--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The essential is to think that anything…" description: "\"“The essential is to think that anything you are doing has to become the occasion for slashing. You must examine this well.”\" — Miyamoto Musashi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0b/miyamoto-musashi-2093_examine_the-essential-is-to-think-that-anything_2274952.jpg" --- # The essential is to think that anything you are doing has… ![“The essential is to think that anything you are doing has to become the occasion for slashing. You must examine this well.” quote by Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0b/miyamoto-musashi-2093_examine_the-essential-is-to-think-that-anything_2274952.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0b/miyamoto-musashi-2093_examine_the-essential-is-to-think-that-anything_2274952.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0b/miyamoto-musashi-2093_examine_the-essential-is-to-think-that-anything_2274952.jpg) > ““The essential is to think that anything you are doing has to become the occasion for slashing. You must examine this well.”” [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One must view every action as an opportunity to cut through obstacles, demanding careful examination and decisive action. **In simple terms:** Treat each task as a chance to overcome challenges. Key Takeaway Act decisively after thoughtful analysis. Themes strategy discipline mindset action self‑improvement Mood determined focused Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - combat training - business strategy - personal development - problem solving - leadership Key Concepts martial philosophy decision making focus Questions to Reflect On - How can you apply this mindset in teamwork? - What obstacles can you ' through today? A Different Perspective The aggressive metaphor may not suit collaborative contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [To cut and slash are two different things. Cutting, whatever form of cutting it is, is decisive, with a resolute spirit. Slashing is nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/to-cut-and-slash-are-two-different-things-cutting-whatever-form-of/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [Like a falling star, he descended on the Tarbh Cró, a Cassiline berserker, his sword biting and slashing like a silver snake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-carey/like-a-falling-star-he-descended-on-the-tarbh-cr-a-cassiline/) [Jacqueline Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-carey/) > [The deep root of failure in our lives is to think, 'Oh how useless and powerless I am.' It is essential to think strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-deep-root-of-failure-in-our-lives-is-to-think-oh-how-useless-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't know about you, but I don't feel that it's my vehicle that is essential. I don't know about you, but I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/i-don-t-know-about-you-but-i-don-t-feel-that-it-s-my-vehicle-that-is/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [It is not so essential to think much as to love much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/it-is-not-so-essential-to-think-much-as-to-love-much/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [In self-examination, take no account of yourself by your thoughts and resolutions in the days of religion and solemnity; examine how it is with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/in-self-examination-take-no-account-of-yourself-by-your-thoughts-and/) [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) > [Having kids sets a bomb off in your life. It really makes you examine who you are, what you believe in and what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-cullum/having-kids-sets-a-bomb-off-in-your-life-it-really-makes-you-examine/) [Jamie Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-cullum/) > [“The more I examine my own mind, the more romantic I find myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kelahan/the-more-i-examine-my-own-mind-the-more-romantic-i-find-myself/) [Michael Kelahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelahan/) > [If you really want to examine your strength, see how many times a day you are disturbed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rama-swami/if-you-really-want-to-examine-your-strength-see-how-many-times-a-day/) [Rama Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rama-swami/) > [Creativity is magic. Don't examine it too closely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/creativity-is-magic-don-t-examine-it-too-closely/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [Re-examine all you have been told. Dismiss what insults your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/re-examine-all-you-have-been-told-dismiss-what-insults-your-soul/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [I see film as a real opportunity to examine the human condition. No matter where the technology goes in the future, the basics don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-schultz/i-see-film-as-a-real-opportunity-to-examine-the-human-condition-no/) [Michael Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-schultz/) > [Everyone who wants to know what will happen ought to examine what has happened: everything in this world in any epoch has their replicas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/everyone-who-wants-to-know-what-will-happen-ought-to-examine-what-has/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“A Christian should examine himself to see how he reacts to the annoyances that being with other people always produces.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-fernandez/a-christian-should-examine-himself-to-see-how-he-reacts-to-the/) [Francis Fernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-fernandez/) > [We examine and highlight the history of the African descendants in America, and know that each and every one of us has come this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvette-clarke/we-examine-and-highlight-the-history-of-the-african-descendants-in/) [Yvette Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvette-clarke/) ## More by Miyamoto Musashi > [there is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/there-is-nothing-outside-of-yourself-that-can-ever-enable-you-to-get/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [You win battles by knowing the enemy's timing, and using a timing which the enemy does not expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/you-win-battles-by-knowing-the-enemy-s-timing-and-using-a-timing/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [Pay attention even to life's trifles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/pay-attention-even-to-life-s-trifles/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [“The heart of Stepping on the Sword, something used principally in the martial arts, is that even with bows and firearms, you must act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/the-heart-of-stepping-on-the-sword-something-used-principally-in-the/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [“When you and your opponent are fighting and nothing is going right, nor is there progress, be of a mind to throw off your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/when-you-and-your-opponent-are-fighting-and-nothing-is-going-right/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [No man is invincible, and therefore no man can fully understand that which would make him invincible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/no-man-is-invincible-and-therefore-no-man-can-fully-understand-that/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [Too much is the same as not enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/too-much-is-the-same-as-not-enough/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [Respect the gods and buddhas, but never rely on