--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Words have to find a man's mind before…" description: "\"Words have to find a man's mind before they can touch his heart, and some men's minds are woefully small targets.\" — Patrick Rothfuss" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/patrick-rothfuss-145_goals_words-have-to-find-a-man-s-mind-before-t_1313409.jpg" --- # Words have to find a man's mind before they can touch his… ![“Words have to find a man's mind before they can touch his heart, and some men's minds are woefully small targets.” quote by Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/patrick-rothfuss-145_goals_words-have-to-find-a-man-s-mind-before-t_1313409.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/patrick-rothfuss-145_goals_words-have-to-find-a-man-s-mind-before-t_1313409.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/patrick-rothfuss-145_goals_words-have-to-find-a-man-s-mind-before-t_1313409.jpg) > “Words have to find a man's mind before they can touch his heart, and some men's minds are woefully small targets.” [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Words must first engage the mind before they can affect the heart; limited intellect hinders this connection. **In simple terms:** Ideas need mental entry before emotional impact. Key Takeaway Cultivate open, expansive thinking. Themes communication mind heart intellect Mood reflective inspirational Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - teaching - writing - public speaking Key Concepts cognitive openness emotional resonance Questions to Reflect On - How can you expand your mental target? - What words have changed your heart? A Different Perspective Narrow thinking can block profound messages. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Heart Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-men-337709/) [Man Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-mind/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Minds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-minds/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Small Targets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-targets-4352624/) [Target](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/target/) [Words Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-man-325270/) ## Related quotes > [“Words have to find a man’s mind before they can touch his heart, and some men’s minds are woeful small targets. Music touches their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/words-have-to-find-a-man-s-mind-before-they-can-touch-his-heart-and-2/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“A poet is a musician that can't sing. Words have to find a man's mind before they can touch his heart, and some men's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/a-poet-is-a-musician-that-can-t-sing-words-have-to-find-a-man-s-mind/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Remember this, son, if you forget everything else. A poet is a musician who can’t sing. Words have to find a man’s mind before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/remember-this-son-if-you-forget-everything-else-a-poet-is-a-musician/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Only God gives a man true friends, He is the one who binds the heart of men together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bamikole/only-god-gives-a-man-true-friends-he-is-the-one-who-binds-the-heart/) [Paul Bamikole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bamikole/) > [About all that is needed to put the world on its feet are the right qualities of mind and heart on the part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-schwab/about-all-that-is-needed-to-put-the-world-on-its-feet-are-the-right/) [Charles M. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-schwab/) > [It is not an easy thing to be a woman and love with the whole heart: which men do not understand -- having many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-m-kaye/it-is-not-an-easy-thing-to-be-a-woman-and-love-with-the-whole-heart/) [M.M. Kaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-m-kaye/) > [Boys will break your heart. Men will pick up the pieces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/boys-will-break-your-heart-men-will-pick-up-the-pieces/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Though you break your heart, men will go on as before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/though-you-break-your-heart-men-will-go-on-as-before/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“Our own heart, and not other men's opinions, forms our true honor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/our-own-heart-and-not-other-men-s-opinions-forms-our-true-honor/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Our own heart, and not other men's opinion, forms our true honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/our-own-heart-and-not-other-men-s-opinion-forms-our-true-honor/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Our own heart, and not other men's opinions form our true honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/our-own-heart-and-not-other-men-s-opinions-form-our-true-honor/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [For poetry there exists neither large countries nor small. Its domain is in the heart of all men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgos-seferis/for-poetry-there-exists-neither-large-countries-nor-small-its-domain/) [Giorgos Seferis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgos-seferis/) > [“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-from-within-out-of-the-heart-of-men-proceed-evil-thoughts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The savor of the water mint rejoiceth the heart of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gerard/the-savor-of-the-water-mint-rejoiceth-the-heart-of-men/) [John Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gerard/) > [I have been in lots of very intense life situations. I have been shot at, and I have been hungry, and I have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/i-have-been-in-lots-of-very-intense-life-situations-i-have-been-shot/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) ## More by Patrick Rothfuss > [Each woman is like an instrument, waiting to be learned, loved, and finely played, to have at last her own true music made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/each-woman-is-like-an-instrument-waiting-to-be-learned-loved-and/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Prefiero tocar canciones que divierten a mis amigos que complacer a quienes me juzgan basándose solo en habladurías" - Kvothe”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/prefiero-tocar-canciones-que-divierten-a-mis-amigos-que-complacer-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Wilem snorted."That