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Failure Quote by John A. Widtsoe

“Men, discouraged by their failure to accomplish exactly what they desire, often speak of their lives as purposeless, but it is idle talk, for, in fact, no intelligent life which concerns itself vigorously and properly with the things about it can be said to be purposeless. Such a life adheres…” quote by John A. Widtsoe
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““Men, discouraged by their failure to accomplish exactly what they desire, often speak of their lives as purposeless, but it is idle talk, for, in fact, no intelligent life which concerns itself vigorously and properly with the things about it can be said to be purposeless. Such a life adheres, automatically, to the law of progression, and therefore moves toward a great destiny of supreme power and accompanying joys. The only purposeless life is the one that does not use its faculties. It matters little what tasks men perform in life, if only they do them well and will all their strength. In the eternal plan they are given progressive value. In an infinite universe, one cannot possibly learn all or do all, at once. A beginning must be made somewhere and corner by corner, department by department, space by space, all will be known and conquered. In the end, all must be explored, and whether one begins in the east or the west cannot matter much. The big concern is the extent to which a man offers himself, mind and body, to his worthwhile work. Upon that will growth depend.””

John A. Widtsoe

About This Quote

Source Book: The Great Plan of God by John A. Widtsoe, 1935

A purposeful life uses one's abilities fully, progressing toward destiny, regardless of task scale.

In simple terms: Use your abilities fully to grow.

Key Takeaway

Commit fully to meaningful work.

Themes

purpose growth progression destiny effort

Mood

determined hopeful reflective

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

  • career development
  • personal projects
  • learning new skills
  • community service
  • creative endeavors

Key Concepts

self‑actualization human potential cosmic order

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you measure purposeful effort?
  • What tasks align with your deepest values?
A Different Perspective

If one lacks direction, effort may become misdirected, limiting growth.

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