--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Focusing on what you've done is not as…" description: "\"“Focusing on what you've done is not as important in this learning process as focusing on who you have become”\" — Merrilee Boyack" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/merrilee-boyack-44778_education_focusing-on-what-you-ve-done-is-not-as-i_3190983.jpg" --- # Focusing on what you've done is not as important in this… ![“Focusing on what you've done is not as important in this learning process as focusing on who you have become” quote by Merrilee Boyack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/merrilee-boyack-44778_education_focusing-on-what-you-ve-done-is-not-as-i_3190983.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/merrilee-boyack-44778_education_focusing-on-what-you-ve-done-is-not-as-i_3190983.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/merrilee-boyack-44778_education_focusing-on-what-you-ve-done-is-not-as-i_3190983.jpg) > ““Focusing on what you've done is not as important in this learning process as focusing on who you have become”” [Merrilee Boyack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merrilee-boyack/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote emphasizes personal growth over achievements, suggesting identity matters more than past actions. **In simple terms:** Growth matters more than past. Key Takeaway Focus on who you become. Themes self‑development identity learning Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career advancement - education - relationships - self‑improvement Key Concepts psychology personal transformation Questions to Reflect On - How do you measure personal growth? - What habits shape your identity? A Different Perspective It may overlook concrete results needed for progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Learning process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-process/) ## Related quotes > [The simple process of focusing on things that are normally taken for granted is a powerful source of creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/the-simple-process-of-focusing-on-things-that-are-normally-taken-for/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [Learning what not to do is sometimes more important than learning what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-pitino/learning-what-not-to-do-is-sometimes-more-important-than-learning/) [Rick Pitino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-pitino/) > [This is a very challenging moment for educators. Our children are headed for a much more networked existence, one that allows for learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-richardson/this-is-a-very-challenging-moment-for-educators-our-children-are/) [Will Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-richardson/) > [“Nothing in my life ever happened that was as important to me as learning to read.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobbie-louise-hawkins/nothing-in-my-life-ever-happened-that-was-as-important-to-me-as/) Bobbie Louise Hawkins > [What is important is to keep learning, to enjoy challenge, and to tolerate ambiguity. In the end there are no certain answers. (President, Radcliffe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-horner/what-is-important-is-to-keep-learning-to-enjoy-challenge-and-to-2/) Martin Horner > [Why aren't we talking about it in health classes in school? That's just as important as learning about physical health and nutrition. Why aren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-reinhart/why-aren-t-we-talking-about-it-in-health-classes-in-school-that-s/) [Lili Reinhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-reinhart/) > [“It has been a long trip,” said Milo, climbing onto the couch where the princesses sat; “but we would have been here much sooner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/it-has-been-a-long-trip-said-milo-climbing-onto-the-couch-where-the-2/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [What is important is to keep learning, to enjoy challenge, and to tolerate ambiguity. In the end there are no certain answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-important-is-to-keep-learning-to-enjoy-challenge-and-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Learning how to live is much more important than learning how to make a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/learning-how-to-live-is-much-more-important-than-learning-how-to-make/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [“I cut our school time to the most important and let the kids have the rest of the time to play — which it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-barnhill/i-cut-our-school-time-to-the-most-important-and-let-the-kids-have-the/) Pam Barnhill > [I find it very important to keep learning because, as an actor, you get exhausted. You need more emotion, more experience... you need something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhika-apte/i-find-it-very-important-to-keep-learning-because-as-an-actor-you-get/) [Radhika Apte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhika-apte/) > [Interestingly, simple and ordinary experiences often provide the most important learning opportunities we ever have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/interestingly-simple-and-ordinary-experiences-often-provide-the-most/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [I do think observing is important in learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-deakins/i-do-think-observing-is-important-in-learning/) [Roger Deakins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-deakins/) > [Most people define learning too narrowly as mere 'problem-solving', so they focus on identifying and correcting errors in the external environment. Solving problems is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-argyris/most-people-define-learning-too-narrowly-as-mere-problem-solving-so/) [Chris Argyris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-argyris/) > [...it's not just learning that's important. It's learning what to do with what you learn and learning why you learn things that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/it-s-not-just-learning-that-s-important-it-s-learning-what-to-do-with/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) ## More by Merrilee Boyack > [“We truly have no idea what goes on in people's lives. Any comparison we make to them is based on our perception of who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merrilee-boyack/we-truly-have-no-idea-what-goes-on-in-people-s-lives-any-comparison/) [Merrilee Boyack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merrilee-boyack/) > [“It seems like people--especially women--don't like it when you rock the boat. If you're going around with a giddy smile on your face, they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merrilee-boyack/it-seems-like-people-especially-women-don-t-like-it-when-you-rock-the/) [Merrilee Boyack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merrilee-boyack/) > [We are to serve everyone we encounter, even those who we might consider "the least."