--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's no destination. There's no…" description: "\"There's no destination. There's no getting anywhere. There's just the going. The key to life is to make the going really fun. Because people that are l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb1/patton-oswalt-2795_absorbing_there-s-no-destination-there-s-no-gettin_2456941.png" --- # There's no destination. There's no getting anywhere… ![“There's no destination. There's no getting anywhere. There's just the going. The key to life is to make the going really fun. Because people that are like, “If I just get to this, then boom!” And then they get there and there's this dawning of an afterwards. Whereas I'm just always in the going…” quote by Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb1/patton-oswalt-2795_absorbing_there-s-no-destination-there-s-no-gettin_2456941.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb1/patton-oswalt-2795_absorbing_there-s-no-destination-there-s-no-gettin_2456941.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb1/patton-oswalt-2795_absorbing_there-s-no-destination-there-s-no-gettin_2456941.png) > “There's no destination. There's no getting anywhere. There's just the going. The key to life is to make the going really fun. Because people that are like, “If I just get to this, then boom!” And then they get there and there's this dawning of an afterwards. Whereas I'm just always in the going. And it's not a frantic going like, “I gotta keep going or I'm gonna go nuts!” I can not do anything for weeks or months if I need to and just sit and read books or watch movies. I'm just as fine consuming and absorbing new art as I am trying to make it. But it's all in the going.” [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is a continuous journey; enjoyment comes from embracing the process rather than fixating on goals. **In simple terms:** Enjoy the journey, not just the destination. Key Takeaway Focus on process, not outcomes. Themes process joy mindset creativity balance Mood lighthearted reflective Type humor philosophical When to use this quote - creative work - personal growth - hobbies - learning periods Key Concepts flow presence intrinsic motivation Questions to Reflect On - What activities make your daily process enjoyable? - How can you balance goal‑setting with present‑moment joy? A Different Perspective Some may interpret this as avoiding ambition or goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absorbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absorbing/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Can not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-not/) [Consuming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consuming/) [Destination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destination/) [Destination Getting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destination-getting-618657/) [Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine/) [Frantic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frantic/) [Frantic Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frantic-going-618656/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) [Going Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-really-325702/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Keep going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keep-going/) [Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keys/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Make Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-going-618655/) [Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/months/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Nuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuts/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Watch movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watch-movie/) [Watches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watches/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) ## Related quotes > [For me, London seemed to be frantic without going anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/for-me-london-seemed-to-be-frantic-without-going-anywhere/) [Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/) > [“And really, it’s not about the destination. It’s getting there that’s the good part.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-matson/and-really-it-s-not-about-the-destination-it-s-getting-there-that-s/) [Morgan Matson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-matson/) > [“It’s not about the destination. It’s getting there that’s the good part. - Leonard”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-matson/it-s-not-about-the-destination-it-s-getting-there-that-s-the-good/) [Morgan Matson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-matson/) > [I always approach every film I make as if it was going to be the last. So if I'm going to go out, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-always-approach-every-film-i-make-as-if-it-was-going-to-be-the-last/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I'm going to make it. Nothing is going to stop me. Nothing. I want it too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ladd/i-m-going-to-make-it-nothing-is-going-to-stop-me-nothing-i-want-it/) [Alan Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ladd/) > [The best way to make a show that's going to resonate is to make a show that you'd love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/the-best-way-to-make-a-show-that-s-going-to-resonate-is-to-make-a/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [“Why did you make only one of me? It's going to be lonely being me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/why-did-you-make-only-one-of-me-it-s-going-to-be-lonely-being-me/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [If you're in it for the money, there is no way you will ever make it! Never. That's not going to get you there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dobrik/if-you-re-in-it-for-the-money-there-is-no-way-you-will-ever-make-it/) [David