--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do not blame your misfortune when your…" description: "\"Do not blame your misfortune when your miss your goal, blame the strength of your decisions instead.\" — John Elwin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b63/john-elwin-18302_blame_do-not-blame-your-misfortune-when-your-m_3221147.jpg" --- # Do not blame your misfortune when your miss your goal… ![“Do not blame your misfortune when your miss your goal, blame the strength of your decisions instead.” quote by John Elwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b63/john-elwin-18302_blame_do-not-blame-your-misfortune-when-your-m_3221147.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b63/john-elwin-18302_blame_do-not-blame-your-misfortune-when-your-m_3221147.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b63/john-elwin-18302_blame_do-not-blame-your-misfortune-when-your-m_3221147.jpg) > “Do not blame your misfortune when your miss your goal, blame the strength of your decisions instead.” [John Elwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elwin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Responsibility lies in the choices made, not in missed targets. **In simple terms:** Own your decisions, not the outcomes. Key Takeaway Focus on decision quality over results. Themes accountability decision‑making resilience Mood thoughtful determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - sports - personal finance - relationship goals Key Concepts agency choice theory Questions to Reflect On - What decisions shaped your recent outcomes? - How can you improve future choices? A Different Perspective Ignoring external factors can oversimplify complex failures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Making decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-decisions/) [Misfortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misfortune/) [Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength/) ## Related quotes > [Donot blame your fortune when your miss your goal, blame the strength of your decisions instead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/donot-blame-your-fortune-when-your-miss-your-goal-blame-the-strength/) [John Elwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elwin/) > [We need to stop spending so much of our time trying to make the right decisions and instead start spending our time making decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-vaden/we-need-to-stop-spending-so-much-of-our-time-trying-to-make-the-right/) [Rory Vaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-vaden/) > [Sometimes, Failure Only Becomes When They Blame Someone Else For Their Misfortune... Optimism Is The Faith That Leads To Achievement, Nothing Can Be Done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/sometimes-failure-only-becomes-when-they-blame-someone-else-for-their/) Pacifiersucker > [“It is easy to blame your lot in life on some outside force, to stop trying because you believe fate is against you. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/it-is-easy-to-blame-your-lot-in-life-on-some-outside-force-to-stop-2/) [William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/) > [“You make all these decisions in your life, and they all seem like the right decisions at the time. You think you're doing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-brennert/you-make-all-these-decisions-in-your-life-and-they-all-seem-like-the/) [Alan Brennert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-brennert/) > [“You'll wake up one day and find you're almost forty, and you haven't done any of the things you wanted. That you let in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-morrill/you-ll-wake-up-one-day-and-find-you-re-almost-forty-and-you-haven-t/) Stephanie Morrill > [And yes, there's a simplicity to writing books because you're not a member of a team, so you make all the decisions yourself instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/and-yes-there-s-a-simplicity-to-writing-books-because-you-re-not-a/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [The movie business is very much like that: people in authority making purely emotional decisions instead of interesting rational ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-forsyth/the-movie-business-is-very-much-like-that-people-in-authority-making/) [Bill Forsyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-forsyth/) > [It is not inequality which is the real misfortune, it is dependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-not-inequality-which-is-the-real-misfortune-it-is-dependence/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Modern man’s misfortune lies not in having to live a mediocre life, but in believing that he could live one that is not mediocre.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/modern-man-s-misfortune-lies-not-in-having-to-live-a-mediocre-life/) [Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [When the sun is shining, think of the time it won't be, because even when you're sitting in your house with the doors shut,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/when-the-sun-is-shining-think-of-the-time-it-won-t-be-because-even/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [Being single was never my misfortune. It's my choice and my decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jomari-consuelo/being-single-was-never-my-misfortune-it-s-my-choice-and-my-decision/) [Jomari Consuelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jomari-consuelo/) > [Misfortune is the test of a person's merit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/misfortune-is-the-test-of-a-person-s-merit/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Many things would be changed for Americans if they would only admit that there is ill-luck in this world and that misfortune is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/many-things-would-be-changed-for-americans-if-they-would-only-admit/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [If we cannot meet our everyday surroundings with equanimity and pleasure and grow each day in some useful direction, then... life is on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-burbank/if-we-cannot-meet-our-everyday-surroundings-with-equanimity-and/) [Luther Burbank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-burbank/) ## More by John Elwin > [Freedom is not what to do but it's how to improve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/freedom-is-not-what-to-do-but-it-s-how-to-improve/) [John Elwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elwin/) > [A collection of mistakes either can be the source of your happiness or suicide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/a-collection-of-mistakes-either-can-be-the-source-of-your-happiness/) [John Elwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elwin/) > [Love is when you give your all and friendship is when you take your all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/love-is-when-you-give-your-all-and-friendship-is-when-you-take-your/) [John Elwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elwin/) > [Victories are measured by great personalities and great personalities are measured by real decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/victories-are-measured-by-great-personalities-and-great-personalities/) [John Elwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elwin/) > [Don't