--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The starting point of all achievement is…" description: "\"The starting point of all achievement is desire.\" — Napoleon Hill" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/napoleon-hill-201_achievement_the-starting-point-of-all-achievement-is_2464520.jpg" --- # The starting point of all achievement is desire. ![“The starting point of all achievement is desire.” quote by Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/napoleon-hill-201_achievement_the-starting-point-of-all-achievement-is_2464520.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/napoleon-hill-201_achievement_the-starting-point-of-all-achievement-is_2464520.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/napoleon-hill-201_achievement_the-starting-point-of-all-achievement-is_2464520.jpg) > “The starting point of all achievement is desire.” [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desire is the initial spark that ignites the pursuit of any achievement **In simple terms:** Wanting something starts the journey to achieve it Key Takeaway Cultivate clear, strong desire before acting Themes ambition motivation goal‑setting Mood determined inspired Type motivational practical When to use this quote - Starting a business - training for a marathon - learning a skill - writing a novel Key Concepts Drive intention psychology of desire Questions to Reflect On - What desire drives you most currently? - How can you turn desire into concrete steps? A Different Perspective Desire alone isn’t enough without planning and effort ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) [Achievement Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement-desire-693400/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Point Achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-achievement-693401/) [Starting point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting-point/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [“The starting point of all achievement is DESIRE. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small fire makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-starting-point-of-all-achievement-is-desire-keep-this-constantly/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“seek a way or MAKE one. Seek Success, not Popularity. It lasts longer. Short cuts to success are none. Efforts only can achieve success.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harsh-malik/seek-a-way-or-make-one-seek-success-not-popularity-it-lasts-longer/) [Harsh Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harsh-malik/) > [“A BURNING DESIRE TO BE, AND TO DO is the starting point from which the dreamer must take off.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-burning-desire-to-be-and-to-do-is-the-starting-point-from-which-the/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Starting point for any achievement is desire, Desire propels innovation. Innovation ignites passion & passion fuels to make your dream a reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anil-sinha/starting-point-for-any-achievement-is-desire-desire-propels/) [Anil Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anil-sinha/) > [“...evolution propels itself by an inclination toward its next probable achievement." ("Desire")”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-wilson/evolution-propels-itself-by-an-inclination-toward-its-next-probable/) [William S. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-wilson/) > [Add to this the pride of achievement; the desire to rank among the successful souls on earth, and we have the factors which have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-howard-latimer/add-to-this-the-pride-of-achievement-the-desire-to-rank-among-the/) [Lewis Howard Latimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-howard-latimer/) > [“Great Minds Quotes ‏@GreatestQuotes "The starting point of all achievement is desire. Weak desire brings weak results.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/great-minds-quotes-greatestquotes-the-starting-point-of-all/) [Napoléon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Research indicates that the desire to achieve the skills associated with success is more highly correlated with achievement than the desire for success itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/research-indicates-that-the-desire-to-achieve-the-skills-associated/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) > [Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/desire-is-the-starting-point-of-all-achievement-not-a-hope-not-a-wish/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Definiteness of purpose is the starting point from which one must begin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/definiteness-of-purpose-is-the-starting-point-from-which-one-must/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Definiteness of purpose with positive mental attitude is the starting point of all worthwhile achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/definiteness-of-purpose-with-positive-mental-attitude-is-the-starting/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Faith is the "eternal elixir" which gives life, power and action to the impulse of thought! Faith is the starting point of all accumulation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/faith-is-the-eternal-elixir-which-gives-life-power-and-action-to-the/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve. Thoughts are things! Strong, deeply rooted desire is the starting point of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/whatever-the-mind-of-man-can-conceive-and-believe-it-can-achieve-3/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“A burning desire to be and to do is the starting point from which the dreamer must take off. Dreams are not born of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-burning-desire-to-be-and-to-do-is-the-starting-point-from-which-the-2/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“THE "depression" was a blessing in disguise. It reduced the whole world to a new starting point that gives every one a new opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-depression-was-a-blessing-in-disguise-it-reduced-the-whole-world/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) ## More by Napoleon Hill > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The mind requires regular use to remain strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-mind-requires-regular-use-to-remain-strong/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The vast majority of people are born, grow up, struggle and go through life in misery and failure, not realizing that it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-vast-majority-of-people-are-born-grow-up-struggle-and-go-through/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [No