--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is extremely important to know what…" description: "\"It is extremely important to know what you don't want to find\" — Leon Uris" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/leon-uris-7821_important_it-is-extremely-important-to-know-what-y_1083337.jpg" --- # It is extremely important to know what you don't want to… ![“It is extremely important to know what you don't want to find” quote by Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/leon-uris-7821_important_it-is-extremely-important-to-know-what-y_1083337.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/leon-uris-7821_important_it-is-extremely-important-to-know-what-y_1083337.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/leon-uris-7821_important_it-is-extremely-important-to-know-what-y_1083337.jpg) > “It is extremely important to know what you don't want to find” [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing what you don’t seek helps avoid wasted effort and clarifies true goals. **In simple terms:** Know what you don’t want. Key Takeaway Identify and eliminate irrelevant pursuits. Themes self‑awareness goal setting clarity Mood reflective analytical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - research projects - personal relationships - shopping decisions Key Concepts decision theory negative selection Questions to Reflect On - What are you actively avoiding? - How does that shape your choices? A Different Perspective Focusing only on negatives can cause paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“It is important to know what you don't want.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amitav-chowdhury/it-is-important-to-know-what-you-don-t-want/) [Amitav Chowdhury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amitav-chowdhury/) > [I think brutal honesty is extremely important. Don't be afraid of being up-front about your feelings and your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minka-kelly/i-think-brutal-honesty-is-extremely-important-don-t-be-afraid-of/) [Minka Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minka-kelly/) > [Music has influenced my life and is one of the most treasured things for me. It speaks a universal language and for me, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ananya-birla/music-has-influenced-my-life-and-is-one-of-the-most-treasured-things/) [Ananya Birla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ananya-birla/) > [The transition from rebellion to acceptance has an extremely important consequence. . . in which we start seeing life as a training school, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piero-ferrucci/the-transition-from-rebellion-to-acceptance-has-an-extremely/) [Piero Ferrucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piero-ferrucci/) > [Taking care of your employees is extremely important and very, very visible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-ellison/taking-care-of-your-employees-is-extremely-important-and-very-very/) [Larry Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-ellison/) > [Being a teacher is back-breakingly difficult work. It is also extremely important work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/being-a-teacher-is-back-breakingly-difficult-work-it-is-also/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Insurance, pension reforms are going to be extremely important for the stock market because the kind of money we'll get from that is unbelievable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-jhunjhunwala/insurance-pension-reforms-are-going-to-be-extremely-important-for-the/) [Rakesh Jhunjhunwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-jhunjhunwala/) > [Obviously, the quarterback position is an extremely important position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-glazer/obviously-the-quarterback-position-is-an-extremely-important-position/) [Joel Glazer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-glazer/) > [I think it's extremely important that the citizens of Wisconsin know the positions I'm taking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/i-think-it-s-extremely-important-that-the-citizens-of-wisconsin-know/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [It's extremely important that, as writers, we give a voice to those who don't have voices, including the other animals that we share the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-hawthorne-deming/it-s-extremely-important-that-as-writers-we-give-a-voice-to-those-who/) [Alison Hawthorne Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-hawthorne-deming/) > [I think it's extremely important that children are exposed to reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-think-it-s-extremely-important-that-children-are-exposed-to-reading/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“Dreams are extremely important. You can’t do it unless you imagine it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/dreams-are-extremely-important-you-can-t-do-it-unless-you-imagine-it/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [Women are extremely important shapers of my own life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hillerman/women-are-extremely-important-shapers-of-my-own-life/) [Tony Hillerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hillerman/) > [If you look at U.K. science, we collaborate with people across the whole world, and it's extremely important we continue to do so in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-walport/if-you-look-at-u-k-science-we-collaborate-with-people-across-the/) [Mark Walport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-walport/) > [Very often the effort men put into activities that seem completely useless turns out to be extremely important in ways no one could foresee.