--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My mom always told me to set goals for…" description: "\"My mom always told me to set goals for myself. And slowly going through and checking those things off of my list, that feels like success to me.\" — Mic..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/802/michael-kelly-18780_goals_my-mom-always-told-me-to-set-goals-for-m_2147707.jpg" --- # My mom always told me to set goals for myself. And slowly… ![“My mom always told me to set goals for myself. And slowly going through and checking those things off of my list, that feels like success to me.” quote by Michael Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/802/michael-kelly-18780_goals_my-mom-always-told-me-to-set-goals-for-m_2147707.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/802/michael-kelly-18780_goals_my-mom-always-told-me-to-set-goals-for-m_2147707.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/802/michael-kelly-18780_goals_my-mom-always-told-me-to-set-goals-for-m_2147707.jpg) > “My mom always told me to set goals for myself. And slowly going through and checking those things off of my list, that feels like success to me.” [Michael Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Setting and checking personal goals creates a sense of achievement, reinforcing success through incremental progress. **In simple terms:** Checking off goals feels successful. Key Takeaway Break goals into small tasks and track them. Themes goal setting achievement motivation Mood motivational practical Type self‑help inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - fitness routines - learning projects Key Concepts productivity self‑improvement Questions to Reflect On - What goals matter most? - How to balance quantity and quality? A Different Perspective Over‑emphasis on checking may ignore quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Mom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mom/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [When you're a father in a marriage, you sort of become the mother's assistant. And you sort of get a list from her every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/when-you-re-a-father-in-a-marriage-you-sort-of-become-the-mother-s-4/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [When you're a father in a marriage, you sort of become the mother's assistant, and you sort of get a list from her every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/when-you-re-a-father-in-a-marriage-you-sort-of-become-the-mother-s/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [Nothing fails like success—because the self-imposed task of our society and all its members is a contradiction: to force things to happen which are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-fails-like-success-because-the-self-imposed-task-of-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think how I've gotten better, hopefully, at taking what I've got and being able to mish-mash something together, and as long as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alia-shawkat/i-think-how-i-ve-gotten-better-hopefully-at-taking-what-i-ve-got-and/) [Alia Shawkat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alia-shawkat/) > [“It doesn’t matter what someone said to you or how someone treated you. Whether you feel like a success or a failure, healthy or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-travis/it-doesn-t-matter-what-someone-said-to-you-or-how-someone-treated-you/) [Chris Travis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-travis/) > [There's nothing like success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/there-s-nothing-like-success/) [Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/) > [Nothing recedes like success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-winchell/nothing-recedes-like-success/) [Walter Winchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-winchell/) > [For me, success is a state of mind. I feel like success isn’t about conquering something, it’s being happy with who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britney-spears/for-me-success-is-a-state-of-mind-i-feel-like-success-isn-t-about/) [Britney Spears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britney-spears/) > [Nothing succeeds, they say, like success. And certainly nothing fails like failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-drabble/nothing-succeeds-they-say-like-success-and-certainly-nothing-fails/) [Margaret Drabble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-drabble/) > [I’ve been the same guy since day one. No matter how successful I am in life, I’m going to stay true to myself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-green/i-ve-been-the-same-guy-since-day-one-no-matter-how-successful-i-am-in/) [A. J. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-green/) > [Nothing fails like success. Because when you are at the top, it's so easy to stop doing the very things that brought you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/nothing-fails-like-success-because-when-you-are-at-the-top-it-s-so/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [“Nothing fails like success sometimes. So at the end of the day, expectations increase and living up to them is so stressful. Failure”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-johar/nothing-fails-like-success-sometimes-so-at-the-end-of-the-day/) [Karan Johar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-johar/) > [Winning is different based on your perspective, just like success is different based on your perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cm-punk/winning-is-different-based-on-your-perspective-just-like-success-is/) [CM Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cm-punk/) > [I'm older and have a kid, I like success on my own, but I always enjoyed all my parts playing the fifth wheel. