--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every day you spend drifting away from…" description: "\"Every day you spend drifting away from your goals is a waste not only of that day, but also of the additional day it takes to regain lost ground.\" — Ra..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/168/ralph-marston-2044_drifting_every-day-you-spend-drifting-away-from-y_1491367.jpg" --- # Every day you spend drifting away from your goals is a… ![“Every day you spend drifting away from your goals is a waste not only of that day, but also of the additional day it takes to regain lost ground.” quote by Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/168/ralph-marston-2044_drifting_every-day-you-spend-drifting-away-from-y_1491367.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/168/ralph-marston-2044_drifting_every-day-you-spend-drifting-away-from-y_1491367.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/168/ralph-marston-2044_drifting_every-day-you-spend-drifting-away-from-y_1491367.jpg) > “Every day you spend drifting away from your goals is a waste not only of that day, but also of the additional day it takes to regain lost ground.” [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Time lost drifting from goals compounds, costing both the day and extra recovery time. **In simple terms:** Wasting time on distractions costs more days. Key Takeaway Stay focused to avoid extra effort later. Themes focus productivity time management Mood determined reflective Type motivational advisory When to use this quote - work projects - personal development - study sessions Key Concepts goal alignment opportunity cost Questions to Reflect On - How can you identify and eliminate daily distractions? - What small habit keeps you aligned with goals? A Different Perspective Distractions can be unavoidable and recovery may be limited. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drifting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drifting/) [Drifting away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drifting-away/) [Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Goals Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals-waste-5450407/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [Regain Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regain-lost-5310859/) [Spend Drifting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spend-drifting-5450408/) [Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste/) [Waste Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste-day-1794306/) ## Related quotes > [Sure, there are plenty of ways to waste this day. But you now have the chance to choose to make good and valuable use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/sure-there-are-plenty-of-ways-to-waste-this-day-but-you-now-have-the/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [The poets began drifting away from churches as the jurists grew louder and more insistent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/the-poets-began-drifting-away-from-churches-as-the-jurists-grew/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [“You die in the same way that you fall asleep: by drifting away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-die-in-the-same-way-that-you-fall-asleep-by-drifting-away/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm in the strange position of the world drifting away from me, but you know what? I'm actually quite content with that. It doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-smith/i-m-in-the-strange-position-of-the-world-drifting-away-from-me-but/) [Robert Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-smith/) > [Every single way, every single day, I start drifting away and I'm thinking of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-single-way-every-single-day-i-start-drifting-away-and-i-m/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can feel the public side of my life and the private side of my life sort of drifting away from one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/i-can-feel-the-public-side-of-my-life-and-the-private-side-of-my-life/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) > [I was drifting away like a drop in the ocean, and now I realize that nothing has been as beautiful as when I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-branch/i-was-drifting-away-like-a-drop-in-the-ocean-and-now-i-realize-that/) [Michelle Branch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-branch/) > [When characters are drifting away from the "correct road", or in fact from any road they were supposed to follow, they lose control, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fontaine/when-characters-are-drifting-away-from-the-correct-road-or-in-fact/) [Anne Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fontaine/) > [ I think you have a deeply anxious leadership in China that knows its legitimacy is drifting away, that’s sending its \[personal\] money and its… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-diamond/i-think-you-have-a-deeply-anxious-leadership-in-china-that-knows-its/) [Larry Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-diamond/) > [Drifting so far away… people acting as if every things ok slowly fading bit by bit in this world I was never a perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/im-nothing/drifting-so-far-away-people-acting-as-if-every-things-ok-slowly/) [Im Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/im-nothing/) > [“If your dreams seem to be drifting away, wake up!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-bellamacina/if-your-dreams-seem-to-be-drifting-away-wake-up/) [Benny Bellamacina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-bellamacina/) > [One generation after another is drifting away from anything Jewish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-sharon/one-generation-after-another-is-drifting-away-from-anything-jewish/) [Ariel Sharon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-sharon/) > [We focus on that really repulsive minority of racists. But then there's a continuum that goes all the way to, you know, what used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/we-focus-on-that-really-repulsive-minority-of-racists-but-then-there/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [Cant you see I'm drifting away? wishing I went away?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/cant-you-see-i-m-drifting-away-wishing-i-went-away/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patience/) > [I hope the poem, as it goes on, gets more complicated, a little more demanding, a little more ambiguous or speculative, so that we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/i-hope-the-poem-as-it-goes-on-gets-more-complicated-a-little-more/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) ## More by Ralph Marston > [When was the last time you spent a quiet moment just doing nothing - just sitting and looking at the sea, or watching the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/when-was-the-last-time-you-spent-a-quiet-moment-just-doing-nothing/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [When the path becomes difficult, that's no reason to give up. In fact, it means you're making real progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/when-the-path-becomes-difficult-that-s-no-reason-to-give-up-in-fact/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [In the midday sun, a bright light will be barely noticed. Yet in the darkest night, even the smallest light can make an enormous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/in-the-midday-sun-a-bright-light-will-be-barely-noticed-yet-in-the/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [Make the decision to love this day, this place, this moment, this special experience of life with the people around you. And there will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/make-the-decision-to-love-this-day-this-place-this-moment-this/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [Adversity is an effective, thorough and highly personalized teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/adversity-is-an-effective-thorough-and-highly-personalized-teacher/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [Problems, weaknesses, setbacks, regrets and mistakes teach you if you're willing to learn, or they punish you if you're not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/problems-weaknesses-setbacks-regrets-and-mistakes-teach-you-if-you-re/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [Live your days on the positive side of life, in tune with your most treasured values. And in each