---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Where most of us end up there is no…"
description: "\"Where most of us end up there is no knowing, but the hellbent get where they are going.\" — James Thurber"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/james-thurber-1534_ends_where-most-of-us-end-up-there-is-no-know_246426.jpg"
---

#  Where most of us end up there is no knowing, but the…

![“Where most of us end up there is no knowing, but the hellbent get where they are going.” quote by James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/james-thurber-1534_ends_where-most-of-us-end-up-there-is-no-know_246426.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/james-thurber-1534_ends_where-most-of-us-end-up-there-is-no-know_246426.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/james-thurber-1534_ends_where-most-of-us-end-up-there-is-no-know_246426.jpg)

> “Where most of us end up there is no knowing, but the hellbent get where they are going.”

[James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Uncertainty is common, but those determined will reach their destination despite unknowns.

**In simple terms:** Determination overcomes uncertainty.

Key Takeaway

Stay determined despite unknowns.

Themes

determination uncertainty journey

Mood

motivational reflective

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- career planning
- personal growth
- adventure

Key Concepts

philosophy psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- What drives you forward in uncertainty?
- How do you balance risk and resolve?

A Different Perspective

Blind determination can ignore warning signs.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [The sacred page is not meant to be the end, but only the means toward the end, which is knowing God Himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-sacred-page-is-not-meant-to-be-the-end-but-only-the-means-toward/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [Have a goal. Know where you want to end up. Knowing where you want to end up is a lot easier than figuring out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-cohn/have-a-goal-know-where-you-want-to-end-up-knowing-where-you-want-to/)

[Gary Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-cohn/)

> [“I prayed. I flattened myself under her bed and prayed. My mother sat up, rigid, trembling. The machines flew overhead then away and back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/i-prayed-i-flattened-myself-under-her-bed-and-prayed-my-mother-sat-up/)

[Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/)

> [“The end of knowing is to imitate and act like god.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vd/the-end-of-knowing-is-to-imitate-and-act-like-god/)

VD

> [The Tao can't be perceived. Smaller than an electron, it contains uncountable galaxies. If powerful men and women could remain centered in the Tao,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-can-t-be-perceived-smaller-than-an-electron-it-contains/)

[Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/)

> [Without the way, there is no going; without the truth, there is no knowing; without the life, there is no living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/without-the-way-there-is-no-going-without-the-truth-there-is-no/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [There is a comfort zone of knowing where things are going and having characters in place, but the action gets more and more dramatic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-b-jenkins/there-is-a-comfort-zone-of-knowing-where-things-are-going-and-having/)

[Jerry B. Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-b-jenkins/)

> [I started off singing when I was little. My parents have said I was singing at 3 years old. So I think it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-elliott/i-started-off-singing-when-i-was-little-my-parents-have-said-i-was/)

[Brooke Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-elliott/)

> [All worldly pursuits have but one unavoidable and inevitable end, which is sorrow; acquisitions end in dispersion; buildings in destruction; meetings in separation; births…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milarepa/all-worldly-pursuits-have-but-one-unavoidable-and-inevitable-end/)

[Milarepa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milarepa/)

> [They have no right to complain! If women were cool with knowing their man is cheating on them then they have no right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-williams/they-have-no-right-to-complain-if-women-were-cool-with-knowing-their/)

[Eric Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-williams/)

> [If it is not strong upon your heart to practice what you read, to what end do you read? To increase your own condemnation?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/if-it-is-not-strong-upon-your-heart-to-practice-what-you-read-to-what/)

[Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/)

> [I just have a more holistic sense of what it means to be for life, knowing that life does not just begin at conception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/i-just-have-a-more-holistic-sense-of-what-it-means-to-be-for-life/)

[Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/)

> [There are two ways of knowing if something ends badly: If you're honest with yourself, you just kind of know it. And then there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-gilligan/there-are-two-ways-of-knowing-if-something-ends-badly-if-you-re/)

[Vince Gilligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-gilligan/)

> [Trying to find this industry's tendency to celebrate the physical is a waste of time. So I'm happy to play the game. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/trying-to-find-this-industry-s-tendency-to-celebrate-the-physical-is/)

[Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/)

> [I think we are all interested in end-times ideas and also in the current climate that we are all living in, where money is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-monaghan/i-think-we-are-all-interested-in-end-times-ideas-and-also-in-the/)

[Dominic Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-monaghan/)

## More by James Thurber

> [ Salvador \[Dali\] was brought up in Spain, a country colored by the legends of Hannibal, El Greco, and Cervantes. I was brought up in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/salvador-dali-was-brought-up-in-spain-a-country-colored-by-the/)

[James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/)

> [“Her own mother lived the latter years of her life in the horrible suspicion that electricity was dripping invisibly all over the house.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/her-own-mother-lived-the-latter-years-of-her-life-in-the-horrible/)