Dobrik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dobrik/) > [“Stop making a valiant attempt, make a go and keep going strong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anyaele-sam-chiyson/stop-making-a-valiant-attempt-make-a-go-and-keep-going-strong/) [Anyaele Sam Chiyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anyaele-sam-chiyson/) > [I'm going to do what I want to do. I'm going to be who I really am. I'm going to figure out what that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/i-m-going-to-do-what-i-want-to-do-i-m-going-to-be-who-i-really-am-i-m/) [Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/) > [In periods when everything was going really well I may have taken my foot off the pedal and got comfortable where I was at,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-shaw/in-periods-when-everything-was-going-really-well-i-may-have-taken-my/) [Luke Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-shaw/) > [No matter what you're going through, you really can have joy in every area of your life!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/no-matter-what-you-re-going-through-you-really-can-have-joy-in-every/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [I don't like going out where it's really, really crowded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leona-lewis/i-don-t-like-going-out-where-it-s-really-really-crowded/) [Leona Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leona-lewis/) > [I can only see it going one way, that's my way. How it's actually going to go I can't really say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-wilshire/i-can-only-see-it-going-one-way-that-s-my-way-how-it-s-actually-going/) [Nicky Wilshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-wilshire/) > [Without that thick skin and a clear vision of what it is you want to do, what it is you know you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-boss/without-that-thick-skin-and-a-clear-vision-of-what-it-is-you-want-to/) [Stephen Boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-boss/) ## More by Patton Oswalt > [The process is to me is going onstage night after night after night after night until I get a new hour. And then once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/the-process-is-to-me-is-going-onstage-night-after-night-after-night/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [I can't say that I ever abided nerd stereotypes: I was never alone or felt outcast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/i-can-t-say-that-i-ever-abided-nerd-stereotypes-i-was-never-alone-or/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [“If I hear the term ‘healing journey’ one more f–king time… It is not a ‘healing journey.’ It’s a ‘numb slog.’ It’s just a,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/if-i-hear-the-term-healing-journey-one-more-f-king-time-it-is-not-a/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [I think I realized it was an art form at the beginning, but it took me a really long time before I was able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/i-think-i-realized-it-was-an-art-form-at-the-beginning-but-it-took-me/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [I wish I had a really cool, esoteric answer, but what the process is to me is going onstage night after night after night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/i-wish-i-had-a-really-cool-esoteric-answer-but-what-the-process-is-to/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [If I were to just focus on stand-up, I could actually, paradoxically enough, be home way more, because I would leave on a Friday,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/if-i-were-to-just-focus-on-stand-up-i-could-actually-paradoxically/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [“hobos' (a slang term that combines the words 'hope' and 'bowl of beans given to me for free by a woman who then initiated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/hobos-a-slang-term-that-combines-the-words-hope-and-bowl-of-beans/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [As much as I know people love the method and what you can draw out of yourself, a lot of acting is very imaginative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/as-much-as-i-know-people-love-the-method-and-what-you-can-draw-out-of/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [We're rewarding either the reality or the appearance of youth, which is why you have all these people in their fifties trying to act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/we-re-rewarding-either-the-reality-or-the-appearance-of-youth-which/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [With a comedian, it's the opposite. You put that album out, and they've heard it. If they're coming out to see you, you'd better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/with-a-comedian-it-s-the-opposite-you-put-that-album-out-and-they-ve/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [If you actually do cold readings, it's very close to how people actually talk, because you're experiencing these thoughts anew every moment, and trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/if-you-actually-do-cold-readings-it-s-very-close-to-how-people/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [What I was trying to say in that bit, without saying it out loud, is that there were things - you're right, everything is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/what-i-was-trying-to-say-in-that-bit-without-saying-it-out-loud-is/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [Is it bad when you refer to all alcohol as "Pain Go Bye-Bye Juice"?