--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've gotten this advice at different…" description: "\"I've gotten this advice at different times, and it distills down to one word: purpose. Why are you here? When you start to get distracted by thoughts s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/mae-jemison-9290_advice_i-ve-gotten-this-advice-at-different-tim_1286141.jpg" --- # I've gotten this advice at different times, and it… ![“I've gotten this advice at different times, and it distills down to one word: purpose. Why are you here? When you start to get distracted by thoughts such as 'Do I fit in? Does this person like me?' - remember why you're there and what you want to accomplish.” quote by Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/mae-jemison-9290_advice_i-ve-gotten-this-advice-at-different-tim_1286141.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/mae-jemison-9290_advice_i-ve-gotten-this-advice-at-different-tim_1286141.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/mae-jemison-9290_advice_i-ve-gotten-this-advice-at-different-tim_1286141.jpg) > “I've gotten this advice at different times, and it distills down to one word: purpose. Why are you here? When you start to get distracted by thoughts such as 'Do I fit in? Does this person like me?' - remember why you're there and what you want to accomplish.” [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Purpose guides focus; remembering it combats distraction. **In simple terms:** Know your purpose to stay on track. Key Takeaway Align actions with purpose. Themes purpose focus self‑awareness Mood reflective motivational Type inspirational educational When to use this quote - career planning - academic pursuits - personal projects Key Concepts goal setting motivation Questions to Reflect On - What core purpose drives you today? - How can you realign when distracted? A Different Perspective Purpose can evolve, making past goals feel irrelevant. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The purpose - where I start - is the idea of use. It is not recycling, it's reuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/issey-miyake/the-purpose-where-i-start-is-the-idea-of-use-it-is-not-recycling-it-s/) [Issey Miyake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/issey-miyake/) > [One of the best ways to uncover our purpose is to start doing something now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/one-of-the-best-ways-to-uncover-our-purpose-is-to-start-doing/) Senoraroy > [The 1960s was an era of big thoughts. And yet, amazingly, each of these thoughts could fit on a T-shirt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-1960s-was-an-era-of-big-thoughts-and-yet-amazingly-each-of-these/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Small thoughts fit easily into a closed mind, but big thoughts require an open one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-h-williams/small-thoughts-fit-easily-into-a-closed-mind-but-big-thoughts-require/) [Roy H. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-h-williams/) > [“remained constantly distracted, his thoughts and eyes inexorably drawn to the parked PT Cruiser and the unknown roads it promised to carry him down.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-harmon/remained-constantly-distracted-his-thoughts-and-eyes-inexorably-drawn/) [Brian Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-harmon/) > [“The principal enemy of mindfulness—or of any meditative practice—is our deeply conditioned habit of being distracted by thoughts. The problem is not thoughts themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/the-principal-enemy-of-mindfulness-or-of-any-meditative-practice-is/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [“Parker sat on the opposite end of the couch, distracted by thoughts of the coming year and all the secrets it kept from her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-slovin/parker-sat-on-the-opposite-end-of-the-couch-distracted-by-thoughts-of/) [Abby Slovin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-slovin/) > [Look at how beautiful life is, and just keep looking until you see it. You don't see what is in front of you because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/look-at-how-beautiful-life-is-and-just-keep-looking-until-you-see-it/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Our mind is always subject to being distracted by thoughts of what happened in the past and ideas of what could happen in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sakyong-mipham/our-mind-is-always-subject-to-being-distracted-by-thoughts-of-what/) [Sakyong Mipham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sakyong-mipham/) > [“As a mother you have thoughts. You get interrupted. You forget. You are distracted. Your thoughts and ideas become fragmented, diluted, or simply evaporate.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-banks-baum/as-a-mother-you-have-thoughts-you-get-interrupted-you-forget-you-are/) Suzi Banks Baum > [Most people are so distracted by their thoughts, so identified with the voices in their heads, they no longer feel the aliveness within them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/most-people-are-so-distracted-by-their-thoughts-so-identified-with/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [I don't know if I'll ever feel like I've made it. That is part of the reason why all of us, as artists, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassadee-pope/i-don-t-know-if-i-ll-ever-feel-like-i-ve-made-it-that-is-part-of-the/) [Cassadee Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassadee-pope/) > [There's a lot that I want to accomplish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/there-s-a-lot-that-i-want-to-accomplish/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [We have to think about the future and what it is we want to accomplish from this party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-bernice-johnson/we-have-to-think-about-the-future-and-what-it-is-we-want-to/) [Eddie Bernice Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-bernice-johnson/) > [There's things that you want to accomplish, but to do that you have to work. That's the name of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-schwarber/there-s-things-that-you-want-to-accomplish-but-to-do-that-you-have-to/) [Kyle Schwarber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-schwarber/) ## More