them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/respect-the-gods-and-buddhas-but-never-rely-on-them/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [If there is a Way involving the spirit of not being defeated, to help oneself and gain honour, it is the Way of Strategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/if-there-is-a-way-involving-the-spirit-of-not-being-defeated-to-help/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [Generally speaking, the Way of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/generally-speaking-the-way-of-the-warrior-is-resolute-acceptance-of/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [Develop intuitive judgement and understanding for everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/develop-intuitive-judgement-and-understanding-for-everything/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [People in this world look at things mistakenly, and think that what they do not understand must be the void. This is not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/people-in-this-world-look-at-things-mistakenly-and-think-that-what/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [“If you do not chase in directly toward the place where your opponents have gathered, you will not make progress. And, if you start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/if-you-do-not-chase-in-directly-toward-the-place-where-your-opponents/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [The warrior is different in that studying the Way of strategy is based on overcoming men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/the-warrior-is-different-in-that-studying-the-way-of-strategy-is/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [You should not have any special fondness for a particular weapon, or anything else, for that matter. Too much is the same as not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/you-should-not-have-any-special-fondness-for-a-particular-weapon-or/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) [Explore all 185 Miyamoto Musashi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) ## More Examine quotes > [We examine and highlight the history of the African descendants in America, and know that each and every one of us has come this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvette-clarke/we-examine-and-highlight-the-history-of-the-african-descendants-in/) [Yvette Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvette-clarke/) > [“A Christian should examine himself to see how he reacts to the annoyances that being with other people always produces.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-fernandez/a-christian-should-examine-himself-to-see-how-he-reacts-to-the/) [Francis Fernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-fernandez/) > [Everyone who wants to know what will happen ought to examine what has happened: everything in this world in any epoch has their replicas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/everyone-who-wants-to-know-what-will-happen-ought-to-examine-what-has/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [I see film as a real opportunity to examine the human condition. No matter where the technology goes in the future, the basics don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-schultz/i-see-film-as-a-real-opportunity-to-examine-the-human-condition-no/) [Michael Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-schultz/) > [Re-examine all you have been told. Dismiss what insults your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/re-examine-all-you-have-been-told-dismiss-what-insults-your-soul/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Creativity is magic. Don't examine it too closely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/creativity-is-magic-don-t-examine-it-too-closely/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [If you really want to examine your strength, see how many times a day you are disturbed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rama-swami/if-you-really-want-to-examine-your-strength-see-how-many-times-a-day/) [Rama Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rama-swami/) > [“The more I examine my own mind, the more romantic I find myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kelahan/the-more-i-examine-my-own-mind-the-more-romantic-i-find-myself/) [Michael Kelahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kelahan/) > [Having kids sets a bomb off in your life. It really makes you examine who you are, what you believe in and what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-cullum/having-kids-sets-a-bomb-off-in-your-life-it-really-makes-you-examine/) [Jamie Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-cullum/) > [In self-examination, take no account of yourself by your thoughts and resolutions in the days of religion and solemnity; examine how it is with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-taylor/in-self-examination-take-no-account-of-yourself-by-your-thoughts-and/) [Jeremy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-taylor/) > [To mark all that I say in conversation, merely to beget in others, a good opinion of myself, and examine it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/to-mark-all-that-i-say-in-conversation-merely-to-beget-in-others-a/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [War is not a petri dish to examine and analyze our emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/war-is-not-a-petri-dish-to-examine-and-analyze-our-emotions/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [You need only examine your present situation to discover unlimited resources and opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-kiev/you-need-only-examine-your-present-situation-to-discover-unlimited/) [Ari Kiev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-kiev/) > [“THE MAXIMS OF MEDICINE Before you examine the body of a patient, Be patient to learn his story. For once you learn his story,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-maxims-of-medicine-before-you-examine-the-body-of-a-patient-be/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [Trees ask us to examine how we live in the natural world, with one another, and intrapersonally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-reitman/trees-ask-us-to-examine-how-we-live-in-the-natural-world-with-one/) [Greg Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-reitman/) Browse all 161 Examine quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The essential is to think that anything you are doing has to become the occasion for slashing. You must examine this well.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Miyamoto Musashi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/the-essential-is-to-think-that-anything-you-are-doing-has-to-become/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Examine" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/the-essential-is-to-think-that-anything-you-are-doing-has-to-become/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0b/miyamoto-musashi-2093_examine_the-essential-is-to-think-that-anything_2274952.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0b/miyamoto-musashi-2093_examine_the-essential-is-to-think-that-anything_2274952.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0b/miyamoto-musashi-2093_examine_the-essential-is-to-think-that-anything_2274952.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The essential is to think that anything you are doing has to become the occasion for slashing. You must…” — Miyamoto Musashi", "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": "Miyamoto Musashi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The essential is to think that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/the-essential-is-to-think-that-anything-you-are-doing-has-to-become/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/the-essential-is-to-think-that-anything-you-are-doing-has-to-become/#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 } } ] } ```