change your direction on advice, let the people change their advice on your direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/don-t-change-your-direction-on-advice-let-the-people-change-their/) [John Elwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elwin/) > [Accelerate your conference until you don't reach on your destination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/accelerate-your-conference-until-you-don-t-reach-on-your-destination/) [John Elwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elwin/) > [If you don't know the difference between past and present, you will not understand the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/if-you-don-t-know-the-difference-between-past-and-present-you-will/) [John Elwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elwin/) > [I like those who create problems in my way instead of giving solutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/i-like-those-who-create-problems-in-my-way-instead-of-giving-solutions/) [John Elwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elwin/) > [Do not share your decision before you make it, let the people share after you prove your decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/do-not-share-your-decision-before-you-make-it-let-the-people-share/) [John Elwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elwin/) > [If you want to make others feel great, try to make yourself first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/if-you-want-to-make-others-feel-great-try-to-make-yourself-first/) [John Elwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elwin/) > [A dream is mandatory for those who follow it and optional for those who ignore it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/a-dream-is-mandatory-for-those-who-follow-it-and-optional-for-those/) [John Elwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elwin/) > [When you speak lie, you feel like there is nothing but when you speak truth you feel like there is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/when-you-speak-lie-you-feel-like-there-is-nothing-but-when-you-speak/) [John Elwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elwin/) > [Always change your directions before people will change your direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/always-change-your-directions-before-people-will-change-your-direction/) [John Elwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elwin/) > [We do not need love to fall in, but love itself needs a perfect person to make him fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/we-do-not-need-love-to-fall-in-but-love-itself-needs-a-perfect-person/) [John Elwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elwin/) > [At the beginning, love makes a king but at the end it makes you a beggar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/at-the-beginning-love-makes-a-king-but-at-the-end-it-makes-you-a/) [John Elwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elwin/) [Explore all 35 John Elwin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elwin/) ## More Blame quotes > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/i-like-to-praise-and-reward-loudly-to-blame-quietly/) [Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/) > [Some of the things that I said I hated to say, but blame yourself mother fucker you made it this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedi-mind-tricks/some-of-the-things-that-i-said-i-hated-to-say-but-blame-yourself/) [Jedi Mind Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedi-mind-tricks/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In places where government priorities and market imperatives create a world so capricious that to help a neighbor is to risk your ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/in-places-where-government-priorities-and-market-imperatives-create-a/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [“Stop Blaming Others For Your Own Actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/stop-blaming-others-for-your-own-actions/) [Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't blame anyone .. I did this to myself .. It's my fault .. Everything is my FAULT ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nurnizz95/i-don-t-blame-anyone-i-did-this-to-myself-it-s-my-fault-everything-is/) Nurnizz95 > [“They would congratulate themselves every morning on keeping their integrity, and blame themselves each night for that missed opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-would-congratulate-themselves-every-morning-on-keeping-their/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/i-try-to-live-my-life-where-i-end-up-at-a-point-where-i-have-no/) [Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/) > [How come you don't feel that magic in the air? I guess I knew you'll never be there. I guess I knew you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-come-you-don-t-feel-that-magic-in-the-air-i-guess-i-knew-you-ll/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am down mentally. I can't understand how it happened and who is to blame? I don't know why the ground was rolled before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeasin-khan/i-am-down-mentally-i-can-t-understand-how-it-happened-and-who-is-to/) Yeasin Khan > [A refusal to admit one's mistake & not accepting responsibility for that mistake by blaming everyone else, is d beginning of one's decline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-refusal-to-admit-one-s-mistake-not-accepting-responsibility-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Listen, the guy was not created by coverage from MSNBC and CNN. If you want to blame us for making Donald Trump president because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/listen-the-guy-was-not-created-by-coverage-from-msnbc-and-cnn-if-you/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) Browse all 3,779 Blame quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Do not blame your misfortune when your miss your goal, blame the strength of your decisions instead.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Elwin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/do-not-blame-your-misfortune-when-your-miss-your-goal-blame-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blame" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/do-not-blame-your-misfortune-when-your-miss-your-goal-blame-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b63/john-elwin-18302_blame_do-not-blame-your-misfortune-when-your-m_3221147.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b63/john-elwin-18302_blame_do-not-blame-your-misfortune-when-your-m_3221147.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b63/john-elwin-18302_blame_do-not-blame-your-misfortune-when-your-m_3221147.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Do not blame your misfortune when your miss your goal, blame the strength of your decisions instead.” — John Elwin", "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": "John Elwin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elwin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Do not blame your misfortune when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/do-not-blame-your-misfortune-when-your-miss-your-goal-blame-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elwin/do-not-blame-your-misfortune-when-your-miss-your-goal-blame-the/#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 } } ] } ```