--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The lazy man aims at nothing, and…" description: "\"The lazy man aims at nothing, and generally hits it.\" — James Ellis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/james-ellis-21023_aim_the-lazy-man-aims-at-nothing-and-general_1939185.png" --- # The lazy man aims at nothing, and generally hits it. ![“The lazy man aims at nothing, and generally hits it.” quote by James Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/james-ellis-21023_aim_the-lazy-man-aims-at-nothing-and-general_1939185.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/james-ellis-21023_aim_the-lazy-man-aims-at-nothing-and-general_1939185.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/james-ellis-21023_aim_the-lazy-man-aims-at-nothing-and-general_1939185.png) > “The lazy man aims at nothing, and generally hits it.” [James Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A lazy person sets no goals, yet inevitably ends up achieving nothing. **In simple terms:** Laziness leads to no achievement. Key Takeaway Set clear goals to avoid aimless stagnation. Themes laziness goal-setting productivity Mood direct encouraging Type motivational practical When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - health routines Key Concepts motivation self-discipline Questions to Reflect On - What small goal can you set now? - How can you combat procrastination? A Different Perspective Goals without effort remain dreams. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) [Aims Generally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aims-generally-3080612/) [Generally Hits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generally-hits-3080613/) [Lazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lazy/) [Lazy man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lazy-man/) [Man Aims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-aims-3080611/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [The learned man aims for more. But the wise man decreases. And then decreases again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/the-learned-man-aims-for-more-but-the-wise-man-decreases-and-then/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [The greatest risk to man is not that he aims to high and misses, but that he aims to low and hits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-risk-to-man-is-not-that-he-aims-to-high-and-misses-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To the lazy man the world appears bereft of all blessings; if poor, he has no friends; if rich, he has no ambition; he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/to-the-lazy-man-the-world-appears-bereft-of-all-blessings-if-poor-he/) [James Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellis/) > [A lot of people like to think that golf is a lazy man's sport. Or it's a rich man's sport, or it's a sport…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shia-labeouf/a-lot-of-people-like-to-think-that-golf-is-a-lazy-man-s-sport-or-it-s/) [Shia LaBeouf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shia-labeouf/) > [Avoid using the word 'very' because it's lazy. A man is not very tired, he is exhausted. Don't use very sad, use morose. Language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/avoid-using-the-word-very-because-it-s-lazy-a-man-is-not-very-tired/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [The only time a lazy man ever succeeds is when he tries to do nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/the-only-time-a-lazy-man-ever-succeeds-is-when-he-tries-to-do-nothing/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [Fatalism is the lazy man's way of accepting the inevitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-clifford-barney/fatalism-is-the-lazy-man-s-way-of-accepting-the-inevitable/) [Natalie Clifford Barney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-clifford-barney/) > [Procrastination is a lazy man's apology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/procrastination-is-a-lazy-man-s-apology/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [The idle man does not know what it is to enjoy rest, for he has not earned it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/the-idle-man-does-not-know-what-it-is-to-enjoy-rest-for-he-has-not/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [I suspect guys who say, "I just send out for a sandwich for lunch," as lazy men trying to impress me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-cannon/i-suspect-guys-who-say-i-just-send-out-for-a-sandwich-for-lunch-as/) [Jimmy Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-cannon/) > [Stealing is a lazy man's way. Something for nothing, leaves you hell to pay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-peterson/stealing-is-a-lazy-man-s-way-something-for-nothing-leaves-you-hell-to/) [Michael Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-peterson/) > [I notice how it takes a lazy man, a man that hates moving, to get set on moving once he does get started off,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/i-notice-how-it-takes-a-lazy-man-a-man-that-hates-moving-to-get-set/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [For a lazy man I work awfully hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/for-a-lazy-man-i-work-awfully-hard/) [Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) > [“I'm a lazy man. With lazy dreams. I need Tai to wake me up, make me vibrate, irritate me. I need my angry woman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/i-m-a-lazy-man-with-lazy-dreams-i-need-tai-to-wake-me-up-make-me/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“The lazy man is the slave of his own feelings. His body is his master; not his servant. He is the slave of circumstances.