-appreciate-can-make-things-true/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [I couldn't think about novels at all. It seemed the only writing that was appropriate to that horrendous event was journalism, reportage. And, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-couldn-t-think-about-novels-at-all-it-seemed-the-only-writing-that/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [I did not kill my father, but I sometimes felt I had helped him on his way. And but for the fact that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-did-not-kill-my-father-but-i-sometimes-felt-i-had-helped-him-on-his/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) [Explore all 496 Ian McEwan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) ## More Outweighed quotes > [Once I got into the music, I realized that I had a passion for it that far outweighed what it was for baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lane/once-i-got-into-the-music-i-realized-that-i-had-a-passion-for-it-that/) [Chris Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lane/) > [Your ambition outweighed your talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stoner/your-ambition-outweighed-your-talent/) [Casey Stoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stoner/) > [“Kasandra’s theory had the backing of so many official sources in the books she’d read that it practically outweighed Johnny’s, which was merely based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/kasandra-s-theory-had-the-backing-of-so-many-official-sources-in-the/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Everything I dared dream of has come to fruition. Which is not to say that I don't grumble with the best of them, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-e-grant/everything-i-dared-dream-of-has-come-to-fruition-which-is-not-to-say/) [Richard E. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-e-grant/) > [I weighed the pros and cons of both, and college outweighed the pro ranks at the time and I'm definitely glad I made the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacoby-ellsbury/i-weighed-the-pros-and-cons-of-both-and-college-outweighed-the-pro/) [Jacoby Ellsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacoby-ellsbury/) [Browse all 6 Outweighed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outweighed-846548/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Everything that impeded him had to be outweighed, even if only by a fraction, by all that drove him on.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ian McEwan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/everything-that-impeded-him-had-to-be-outweighed-even-if-only-by-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Outweighed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/everything-that-impeded-him-had-to-be-outweighed-even-if-only-by-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/360/ian-mcewan-494_outweighed_everything-that-impeded-him-had-to-be-ou_2111436.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/360/ian-mcewan-494_outweighed_everything-that-impeded-him-had-to-be-ou_2111436.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/360/ian-mcewan-494_outweighed_everything-that-impeded-him-had-to-be-ou_2111436.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Everything that impeded him had to be outweighed, even if only by a fraction, by all that drove him on.” — Ian McEwan", "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": "Ian McEwan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Everything that impeded him had to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/everything-that-impeded-him-had-to-be-outweighed-even-if-only-by-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/everything-that-impeded-him-had-to-be-outweighed-even-if-only-by-a/#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 } } ] } ```