moment you'll have much to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/live-your-days-on-the-positive-side-of-life-in-tune-with-your-most/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [Just because the road ahead is long, is no reason to slow down. Just because there is much work to be done, is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/just-because-the-road-ahead-is-long-is-no-reason-to-slow-down-just/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [If you so choose, each day can be filled with even more joy than the one before. If you so choose, even the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/if-you-so-choose-each-day-can-be-filled-with-even-more-joy-than-the/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [When you can clearly see yourself being there, you can see much more clearly how to get there. You can imagine the path to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/when-you-can-clearly-see-yourself-being-there-you-can-see-much-more/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [It doesn't matter how much you want. What really matters is how much you want it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/it-doesn-t-matter-how-much-you-want-what-really-matters-is-how-much/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [Though the universe is delightfully complex, life, at its heart, is not particularly complicated. Live true to who you are and though it won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/though-the-universe-is-delightfully-complex-life-at-its-heart-is-not/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [There are very real obstacles and challenges to any course of action. And there's no need to add to them, by making up obstacles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/there-are-very-real-obstacles-and-challenges-to-any-course-of-action/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [Those who are passionate about what they do have an advantage that is nearly impossible to overcome. In passion there is energy, creativity, resilience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/those-who-are-passionate-about-what-they-do-have-an-advantage-that-is/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [One of the biggest threats to success is success itself. When you get a little bit ahead, it's all too easy to become complacent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/one-of-the-biggest-threats-to-success-is-success-itself-when-you-get/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) [Explore all 190 Ralph Marston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) ## More Drifting quotes > [I have what I call an iron prescription that helps me keep sane when I naturally drift toward preferring one ideology over another and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/i-have-what-i-call-an-iron-prescription-that-helps-me-keep-sane-when/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [The poets began drifting away from churches as the jurists grew louder and more insistent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/the-poets-began-drifting-away-from-churches-as-the-jurists-grew/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [A lot of people get a misconception And start drifting in the wrong direction Miss Goody Two Shoes see you later I ain't got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rappin-4-tay/a-lot-of-people-get-a-misconception-and-start-drifting-in-the-wrong/) [Rappin' 4-Tay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rappin-4-tay/) > [I hope we're not just human garbage drifting toward a big sewer. But I think so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-hope-we-re-not-just-human-garbage-drifting-toward-a-big-sewer-but-i/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Let the desert wind cool your aching head. Let the weight of the world - drift away instead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beck/let-the-desert-wind-cool-your-aching-head-let-the-weight-of-the-world/) [Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beck/) > [Now you see,' said the turtle, drifting back into the pond, 'why it is useless to cry. Your tears do not wash away your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/now-you-see-said-the-turtle-drifting-back-into-the-pond-why-it-is/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [We are drifting, and youh know it.. John It kills me to say that.. I can't stay in this relationship .. its too much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-jane/we-are-drifting-and-youh-know-it-john-it-kills-me-to-say-that-i-can-t/) [Alice Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-jane/) > [The weathercocks on spires and housetops were mysterious with hints of stormy wind, and pointed, like so many ghostly fingers, out to dangerous seas,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-weathercocks-on-spires-and-housetops-were-mysterious-with-hints/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Through the dripping weeks that follow One another slow, and soak Summer's extinguished fire and autumn's drifting smoke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-austin/through-the-dripping-weeks-that-follow-one-another-slow-and-soak/) [Alfred Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-austin/) > [I wish I could close my eyes and be blown into dust and nothingness, feel all my thoughts disperse like dandelion fluff drifting off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-wish-i-could-close-my-eyes-and-be-blown-into-dust-and-nothingness-2/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [My life owes me. Like an overdose, I'm slowly Drifting into the arms of trouble, then trouble holds me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-naan/my-life-owes-me-like-an-overdose-i-m-slowly-drifting-into-the-arms-of/) [K'naan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-naan/) > [it is hard to believe when I’m with you that there can be anything as still as solemn as unpleasantly definitive as statuary when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-o-hara/it-is-hard-to-believe-when-i-m-with-you-that-there-can-be-anything-as/) [Frank O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-o-hara/) > [I have very vivid dreams - almost always action-adventure. I'm often on the run. I've always had dreams. When I was little, I'd go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-silverman/i-have-very-vivid-dreams-almost-always-action-adventure-i-m-often-on/) [Sarah Silverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-silverman/) > [As long as I breathe I hope. 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This country today is drifting, moving steadily towards the pro-life position because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-terry/we-are-not-at-the-same-place-we-were-in-1973-this-country-today-is/) [Randall Terry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-terry/) [Browse all 298 Drifting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drifting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Every day you spend drifting away from your goals is a waste not only of that day, but also of the additional day it takes to regain lost ground.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ralph Marston" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/every-day-you-spend-drifting-away-from-your-goals-is-a-waste-not-only/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Drifting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/every-day-you-spend-drifting-away-from-your-goals-is-a-waste-not-only/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/168/ralph-marston-2044_drifting_every-day-you-spend-drifting-away-from-y_1491367.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/168/ralph-marston-2044_drifting_every-day-you-spend-drifting-away-from-y_1491367.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/168/ralph-marston-2044_drifting_every-day-you-spend-drifting-away-from-y_1491367.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Every day you spend drifting away from your goals is a waste not only of that day, but also of the…” — Ralph Marston", "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": "Ralph Marston", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Every day you spend drifting away...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/every-day-you-spend-drifting-away-from-your-goals-is-a-waste-not-only/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/every-day-you-spend-drifting-away-from-your-goals-is-a-waste-not-only/#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 } } ] } ```