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/is-it-bad-when-you-refer-to-all-alcohol-as-pain-go-bye-bye-juice/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [It wasn't until I went to college and met different people from different areas of life - and then went to San Francisco and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/it-wasn-t-until-i-went-to-college-and-met-different-people-from/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [I have a lot of friends who were stand-ups, and they just stopped after a while, because they didn't like that battle, or they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/i-have-a-lot-of-friends-who-were-stand-ups-and-they-just-stopped/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) [Explore all 150 Patton Oswalt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) ## More Absorbing quotes > [The artist has to be something like a whale swimming with his mouth wide open, absorbing everything until he has what he really needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/the-artist-has-to-be-something-like-a-whale-swimming-with-his-mouth/) [Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) > [I probably need another couple of years of absorbing that and really looking at it to be able to do it because you actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-hanks/i-probably-need-another-couple-of-years-of-absorbing-that-and-really/) [Colin Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-hanks/) > [I bless the gods for not letting my education in rhetoric, poetry, and other literary studies come easily to me, and thereby sparing me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/i-bless-the-gods-for-not-letting-my-education-in-rhetoric-poetry-and/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Edge also implies what Ben Graham…called a margin of safety. You have a margin of safety when you buy an asset at a price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mauboussin/edge-also-implies-what-ben-graham-called-a-margin-of-safety-you-have/) [Michael Mauboussin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mauboussin/) > [I would spend hours absorbing every intonation, every inflection - how the singer would convey a sentiment and how it would sound coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-edmonson/i-would-spend-hours-absorbing-every-intonation-every-inflection-how/) [Kat Edmonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-edmonson/) > [The nut of this tree is hung high aloft, wrapped in a silk wrapper, which is enclosed in a case of sole leather, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-de-camoes/the-nut-of-this-tree-is-hung-high-aloft-wrapped-in-a-silk-wrapper/) [Luis de Camoes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-de-camoes/) > [The habit of quietly absorbing the shocks will be quite a great help to stabilize pure awareness. The technique is: Just feel not disturbed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/the-habit-of-quietly-absorbing-the-shocks-will-be-quite-a-great-help/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [It's hard to pick. I mean, I think the one that is most emblematic of the collaboration that occurred is "We Know The Way."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-manuel-miranda/it-s-hard-to-pick-i-mean-i-think-the-one-that-is-most-emblematic-of/) [Lin-Manuel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-manuel-miranda/) > [Babies breathe a lot more rapidly than adults do, and what's more, they're also growing quickly and so they're absorbing lots more into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-thompson/babies-breathe-a-lot-more-rapidly-than-adults-do-and-what-s-more-they/) [Francis Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-thompson/) > [Where does the ego get its energy? The ego feeds off your desire to be something else. You are poor and you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/where-does-the-ego-get-its-energy-the-ego-feeds-off-your-desire-to-be/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I know "accessibility" is a term that's kind of thrown around wantonly today, especially with talking about visual media. But I think that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-powell/i-know-accessibility-is-a-term-that-s-kind-of-thrown-around-wantonly/) [Nate Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-powell/) > [I've always looked at directing as the next step for me in my creative career, and after spending the better part of the last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anthony-dale/i-ve-always-looked-at-directing-as-the-next-step-for-me-in-my/) [Ian Anthony Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anthony-dale/) > [In anything fit to be called by the name of reading, the process itself should be absorbing and voluptuous; we should gloat over a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/in-anything-fit-to-be-called-by-the-name-of-reading-the-process/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Inside you're like some kind of mirror, reflecting everything without absorbing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-j-deikman/inside-you-re-like-some-kind-of-mirror-reflecting-everything-without/) [Arthur J. Deikman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-j-deikman/) > [There are two kinds of actors -- one sits in a dressing room waiting for his call and the other gets out into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/there-are-two-kinds-of-actors-one-sits-in-a-dressing-room-waiting-for/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) [Browse all 189 Absorbing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absorbing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's no destination. There's no getting anywhere. There's just the going. The key to life is to make the going really fun. Because people that are like, “If I just get to this, then boom!” And then they get there and there's this dawning of an afterwards. Whereas I'm just always in the going. And it's not a frantic going like, “I gotta keep going or I'm gonna go nuts!” I can not do anything for weeks or months if I need to and just sit and read books or watch movies. I'm just as fine consuming and absorbing new art as I am trying to make it. 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