--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know one thing for certain; it is much…" description: "\"I know one thing for certain; it is much harder to tell whether you are lost than whether you were lost, for, on many occasions, where you are going is..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d81/norton-juster-2113_certain_i-know-one-thing-for-certain-it-is-much_749524.jpg" --- # I know one thing for certain; it is much harder to tell… ![“I know one thing for certain; it is much harder to tell whether you are lost than whether you were lost, for, on many occasions, where you are going is exactly where you are. On the other hand, if you often find that where you've been is not at all where you should have gone, and, since it's much…” quote by Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d81/norton-juster-2113_certain_i-know-one-thing-for-certain-it-is-much_749524.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d81/norton-juster-2113_certain_i-know-one-thing-for-certain-it-is-much_749524.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d81/norton-juster-2113_certain_i-know-one-thing-for-certain-it-is-much_749524.jpg) > “I know one thing for certain; it is much harder to tell whether you are lost than whether you were lost, for, on many occasions, where you are going is exactly where you are. On the other hand, if you often find that where you've been is not at all where you should have gone, and, since it's much more difficult to find your way back from someplace you've never left, I suggest you go there immediately and then decide.” [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Finding direction is harder when you’re lost than when you’ve already known you were lost; the journey back can be more confusing than the forward path. **In simple terms:** Lostness is confusing; returning is harder. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and seek clarity before moving forward. Themes direction self‑discovery decision making uncertainty Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - personal crises - travel planning - life transitions Key Concepts navigation self‑reflection choice paralysis Questions to Reflect On - What does “being lost” mean to you? - How can you safely explore new directions? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex life choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Occasions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occasions/) [Where you are going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/where-you-are-going/) ## Related quotes > [You tell me to get lost, but if I get lost, your gonna be the 1st one looking for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-brennan/you-tell-me-to-get-lost-but-if-i-get-lost-your-gonna-be-the-1st-one/) [Jason Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-brennan/) > [The secret is planning your work and working your plan. If you don't know where you are going, how will you know when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-white/the-secret-is-planning-your-work-and-working-your-plan-if-you-don-t/) [Jack White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-white/) > [I don't know what I'm going to write when I begin to write. It feels like you are walking down a path, but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-don-t-know-what-i-m-going-to-write-when-i-begin-to-write-it-feels/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [Spring is a time to find out where you are, who you are, and move toward where you are going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-trunk/spring-is-a-time-to-find-out-where-you-are-who-you-are-and-move/) [Penelope Trunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-trunk/) > [I really didn't have any childhood. When you don't know where you are going to sleep for the night.. or find food.. you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-snow/i-really-didn-t-have-any-childhood-when-you-don-t-know-where-you-are/) [Hank Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-snow/) > [You can't really know where you are going until you know where you have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-can-t-really-know-where-you-are-going-until-you-know-where-you/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Weakness or strength: you exist, that is strength. 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There is no way not to get where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/you-can-t-lose-the-game-you-can-t-go-wrong-it-s-not-part-of-the-plan/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [Always watch where you are going. Otherwise, you may step on a piece of the Forest that was left out by mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/always-watch-where-you-are-going-otherwise-you-may-step-on-a-piece-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## More by Norton Juster > [You see, years ago I was just an ordinary bee minding my own business, smelling flowers all day, and occasionally picking up part-time work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/you-see-years-ago-i-was-just-an-ordinary-bee-minding-my-own-business/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“How are you going to make it move? It doesn't have a – " "Be very quiet," advised the duke, "for it goes without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/how-are-you-going-to-make-it-move-it-doesn-t-have-a-be-very-quiet/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [It was really written as most, I think, books are by writers - for themselves. There was something that just had to be written,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/it-was-really-written-as-most-i-think-books-are-by-writers-for/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“What kind of a place is Expectations?" inquired Milo, unable to see the humor and feeling very doubtful of the little man's sanity. 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"But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/as-the-cheering-continued-rhyme-leaned-forward-and-touched-milo/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [He paused again as a tear of longing rolled from cheek to lip with the sweet-salty taste of an old memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/he-paused-again-as-a-tear-of-longing-rolled-from-cheek-to-lip-with/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“Kad god se nasmiješiš, radost se oko tebe širi poput kolobara u bari, i kad god si tužan, nitko nigdje ne može biti stvarno…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/kad-god-se-nasmije-i-radost-se-oko-tebe-iri-poput-kolobara-u-bari-i/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“Why not take a few pounds of ‘happys’?” advised the salesman. “They’re much more practical—and very useful for Happy Birthday, Happy New Year, happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/why-not-take-a-few-pounds-of-happys-advised-the-salesman-they-re-much/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [...it's not just learning that's important. It's learning what to do with what you learn and learning why you learn things that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/it-s-not-just-learning-that-s-important-it-s-learning-what-to-do-with/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [Sometimes I find the best way of getting from one place to another is simply to erase everything and begin again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/sometimes-i-find-the-best-way-of-getting-from-one-place-to-another-is/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [Have you ever heard the wonderful silence just before the dawn? Or the quiet and calm just as a storm ends? Or perhaps you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/have-you-ever-heard-the-wonderful-silence-just-before-the-dawn-or-the/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [How can you see something that isn't there?" yawned the Humbug, who wasn't fully awake yet. 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I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A dialogue is very important. 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