Life Quote by Paul Auster
““If I hit that tree with this stone, Rousseau says, all will go well in my life from now on. He throws and misses. That one didn't count, he says, so he picks up another stone and moves several yards closer to the tree. He misses again. That one didn't count either, he says, and then he moves still closer to the tree and finds another stone. Again he misses. That was just the final warm up toss, he says, it's the next one that really counts. But just to make sure, he walks right up to the tree this time, positioning himself directly in front of the tree. He is no more than a foot away from it by now, close enough to touch it with his hand. The he lobs the stone squarely against the trunk. Success, he says to himself, I've done it. From this moment on, life will be better for me than ever before. Nashe found it amusing but at the same time he was too embarrassed by it to want to laugh. There was something terrible about such candor, finally, and he wondered where Rousseau had found the courage to reveal such a thing about himself, to admit to such naked self deception.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The New York Trilogy, 1987
A story of repeated attempts, each closer to the goal, illustrating perseverance despite setbacks and self‑deception.
In simple terms: Keep trying, learning from each miss.
Persistence leads to success.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- learning a skill
- career advancement
- personal projects
- overcoming fear
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What does each failure teach you?
- How can you stay honest with yourself?
Over‑focus on success can blind you to underlying motives.