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-blair/i-m-older-and-have-a-kid-i-like-success-on-my-own-but-i-always/) [Selma Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-blair/) > [“It’s the best of jobs. It’s the most difficult of jobs. It can bring you the greatest joy. It can cause the greatest pain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stormie-omartian/it-s-the-best-of-jobs-it-s-the-most-difficult-of-jobs-it-can-bring/) [Stormie Omartian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stormie-omartian/) ## More by Michael Kelly > [I like to think I'm a good, kind person who does the right thing, but I don't ever feel sorry for someone who didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kelly/i-like-to-think-i-m-a-good-kind-person-who-does-the-right-thing-but-i/) [Michael Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelly/) > [I worked construction clean-up. I was driving a pickup truck at the age of 14 on a construction site. I loved building and being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kelly/i-worked-construction-clean-up-i-was-driving-a-pickup-truck-at-the/) [Michael Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelly/) > [I learn from Kevin Spacey and Tom Hardy, watching these guys work, the things they all do differently. Tom never stops exploring and discovering,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kelly/i-learn-from-kevin-spacey-and-tom-hardy-watching-these-guys-work-the/) [Michael Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelly/) > [We don't have a problem killing off characters on 'House of Cards.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kelly/we-don-t-have-a-problem-killing-off-characters-on-house-of-cards/) [Michael Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelly/) > [I had actually studied political science in college. I had dreams of being a lawyer at one time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kelly/i-had-actually-studied-political-science-in-college-i-had-dreams-of/) [Michael Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelly/) > [I had a dream to be an attorney. I don't know if I ever would've passed the bar or not, but that was my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kelly/i-had-a-dream-to-be-an-attorney-i-don-t-know-if-i-ever-would-ve/) [Michael Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelly/) > [Back when Donald Trump was just starting in the primaries, and I was asked, 'What do you think of Trump?' I would say, 'Donald…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kelly/back-when-donald-trump-was-just-starting-in-the-primaries-and-i-was/) [Michael Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelly/) > [In the beginning, I aspired just to make a comfortable living in acting. I still feel the same - it's just that my standards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kelly/in-the-beginning-i-aspired-just-to-make-a-comfortable-living-in/) [Michael Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelly/) > [The most important thing you can do as an actor is bring as much of yourself to the character to ground the character in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kelly/the-most-important-thing-you-can-do-as-an-actor-is-bring-as-much-of/) [Michael Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelly/) > [I've done so many jobs. As an actor, you have to. I didn't have my parents footing the bill when I moved to New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kelly/i-ve-done-so-many-jobs-as-an-actor-you-have-to-i-didn-t-have-my/) [Michael Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelly/) > [I've never heard Donald Trump say that he watches 'House of Cards,' but I'd be really shocked if he didn't because he appears to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kelly/i-ve-never-heard-donald-trump-say-that-he-watches-house-of-cards-but/) [Michael Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelly/) > [First and foremost, it's my mom and dad who gave me the foundation, the belief in me that I could do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kelly/first-and-foremost-it-s-my-mom-and-dad-who-gave-me-the-foundation-the/) [Michael Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelly/) > [Yeah, I probably got in too much trouble as a youth to be a politician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kelly/yeah-i-probably-got-in-too-much-trouble-as-a-youth-to-be-a-politician/) [Michael Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelly/) > [People always ask me, 'Hey, what's Matt Damon like?' He's just a dude, just a really good person and one hell of an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kelly/people-always-ask-me-hey-what-s-matt-damon-like-he-s-just-a-dude-just/) [Michael Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelly/) > [I studied political science, and when I fell into acting in college - it was just a total fluke that I became an actor.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kelly/i-studied-political-science-and-when-i-fell-into-acting-in-college-it/) [Michael Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelly/) [Explore all 34 Michael Kelly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelly/) ## More Goals 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/) > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The goal of spiritual practice is full recovery, and the only thing you need to recover from is a fractured sense of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-goal-of-spiritual-practice-is-full-recovery-and-the-only-thing/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Every drop of rain hits its appointed target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/every-drop-of-rain-hits-its-appointed-target/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [“Achieving mental harmony is one of the greatest goals and experiences in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kambiz-mostofizadeh/achieving-mental-harmony-is-one-of-the-greatest-goals-and-experiences/) [Kambiz Mostofizadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kambiz-mostofizadeh/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Too many times we flitter our energy into too many goals and in the process don't achieve much. Focus is very important in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaishali-kasture/too-many-times-we-flitter-our-energy-into-too-many-goals-and-in-the/) [Vaishali Kasture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaishali-kasture/) > [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [According to the best research, less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/according-to-the-best-research-less-than-3-of-americans-have-written/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“What shapes us is not always our achievements but our omissions. Not lies; simply the truths we don’t tell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-tudor/what-shapes-us-is-not-always-our-achievements-but-our-omissions-not/) [C.J. Tudor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-tudor/) [Browse all 21,276 Goals quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My mom always told me to set goals for myself. 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