--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everyone who got to where they are had to…" description: "\"Everyone who got to where they are had to begin where they were.\" — Richard Paul Evans" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/richard-paul-evans-1002_adversity_everyone-who-got-to-where-they-are-had-t_977012.png" --- # Everyone who got to where they are had to begin where they… ![“Everyone who got to where they are had to begin where they were.” quote by Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/richard-paul-evans-1002_adversity_everyone-who-got-to-where-they-are-had-t_977012.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/richard-paul-evans-1002_adversity_everyone-who-got-to-where-they-are-had-t_977012.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/richard-paul-evans-1002_adversity_everyone-who-got-to-where-they-are-had-t_977012.png) > “Everyone who got to where they are had to begin where they were.” [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Achieving success requires starting from one's current circumstances, no matter how modest. **In simple terms:** Start where you are to succeed Key Takeaway Begin with what you have. Themes growth determination humility progress Mood inspirational practical Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - skill building - entrepreneurship Key Concepts Self‑actualization goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What resources can you leverage now? - How do you stay motivated early on? A Different Perspective Starting points may lack resources or support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begin/) [Got Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got-begin-1592917/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) ## Related quotes > [Don't let life discourage you; everyone who got where their are had to begin where their were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-let-life-discourage-you-everyone-who-got-where-their-are-had-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone who got where he is has had to begin where he was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/everyone-who-got-where-he-is-has-had-to-begin-where-he-was/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-paul-vi/everyone-who-got-where-he-is-had-to-begin-where-he-was/) [Pope Paul VI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-paul-vi/) > [Don't let life discourage you; everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/don-t-let-life-discourage-you-everyone-who-got-where-he-is-had-to/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [Before you begin a thing, remind yourself that difficulties and delays quite impossible to foresee are ahead. If you could see them clearly, naturally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-norris/before-you-begin-a-thing-remind-yourself-that-difficulties-and-delays/) [Kathleen Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-norris/) > [“Quitters don’t gain what they have started working on; waiters don’t start what they could have gained. What is common there is failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/quitters-don-t-gain-what-they-have-started-working-on-waiters-don-t/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Life is full of challenges, every one has the power to overcome them and meet them…so target your goal but not your problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassor-elkhataal/life-is-full-of-challenges-every-one-has-the-power-to-overcome-them/) [Nassor Elkhataal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassor-elkhataal/) > [This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/this-country-will-not-be-a-good-place-for-any-of-us-to-live-in-unless/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [“As you travel along the roads in life, there is a certain kind of peace that comes with knowing you're on the right path.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amaka-nkosazana/as-you-travel-along-the-roads-in-life-there-is-a-certain-kind-of/) [Amaka Nkosazana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amaka-nkosazana/) > [A real entrepreneur is somebody who has no safety net underneath them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kravis/a-real-entrepreneur-is-somebody-who-has-no-safety-net-underneath-them/) [Henry Kravis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kravis/) > [If I- if I competed in Bruno Sammartino's era, I'd have been champion for 20 years, too. No, I'd have been champion for 30…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cm-punk/if-i-if-i-competed-in-bruno-sammartino-s-era-i-d-have-been-champion/) [CM Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cm-punk/) > [People ask, 'What's the best role you've ever played?' The next one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kline/people-ask-what-s-the-best-role-you-ve-ever-played-the-next-one/) [Kevin Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kline/) > [Every successful person has faced, attacked, and conquered adversity somewhere along the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/every-successful-person-has-faced-attacked-and-conquered-adversity/) [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) > [When it gets difficult is often right before you succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-walker/when-it-gets-difficult-is-often-right-before-you-succeed/) [Jeffrey Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-walker/) > [If you wanted to put the world to rights, who should you begin with: yourself or others?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/if-you-wanted-to-put-the-world-to-rights-who-should-you-begin-with/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) ## More by Richard Paul Evans > [ The smells of Christmas are the smells of childhood \[p. 53\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/the-smells-of-christmas-are-the-smells-of-childhood-p-53/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [We are chained to that which we do not forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/we-are-chained-to-that-which-we-do-not-forgive/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [“I've found that when someone is beautiful on the outside, but spiritually dark inside, all that outer beauty is just lipstick on a pig.