--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Research indicates that the desire to…" description: "\"Research indicates that the desire to achieve the skills associated with success is more highly correlated with achievement than the desire for success..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/marshall-goldsmith-6918_achieve_research-indicates-that-the-desire-to-ac_599709.jpg" --- # Research indicates that the desire to achieve the skills… ![“Research indicates that the desire to achieve the skills associated with success is more highly correlated with achievement than the desire for success itself.” quote by Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/marshall-goldsmith-6918_achieve_research-indicates-that-the-desire-to-ac_599709.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/marshall-goldsmith-6918_achieve_research-indicates-that-the-desire-to-ac_599709.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/marshall-goldsmith-6918_achieve_research-indicates-that-the-desire-to-ac_599709.jpg) > “Research indicates that the desire to achieve the skills associated with success is more highly correlated with achievement than the desire for success itself.” [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People motivated by mastering skills achieve more than those merely seeking success. **In simple terms:** Skill focus drives achievement. Key Takeaway Cultivate skill mastery. Themes motivation achievement skill development Mood inspired reflective Type advice motivational When to use this quote - career advancement - education - personal projects Key Concepts growth mindset self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - How can you shift focus from outcome to skill? - What skills will most impact your goals? A Different Perspective Skill focus may overlook systemic barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire for success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-for-success/) [Desire to achieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-to-achieve/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [The strong desire for success is the best indication that you can achieve success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanis-aw-i-leszczy-ski/the-strong-desire-for-success-is-the-best-indication-that-you-can/) [Stanisław I Leszczyński](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanis-aw-i-leszczy-ski/) > [One of the most important keys to Success is having the knowledge,commitment & discipline to do.Strive to do what you know, even when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/one-of-the-most-important-keys-to-success-is-having-the-knowledge/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [It is during our failures that we discover our true desire for success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ngo/it-is-during-our-failures-that-we-discover-our-true-desire-for-success/) [Kevin Ngo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ngo/) > [If you wanna succeed in life, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debrainy-degreat/if-you-wanna-succeed-in-life-your-desire-for-success-should-be/) [DeBrainy DeGreat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debrainy-degreat/) > [You must find another reason to work, other than the desire for success or recognition. It must come from another place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/you-must-find-another-reason-to-work-other-than-the-desire-for/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [A burning desire is the greatest motivator of every human action. The desire for success implants 'success consciousness' which, in turn, creates a vigorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-j-meyer/a-burning-desire-is-the-greatest-motivator-of-every-human-action-the/) [Paul J. Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-j-meyer/) > [“Failure is good, failure is necessary, failure stimulates a desire for success.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asa-don-brown/failure-is-good-failure-is-necessary-failure-stimulates-a-desire-for/) [Asa Don Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asa-don-brown/) > [The things we do without the fear of failure and the desire for success are the purest acts we'll ever do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/the-things-we-do-without-the-fear-of-failure-and-the-desire-for/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [Don't fear failure. Failure is interruption, not the end point. Your desire for success should be greater than fear of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anil-sinha/don-t-fear-failure-failure-is-interruption-not-the-end-point-your/) [Anil Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anil-sinha/) > [Never fear failure if any endeavour has been taken.Desire for success should always prevail in mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/never-fear-failure-if-any-endeavour-has-been-taken-desire-for-success/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [Fear of failure is at least as common as the desire for success. In fact, if harnessed properly, it can be the energy that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mccormack/fear-of-failure-is-at-least-as-common-as-the-desire-for-success-in/) [Mark McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mccormack/) > [In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-order-to-succeed-your-desire-for-success-should-be-greater-than-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I had a very traumatic end to my career so I didn't think I would become a manager then. As the years pass by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-di-matteo/i-had-a-very-traumatic-end-to-my-career-so-i-didn-t-think-i-would/) [Roberto Di Matteo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-di-matteo/) > [In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure. --Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-order-to-succeed-your-desire-for-success-should-be-greater-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The desire for success is inherent within all of us. It is a part of our nature to want to grow, to improve the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/the-desire-for-success-is-inherent-within-all-of-us-it-is-a-part-of/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) ## More by Marshall Goldsmith > [Our inner beliefs trigger failure before it happens. They sabotage lasting change by canceling its possibility. We employ these beliefs as articles of faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/our-inner-beliefs-trigger-failure-before-it-happens-they-sabotage/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [If the CEO is not going to give you a fair chance, you're probably not going to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/if-the-ceo-is-not-going-to-give-you-a-fair-chance-you-re-probably-not/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [Never