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-calvino/very-often-the-effort-men-put-into-activities-that-seem-completely/) [Italo Calvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-calvino/) ## More by Leon Uris > [Usually a good part of the people trying it end up not making it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/usually-a-good-part-of-the-people-trying-it-end-up-not-making-it/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [It all begins and ends in the same place, doesn't it? Conor and me in Ballyutogue. We all come home eventually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/it-all-begins-and-ends-in-the-same-place-doesn-t-it-conor-and-me-in/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [“God figured out when he separated us from the rest of the creatures that if we have the power to reason and justify and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/god-figured-out-when-he-separated-us-from-the-rest-of-the-creatures/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [“In God's scheme what is a few billion years here and there. Perhaps there have come and gone a dozen human civilizations in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/in-god-s-scheme-what-is-a-few-billion-years-here-and-there-perhaps/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [“Nordstrom.” “Would you care for some tea or a brandy?” “No … Nicole, I know”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/nordstrom-would-you-care-for-some-tea-or-a-brandy-no-nicole-i-know/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [“And that is where I have failed you, Ari. You see, I would have crawled to your mother a million times. I would crawl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/and-that-is-where-i-have-failed-you-ari-you-see-i-would-have-crawled/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [Anyone who goes into writing has to find out somewhere along the line, he's either naive or insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/anyone-who-goes-into-writing-has-to-find-out-somewhere-along-the-line/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [“From there Ari took her to the church which marked the place of the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fishes a short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/from-there-ari-took-her-to-the-church-which-marked-the-place-of-the/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [I was tough. I used everything to my advantage. I could be very ruthless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/i-was-tough-i-used-everything-to-my-advantage-i-could-be-very-ruthless/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [My first book was rejected nine times. It turned out to be a best seller, Battle Cry? in 1953.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/my-first-book-was-rejected-nine-times-it-turned-out-to-be-a-best/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [Life hinges on many factors we cannot control. Two of the most important factors, we can control. We can manage our relationships-and what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/life-hinges-on-many-factors-we-cannot-control-two-of-the-most/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [I do not write for an audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/i-do-not-write-for-an-audience/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [“But once you allow yourself to think that there are some people, because of their race, their color, or religion, who are really not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/but-once-you-allow-yourself-to-think-that-there-are-some-people/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [I essentially write for myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/i-essentially-write-for-myself/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [“Karen Hansen Clement sank deep in melancholy. She heard till she could hear no more. She saw until she could see no more. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/karen-hansen-clement-sank-deep-in-melancholy-she-heard-till-she-could/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) [Explore all 83 Leon Uris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) ## More Important quotes > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [Fiscal prudence is very important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smriti-irani/fiscal-prudence-is-very-important/) [Smriti Irani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smriti-irani/) > [Regardless of the criticisms I receive from the left, the right and the middle, I think it's important to maintain a prolific writing jab,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/regardless-of-the-criticisms-i-receive-from-the-left-the-right-and/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [If I had learned how to get along in the quotidian world while keeping up the search for the hidden realm, I might have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-woodring/if-i-had-learned-how-to-get-along-in-the-quotidian-world-while/) [Jim Woodring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-woodring/) > [Modeling is more important than the talking we do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-williams/modeling-is-more-important-than-the-talking-we-do/) Wayne Williams > [There are more important things to focus on in life than how you look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arden-cho/there-are-more-important-things-to-focus-on-in-life-than-how-you-look/) [Arden Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arden-cho/) > [Doing the right things is more important than doing things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ko-wen-je/doing-the-right-things-is-more-important-than-doing-things-right/) [Ko Wen-je](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ko-wen-je/) > [To me, Caribbean food is about fresh, seasonal produce - using what's in season to create vibrant and great tasting food. The spicing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/to-me-caribbean-food-is-about-fresh-seasonal-produce-using-what-s-in/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) Browse all 30,993 Important quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is extremely important to know what you don't want to find", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leon Uris" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/it-is-extremely-important-to-know-what-you-don-t-want-to-find/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Important" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/it-is-extremely-important-to-know-what-you-don-t-want-to-find/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/leon-uris-7821_important_it-is-extremely-important-to-know-what-y_1083337.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/leon-uris-7821_important_it-is-extremely-important-to-know-what-y_1083337.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/leon-uris-7821_important_it-is-extremely-important-to-know-what-y_1083337.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is extremely important to know what you don't want to find” — Leon Uris", "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": "Leon Uris", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is extremely important to know...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/it-is-extremely-important-to-know-what-you-don-t-want-to-find/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/it-is-extremely-important-to-know-what-you-don-t-want-to-find/#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 } } ] } ```