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/i-ve-found-that-when-someone-is-beautiful-on-the-outside-but/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [There are none so impoverished as those who do not acknowledge the abundance of their lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/there-are-none-so-impoverished-as-those-who-do-not-acknowledge-the/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [It's our memories that make us who we are. Without them, we're nothing. If that means we have to hurt sometimes, it's worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/it-s-our-memories-that-make-us-who-we-are-without-them-we-re-nothing/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [At one time in my career, Barnes and Noble bookstores categorized my books as religious fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/at-one-time-in-my-career-barnes-and-noble-bookstores-categorized-my/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [“I'm no one important or famous, no matter. It is better to be loved by one person who knows your soul than millions who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/i-m-no-one-important-or-famous-no-matter-it-is-better-to-be-loved-by/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [The first step of a journey is always the longest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/the-first-step-of-a-journey-is-always-the-longest/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [“Simply stated, earth is a school-a divine educational process custom-fit to each of us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/simply-stated-earth-is-a-school-a-divine-educational-process-custom/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [So much of young adult literature has turned dark, almost pathological. It's almost as if there is a race to see who can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/so-much-of-young-adult-literature-has-turned-dark-almost-pathological/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [If the errors of my life have profited me one great truth it is this: believe. Believe in your destiny and the star from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/if-the-errors-of-my-life-have-profited-me-one-great-truth-it-is-this/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [Some people in this world have stopped looking for beauty, then wonder why their lives are so ugly. Don't be like them. The ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/some-people-in-this-world-have-stopped-looking-for-beauty-then-wonder/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [“There's a big difference between us. I write non-fiction, you write fiction. I write truths that tell lies. You write lies that tell truths.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/there-s-a-big-difference-between-us-i-write-non-fiction-you-write/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [As a boy I heard this story in church. A man was patching a pitched roof of a tall building when he began sliding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/as-a-boy-i-heard-this-story-in-church-a-man-was-patching-a-pitched/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [I am facing the most difficult thing of my life, my own greatest failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/i-am-facing-the-most-difficult-thing-of-my-life-my-own-greatest/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) [Explore all 311 Richard Paul Evans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) ## More Adversity quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [When we have public success we also have private struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deion-sanders/when-we-have-public-success-we-also-have-private-struggles/) [Deion Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deion-sanders/) > [“The threats that resurfaced in the past 10 years were not an aberration. Al Qaeda and terrorism or one such threat, but it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/the-threats-that-resurfaced-in-the-past-10-years-were-not-an/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [“Every adversity is just another opportunity to excel a little more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/every-adversity-is-just-another-opportunity-to-excel-a-little-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Just because she doesn't talk about it, doesn't mean she isn't feeling it. She hurts, but she won't wear it on her sleeve. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfa-h/just-because-she-doesn-t-talk-about-it-doesn-t-mean-she-isn-t-feeling/) [Alfa H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfa-h/) > [Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buckham-kennedy/every-trial-endured-and-weathered-in-the-right-spirit-makes-a-soul/) [James Buckham Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-buckham-kennedy/) > [Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/honesty-by-evil-fortune-tried-finds-in-adversity-the-seed-of-praise/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [“Struggles are not associated to a particular people or creed, everyone struggles, not for the same reasons, but each has a personal struggle at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/struggles-are-not-associated-to-a-particular-people-or-creed-everyone/) [Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/) > [“Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/watch-a-man-in-times-of-adversity-to-discover-what-kind-of-man-he-is/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“Life is not about less mistakes but about more trials”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-sever/life-is-not-about-less-mistakes-but-about-more-trials/) [S.E. SEVER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-sever/) > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [When everything feels like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-everything-feels-like-an-uphill-struggle-just-think-of-the-view/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 5,001 Adversity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Everyone who got to where they are had to begin where they were.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Paul Evans" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/everyone-who-got-to-where-they-are-had-to-begin-where-they-were/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adversity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/everyone-who-got-to-where-they-are-had-to-begin-where-they-were/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/richard-paul-evans-1002_adversity_everyone-who-got-to-where-they-are-had-t_977012.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/richard-paul-evans-1002_adversity_everyone-who-got-to-where-they-are-had-t_977012.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/richard-paul-evans-1002_adversity_everyone-who-got-to-where-they-are-had-t_977012.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Everyone who got to where they are had to begin where they were.” — Richard Paul Evans", "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 Paul Evans", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Everyone who got to where they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/everyone-who-got-to-where-they-are-had-to-begin-where-they-were/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/everyone-who-got-to-where-they-are-had-to-begin-where-they-were/#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 } } ] } ```