--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not where you start but how high…" description: "\"It is not where you start but how high you aim that matters for success.\" — Nelson Mandela" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/788/nelson-mandela-248_aim_it-is-not-where-you-start-but-how-high-y_742934.jpg" --- # It is not where you start but how high you aim that… ![“It is not where you start but how high you aim that matters for success.” quote by Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/788/nelson-mandela-248_aim_it-is-not-where-you-start-but-how-high-y_742934.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/788/nelson-mandela-248_aim_it-is-not-where-you-start-but-how-high-y_742934.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/788/nelson-mandela-248_aim_it-is-not-where-you-start-but-how-high-y_742934.jpg) > “It is not where you start but how high you aim that matters for success.” [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success depends more on ambitious goals than initial circumstances; aiming high drives achievement. **In simple terms:** Aim high, not just start. Key Takeaway Set ambitious goals regardless of background. Themes ambition success goal setting Mood hopeful determined Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - entrepreneurship - academic pursuits - personal development Key Concepts psychology leadership motivation Questions to Reflect On - How do you set realistic yet lofty goals? - What strategies keep you motivated toward high aims? A Different Perspective High aims can create pressure and disappointment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fulfillment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fulfillment/) [High aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-aim/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [What people say about you doesnt matter alot But what you say about your self matters If you see yourself as a success you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clever-kiddy/what-people-say-about-you-doesnt-matter-alot-but-what-you-say-about/) Clever Kiddy > [Live life as though nobody is watching, and express yourself as though everyone is listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/live-life-as-though-nobody-is-watching-and-express-yourself-as-though/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I have retired, but if there's anything that would kill me it is to wake up in the morning not knowing what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-have-retired-but-if-there-s-anything-that-would-kill-me-it-is-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [People usually start off on a high note in their careers and then wane off and then restart with a comeback.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/people-usually-start-off-on-a-high-note-in-their-careers-and-then/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [“In a perfect wedding- or world- you wanted the best possible beginning. Start in a high note and, no matter what song follows, chances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/in-a-perfect-wedding-or-world-you-wanted-the-best-possible-beginning/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [It's never too easy to start again. All you have to have are high hopes to start again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ghassan-el-labadi-2/it-s-never-too-easy-to-start-again-all-you-have-to-have-are-high/) [Ghassan El Labadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ghassan-el-labadi-2/) > [TODAYS JUMP START. Since most high achievers were once miserable failures, embrace your errors and accept your mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/todays-jump-start-since-most-high-achievers-were-once-miserable/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-ask-ourselves-who-am-i-to-be-brilliant-gorgeous-handsome-talented/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Expectation has brought me disappointment. Disappointment has brought me wisdom. Acceptance, gratitude and appreciation have brought me joy and fulfilment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasheed-ogunlaru/expectation-has-brought-me-disappointment-disappointment-has-brought/) [Rasheed Ogunlaru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasheed-ogunlaru/) > [It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-what-we-make-out-of-what-we-have-not-what-we-are-given-that-2/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Let there be justice for all. Let there be peace for all. Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all. Let each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/let-there-be-justice-for-all-let-there-be-peace-for-all-let-there-be/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Your playing small does not serve the world. Who are you not to be great?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/your-playing-small-does-not-serve-the-world-who-are-you-not-to-be/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Aim high, but do not aim so high that you totally miss the target. What really matters is that he will love you, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/aim-high-but-do-not-aim-so-high-that-you-totally-miss-the-target-what/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [“Aim high, for if you aim low you won't have a chance at hitting the high mark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-van-rooyen/aim-high-for-if-you-aim-low-you-won-t-have-a-chance-at-hitting-the/) Tanya van Rooyen > [The aims of these three groups are entirely irreconcilable. The aim of the High is to remain where they are. The aim of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-aims-of-these-three-groups-are-entirely-irreconcilable-the-aim-of/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) ## More by Nelson Mandela > [We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-work-together-to-ensure-the-equitable-distribution-of-wealth/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/especially-for-those-of-us-who-lived-in-single-cells-you-had-the-time/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/courageous-people-do-not-fear-forgiving-for-the-sake-of-peace/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-a-leader-i-have-always-endeavored-to-listen-to-what-each-and-every/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Some of the mission groups that have been responsible for our education have not been part of the government. In fact, they acted contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/some-of-the-mission-groups-that-have-been-responsible-for-our/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“I believed that I would become a counsellor to the Thembu king,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-believed-that-i-would-become-a-counsellor-to-the-thembu-king/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [What he means by this is that instead of saying you'll "try", you need to "do". And as we let our light shine, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/what-he-means-by-this-is-that-instead-of-saying-you-ll-try-you-need/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-learned-that-courage-was-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-triumph/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [We need to exert ourselves that much more, and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-need-to-exert-ourselves-that-much-more-and-break-out-of-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Prison is a still point in a turning world, and it is very easy to remain in the same place in jail while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/prison-is-a-still-point-in-a-turning-world-and-it-is-very-easy-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/a-fundamental-concern-for-others-in-our-individual-and-community/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I am aware of what the position is in the United States of America. If somebody gives to charity, then he gets a tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-am-aware-of-what-the-position-is-in-the-united-states-of-america-if/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It is our duty to give support to the brother leader ... especially in regards to the sanctions which are not hitting just him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-our-duty-to-give-support-to-the-brother-leader-especially-in/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of our own people became a hunger for the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-years-that-my-hunger-for-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) [Explore all 809 Nelson Mandela quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## More Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is not where you start but how high you aim that matters for success.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nelson Mandela" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-not-where-you-start-but-how-high-you-aim-that-matters-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aim" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-not-where-you-start-but-how-high-you-aim-that-matters-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/788/nelson-mandela-248_aim_it-is-not-where-you-start-but-how-high-y_742934.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/788/nelson-mandela-248_aim_it-is-not-where-you-start-but-how-high-y_742934.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/788/nelson-mandela-248_aim_it-is-not-where-you-start-but-how-high-y_742934.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is not where you start but how high you aim that matters for success.” — Nelson Mandela", "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": "Nelson Mandela", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is not where you start...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-not-where-you-start-but-how-high-you-aim-that-matters-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-not-where-you-start-but-how-high-you-aim-that-matters-for/#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 } } ] } ```