---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I realized that it doesn't matter what…"
description: "\"“I realized that it doesn't matter what you've done. What matters is what you do.”\" — Johnny B. Truant"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/949/johnny-b-truant-13301_quote_i-realized-that-it-doesn-t-matter-what-y_1105604.jpg"
---

#  I realized that it doesn't matter what you've done. What…

![“I realized that it doesn't matter what you've done. What matters is what you do.” quote by Johnny B. Truant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/949/johnny-b-truant-13301_quote_i-realized-that-it-doesn-t-matter-what-y_1105604.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/949/johnny-b-truant-13301_quote_i-realized-that-it-doesn-t-matter-what-y_1105604.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/949/johnny-b-truant-13301_quote_i-realized-that-it-doesn-t-matter-what-y_1105604.jpg)

> ““I realized that it doesn't matter what you've done. What matters is what you do.””

[Johnny B. Truant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-b-truant/)

## About This Quote

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

Actions define identity more than past deeds; present behavior matters most.

**In simple terms:** What you do now matters more than what you did.

Key Takeaway

Focus on current actions.

Themes

responsibility identity action

Mood

determined reflective

Type

advice motivational

When to use this quote

- career decisions
- personal relationships
- habit formation
- volunteer work

Key Concepts

self‑determination agency

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you shift focus from past to present?
- What actions best reflect your values now?

A Different Perspective

Past mistakes can still influence perception; overcoming them may be hard.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [“it doesn't matter what you've done. What matters is what you do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-ve-done-what-matters-is-what-you-do/)

[Johnny B. Truant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-b-truant/)

> [“It's not who you were, It's who you've become that matters”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-radford/it-s-not-who-you-were-it-s-who-you-ve-become-that-matters/)

Jeff Radford

> [It's not where we've been that matters to God. It's who we are becoming in Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-curtis-higgs/it-s-not-where-we-ve-been-that-matters-to-god-it-s-who-we-are/)

[Liz Curtis Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-curtis-higgs/)

> [It doesn't matter who came first or last, it matters who you love :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yam/it-doesn-t-matter-who-came-first-or-last-it-matters-who-you-love/)

Yam

> [It doesn't matter what you do. It matters who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-stone/it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-do-it-matters-who-you-are/)

[Emma Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-stone/)

> [It doesn't matter what Jon Jones says. It matters what Jon Jones does. What he says and what his actions are, are two completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-smith/it-doesn-t-matter-what-jon-jones-says-it-matters-what-jon-jones-does/)

[Anthony Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-smith/)

> [I don't care how you get the outs. It doesn't matter to me how bad it looks, how good it looks, how many strikeouts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-kershaw/i-don-t-care-how-you-get-the-outs-it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-how-bad-it/)

[Clayton Kershaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-kershaw/)

> [It doesn't matter what you did or where you were, it matters where you are and what you're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-did-or-where-you-were-it-matters-where-you/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

> [It doesn't matter to me where I play. It matters what you do at the place you play at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-anthony-towns/it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-where-i-play-it-matters-what-you-do-at-the/)

[Karl-Anthony Towns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-anthony-towns/)

> [“I suppose it doesn't matter how they get out. All that matters is they do. And when they do, they must be found. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/i-suppose-it-doesn-t-matter-how-they-get-out-all-that-matters-is-they/)

[Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/)

> [“It doesn't matter if I'm the first. It only matters that I'll be the last”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/it-doesn-t-matter-if-i-m-the-first-it-only-matters-that-i-ll-be-the/)

[Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/)

> [It doesn't matter if they say you can't do it. It only matters if you say you can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/it-doesn-t-matter-if-they-say-you-can-t-do-it-it-only-matters-if-you/)

[Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/)

> [“I realized that all things in life are connected and I could no longer go about life without looking within.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-martin/i-realized-that-all-things-in-life-are-connected-and-i-could-no/)

[Ricky Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-martin/)

> [“For when you realized that God is Everything you know that you've got to love everything no matter how bad it is, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/for-when-you-realized-that-god-is-everything-you-know-that-you-ve-got/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/)

[Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/)

## More by Johnny B. Truant

> [“Stop waiting for permission to be epic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/stop-waiting-for-permission-to-be-epic/)

[Johnny B. Truant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-b-truant/)

> [“Maurice laid down all of his cards, then said, Gin. Reginald looked up into Maurice's face and said, I thought we were playing poker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/maurice-laid-down-all-of-his-cards-then-said-gin-reginald-looked-up/)

[Johnny B. Truant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-b-truant/)

> [“In fact, it should matter to you more than it currently does. If you knew how small you are and how short a time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/in-fact-it-should-matter-to-you-more-than-it-currently-does-if-you/)

[Johnny B. Truant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-b-truant/)

> [“Nobody's going to give you the gift of awesome. Nobody's going to make you good, or great, or amazing, or epic. Nobody's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/nobody-s-going-to-give-you-the-gift-of-awesome-nobody-s-going-to-make/)

[Johnny B. Truant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-b-truant/)

> [“the Universe Works.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/the-universe-works/)

[Johnny B. Truant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-b-truant/)

> [“You'd think we're never going to die, the way we cower and second-guess and fret over each little action. We act like what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/you-d-think-we-re-never-going-to-die-the-way-we-cower-and-second/)

[Johnny B. Truant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-b-truant/)

> [“Reginald could tell by the way she jumped when anyone dropped anything that she wanted her money back for the broken promises of adulthood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/reginald-could-tell-by-the-way-she-jumped-when-anyone-dropped/)

