---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People think it's how hard you kick that…"
description: "\"“People think it's how hard you kick that hurts,' Mr Vandemar's voice was saying. 'But it's not how hard you kick. It's where.”\" — Neil Gaiman"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac1/neil-gaiman-29_saying-hard_people-think-it-s-how-hard-you-kick-that_564076.jpg"
---

#  People think it's how hard you kick that hurts,' Mr…

![“People think it's how hard you kick that hurts,' Mr Vandemar's voice was saying. 'But it's not how hard you kick. It's where.” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac1/neil-gaiman-29_saying-hard_people-think-it-s-how-hard-you-kick-that_564076.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac1/neil-gaiman-29_saying-hard_people-think-it-s-how-hard-you-kick-that_564076.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac1/neil-gaiman-29_saying-hard_people-think-it-s-how-hard-you-kick-that_564076.jpg)

> ““People think it's how hard you kick that hurts,' Mr Vandemar's voice was saying. 'But it's not how hard you kick. It's where.””

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The impact of an action depends more on its target than its force.

**In simple terms:** Where you strike matters more than how hard.

Key Takeaway

Focus on the right target.

Themes

strategy impact precision

Mood

determined reflective

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- conflict resolution
- sports coaching
- business negotiations

Key Concepts

intentionality effectiveness

Questions to Reflect On

- Are you aiming your efforts wisely?
- How can you adjust your approach for better results?

A Different Perspective

Powerful force can miss without proper aim.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Hard Kick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-kick-1251015/) [Hurts Mr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurts-mr-4669639/) [Kick Hurts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kick-hurts-4669637/) [Saying Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-hard-536777/) [Vandemar Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vandemar-voice-4669638/)

## Related quotes

> [Don't milk the cow too hard. She will kick you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/don-t-milk-the-cow-too-hard-she-will-kick-you/)

[Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/)

> [“No matter how hard you kick, no matter how high you get, you can't go all the way round.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/no-matter-how-hard-you-kick-no-matter-how-high-you-get-you-can-t-go-2/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [No matter how hard you kick, no matter how high you get, you can't go all the way around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/no-matter-how-hard-you-kick-no-matter-how-high-you-get-you-can-t-go/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [A lot of times guys have the tendency to try to kick it too hard or over-kick it. Just like a golf swing, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gostkowski/a-lot-of-times-guys-have-the-tendency-to-try-to-kick-it-too-hard-or/)

[Stephen Gostkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gostkowski/)

> [I never could have dreamed that her heart was so wicked, but I keep coming back because it's so hard to kick it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/i-never-could-have-dreamed-that-her-heart-was-so-wicked-but-i-keep/)

[Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/)

> [“The most important lesson of all: No matter how hard you kick, no matter how high you get, you can't go all the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/the-most-important-lesson-of-all-no-matter-how-hard-you-kick-no/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [Knowing the truth is the easy part, saying it is the hard part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/knowing-the-truth-is-the-easy-part-saying-it-is-the-hard-part/)

[Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/)

> [“You know the saying: a hard man is good to find.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/you-know-the-saying-a-hard-man-is-good-to-find/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [It goes without saying that it's hard to attain a certain level of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-i/it-goes-without-saying-that-it-s-hard-to-attain-a-certain-level-of/)

[T.I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-i/)

> [I love you,its simple saying,but hard to believe for someone who say it..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madz/i-love-you-its-simple-saying-but-hard-to-believe-for-someone-who-say/)

[Madz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madz/)

> [When u say its hard it actually means I'm not strong enough to fight for it stop saying is hard .think positive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikkie/when-u-say-its-hard-it-actually-means-i-m-not-strong-enough-to-fight/)

[Nikkie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikkie/)

> [I get sick of saying how hard everything is. It's hard to get up in the morning. Everything's hard. Everything takes effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-stritch/i-get-sick-of-saying-how-hard-everything-is-it-s-hard-to-get-up-in/)

[Elaine Stritch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-stritch/)