accurate thinker will judge another person by that which the other person's enemies say about him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/no-accurate-thinker-will-judge-another-person-by-that-which-the-other/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“To all these I wish to convey the thought that all achievement, no matter what may be its nature, or its purpose, must begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/to-all-these-i-wish-to-convey-the-thought-that-all-achievement-no/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“Tell the world what you intend to do, but first show it.” This”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/tell-the-world-what-you-intend-to-do-but-first-show-it-this/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Handicaps can be converted into stepping stones on which one may climb toward some worthy goal, unless they are accepted as obstacles, and used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/handicaps-can-be-converted-into-stepping-stones-on-which-one-may/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [You become what you think about](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/you-become-what-you-think-about/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Every man's own character is written so all who will may read it, in the expression of his eyes, the tone of his voice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/every-man-s-own-character-is-written-so-all-who-will-may-read-it-in/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Life is a mirror of your consistent thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/life-is-a-mirror-of-your-consistent-thoughts/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Success requires no explanations. Failure permits no alibis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/success-requires-no-explanations-failure-permits-no-alibis/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The habit of taking the line of least resistance makes all rivers and some men crooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-habit-of-taking-the-line-of-least-resistance-makes-all-rivers-and/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“There are no limitations to the mind except those that we acknowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/there-are-no-limitations-to-the-mind-except-those-that-we-acknowledge/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) [Explore all 928 Napoleon Hill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) ## More Achievement quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) [Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/) > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [It's tragic what America has become because there is a great segment of society that now resents luxury and success and achievement by others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-leach/it-s-tragic-what-america-has-become-because-there-is-a-great-segment/) [Robin Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-leach/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [Joel Lane documents a life we don’t quite live, in a city we can’t quite find: half glimpsed and half imagined, we know it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-brenchley/joel-lane-documents-a-life-we-don-t-quite-live-in-a-city-we-can-t/) [Chaz Brenchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaz-brenchley/) > [The main substantive achievement of neoliberalism has been to redistribute rather than to generate wealth and income.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harvey/the-main-substantive-achievement-of-neoliberalism-has-been-to/) [David Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harvey/) > [Every profession has an ideology and a drive for power that goes far beyond its achievements and it is the task of democracy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feyerabend/every-profession-has-an-ideology-and-a-drive-for-power-that-goes-far/) [Paul Feyerabend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feyerabend/) > [We have Internet now and people are not stupid. But it seems that some people are trying to push the same agenda of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/we-have-internet-now-and-people-are-not-stupid-but-it-seems-that-some/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [“If you find a way where there seems to be no way, that’s what we call miracle, not personal achievement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nkwachukwu-ogbuagu/if-you-find-a-way-where-there-seems-to-be-no-way-that-s-what-we-call/) [Nkwachukwu Ogbuagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nkwachukwu-ogbuagu/) > [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [Cease speaking of enemies when an achievement can kindle a great light. Solitude will transmit the message better than the murmurs of crowds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-roerich/cease-speaking-of-enemies-when-an-achievement-can-kindle-a-great/) [Nicholas Roerich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-roerich/) > [Every scene is a challenge. There are technical challenges, but often it's the simplest challenge where you feel a sense of achievement when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-deakins/every-scene-is-a-challenge-there-are-technical-challenges-but-often/) [Roger Deakins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-deakins/) [Browse all 3,867 Achievement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The starting point of all achievement is desire.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Napoleon Hill" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-starting-point-of-all-achievement-is-desire/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Achievement" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-starting-point-of-all-achievement-is-desire/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/napoleon-hill-201_achievement_the-starting-point-of-all-achievement-is_2464520.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/napoleon-hill-201_achievement_the-starting-point-of-all-achievement-is_2464520.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/napoleon-hill-201_achievement_the-starting-point-of-all-achievement-is_2464520.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The starting point of all achievement is desire.” — Napoleon Hill", "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": "Napoleon Hill", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The starting point of all achievement...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-starting-point-of-all-achievement-is-desire/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-starting-point-of-all-achievement-is-desire/#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 } } ] } ```