by Mae Jemison > [I went to school at night in L.A. to brush up on my engineering while I applied to the astronaut program. I really did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-went-to-school-at-night-in-l-a-to-brush-up-on-my-engineering-while/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [Science provides an understanding of a universal experience. Arts provide a universal understanding of a personal experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/science-provides-an-understanding-of-a-universal-experience-arts/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [One Hundred Year Starship really is about the idea that is we pursue an extraordinary tomorrow; we'll build a better world today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/one-hundred-year-starship-really-is-about-the-idea-that-is-we-pursue/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [I stayed in the astronaut program until 1993. People ask me why I left. I thought I had a lot of things to contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-stayed-in-the-astronaut-program-until-1993-people-ask-me-why-i-left/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [I was thinking as a little girl growing up that I would be there. When I look at whether we can go to Mars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-was-thinking-as-a-little-girl-growing-up-that-i-would-be-there-when/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [Never be limited by other people's limited imaginations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/never-be-limited-by-other-people-s-limited-imaginations/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [Once I got into space, I was feeling very comfortable in the universe. I felt like I had a right to be anywhere in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/once-i-got-into-space-i-was-feeling-very-comfortable-in-the-universe/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [There is a fascination with the idea that one has 'seen someone else do something' before one can achieve it. Maybe that's true in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/there-is-a-fascination-with-the-idea-that-one-has-seen-someone-else/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [The drills we do, where you're telling kids to memorize things, don't actually work. What works is engaging them and letting them do things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/the-drills-we-do-where-you-re-telling-kids-to-memorize-things-don-t/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [Some people say they feel very small when they think about space. I felt more expansive, very connected to the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/some-people-say-they-feel-very-small-when-they-think-about-space-i/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [I wanted to be a professional dancer for a period of time, and I did a lot of dancing and choreography and got paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-wanted-to-be-a-professional-dancer-for-a-period-of-time-and-i-did-a/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [Sometimes people ask me how difficult the astronaut program was, but being in Sierra Leone, being responsible for the health of more than 200…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/sometimes-people-ask-me-how-difficult-the-astronaut-program-was-but/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [In space, you need to exercise your heart since it's not pumping blood around at the same rate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/in-space-you-need-to-exercise-your-heart-since-it-s-not-pumping-blood/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [I think we know how to do Mars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-think-we-know-how-to-do-mars/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [I believe the biggest impediment we have right now with going to Mars is public commitment. More people need to see themselves as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-believe-the-biggest-impediment-we-have-right-now-with-going-to-mars/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) [Explore all 73 Mae Jemison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) ## More Advice quotes > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) Mak\_786 > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/) [Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/) > [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [My relationship with Ibrahimovic was completely neutral. He is not the type of player to approach the younger players and give them advice. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/) [Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/) [Browse all 8,535 Advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've gotten this advice at different times, and it distills down to one word: purpose. Why are you here? When you start to get distracted by thoughts such as 'Do I fit in? Does this person like me?' - remember why you're there and what you want to accomplish.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mae Jemison" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-ve-gotten-this-advice-at-different-times-and-it-distills-down-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-ve-gotten-this-advice-at-different-times-and-it-distills-down-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/mae-jemison-9290_advice_i-ve-gotten-this-advice-at-different-tim_1286141.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/mae-jemison-9290_advice_i-ve-gotten-this-advice-at-different-tim_1286141.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/mae-jemison-9290_advice_i-ve-gotten-this-advice-at-different-tim_1286141.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've gotten this advice at different times, and it distills down to one word: purpose. Why are you here?…” — Mae Jemison", "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": "Mae Jemison", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've gotten this advice at different...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-ve-gotten-this-advice-at-different-times-and-it-distills-down-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-ve-gotten-this-advice-at-different-times-and-it-distills-down-to/#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 } } ] } ```