--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The archer who overshoots his mark does…" description: "\"The archer who overshoots his mark does no better than he who falls short of it.\" — Michel de Montaigne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/michel-de-montaigne-142_archer_the-archer-who-overshoots-his-mark-does_2491640.jpg" --- # The archer who overshoots his mark does no better than he… ![“The archer who overshoots his mark does no better than he who falls short of it.” quote by Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/michel-de-montaigne-142_archer_the-archer-who-overshoots-his-mark-does_2491640.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/michel-de-montaigne-142_archer_the-archer-who-overshoots-his-mark-does_2491640.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/michel-de-montaigne-142_archer_the-archer-who-overshoots-his-mark-does_2491640.jpg) > “The archer who overshoots his mark does no better than he who falls short of it.” [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excessive aiming or falling short both miss the target; balanced effort yields true success. **In simple terms:** Neither over‑reaching nor under‑aiming is effective. Key Takeaway Aim for balance, not extremes. Themes balance aim success Mood contemplative analytical Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - goal setting - sports - project management Key Concepts philosophy self‑discipline Questions to Reflect On - What does “the mark” represent for you? - How can you measure balanced effort? A Different Perspective Over‑precision can cause burnout; under‑aiming can lead to mediocrity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/archer/) [Archer Overshoots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/archer-overshoots-970447/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Falls Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falls-short-856978/) [Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mark/) [Overshoots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overshoots-970448/) [Overshoots Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overshoots-mark-970449/) ## Related quotes > [Ability hits the mark where presumption overshoots and diffidence falls short.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/golda-meir/ability-hits-the-mark-where-presumption-overshoots-and-diffidence/) [Golda Meir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/golda-meir/) > [I'm not the first person to have said this - no writer ever feels that the execution of a book lives up to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-m-not-the-first-person-to-have-said-this-no-writer-ever-feels-that/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When you think about how everything else works in the digital age and the way that money does, money really falls short.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-winklevoss/when-you-think-about-how-everything-else-works-in-the-digital-age-and/) [Tyler Winklevoss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-winklevoss/) > [Genius can do much, but even genius falls short of the actuality of a single human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamilton-wright-mabie/genius-can-do-much-but-even-genius-falls-short-of-the-actuality-of-a/) [Hamilton Wright Mabie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamilton-wright-mabie/) > [There is something that falls short of perfection in every book, without exception, something influenced by the age, even something ridiculous; just like everyone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-skvorecky/there-is-something-that-falls-short-of-perfection-in-every-book/) [Josef Skvorecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-skvorecky/) > [“Where her magic falls short, her fists get the job done.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassi-carver/where-her-magic-falls-short-her-fists-get-the-job-done/) [Cassi Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassi-carver/) > [The system of morality to be gathered from the ancient sages falls very short of that delivered in the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/the-system-of-morality-to-be-gathered-from-the-ancient-sages-falls/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [I'm a fan of Otis Redding. 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But I go on trying to write the one that won’t.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorianne-laux/every-poem-i-write-falls-short-in-some-important-way-but-i-go-on/) [Dorianne Laux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorianne-laux/) > [Science sometimes falls short when trying to fathom the depths of our essence - and our inspiration comes from that essence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-secretan/science-sometimes-falls-short-when-trying-to-fathom-the-depths-of-our/) [Lance Secretan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-secretan/) > [“Life may imitate art – but it usually falls short of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-horowitz/life-may-imitate-art-but-it-usually-falls-short-of-it/) [Anthony Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-horowitz/) > [It concerns us to know the purposes we seek in life, for then, like archers aiming at a definite mark, we shall be more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/it-concerns-us-to-know-the-purposes-we-seek-in-life-for-then-like/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [When an archer desires to shoot his arrows successfully, he first takes great pains over his posture and aligns himself accurately with his mark.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/when-an-archer-desires-to-shoot-his-arrows-successfully-he-first/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [“The bastard. It's bad enough knowing he's stolen our money,but it's humiliating having to watch him spend it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-archer/the-bastard-it-s-bad-enough-knowing-he-s-stolen-our-money-but-it-s/) [Jeffrey Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-archer/) > [Of everything I have done, 'The Archers' always gets the most excitement; there's a sort of uncontrollable joy from fans of the program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/of-everything-i-have-done-the-archers-always-gets-the-most-excitement/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) ## More by Michel de Montaigne > [No man is exempt from saying silly things; the mischief is to say them deliberately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/no-man-is-exempt-from-saying-silly-things-the-mischief-is-to-say-them/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The laws keep up their credit, not by being just, but because they are laws; 'tis the mystic foundation of their authority; they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-laws-keep-up-their-credit-not-by-being-just-but-because-they-are/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Every one rushes elsewhere and into the future, because no one wants to face one's own inner self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/every-one-rushes-elsewhere-and-into-the-future-because-no-one-wants/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Beauty is the true prerogative of women, and so peculiarly their own, that our sex, though naturally requiring another sort of feature, is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/beauty-is-the-true-prerogative-of-women-and-so-peculiarly-their-own/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The height and value of true virtue consists in the facility, utility, and pleasure of its exercise; so far from difficulty, that boys, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-height-and-value-of-true-virtue-consists-in-the-facility-utility/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Fie on the eloquence that leaves us craving itself, not things!