[Johnny B. Truant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-b-truant/)

> [“I think it’s because as our lives become less and less genuine, we require bigger and bigger thrills to scare us, for just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/i-think-it-s-because-as-our-lives-become-less-and-less-genuine-we/)

[Johnny B. Truant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-b-truant/)

> [“The man in the black suit grabbed her by the throat in a”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/the-man-in-the-black-suit-grabbed-her-by-the-throat-in-a/)

[Johnny B. Truant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-b-truant/)

> [“In it, the currency is time. The more time you have, the longer you live. When you go broke, you don’t move into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/in-it-the-currency-is-time-the-more-time-you-have-the-longer-you-live/)

[Johnny B. Truant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-b-truant/)

> [“We’ll never create a utopia, because it’s impossible to define good without having bad to compare it to. There is no pleasure without pain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/we-ll-never-create-a-utopia-because-it-s-impossible-to-define-good/)

[Johnny B. Truant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-b-truant/)

> [“The more we try to eliminate the negatives in life, the more we consequently eliminate the positives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/the-more-we-try-to-eliminate-the-negatives-in-life-the-more-we/)

[Johnny B. Truant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-b-truant/)

> [“I’m considered a health nut amongst vampires. I usually feed only on vegetarians.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/i-m-considered-a-health-nut-amongst-vampires-i-usually-feed-only-on/)

[Johnny B. Truant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-b-truant/)

> [“People were arrogant, unable to see things from a point of view other than their own, and hence always saw what they expected to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/people-were-arrogant-unable-to-see-things-from-a-point-of-view-other/)

[Johnny B. Truant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-b-truant/)

> [“If you're worried about death and about your own end, don't. It's coming whether you like it or not. You will either arrive at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/if-you-re-worried-about-death-and-about-your-own-end-don-t-it-s/)

[Johnny B. Truant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-b-truant/)

[Explore all 50 Johnny B. Truant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-b-truant/)

## More Matters quotes

> [To give importance to trifling matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/to-give-importance-to-trifling-matters/)

[John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/)

> [I think a big part of success in football is mental, not physical. How you are inside your head matters more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iker-casillas/i-think-a-big-part-of-success-in-football-is-mental-not-physical-how/)

[Iker Casillas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iker-casillas/)

> [The amount you give isn't important. What matters is what that amount represents in terms of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-amount-you-give-isn-t-important-what-matters-is-what-that-amount/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [When you love someone, and you've lost that one, then nothing really matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnetha-faltskog/when-you-love-someone-and-you-ve-lost-that-one-then-nothing-really/)

[Agnetha Faltskog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnetha-faltskog/)

> [“What you mean to find matters less than what you do find.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-collins/what-you-mean-to-find-matters-less-than-what-you-do-find/)

[Paul Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-collins/)

> [Because it may seem like a small role now, but it matters. In the end, everything matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/because-it-may-seem-like-a-small-role-now-but-it-matters-in-the-end/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

> [The truth matters, and despite my objection to the creation of the Select Panel, as its Ranking Member, I will do all I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-schakowsky/the-truth-matters-and-despite-my-objection-to-the-creation-of-the/)

[Jan Schakowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-schakowsky/)

> [I don't really concern myself with matters that don't concern me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedella-marley/i-don-t-really-concern-myself-with-matters-that-don-t-concern-me/)

[Cedella Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedella-marley/)

> [The only thing that matters in college basketball is going to the Final Four.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-boeheim/the-only-thing-that-matters-in-college-basketball-is-going-to-the/)

[Jim Boeheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-boeheim/)

> [It doesn't matter if they say you can't do it. It only matters if you say you can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/it-doesn-t-matter-if-they-say-you-can-t-do-it-it-only-matters-if-you/)

[Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/)

> [Don't become a slave to non-crucial matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ringer/don-t-become-a-slave-to-non-crucial-matters/)

[Robert Ringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ringer/)

> [I don't know if I would have the same take on world matters and social issues if I were not gay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-lemon/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-have-the-same-take-on-world-matters-and/)

[Don Lemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-lemon/)

> [If nothing matters, there's nothing to save.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/if-nothing-matters-there-s-nothing-to-save/)

[Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/)

> [“I am not sure how to explain it, except that - truth matters to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/i-am-not-sure-how-to-explain-it-except-that-truth-matters-to-us/)

[Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/)

> [“What lies before us and what lies within us are small matters compared to what lies within us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-lies-before-us-and-what-lies-within-us-are-small-matters/)

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

Browse all 1,893 Matters quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I realized that it doesn't matter what you've done. What matters is what you do.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Johnny B. Truant"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/i-realized-that-it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-ve-done-what-matters-is/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Matters"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/i-realized-that-it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-ve-done-what-matters-is/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/949/johnny-b-truant-13301_quote_i-realized-that-it-doesn-t-matter-what-y_1105604.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/949/johnny-b-truant-13301_quote_i-realized-that-it-doesn-t-matter-what-y_1105604.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/949/johnny-b-truant-13301_quote_i-realized-that-it-doesn-t-matter-what-y_1105604.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I realized that it doesn't matter what you've done. What matters is what you do.” — Johnny B. Truant",
                "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": "Johnny B. Truant",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-b-truant/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I realized that it doesn't matter...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/i-realized-that-it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-ve-done-what-matters-is/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-b-truant/i-realized-that-it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-ve-done-what-matters-is/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
