--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Accomplishing a goal is a lot less like…" description: "\"“Accomplishing a goal is a lot less like taking a train across country and a lot more like driving a bumper car.”\" — Jon Acuff" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/jon-acuff-8706_fitness_accomplishing-a-goal-is-a-lot-less-like_1979542.jpg" --- # Accomplishing a goal is a lot less like taking a train… ![“Accomplishing a goal is a lot less like taking a train across country and a lot more like driving a bumper car.” quote by Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/jon-acuff-8706_fitness_accomplishing-a-goal-is-a-lot-less-like_1979542.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/jon-acuff-8706_fitness_accomplishing-a-goal-is-a-lot-less-like_1979542.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/jon-acuff-8706_fitness_accomplishing-a-goal-is-a-lot-less-like_1979542.jpg) > ““Accomplishing a goal is a lot less like taking a train across country and a lot more like driving a bumper car.”” [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Achieving goals resembles a chaotic, fun ride more than a smooth, predictable journey. **In simple terms:** Goals are like a bumpy bumper‑car ride. Key Takeaway Enjoy the ride, stay adaptable. Themes goal setting motivation adaptability process fun Mood playful motivational reflective Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - project planning - team building - personal development - learning new skills Key Concepts psychology of achievement risk taking learning through play Questions to Reflect On - What “bumper‑car” moments have you faced? - How can you balance fun with focus? A Different Perspective It may downplay the need for strategic planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accomplishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplishing/) [Accomplishing A Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplishing-a-goal-213245/) [Accomplishing Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplishing-goal-1002800/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Like Driving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-driving/) [Taking Train](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-train-3371396/) [Train Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/train-country-3371397/) ## Related quotes > [A healthy relationship will not prevent you from accomplishing any goal. In fact, it will help you get it done sooner, and more effectively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-healthy-relationship-will-not-prevent-you-from-accomplishing-any/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In America, we happen to be living in a third world country from the point of view of economic and social development. I came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-america-we-happen-to-be-living-in-a-third-world-country-from-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The first trip I remember taking was on the train from Virginia up to New York City, watching the summertime countryside rolling past the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-campbell/the-first-trip-i-remember-taking-was-on-the-train-from-virginia-up-to/) [Billy Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-campbell/) > [Believing in yourself is the first step to accomplishing any goal. If you think you're going to fail, you probably will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/believing-in-yourself-is-the-first-step-to-accomplishing-any-goal-if/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [“There are two parts to every goal you set out to achieve: the journey to the goal and the accomplishment of the goal itself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roosh-v/there-are-two-parts-to-every-goal-you-set-out-to-achieve-the-journey/) [Roosh V](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roosh-v/) > [“The way I see it, there’s work and then there’s work. And there’s a big difference between your work and your job. A job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-gaines/the-way-i-see-it-there-s-work-and-then-there-s-work-and-there-s-a-big/) [Chip Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-gaines/) > [“Life is a journey, not a destination. As we start a new year, let’s not forget that our journey continues every moment of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-shapiro/life-is-a-journey-not-a-destination-as-we-start-a-new-year-let-s-not/) [Don Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shapiro/) > [There's mornings when my body aches or my mind is just not with it. But that's part of being an athlete and accomplishing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-horton/there-s-mornings-when-my-body-aches-or-my-mind-is-just-not-with-it/) [Jonathan Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-horton/) > [“The release of dopamine is a form of information, a message that tells the organism “Do that again.” Dopamine produces the sensation of pleasure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/the-release-of-dopamine-is-a-form-of-information-a-message-that-tells/) [Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/) > [“who achieve great things that the world will never forget, start out by accomplishing small things that the world will never see.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-burg/who-achieve-great-things-that-the-world-will-never-forget-start-out/) [Bob Burg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-burg/) > [In film, you have the luxury of accomplishing what you need in 24 frames every second. Comics, you only have five or six panels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-k-vaughan/in-film-you-have-the-luxury-of-accomplishing-what-you-need-in-24/) [Brian K. Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-k-vaughan/) > [“Doing nothing accomplishes nothing, gains nothing, changes nothing, and wins nothing. You have to make a move.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/doing-nothing-accomplishes-nothing-gains-nothing-changes-nothing-and/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [When we are accomplishing the good, the greatest opposition comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-smith-jr/when-we-are-accomplishing-the-good-the-greatest-opposition-comes/) [Joseph Smith, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-smith-jr/) > [I think about what I've accomplished and my career. I care about how many wins I have and whether I'm accomplishing my goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-creamer/i-think-about-what-i-ve-accomplished-and-my-career-i-care-about-how/) [Paula Creamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-creamer/) > [It feels wonderful to be accomplishing something on my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira-caine/it-feels-wonderful-to-be-accomplishing-something-on-my-own/) [Shakira Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira-caine/) ## More by Jon Acuff > [“The way you pass through the land of Learning is that you try a bunch of things. Fear would love for you to try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/the-way-you-pass-through-the-land-of-learning-is-that-you-try-a-bunch/) [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) > [“There is no in-between, just two extremes. That’s the land of noble obstacles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/there-is-no-in-between-just-two-extremes-that-s-the-land-of-noble/) [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) > [“The real tragedy of a one-hit wonder is when someone succeeds once and then never tries again. No matter your circumstances, if you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/the-real-tragedy-of-a-one-hit-wonder-is-when-someone-succeeds-once/) [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) > [“done, we will never work. There will always be one more amazing distraction. Our minds will do anything to avoid the challenge of focusing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/done-we-will-never-work-there-will-always-be-one-more-amazing/) [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) > [“All you have to do is win more today than you did yesterday and repeat the whole thing tomorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/all-you-have-to-do-is-win-more-today-than-you-did-yesterday-and/) [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) > [“In situations like that, all of your focus and energy need to be placed on the actions dial. You’ll have to dramatically increase your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/in-situations-like-that-all-of-your-focus-and-energy-need-to-be/) [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) > [“If you’re watching Netflix every time it’s time for you to do X, that’s a hiding place. You’re afraid to face the fear of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/if-you-re-watching-netflix-every-time-it-s-time-for-you-to-do-x-that/) [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) > [“To deal with our secret rules, we have to do three things: Identify them. Destroy them. Replace them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/to-deal-with-our-secret-rules-we-have-to-do-three-things-identify/) [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) > [“perfectionism is a desperate attempt to live up to impossible standards. Perfectionism will do anything to protect those impossible standards. It can’t let you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/perfectionism-is-a-desperate-attempt-to-live-up-to-impossible/) [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) > [“Cut your goal in half. Choose what you’ll bomb. Make it fun if you want it done.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/cut-your-goal-in-half-choose-what-you-ll-bomb-make-it-fun-if-you-want/) [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) > [“Your emotions cloud your judgment. They form a perfect smoke screen for denial, making your path in life feel murky and confusing. In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/your-emotions-cloud-your-judgment-they-form-a-perfect-smoke-screen/) [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) > [“Writers aren’t the only ones who use the first kind of noble obstacle. I know some guys who say they can’t work out until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/writers-aren-t-the-only-ones-who-use-the-first-kind-of-noble-obstacle/) [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) > [“If you ever have to do a complicated, multistep explanation to say why what you’re doing is valuable, it probably isn’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/if-you-ever-have-to-do-a-complicated-multistep-explanation-to-say-why/) [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) > [Don't compare you beginning with someone Else's middle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/don-t-compare-you-beginning-with-someone-else-s-middle/) [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) > [“Hiding places are tricky like that. They make you feel like you’re doing well when in reality you’re not getting anywhere on your most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/hiding-places-are-tricky-like-that-they-make-you-feel-like-you-re/) [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) [Explore all 78 Jon Acuff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) ## More Accomplishing quotes > [It feels wonderful to be accomplishing something