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dewitt-hyde/the-lazy-man-is-the-slave-of-his-own-feelings-his-body-is-his-master/) [William Dewitt Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dewitt-hyde/) ## More by James Ellis > [Some few have a natural talent for office-bolding; very many for office-seeking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/some-few-have-a-natural-talent-for-office-bolding-very-many-for/) [James Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellis/) > [Newspapers are the world's mirrors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/newspapers-are-the-world-s-mirrors/) [James Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellis/) > [Better an ugly face than an ugly mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/better-an-ugly-face-than-an-ugly-mind/) [James Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellis/) > [Books are the beehives of thought; laconics, the honey taken from them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/books-are-the-beehives-of-thought-laconics-the-honey-taken-from-them/) [James Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellis/) > [The press should be the voice of the people, not of party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/the-press-should-be-the-voice-of-the-people-not-of-party/) [James Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellis/) > [Dexterity is one of the chief weapons of diplomacy; governments rely more upon the supremacy of this instrument, when in the hands of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/dexterity-is-one-of-the-chief-weapons-of-diplomacy-governments-rely/) [James Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellis/) > [True loyalty consists not in bowing the knee to earthly greatness, or in heroic deeds to "gild the kingly knave, or garnish out the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/true-loyalty-consists-not-in-bowing-the-knee-to-earthly-greatness-or/) [James Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellis/) > [Maxims are often quoted by those who stand in more need of their application.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/maxims-are-often-quoted-by-those-who-stand-in-more-need-of-their/) [James Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellis/) > [Our own actions are the accidents of fortune that we sometimes place to the credit of luck or misfortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/our-own-actions-are-the-accidents-of-fortune-that-we-sometimes-place/) [James Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellis/) > [The rustling of the leaves is like a low hymn to nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/the-rustling-of-the-leaves-is-like-a-low-hymn-to-nature/) [James Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellis/) > [Man's birth is a lottery; it may be in the pleasant home of ease and affluence, or in the hut of poverty; in either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/man-s-birth-is-a-lottery-it-may-be-in-the-pleasant-home-of-ease-and/) [James Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellis/) > [Twilight is like death; the dark portal of night comes upon us, to open again in the glorious morning of immortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/twilight-is-like-death-the-dark-portal-of-night-comes-upon-us-to-open/) [James Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellis/) > [Angels worship God with purity and love; men, with fear and trembling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/angels-worship-god-with-purity-and-love-men-with-fear-and-trembling/) [James Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellis/) > [We can all be heroes in our virtues, in our homes, in our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/we-can-all-be-heroes-in-our-virtues-in-our-homes-in-our-lives/) [James Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellis/) > [Among all the accomplishments of life none are so important as refinement; it is not, like beauty, a gift of Nature, and can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/among-all-the-accomplishments-of-life-none-are-so-important-as/) [James Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellis/) [Explore all 30 James Ellis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellis/) ## 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 ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The lazy man aims at nothing, and generally hits it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Ellis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/the-lazy-man-aims-at-nothing-and-generally-hits-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aim" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/the-lazy-man-aims-at-nothing-and-generally-hits-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/james-ellis-21023_aim_the-lazy-man-aims-at-nothing-and-general_1939185.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/james-ellis-21023_aim_the-lazy-man-aims-at-nothing-and-general_1939185.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/james-ellis-21023_aim_the-lazy-man-aims-at-nothing-and-general_1939185.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The lazy man aims at nothing, and generally hits it.” — James Ellis", "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": "James Ellis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The lazy man aims at nothing,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/the-lazy-man-aims-at-nothing-and-generally-hits-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellis/the-lazy-man-aims-at-nothing-and-generally-hits-it/#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 } } ] } ```