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/fie-on-the-eloquence-that-leaves-us-craving-itself-not-things/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The plainest sign of wisdom is a continual cheerfulness: her state is like that of things in the regions above the moon, always clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-plainest-sign-of-wisdom-is-a-continual-cheerfulness-her-state-is/) [Michel De Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The corruption of the age is made up by the particular contribution of every individual man; some contribute treachery, others injustice, atheism, tyranny, avarice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-corruption-of-the-age-is-made-up-by-the-particular-contribution/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [If people must be talking about me, I would have it to be truthfully and justly. I would willingly return from the next world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/if-people-must-be-talking-about-me-i-would-have-it-to-be-truthfully/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Most pleasures embrace us but to strangle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/most-pleasures-embrace-us-but-to-strangle/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [In true friendship, in which I am expert, I give myself to my friend more than I draw him to me. I not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/in-true-friendship-in-which-i-am-expert-i-give-myself-to-my-friend/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [There are as many and innumerable degrees of wit, as there are cubits between this and heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/there-are-as-many-and-innumerable-degrees-of-wit-as-there-are-cubits/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [A man has need of tough ears to hear himself fairly judged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/a-man-has-need-of-tough-ears-to-hear-himself-fairly-judged/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Lucius Arruntius killed himself, he said, to escape both the future and the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/lucius-arruntius-killed-himself-he-said-to-escape-both-the-future-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [I have a vocabulary all my own. I pass the time when itis wet and disagreeable. Whenit is fine I do not wish to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/i-have-a-vocabulary-all-my-own-i-pass-the-time-when-itis-wet-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) [Explore all 1,131 Michel de Montaigne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## More Archer quotes > [Of everything I have done, 'The Archers' always gets the most excitement; there's a sort of uncontrollable joy from fans of the program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/of-everything-i-have-done-the-archers-always-gets-the-most-excitement/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [“The bastard. It's bad enough knowing he's stolen our money,but it's humiliating having to watch him spend it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-archer/the-bastard-it-s-bad-enough-knowing-he-s-stolen-our-money-but-it-s/) [Jeffrey Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-archer/) > [“With the suddneness of a cat leaping upon its prey, he leaned forward and caught up her wrist. "Tread lightly, Miranda Fair." His thumb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-callihan/with-the-suddneness-of-a-cat-leaping-upon-its-prey-he-leaned-forward/) [Kristen Callihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-callihan/) > [You can learn from an ordinary bamboo leaf what ought to happen. It bends lower and lower under the weight of snow. Suddenly the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugen-herrigel/you-can-learn-from-an-ordinary-bamboo-leaf-what-ought-to-happen-it/) [Eugen Herrigel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugen-herrigel/) > [But you must be patient and careful; nor should you expect to become an accomplished archer without long and severe training.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-thompson/but-you-must-be-patient-and-careful-nor-should-you-expect-to-become/) [Maurice Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-thompson/) > [“It was chosen by the archer and though it is a long way off, we cannot blame it when we fail to hit it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-was-chosen-by-the-archer-and-though-it-is-a-long-way-off-we-cannot/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Don't think of what you have to do, don't consider how to carry it out!" he exclaimed. "The shot will only go smoothly when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugen-herrigel/don-t-think-of-what-you-have-to-do-don-t-consider-how-to-carry-it-out/) [Eugen Herrigel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugen-herrigel/) > [I must only warn you of one thing. You have become a different person in the course of these years. For this is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugen-herrigel/i-must-only-warn-you-of-one-thing-you-have-become-a-different-person/) [Eugen Herrigel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugen-herrigel/) > [Archer was too intelligent to think that a young woman like Ellen Olenska would necessarily recoil from everything that reminded her of her past.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/archer-was-too-intelligent-to-think-that-a-young-woman-like-ellen/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [“Archer looked down with wonder at the familiar spectacle. 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He could hit a bullseye at 50 feet, then split first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/famous-archer-howard-hill-won-all-of-the-267-archery-contests-he/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [The Poet is a kinsman in the clouds Who scoffs at archers, loves a stormy day; But on the ground, among the hooting crowds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/the-poet-is-a-kinsman-in-the-clouds-who-scoffs-at-archers-loves-a/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [“It suddenly occurred to me that Archer Hale had taught himself an entire language, but hadn't had a single person to talk to. Until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-sheridan/it-suddenly-occurred-to-me-that-archer-hale-had-taught-himself-an/) [Mia Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-sheridan/) > [“So hologram means--" I finally said. "It means non-corporeal, yeah. Which sucks seeing as how there are a lot of very corporeal things I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/so-hologram-means-i-finally-said-it-means-non-corporeal-yeah-which/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) [Browse all 201 Archer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/archer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The archer who overshoots his mark does no better than he who falls short of it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michel de Montaigne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-archer-who-overshoots-his-mark-does-no-better-than-he-who-falls/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Archer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-archer-who-overshoots-his-mark-does-no-better-than-he-who-falls/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/michel-de-montaigne-142_archer_the-archer-who-overshoots-his-mark-does_2491640.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/michel-de-montaigne-142_archer_the-archer-who-overshoots-his-mark-does_2491640.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acf/michel-de-montaigne-142_archer_the-archer-who-overshoots-his-mark-does_2491640.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The archer who overshoots his mark does no better than he who falls short of it.” — Michel de Montaigne", "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": "Michel de Montaigne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The archer who overshoots his mark...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-archer-who-overshoots-his-mark-does-no-better-than-he-who-falls/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-archer-who-overshoots-his-mark-does-no-better-than-he-who-falls/#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 } } ] } ```