confuse acquiring degrees with wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/never-confuse-acquiring-degrees-with-wisdom/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [Change is not a one-way street- it involves two parties: the person who is changing and the people who notice it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/change-is-not-a-one-way-street-it-involves-two-parties-the-person-who/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [Active questions are the alternative to passive questions. There is a huge difference between, 'Do you have clear goals?' and 'Did you do your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/active-questions-are-the-alternative-to-passive-questions-there-is-a/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [We deify willpower and self-control - and mock its absence. People who achieve through remarkable willpower are 'strong' and 'heroic.' People who need help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/we-deify-willpower-and-self-control-and-mock-its-absence-people-who/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [Those who lead by example and demonstrate passion for what they do make it much easier for their followers to do the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/those-who-lead-by-example-and-demonstrate-passion-for-what-they-do/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [One of the most important actions, things a leader can do, is to lead by example. If you want everyone else to be passionate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/one-of-the-most-important-actions-things-a-leader-can-do-is-to-lead/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [Almost everyone I meet is successful because of doing a lot of things right, and almost everyone I meet is successful in spite of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/almost-everyone-i-meet-is-successful-because-of-doing-a-lot-of-things/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [In our world, we have this huge focus on vicarious living - politicians, movie stars, athletes, coaches, all these people. What our research has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/in-our-world-we-have-this-huge-focus-on-vicarious-living-politicians/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [It's not appropriate to pass judgment when we specifically ask people to voice their opinions... even if you ask a question and agree with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/it-s-not-appropriate-to-pass-judgment-when-we-specifically-ask-people/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [The only thing I don't think people don't understand about good leaders is that they're both good and lucky. A lot of it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/the-only-thing-i-don-t-think-people-don-t-understand-about-good/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [As I've gotten older, I've gotten simpler - my level of aspiration has actually gone down and down. But my level of impact has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/as-i-ve-gotten-older-i-ve-gotten-simpler-my-level-of-aspiration-has/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [The more we are committed to believing that something is true, the less likely we are to believe that its opposite is true, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/the-more-we-are-committed-to-believing-that-something-is-true-the/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [The people I coach are very successful people, so it's very hard for winners to not constantly win. Even if it's trivial and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/the-people-i-coach-are-very-successful-people-so-it-s-very-hard-for/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) [Explore all 96 Marshall Goldsmith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) ## More Achieve quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [I'm a film guy. I love it. When I read the screenplay, I knew that there would be no HD camera that could achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-taylor/i-m-a-film-guy-i-love-it-when-i-read-the-screenplay-i-knew-that-there/) Deon Taylor > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera > [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Governments follow their people. A great deal has to do with the vision of the leadership of governments. They have a vision, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/governments-follow-their-people-a-great-deal-has-to-do-with-the/) [Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/) > [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [To achieve something you've never achieved before, you must become someone you've never been before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-joshi/to-achieve-something-you-ve-never-achieved-before-you-must-become/) [Shubham Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-joshi/) > [I've identified as bisexual since I was a teenager, and if we want to achieve equality for all in our policies, we need more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hill/i-ve-identified-as-bisexual-since-i-was-a-teenager-and-if-we-want-to/) [Katie Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hill/) Browse all 6,390 Achieve quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Research indicates that the desire to achieve the skills associated with success is more highly correlated with achievement than the desire for success itself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marshall Goldsmith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/research-indicates-that-the-desire-to-achieve-the-skills-associated/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Achieve" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/research-indicates-that-the-desire-to-achieve-the-skills-associated/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/marshall-goldsmith-6918_achieve_research-indicates-that-the-desire-to-ac_599709.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/marshall-goldsmith-6918_achieve_research-indicates-that-the-desire-to-ac_599709.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/marshall-goldsmith-6918_achieve_research-indicates-that-the-desire-to-ac_599709.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Research indicates that the desire to achieve the skills associated with success is more highly correlated…” — Marshall Goldsmith", "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": "Marshall Goldsmith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Research indicates that the desire to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/research-indicates-that-the-desire-to-achieve-the-skills-associated/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/research-indicates-that-the-desire-to-achieve-the-skills-associated/#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 } } ] } ```