--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In order to institute action, it is not…" description: "\"In order to institute action, it is not sufficient that the individual man have unachieved ends that he would like to fulfill. He must also expect that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/murray-rothbard-1563_action_in-order-to-institute-action-it-is-not-s_552135.jpg" --- # In order to institute action, it is not sufficient that… ![“In order to institute action, it is not sufficient that the individual man have unachieved ends that he would like to fulfill. He must also expect that certain modes of behavior will enable him to attain his ends. A man may have a desire for sunshine, but if he realizes that he can do nothing to…” quote by Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/murray-rothbard-1563_action_in-order-to-institute-action-it-is-not-s_552135.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/murray-rothbard-1563_action_in-order-to-institute-action-it-is-not-s_552135.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/murray-rothbard-1563_action_in-order-to-institute-action-it-is-not-s_552135.jpg) > “In order to institute action, it is not sufficient that the individual man have unachieved ends that he would like to fulfill. He must also expect that certain modes of behavior will enable him to attain his ends. A man may have a desire for sunshine, but if he realizes that he can do nothing to achieve it, he does not act on this desire.” [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Action requires both desire and belief that one can achieve it; without perceived means, goals stay unpursued. **In simple terms:** Desire alone isn’t enough; you must see a path to fulfill it. Key Takeaway Identify actionable steps toward your goals. Themes motivation agency goal-setting Mood determined reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - personal projects - social activism - health goals Key Concepts Rational choice means-ends reasoning Questions to Reflect On - What resources could you develop to bridge the gap? - How can you reframe obstacles as opportunities? A Different Perspective If perceived obstacles seem insurmountable, motivation may still falter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Act Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act-desire-1651207/) [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Action Sufficient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action-sufficient-4593942/) [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire Sunshine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-sunshine-4593943/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Man Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-desire/) [Sunshine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunshine/) ## Related quotes > [“believe that sexual desire is a powerful emotion and a healthy one. I’m pretty sure that when anyone acknowledges and acts on their desire,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/believe-that-sexual-desire-is-a-powerful-emotion-and-a-healthy-one-i/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [Act as if everything you desire is already here...treat yourself as if you already are what you'd like to become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/act-as-if-everything-you-desire-is-already-here-treat-yourself-as-if/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [A man's desire is for the woman, but the woman's desire is rarely other than for the desire of the man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/a-man-s-desire-is-for-the-woman-but-the-woman-s-desire-is-rarely/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [No passion is stronger in the breast of a man than the desire to make others believe as he believes. Nothing so cuts at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/no-passion-is-stronger-in-the-breast-of-a-man-than-the-desire-to-make/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Humans may progress. They may think that they are moving forward because they have invented clever machines and because they control the land and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-malley/humans-may-progress-they-may-think-that-they-are-moving-forward/) [Gemma Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-malley/) > [Man's desire for the approval of his fellows is so strong, his dread of their censure so violent, that he himself has brought his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/man-s-desire-for-the-approval-of-his-fellows-is-so-strong-his-dread/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [No man should desire to be happy who is not at the same time holy. He should spend his efforts in seeking to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/no-man-should-desire-to-be-happy-who-is-not-at-the-same-time-holy-he/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [I have no doubt about it. I think this is a part of the nature of man, a desire for freedom, for dignified life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-woodruff/i-have-no-doubt-about-it-i-think-this-is-a-part-of-the-nature-of-man/) [Judy Woodruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-woodruff/) > [Satan's temptation may be summed up as appealing to man in this way: it made man desire to have what God had forbidden, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clarence-thiessen/satan-s-temptation-may-be-summed-up-as-appealing-to-man-in-this-way/) [Henry Clarence Thiessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clarence-thiessen/) > [“A man might desire something for a moment, while a larger part of him rejects it. You'll need to learn to judge people by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helene-wecker/a-man-might-desire-something-for-a-moment-while-a-larger-part-of-him/) [Helene Wecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helene-wecker/) > [“Many cry to the Lord that they may win riches, that they may avoid losses; they cry that their family may be established, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/many-cry-to-the-lord-that-they-may-win-riches-that-they-may-avoid/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [Why should a man desire in any way To vary from the kindly race of men, Or pass beyond the goal of ordinance Where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-should-a-man-desire-in-any-way-to-vary-from-the-kindly-race-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A man's desire for a son is usually nothing but the wish to duplicate himself in order that such a remarkable pattern may not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/a-man-s-desire-for-a-son-is-usually-nothing-but-the-wish-to-duplicate/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [A nonviolent man cannot desire embarrassment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-nonviolent-man-cannot-desire-embarrassment/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“The greatest power over a man is his desire to please a particular woman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-wheeler/the-greatest-power-over-a-man-is-his-desire-to-please-a-particular/) [Jeff Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-wheeler/) ## More by Murray Rothbard > [I think one of the most important directions to be pursued in the 'sciences of human action' is to develop a natural-law ethics based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/i-think-one-of-the-most-important-directions-to-be-pursued-in-the/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Since the State necessarily lives by the compulsory confiscation of private capital, and since its expansion necessarily involves ever-greater incursions on private individuals and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/since-the-state-necessarily-lives-by-the-compulsory-confiscation-of/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Falling prices through increased production is a wonderful long-run tendency of untrammeled capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/falling-prices-through-increased-production-is-a-wonderful-long-run/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [To deprecate human reason by saying that none of us is or can be omniscient is absurd, for it takes an impossible standard as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/to-deprecate-human-reason-by-saying-that-none-of-us-is-or-can-be/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Cops must be unleashed, and allowed to administer instant punishment, subject of course to liability when they are in error.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/cops-must-be-unleashed-and-allowed-to-administer-instant-punishment/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Subjectivism is not an absolute principle; it is a necessary but not sufficient condition for sound methodology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/subjectivism-is-not-an-absolute-principle-it-is-a-necessary-but-not/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [We must therefore turn to history for enlightenment; here we find that none of the proclaimed anarchist groups correspond to the libertarian position, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/we-must-therefore-turn-to-history-for-enlightenment-here-we-find-that/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [John Stuart was the quintessence of soft rather than hardcore, a woolly minded man of mush in striking contrast to his steel-edged father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/john-stuart-was-the-quintessence-of-soft-rather-than-hardcore-a/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [What do intellectuals and opinion makers get from big government? An increasing number of cushy jobs in the bureaucracy, or in the government-subsidized sector,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/what-do-intellectuals-and-opinion-makers-get-from-big-government-an/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [The major reason for Keynes's rejection of communism was simply that he could scarcely identify with the grubby proletariat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/the-major-reason-for-keynes-s-rejection-of-communism-was-simply-that/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Liberty and morality had to win their way slowly over many centuries, until finally expanding liberty made possible the great technological advance of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/liberty-and-morality-had-to-win-their-way-slowly-over-many-centuries/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [The State has invariably shown a striking talent for the expansion of its powers beyond any limits that might be imposed upon it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/the-state-has-invariably-shown-a-striking-talent-for-the-expansion-of/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Absolute freedom need not be lost as the price we must pay for the advent of civilization; men are born free, and need never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/absolute-freedom-need-not-be-lost-as-the-price-we-must-pay-for-the/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Absolute freedom need not be lost as the price we must pay for the advent of civilization. Man may achieve liberty and abundance, freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/absolute-freedom-need-not-be-lost-as-the-price-we-must-pay-for-the-2/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [The underconsumptionist of 1819 believed that consumption would be stimulated by tariffs, while the underconsumptionist of a later day urged monetary expansion as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/the-underconsumptionist-of-1819-believed-that-consumption-would-be/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) [Explore all 227 Murray Rothbard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) ## More Action 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/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. 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