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merrilee-boyack/we-are-to-serve-everyone-we-encounter-even-those-who-we-might/) [Merrilee Boyack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merrilee-boyack/) > [You can indeed change the world. Every single good thing you do can change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merrilee-boyack/you-can-indeed-change-the-world-every-single-good-thing-you-do-can/) [Merrilee Boyack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merrilee-boyack/) > [Stop looking in the mirror and start looking out the window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merrilee-boyack/stop-looking-in-the-mirror-and-start-looking-out-the-window/) [Merrilee Boyack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merrilee-boyack/) > [Sometimes when we see or hear of a need, there is nothing we can do to help. Sometimes the only thing we can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merrilee-boyack/sometimes-when-we-see-or-hear-of-a-need-there-is-nothing-we-can-do-to/) [Merrilee Boyack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merrilee-boyack/) > [You can change your home. You know that. You do it every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merrilee-boyack/you-can-change-your-home-you-know-that-you-do-it-every-day/) [Merrilee Boyack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merrilee-boyack/) > [“We can select our own good works. Life is a smorgasbord of good choices. You will not be penalized for picking ham over chicken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merrilee-boyack/we-can-select-our-own-good-works-life-is-a-smorgasbord-of-good/) [Merrilee Boyack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merrilee-boyack/) [Explore all 9 Merrilee Boyack quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merrilee-boyack/) ## More Education quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. Otherwise the world would be full of millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-school-you-are-taught-to-obey-and-not-to-think-straight-for-your/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“If one has not a head of steel it will burst; if he has not within it a brain of liquid quicksilver, he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioannes-amos-commenius/if-one-has-not-a-head-of-steel-it-will-burst-if-he-has-not-within-it/) Ioannes Amos Commenius > [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/) H.D. (Hilda Doolittle > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [According to Plato, we don't learn anything. Our soul has lived so many lives that we know everything. Teachers and education can only remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/according-to-plato-we-don-t-learn-anything-our-soul-has-lived-so-many/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“I only began to enjoy studying after I got through the educational system and became a so-called member of society. If something interested me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-only-began-to-enjoy-studying-after-i-got-through-the-educational/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [How wonderful it would be, I thought, if only we could practice the teachings of the Buddha as he really taught them from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/how-wonderful-it-would-be-i-thought-if-only-we-could-practice-the/) [Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/) > [English teachers tend to put more thought in the books than the author did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/english-teachers-tend-to-put-more-thought-in-the-books-than-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) [Browse all 37,666 Education quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Focusing on what you've done is not as important in this learning process as focusing on who you have become”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Merrilee Boyack" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merrilee-boyack/focusing-on-what-you-ve-done-is-not-as-important-in-this-learning/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Education" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merrilee-boyack/focusing-on-what-you-ve-done-is-not-as-important-in-this-learning/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/merrilee-boyack-44778_education_focusing-on-what-you-ve-done-is-not-as-i_3190983.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/merrilee-boyack-44778_education_focusing-on-what-you-ve-done-is-not-as-i_3190983.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/merrilee-boyack-44778_education_focusing-on-what-you-ve-done-is-not-as-i_3190983.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Focusing on what you've done is not as important in this learning process as focusing on who you have become” — Merrilee Boyack", "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": "Merrilee Boyack", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merrilee-boyack/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Focusing on what you've done is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merrilee-boyack/focusing-on-what-you-ve-done-is-not-as-important-in-this-learning/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merrilee-boyack/focusing-on-what-you-ve-done-is-not-as-important-in-this-learning/#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 } } ] } ```