--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The problem for a lot of people is that…" description: "\"The problem for a lot of people is that they don't really know what they want. They have vague desire: to 'do something creative' or to earn more money..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/898/john-c-parkin-52876_creative_the-problem-for-a-lot-of-people-is-that_2469539.jpg" --- # The problem for a lot of people is that they don't really… ![“The problem for a lot of people is that they don't really know what they want. They have vague desire: to 'do something creative' or to earn more money or 'to be free', but they can't really pin down what it is precisely that they want. So they drift from one thing to another, enjoying some…” quote by John C. Parkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/898/john-c-parkin-52876_creative_the-problem-for-a-lot-of-people-is-that_2469539.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/898/john-c-parkin-52876_creative_the-problem-for-a-lot-of-people-is-that_2469539.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/898/john-c-parkin-52876_creative_the-problem-for-a-lot-of-people-is-that_2469539.jpg) > “The problem for a lot of people is that they don't really know what they want. They have vague desire: to 'do something creative' or to earn more money or 'to be free', but they can't really pin down what it is precisely that they want. So they drift from one thing to another, enjoying some moments and hating others, but never really finding fulfillment or success. (..) This is why it's hard to lead a successful life (whatever that means to you) when you don't know what you want.” [John C. Parkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-parkin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often lack clear goals, leading to aimless drifting and unfulfilled lives; clarifying desires is essential for direction. **In simple terms:** Know what you truly want to avoid drifting. Key Takeaway Define your core desire. Themes goal setting self-awareness fulfillment Mood analytical motivational Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - personal relationships - creative projects - financial decisions Key Concepts motivation clarity purpose Questions to Reflect On - What concrete steps can you take to clarify your goals? - How does uncertainty affect your daily choices? A Different Perspective Vague desires can cause paralysis rather than motivation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Fulfillment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fulfillment/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Successful life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-life/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [What you want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-you-want/) ## Related quotes > [You can't love by desiring an extremely vague desire of a very vague moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-woolf/you-can-t-love-by-desiring-an-extremely-vague-desire-of-a-very-vague/) [Leonard Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-woolf/) > [By the time I was 18 years old, I had achieved everything that was in my heart to do and at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-clark/by-the-time-i-was-18-years-old-i-had-achieved-everything-that-was-in/) [Kelly Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-clark/) > [Our times are obsessed with finding fulfillment, so there are times when some people try too hard, and there are people who want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/our-times-are-obsessed-with-finding-fulfillment-so-there-are-times/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [To lead a successful life, then, it's a good idea to work out what you really want. Then get together some plans. Then set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-parkin/to-lead-a-successful-life-then-it-s-a-good-idea-to-work-out-what-you/) [John C. Parkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-parkin/) > [If you have been exhibiting a negative attitude and expecting failure and difficulties, it is now the time to change the way you think.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/if-you-have-been-exhibiting-a-negative-attitude-and-expecting-failure/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [The one person who most blocks you from a full, happy, and successful life is you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/the-one-person-who-most-blocks-you-from-a-full-happy-and-successful/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [If I were asked to say the most important things that lead to a successful life, I should say that, first of all, was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-schwab/if-i-were-asked-to-say-the-most-important-things-that-lead-to-a/) [Charles M. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-schwab/) > [To be successful in your life, you have to be convinced in your own mind that you have the ability to accomplish your goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-deyoung/to-be-successful-in-your-life-you-have-to-be-convinced-in-your-own/) [Dennis DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-deyoung/) > [Nature designed with a random set of genes and circumstances in which we were born. To be happy, we have to accept it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chetan-bhagat/nature-designed-with-a-random-set-of-genes-and-circumstances-in-which/) [Chetan Bhagat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chetan-bhagat/) > [Any man who goes into anything in life and does it better than the average will have a successful life. If he does it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-schwab/any-man-who-goes-into-anything-in-life-and-does-it-better-than-the/) [Charles M. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-schwab/) > [It's so easy and comfortable to lie to yourself. Success is to become who you are. I think Hollywood thinks in a totally different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-tautou/it-s-so-easy-and-comfortable-to-lie-to-yourself-success-is-to-become/) [Audrey Tautou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-tautou/) > [Follow your bliss. That which you love you must spend your life doing, as passionately and as perfectly as your heart, mind and instincts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lois/follow-your-bliss-that-which-you-love-you-must-spend-your-life-doing/) [George Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lois/) > [Schools the gateway too a successful life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/schools-the-gateway-too-a-successful-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Dreams + Reality + Determination = A Successful Life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/dreams-reality-determination-a-successful-life/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“Ask big. Believe big. Get Ready, it's coming!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/ask-big-believe-big-get-ready-it-s-coming/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) ## More by John C. Parkin > [“The problem with a plan is that you fill up the blank page of a new day with a ' to-do ' list before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-parkin/the-problem-with-a-plan-is-that-you-fill-up-the-blank-page-of-a-new/) [John C. Parkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-parkin/) > [The key to being able to let go of all the stuff you're holding on to is knowing that you'll be okay if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-parkin/the-key-to-being-able-to-let-go-of-all-the-stuff-you-re-holding-on-to/) [John C. Parkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-parkin/) > [“It goes something like this: I am one person among 6.5 billion people on Earth at the moment. That's one person among 6,500,000,000 people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-parkin/it-goes-something-like-this-i-am-one-person-among-6-5-billion-people/) [John C. Parkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-parkin/) > [“Maybe it's because we innately know that everything is impermanent that we so desperately cling to it. But cling we do. We know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-parkin/maybe-it-s-because-we-innately-know-that-everything-is-impermanent/) [John C. Parkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-parkin/) > [Every moment has infinite potential. Every new moment contains for you possibilities that you can't possibly imagine. Every day is a blank page that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-parkin/every-moment-has-infinite-potential-every-new-moment-contains-for-you/) [John C. Parkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-parkin/) > [To lead a successful life, then, it's a good idea to work out what you really want. Then get together some plans. Then set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-parkin/to-lead-a-successful-life-then-it-s-a-good-idea-to-work-out-what-you/) [John C. Parkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-parkin/) [Explore all 7 John C. Parkin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-parkin/) ## More Creative quotes > [An artist's creative energy is ephemeral as a flower. It blooms and soon dies. No artist is great forever. Personally, I think I reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ki-duk/an-artist-s-creative-energy-is-ephemeral-as-a-flower-it-blooms-and/) [Kim Ki-duk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ki-duk/) > [When you're being truly creative, time stands still, and you enter a dimension that can carry you beyond the ordinariness of everyday life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-linn/when-you-re-being-truly-creative-time-stands-still-and-you-enter-a/) [Denise Linn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-linn/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Money is only used for two things. One, it's to make you comfortable, and the more comfortable you are the more creative you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/money-is-only-used-for-two-things-one-it-s-to-make-you-comfortable/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [The creative strength is good enough and deep enough to bring itself to flower and to grow in spite of this sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/the-creative-strength-is-good-enough-and-deep-enough-to-bring-itself/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [Anytime I get the chance to sing or work with Michael John, it is such an incredibly fertile and incredibly creative and safe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/anytime-i-get-the-chance-to-sing-or-work-with-michael-john-it-is-such/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [What Sri Chinmoy does is God-given! He has a tremendous, a fantastic creative urge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-shankar/what-sri-chinmoy-does-is-god-given-he-has-a-tremendous-a-fantastic/) [Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-shankar/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [when times are tough, the weak bail and the tough get creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-times-are-tough-the-weak-bail-and-the-tough-get-creative/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Teasing out the way the world might look through another's eyes is what makes the creative process so fascinating and enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-l-carter/teasing-out-the-way-the-world-might-look-through-another-s-eyes-is/) [Stephen L. Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-l-carter/) > [The creation lives as genesis beneath the visible surface of the work. All intelligent people see this after the fact, but only the creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/the-creation-lives-as-genesis-beneath-the-visible-surface-of-the-work/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) [Browse all 7,284 Creative quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The problem for a lot of people is that they don't really know what they want. They have vague desire: to 'do something creative' or to earn more money or 'to be free', but they can't really pin down what it is precisely that they want. So they drift from one thing to another, enjoying some moments and hating others, but never really finding fulfillment or success. (..) This is why it's hard to lead a successful life (whatever that means to you) when you don't know what you want.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John C. 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