doesn't sound suspicious at all," he said. "And you wonder why people talk about you." "I don't wonder why they talk," I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/wilem-snorted-that-doesn-t-sound-suspicious-at-all-he-said-and-you/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“The point isn't to win the game. The point is to play a beautiful game. (paraphrased)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/the-point-isn-t-to-win-the-game-the-point-is-to-play-a-beautiful-game/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I was nervous about writing Slow Regard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-was-nervous-about-writing-slow-regard/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I am no poet. I do not love words for the sake of words. I love words for what they can accomplish. Similarly, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-am-no-poet-i-do-not-love-words-for-the-sake-of-words-i-love-words/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“There is something deeply satisfying in shaping something with your hands. Proper artificing is like a song made solid. It is an act of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/there-is-something-deeply-satisfying-in-shaping-something-with-your/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [He had a bright, reckless tenor that was always wandering off, looking for notes in the wrong places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/he-had-a-bright-reckless-tenor-that-was-always-wandering-off-looking/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I smiled,"Deoch, my heart is made of stronger stuff than glass. When she strikes she'll find it strong as iron-bound brass, or gold and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-smiled-deoch-my-heart-is-made-of-stronger-stuff-than-glass-when-she/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I have a blog where I keep in touch with my fans. I write about things that are important to me. Sometimes on there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-have-a-blog-where-i-keep-in-touch-with-my-fans-i-write-about-things/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Soft fantasy worlds have a much looser cause-and-effect relationship. Alchemists can turn lead into gold and nobody wonders about how it will impact the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/soft-fantasy-worlds-have-a-much-looser-cause-and-effect-relationship/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [But how awful would that be? How terrible to live surrounded by the stark, sharp, hollowness of things that simply were enough?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/but-how-awful-would-that-be-how-terrible-to-live-surrounded-by-the/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [ Here's the thing: Authors live or die by recommendations. \[That's one of the reason I review so many books on Goodreads.\] Giving books you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/here-s-the-thing-authors-live-or-die-by-recommendations-that-s-one-of/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I was pretty poor for a long time. Not \*poor\* poor. But college student poor. I lived for most of my adult life living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-was-pretty-poor-for-a-long-time-not-poor-poor-but-college-student/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) [Explore all 895 Patrick Rothfuss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## More Goals quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The goal of spiritual practice is full recovery, and the only thing you need to recover from is a fractured sense of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-goal-of-spiritual-practice-is-full-recovery-and-the-only-thing/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Every drop of rain hits its appointed target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/every-drop-of-rain-hits-its-appointed-target/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [“Achieving mental harmony is one of the greatest goals and experiences in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kambiz-mostofizadeh/achieving-mental-harmony-is-one-of-the-greatest-goals-and-experiences/) [Kambiz Mostofizadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kambiz-mostofizadeh/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Too many times we flitter our energy into too many goals and in the process don't achieve much. Focus is very important in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaishali-kasture/too-many-times-we-flitter-our-energy-into-too-many-goals-and-in-the/) [Vaishali Kasture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaishali-kasture/) > [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [According to the best research, less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/according-to-the-best-research-less-than-3-of-americans-have-written/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“What shapes us is not always our achievements but our omissions. Not lies; simply the truths we don’t tell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-tudor/what-shapes-us-is-not-always-our-achievements-but-our-omissions-not/) [C.J. Tudor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-tudor/) [Browse all 21,276 Goals quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Words have to find a man's mind before they can touch his heart, and some men's minds are woefully small targets.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patrick Rothfuss" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/words-have-to-find-a-man-s-mind-before-they-can-touch-his-heart-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Goals" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/words-have-to-find-a-man-s-mind-before-they-can-touch-his-heart-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/patrick-rothfuss-145_goals_words-have-to-find-a-man-s-mind-before-t_1313409.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/patrick-rothfuss-145_goals_words-have-to-find-a-man-s-mind-before-t_1313409.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/patrick-rothfuss-145_goals_words-have-to-find-a-man-s-mind-before-t_1313409.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Words have to find a man's mind before they can touch his heart, and some men's minds are woefully small…” — Patrick Rothfuss", "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": "Patrick Rothfuss", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Words have to find a man's...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/words-have-to-find-a-man-s-mind-before-they-can-touch-his-heart-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/words-have-to-find-a-man-s-mind-before-they-can-touch-his-heart-and/#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 } } ] } ```