--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On the mainland he had always lived in…" description: "\"“On the mainland he had always lived in the future, always looking forward to the completion of the project in hand. When he passed his exams, got the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d5/richard-herley-65549_dreams_on-the-mainland-he-had-always-lived-in-t_2473361.jpg" --- # On the mainland he had always lived in the future, always… ![“On the mainland he had always lived in the future, always looking forward to the completion of the project in hand. When he passed his exams, got the new contract, married Louise, paid off the mortgage: when, in turn, each of these dreams was realized, then, and only then, would he be happy. All…” quote by Richard Herley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d5/richard-herley-65549_dreams_on-the-mainland-he-had-always-lived-in-t_2473361.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d5/richard-herley-65549_dreams_on-the-mainland-he-had-always-lived-in-t_2473361.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d5/richard-herley-65549_dreams_on-the-mainland-he-had-always-lived-in-t_2473361.jpg) > ““On the mainland he had always lived in the future, always looking forward to the completion of the project in hand. When he passed his exams, got the new contract, married Louise, paid off the mortgage: when, in turn, each of these dreams was realized, then, and only then, would he be happy. All were ends, to be reached by any means expedient or possible. He saw now that there were no such things as ends, only means: for ends were phantoms that melted away when approached, only to reform into other ends further off.”” Richard Herley ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The protagonist realizes that chasing ever‑shifting goals never brings lasting happiness; only the process matters, not the imagined end points. **In simple terms:** Goals are endless, happiness lies in the journey. Key Takeaway Focus on present actions, not future fantasies. Themes philosophy goal‑setting contentment illusion Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - relationship building - financial decisions - personal growth Key Concepts impermanence means‑vs‑ends psychology Questions to Reflect On - What current " do you pursue for its own sake? - How might letting go of fixed outcomes change your daily life? A Different Perspective Ends are never truly attainable, so fixation can cause perpetual dissatisfaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Some people, and I am one of them, hate happy ends. We feel cheated. Harm is the norm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/some-people-and-i-am-one-of-them-hate-happy-ends-we-feel-cheated-harm-3/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [All things have their ends and cycles. And when they have reached their highest point, they are in their lowest ruin, for they cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/all-things-have-their-ends-and-cycles-and-when-they-have-reached/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Cupidity...takes created things for ends in themselves, which they are not. The will that seeks rest in creatures for their own sake stops on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/cupidity-takes-created-things-for-ends-in-themselves-which-they-are/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [This is that rest this vain world lends, To end in death that all things ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-daniel/this-is-that-rest-this-vain-world-lends-to-end-in-death-that-all/) [Samuel Daniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-daniel/) > [In our enthusiasm to dominate nature and to produce more material good - goods - we have transformed means into ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/in-our-enthusiasm-to-dominate-nature-and-to-produce-more-material/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“In the mass of people, vegetative and animal functions dominate. Their energy of intelligence is so feeble and inconstant that it is constantly overpowered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/in-the-mass-of-people-vegetative-and-animal-functions-dominate-their/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Cause and effect, means and ends, seed and fruit cannot be severed; for the effect already blooms in the cause, the end preexists in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/cause-and-effect-means-and-ends-seed-and-fruit-cannot-be-severed-for/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“There is no distinction between means and ends. There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way. There is no way to enlightenment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/there-is-no-distinction-between-means-and-ends-there-is-no-way-to/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [Means and ends are central. If your means are corroded, your ends will be corroded. And if you're fighting to preserve liberty and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/means-and-ends-are-central-if-your-means-are-corroded-your-ends-will/) [Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/) > [I've always been strongly on the side of non-violence. Also, I think that if you use the wrong means, the ends themselves get distorted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/i-ve-always-been-strongly-on-the-side-of-non-violence-also-i-think/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [Greatness and goodness are not means, but ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/greatness-and-goodness-are-not-means-but-ends/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [“The means are the end, only peace brings peace, only just acts bring justice...the separation of means and ends was false. For her as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/the-means-are-the-end-only-peace-brings-peace-only-just-acts-bring/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Ballet is a riddle of means and ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gelsey-kirkland/ballet-is-a-riddle-of-means-and-ends/) [Gelsey Kirkland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gelsey-kirkland/) > [the ends never justify the means because IT never ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-gellhorn/the-ends-never-justify-the-means-because-it-never-ends/) [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) > [In the final analysis, means and ends must cohere because the end is preexistent in the means, and, ultimately, destructive means cannot bring about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/in-the-final-analysis-means-and-ends-must-cohere-because-the-end-is/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More by Richard Herley > [“Man had created God in his own image, not the other way around. He had done it through sheer terror, and who could blame…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herley/man-had-created-god-in-his-own-image-not-the-other-way-around-he-had/) Richard Herley > [“He had never told her just what he thought of the value of prayer and all the rest of the self-deluding mumbo jumbo with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herley/he-had-never-told-her-just-what-he-thought-of-the-value-of-prayer-and/) Richard Herley > [“If there was a God up there, which there wasn’t, why was it that he worked so hard to identify whatever thing a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herley/if-there-was-a-god-up-there-which-there-wasn-t-why-was-it-that-he/) Richard Herley Explore all 4 Richard Herley quotes ## More Dreams quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [“Now you’re wet. You’re so wet you’re leaking down your ass. You’re soaking my pillow. I don’t think I’m ever washing it. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-stoker/now-you-re-wet-you-re-so-wet-you-re-leaking-down-your-ass-you-re/) [Susan Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-stoker/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 40,599 Dreams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“On the mainland he had always lived in the future, always looking forward to the completion of the project in hand. When he passed his exams, got the new contract, married Louise, paid off the mortgage: when, in turn, each of these dreams was realized, then, and only then, would he be happy. All were ends, to be reached by any means expedient or possible. He saw now that there were no such things as ends, only means: for ends were phantoms that melted away when approached, only to reform into other ends further off.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Herley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herley/on-the-mainland-he-had-always-lived-in-the-future-always-looking/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dreams" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herley/on-the-mainland-he-had-always-lived-in-the-future-always-looking/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d5/richard-herley-65549_dreams_on-the-mainland-he-had-always-lived-in-t_2473361.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d5/richard-herley-65549_dreams_on-the-mainland-he-had-always-lived-in-t_2473361.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d5/richard-herley-65549_dreams_on-the-mainland-he-had-always-lived-in-t_2473361.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“On the mainland he had always lived in the future, always looking forward to the completion of the project…” — Richard Herley", "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": "Richard Herley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“On the mainland he had always...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herley/on-the-mainland-he-had-always-lived-in-the-future-always-looking/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herley/on-the-mainland-he-had-always-lived-in-the-future-always-looking/#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 } } ] } ```