[James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/)

> [“Against the may, the could be, and the should, folly 'tis to balance doubt or hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/against-the-may-the-could-be-and-the-should-folly-tis-to-balance/)

[James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/)

> [Love is the strange bewilderment that overtakes one person on account of another person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/love-is-the-strange-bewilderment-that-overtakes-one-person-on-account/)

[James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/)

> [“ There was an old coddle so molly, He talked in a glot that was poly, His gaws were so gew That his laps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/there-was-an-old-coddle-so-molly-he-talked-in-a-glot-that-was-poly/)

[James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/)

> [“you might as well fall on your face as lean over too far backwards”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/you-might-as-well-fall-on-your-face-as-lean-over-too-far-backwards/)

[james thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/)

> [I myself have known some profoundly thoughtful dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/i-myself-have-known-some-profoundly-thoughtful-dogs/)

[James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/)

> [He knows all about art, but he doesn't know what he likes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/he-knows-all-about-art-but-he-doesn-t-know-what-he-likes/)

[James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/)

> [All men should strive to learn before they die, what they are running from, and to, and why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/all-men-should-strive-to-learn-before-they-die-what-they-are-running/)

[James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/)

> [Quick, name some towns in New Jersey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/quick-name-some-towns-in-new-jersey/)

[James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/)

> [Looks can be deceiving; it's eating that's believing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/looks-can-be-deceiving-it-s-eating-that-s-believing/)

[James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/)

> [“I don’t understand,” said the scientist, “why you lemmings all rush down to the sea and drown yourselves.” “How curious,” said the lemming. “The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/i-don-t-understand-said-the-scientist-why-you-lemmings-all-rush-down/)

[James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/)

> [Humor does not include sarcasm, invalid irony, sardonicism, innuendo, or any other form of cruelty. When these things are raised to a high point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/humor-does-not-include-sarcasm-invalid-irony-sardonicism-innuendo-or/)

[James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/)

> [Comedy has to be done en clair. You can't blunt the edge of wit or the point of satire with obscurity. Try to imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/comedy-has-to-be-done-en-clair-you-can-t-blunt-the-edge-of-wit-or-the/)

[James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/)

> [While he was not dumber than an ox, he was not any smarter either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/while-he-was-not-dumber-than-an-ox-he-was-not-any-smarter-either/)

[James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/)

[Explore all 229 James Thurber quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/)

## More Ends quotes

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [The end is nothing; the road is all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/the-end-is-nothing-the-road-is-all/)

[Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/)

> [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/)

[Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/)

> [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [Dating someone on the opposite end of the happy spectrum teaches you an incredible amount of patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/dating-someone-on-the-opposite-end-of-the-happy-spectrum-teaches-you/)

[Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/)

> [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/)

[Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/)

> [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/)

[Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/)

> [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/)

[Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/)

> [At the end of night, before you close your eyes, be content with what you've done and be proud of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/at-the-end-of-night-before-you-close-your-eyes-be-content-with-what/)

[Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/)

> [it is the brevity of life which makes it tolerable; its experiences have value because they have an end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winifred-holtby/it-is-the-brevity-of-life-which-makes-it-tolerable-its-experiences/)

[Winifred Holtby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winifred-holtby/)

> [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/)

[Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/)

> [Believe to the end, even if all men went astray and you were left the only one faithful; bring your offering even then and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/believe-to-the-end-even-if-all-men-went-astray-and-you-were-left-the/)

[Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/)

> [When the amount of change externally exceeds the amount of change internally, the end is in sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/when-the-amount-of-change-externally-exceeds-the-amount-of-change/)

[Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/)

> [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [The beginning of love is all about the butterflies, but the end of it is when you can't get out of bed in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/the-beginning-of-love-is-all-about-the-butterflies-but-the-end-of-it/)

[Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/)

Browse all 20,790 Ends quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Where most of us end up there is no knowing, but the hellbent get where they are going.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "James Thurber"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/where-most-of-us-end-up-there-is-no-knowing-but-the-hellbent-get/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ends"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/where-most-of-us-end-up-there-is-no-knowing-but-the-hellbent-get/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/james-thurber-1534_ends_where-most-of-us-end-up-there-is-no-know_246426.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/james-thurber-1534_ends_where-most-of-us-end-up-there-is-no-know_246426.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/james-thurber-1534_ends_where-most-of-us-end-up-there-is-no-know_246426.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Where most of us end up there is no knowing, but the hellbent get where they are going.” — James Thurber",
                "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 Thurber",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Where most of us end up...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/where-most-of-us-end-up-there-is-no-knowing-but-the-hellbent-get/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/where-most-of-us-end-up-there-is-no-knowing-but-the-hellbent-get/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
