--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What matters isn't the stories…" description: "\"“What matters isn't the stories themselves; it's how the stories end.”\" — Nikki Haley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a7/nikki-haley-3525_inspirational_what-matters-isn-t-the-stories-themselve_1175254.jpg" --- # What matters isn't the stories themselves; it's how the… ![“What matters isn't the stories themselves; it's how the stories end.” quote by Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a7/nikki-haley-3525_inspirational_what-matters-isn-t-the-stories-themselve_1175254.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a7/nikki-haley-3525_inspirational_what-matters-isn-t-the-stories-themselve_1175254.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a7/nikki-haley-3525_inspirational_what-matters-isn-t-the-stories-themselve_1175254.jpg) > ““What matters isn't the stories themselves; it's how the stories end.”” [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) ## 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 a narrative lies more in its conclusion than its content. **In simple terms:** Endings matter more than the story itself. Key Takeaway Focus on shaping outcomes. Themes storytelling outcome perspective Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - business presentations - personal goals - creative writing Key Concepts narrative theory psychology Questions to Reflect On - What makes an ending more memorable than the plot? - How can we design better conclusions? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Overcoming challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcoming-challenges/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) ## Related quotes > [“We are not only the tellers of our stories, we are the stories themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/we-are-not-only-the-tellers-of-our-stories-we-are-the-stories/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [“so we had to tell our stories and they were stories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/so-we-had-to-tell-our-stories-and-they-were-stories/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“..but in good time you'll see that what matters isn't what one gives but what one gives up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/but-in-good-time-you-ll-see-that-what-matters-isn-t-what-one-gives/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“You’ll always have enough reasons not to execute, not to do: not enough time, not enough money, not enough will or skill.But what matters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/you-ll-always-have-enough-reasons-not-to-execute-not-to-do-not-enough/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [But in good time you'll see that sometimes what matters isn't what one gives but what one gives up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/but-in-good-time-you-ll-see-that-sometimes-what-matters-isn-t-what/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“You cannot understand such things right now, because you're young. But in good time you'll see that sometimes what matters isn't what one gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/you-cannot-understand-such-things-right-now-because-you-re-young-but/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“There is no explanation for love. But love is all that matters, isn't it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-sheehan/there-is-no-explanation-for-love-but-love-is-all-that-matters-isn-t-it/) Jacqueline Sheehan > [“There will come a time in your life when you lose something that matters to you. You'll fight for it and you won't win.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-sterling/there-will-come-a-time-in-your-life-when-you-lose-something-that/) [J. Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-sterling/) > [“Sometimes what matters isn't what one gives but what one gives up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/sometimes-what-matters-isn-t-what-one-gives-but-what-one-gives-up/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“Sometimes we tell our stories and sometimes our stories tell us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/sometimes-we-tell-our-stories-and-sometimes-our-stories-tell-us/) [Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/) > [We evolved to make sense of this nonlinear and unpredictable world with stories. These stories are often very powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-cummings/we-evolved-to-make-sense-of-this-nonlinear-and-unpredictable-world/) [Dominic Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-cummings/) > [I just think that good stories are stories that reflect ourselves back at us and each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/i-just-think-that-good-stories-are-stories-that-reflect-ourselves/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [“What she needs are stories. Stories are a way to preserve one's self. To be remembered. And to forget. Stories come in so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/what-she-needs-are-stories-stories-are-a-way-to-preserve-one-s-self/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [What on earth did you say to Isola? She stopped in on her way to pick up Pride and Prejudice and to berate me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ann-shaffer/what-on-earth-did-you-say-to-isola-she-stopped-in-on-her-way-to-pick/) [Mary Ann Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ann-shaffer/) > [“that each affects the other and tho other affects the next, and the world is full of stories, but the stories are all one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/that-each-affects-the-other-and-tho-other-affects-the-next-and-the/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) ## More by Nikki Haley > [I think any label is bad. I'm more than a label.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/i-think-any-label-is-bad-i-m-more-than-a-label/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [I'm very proud of the way that I was raised, I'm very proud of the way that my parents raised me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/i-m-very-proud-of-the-way-that-i-was-raised-i-m-very-proud-of-the-way/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [I had a white senator call me a rag head, and I had an African-American legislator call me a conservative with a tan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/i-had-a-white-senator-call-me-a-rag-head-and-i-had-an-african/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [We cannot continue to allow immigrants to come here illegally. And in this age of terrorism, we must not let in refugees whose intentions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/we-cannot-continue-to-allow-immigrants-to-come-here-illegally-and-in/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [This was not a decision made with the Israelis. This was a decision by the president for the American people. And so, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/this-was-not-a-decision-made-with-the-israelis-this-was-a-decision-by/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [There's never a good time to fire someone. That's not something that anybody is - that's never going to play out well. But at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/there-s-never-a-good-time-to-fire-someone-that-s-not-something-that/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [South Carolinians are strong, independently-minded people. At the end of the day, they make their own decisions. And I respect them for that. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/south-carolinians-are-strong-independently-minded-people-at-the-end/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [Government was intended to secure the rights and freedoms of the people; it wasn't intended to be all things to all people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/government-was-intended-to-secure-the-rights-and-freedoms-of-the/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [I don't think we should focus on what church that person walks into .. I think we need to focus on what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/i-don-t-think-we-should-focus-on-what-church-that-person-walks-into-i/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [Do things that are uncomfortable to do. I say that because women tend to step back from things that they don't know about. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/do-things-that-are-uncomfortable-to-do-i-say-that-because-women-tend/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [You had two men who knew the exact same thing, which is Russia did meddle in the elections. I think President Trump wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/you-had-two-men-who-knew-the-exact-same-thing-which-is-russia-did/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [I don't think we should ever ban anyone based on their religion. That is un-American. It is not good. What the president is doing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/i-don-t-think-we-should-ever-ban-anyone-based-on-their-religion-that/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [I think any label is bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/i-think-any-label-is-bad/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [I encourage people to find and use the power of their voices just as much when I do not agree with those voices as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/i-encourage-people-to-find-and-use-the-power-of-their-voices-just-as/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [I'm saying that ammunition comes with multiple options, and it's not always military. Ammunition also comes with sanctions. Ammunition also comes with trade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/i-m-saying-that-ammunition-comes-with-multiple-options-and-it-s-not/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) [Explore all 128 Nikki Haley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) ## More Inspirational quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/) [Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) [Browse all 114,561 Inspirational quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What matters isn't the stories themselves; it's how the stories end.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nikki Haley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/what-matters-isn-t-the-stories-themselves-it-s-how-the-stories-end/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Inspirational" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/what-matters-isn-t-the-stories-themselves-it-s-how-the-stories-end/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a7/nikki-haley-3525_inspirational_what-matters-isn-t-the-stories-themselve_1175254.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a7/nikki-haley-3525_inspirational_what-matters-isn-t-the-stories-themselve_1175254.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a7/nikki-haley-3525_inspirational_what-matters-isn-t-the-stories-themselve_1175254.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What matters isn't the stories themselves; it's how the stories end.” — Nikki Haley", "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": "Nikki Haley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“What matters isn't the stories themselves;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/what-matters-isn-t-the-stories-themselves-it-s-how-the-stories-end/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/what-matters-isn-t-the-stories-themselves-it-s-how-the-stories-end/#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 } } ] } ```