on my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira-caine/it-feels-wonderful-to-be-accomplishing-something-on-my-own/) [Shakira Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira-caine/) > [I think about what I've accomplished and my career. I care about how many wins I have and whether I'm accomplishing my goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-creamer/i-think-about-what-i-ve-accomplished-and-my-career-i-care-about-how/) [Paula Creamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-creamer/) > [When we are accomplishing the good, the greatest opposition comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-smith-jr/when-we-are-accomplishing-the-good-the-greatest-opposition-comes/) [Joseph Smith, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-smith-jr/) > [“Doing nothing accomplishes nothing, gains nothing, changes nothing, and wins nothing. You have to make a move.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/doing-nothing-accomplishes-nothing-gains-nothing-changes-nothing-and/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [In film, you have the luxury of accomplishing what you need in 24 frames every second. Comics, you only have five or six panels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-k-vaughan/in-film-you-have-the-luxury-of-accomplishing-what-you-need-in-24/) [Brian K. Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-k-vaughan/) > [“who achieve great things that the world will never forget, start out by accomplishing small things that the world will never see.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-burg/who-achieve-great-things-that-the-world-will-never-forget-start-out/) [Bob Burg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-burg/) > [I've been managing myself for some time now, and after accomplishing many goals here in Brazil, I knew it was time to make new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anitta/i-ve-been-managing-myself-for-some-time-now-and-after-accomplishing/) [Anitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anitta/) > [“Accomplishing is the combination of learning what to do, knowing how to do, and then doing until it's done.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accomplishing-is-the-combination-of-learning-what-to-do-knowing-how/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [So what you are accomplishing is entrenching yourself more and more in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/so-what-you-are-accomplishing-is-entrenching-yourself-more-and-more/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I keep accomplishing things, and maybe I've put too much pressure on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-rahm/i-keep-accomplishing-things-and-maybe-i-ve-put-too-much-pressure-on/) [Jon Rahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-rahm/) > [Your age is just a number. It should never hinder you from accomplishing your goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-age-is-just-a-number-it-should-never-hinder-you-from/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Make the decision, then do something, no matter how small, toward accomplishing what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/make-the-decision-then-do-something-no-matter-how-small-toward/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm a firm believer in goal setting. Step by step. I can't see any other way of accomplishing anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-m-a-firm-believer-in-goal-setting-step-by-step-i-can-t-see-any/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [Accomplishing the impossible means only the boss will add it to your regular duties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/accomplishing-the-impossible-means-only-the-boss-will-add-it-to-your/) [Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/) > [Not snow, no, nor rain, nor heat, nor night keeps them from accomplishing their appointed courses with all speed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/not-snow-no-nor-rain-nor-heat-nor-night-keeps-them-from-accomplishing/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) [Browse all 86 Accomplishing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplishing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Accomplishing a goal is a lot less like taking a train across country and a lot more like driving a bumper car.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jon Acuff" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/accomplishing-a-goal-is-a-lot-less-like-taking-a-train-across-country/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accomplishing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/accomplishing-a-goal-is-a-lot-less-like-taking-a-train-across-country/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/jon-acuff-8706_fitness_accomplishing-a-goal-is-a-lot-less-like_1979542.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/jon-acuff-8706_fitness_accomplishing-a-goal-is-a-lot-less-like_1979542.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/jon-acuff-8706_fitness_accomplishing-a-goal-is-a-lot-less-like_1979542.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Accomplishing a goal is a lot less like taking a train across country and a lot more like driving a bumper…” — Jon Acuff", "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": "Jon Acuff", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Accomplishing a goal is a lot...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/accomplishing-a-goal-is-a-lot-less-like-taking-a-train-across-country/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/accomplishing-a-goal-is-a-lot-less-like-taking-a-train-across-country/#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 } } ] } ```