> [When you say Its hard, it actually means Im not strong enough to fight for it. Stop saying its hard. Think positive!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-say-its-hard-it-actually-means-im-not-strong-enough-to-fight/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Saying it's hard being straight is like complaining to the poor that it's difficult being wealthy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashanne-stokes/saying-it-s-hard-being-straight-is-like-complaining-to-the-poor-that/)

[DaShanne Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashanne-stokes/)

> [The things Nas' Illmatic was saying were sometimes hard realities but it was done on such a high level, I felt I could point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-parker/the-things-nas-illmatic-was-saying-were-sometimes-hard-realities-but/)

[Erik Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-parker/)

## More by Neil Gaiman

> [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. For some days the needle had been over in the red, occasionally banging jerkily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/like-all-sentient-beings-fat-charlie-had-a-weirdness-quotient-for/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Shadow crawled across the floor to the yellow foam-rubber pad and climbed onto it, pulling the thin blanket over himself, and closed his eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-crawled-across-the-floor-to-the-yellow-foam-rubber-pad-and/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [ “\[T\]hey could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/t-hey-could-not-help-being-amused-every-time-another-little-human/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [So many things to see, people to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/so-many-things-to-see-people-to-do/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/)

[neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

[Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

## More Saying Hard quotes

> [I love you,its simple saying,but hard to believe for someone who say it..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madz/i-love-you-its-simple-saying-but-hard-to-believe-for-someone-who-say/)

[Madz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madz/)

> [“Saying it's hard being straight is like complaining to the poor that it's difficult being wealthy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashanne-stokes/saying-it-s-hard-being-straight-is-like-complaining-to-the-poor-that/)

[DaShanne Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashanne-stokes/)

> [When you say Its hard, it actually means Im not strong enough to fight for it. Stop saying its hard. Think positive!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-say-its-hard-it-actually-means-im-not-strong-enough-to-fight/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I get sick of saying how hard everything is. It's hard to get up in the morning. Everything's hard. Everything takes effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-stritch/i-get-sick-of-saying-how-hard-everything-is-it-s-hard-to-get-up-in/)

[Elaine Stritch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-stritch/)

> [When u say its hard it actually means I'm not strong enough to fight for it stop saying is hard .think positive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikkie/when-u-say-its-hard-it-actually-means-i-m-not-strong-enough-to-fight/)

[Nikkie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikkie/)

> [It goes without saying that it's hard to attain a certain level of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-i/it-goes-without-saying-that-it-s-hard-to-attain-a-certain-level-of/)

[T.I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-i/)

> [Knowing the truth is the easy part, saying it is the hard part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/knowing-the-truth-is-the-easy-part-saying-it-is-the-hard-part/)

[Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/)

> [“You know the saying: a hard man is good to find.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/you-know-the-saying-a-hard-man-is-good-to-find/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [The things Nas' Illmatic was saying were sometimes hard realities but it was done on such a high level, I felt I could point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-parker/the-things-nas-illmatic-was-saying-were-sometimes-hard-realities-but/)

[Erik Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-parker/)

[Browse all 10 Saying Hard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-hard-536777/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“People think it's how hard you kick that hurts,' Mr Vandemar's voice was saying. 'But it's not how hard you kick. It's where.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Neil Gaiman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-think-it-s-how-hard-you-kick-that-hurts-mr-vandemar-s-voice/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Saying Hard"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-think-it-s-how-hard-you-kick-that-hurts-mr-vandemar-s-voice/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac1/neil-gaiman-29_saying-hard_people-think-it-s-how-hard-you-kick-that_564076.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac1/neil-gaiman-29_saying-hard_people-think-it-s-how-hard-you-kick-that_564076.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac1/neil-gaiman-29_saying-hard_people-think-it-s-how-hard-you-kick-that_564076.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“People think it's how hard you kick that hurts,' Mr Vandemar's voice was saying. 'But it's not how hard you…” — Neil Gaiman",
                "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": "Neil Gaiman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“People think it's how hard you...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-think-it-s-how-hard-you-kick-that-hurts-mr-vandemar-s-voice/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-think-it-s-how-hard-you-kick-that-hurts-mr-vandemar-s-voice/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
