--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A definite purpose, like blinders on a…" description: "\"A definite purpose, like blinders on a horse, inevitably narrows its possessor's point of view.\" — Robert Frost" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c31/robert-frost-371_blinders_a-definite-purpose-like-blinders-on-a-ho_1295419.png" --- # A definite purpose, like blinders on a horse, inevitably… ![“A definite purpose, like blinders on a horse, inevitably narrows its possessor's point of view.” quote by Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c31/robert-frost-371_blinders_a-definite-purpose-like-blinders-on-a-ho_1295419.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c31/robert-frost-371_blinders_a-definite-purpose-like-blinders-on-a-ho_1295419.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c31/robert-frost-371_blinders_a-definite-purpose-like-blinders-on-a-ho_1295419.png) > “A definite purpose, like blinders on a horse, inevitably narrows its possessor's point of view.” [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Purpose narrows perspective like blinders, limiting broader view. **In simple terms:** Strong purpose can limit vision. Key Takeaway Balance focus with openness. Themes purpose perspective limitations Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - career planning - creative projects - leadership decisions - personal growth Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What purpose limits your view? - How can you broaden perspective? A Different Perspective Overly narrow goals can miss opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Horse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horse/) [Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) ## Related quotes > [You try to do the best with what you've got and ignore everything else. That's why horses get blinders in horse racing: You look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-iovine/you-try-to-do-the-best-with-what-you-ve-got-and-ignore-everything/) [Jimmy Iovine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-iovine/) > [“First: I know that I have the ability to achieve the object of my definite purpose, therefore I demand of myself persistent, aggressive and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/first-i-know-that-i-have-the-ability-to-achieve-the-object-of-my/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I know that I have the ability to achieve the object of my Definite Purpose in life, therefore, I demand of myself persistent, continuous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/i-know-that-i-have-the-ability-to-achieve-the-object-of-my-definite/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Decide upon your major definite purpose in life and then organize all your activities around it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/decide-upon-your-major-definite-purpose-in-life-and-then-organize-all/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [“1.   A definite purpose backed by burning desire for its fulfillment.       2.   A”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/1-a-definite-purpose-backed-by-burning-desire-for-its-fulfillment-2-a-2/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“There may be human joy in doing good with definite purpose, but they who do good expecting nothing in return know a joy that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-maeterlinck/there-may-be-human-joy-in-doing-good-with-definite-purpose-but-they/) [Maurice Maeterlinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-maeterlinck/) > [“1. A DEFINITE PURPOSE BACKED BY BURNING DESIRE FOR ITS FULFILLMENT. 2. A DEFINITE PLAN, EXPRESSED IN CONTINUOUS ACTION. 3. A MIND CLOSED TIGHTLY…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/1-a-definite-purpose-backed-by-burning-desire-for-its-fulfillment-2-a/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“Be Certain: One cannot possibly guess their way through life. As every creation is manifested with a definite purpose by our Creator, so it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therone-shellman/be-certain-one-cannot-possibly-guess-their-way-through-life-as-every/) [Therone Shellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therone-shellman/) > [In Maycomb, if one went for a walk with no definite purpose in mind, it was correct to believe one's mind incapable of definite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/in-maycomb-if-one-went-for-a-walk-with-no-definite-purpose-in-mind-it/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [Every well built house started in the form of a definite purpose plus a definite plan in the nature of a set of blueprints.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/every-well-built-house-started-in-the-form-of-a-definite-purpose-plus/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“The seventh key is that you must have a major definite purpose for your life. You must have one goal that, if you accomplish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/the-seventh-key-is-that-you-must-have-a-major-definite-purpose-for/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [IDEAS CAN BE TRANSMUTED INTO CASH THROUGH THE POWER OF DEFINITE PURPOSE, PLUS DEFINITE PLANS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/ideas-can-be-transmuted-into-cash-through-the-power-of-definite/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The most practical of all methods for controlling the mind is the habit of keeping it busy with a definite purpose, backed by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-most-practical-of-all-methods-for-controlling-the-mind-is-the/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [What a different story men would have to tell if only they would adopt a DEFINITE PURPOSE, and stand by that purpose until it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/what-a-different-story-men-would-have-to-tell-if-only-they-would/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“With a definite purpose, plans of actions to fulfil purpose,high level of willingness to follow plans, and a never compromising nature. Living is at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adekoya-hazeez/with-a-definite-purpose-plans-of-actions-to-fulfil-purpose-high-level/) Adekoya hazeez ## More by Robert Frost > [The brain is a wonderful organ. It starts working when you get up in the morning, and doesn't stop until you get to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/the-brain-is-a-wonderful-organ-it-starts-working-when-you-get-up-in/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [When I see birches bend to left and right... I like to think some boy's been swinging them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/when-i-see-birches-bend-to-left-and-right-i-like-to-think-some-boy-s/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [“The promising young poets, the hopefuls? I'd name Richard Wilbur, Peter Viereck, Karl Shapiro, Elizabeth Bishop, Robert Lowell, John Ciardi...Leonard Bacon...but it is still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/the-promising-young-poets-the-hopefuls-i-d-name-richard-wilbur-peter/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [Lord, I have loved Your sky, Be it said against or for me, Have loved it clear and high, Or low and stormy...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/lord-i-have-loved-your-sky-be-it-said-against-or-for-me-have-loved-it/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [Let him that is without stone among you cast the first thing he can lay his hands on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/let-him-that-is-without-stone-among-you-cast-the-first-thing-he-can/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [It is only a moment here and a moment there that the greatest writer has. Some cognizance of the fact must be taken in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/it-is-only-a-moment-here-and-a-moment-there-that-the-greatest-writer/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [And of course there must be something wrong In wanting to silence any song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/and-of-course-there-must-be-something-wrong-in-wanting-to-silence-any/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [There are two kinds of teachers: the kind that fill you with so much quail shot that you can't move, and the kind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/there-are-two-kinds-of-teachers-the-kind-that-fill-you-with-so-much/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [The rose is a rose, And was always a rose. But now the theory goes That the apple's a rose, And the pear is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/the-rose-is-a-rose-and-was-always-a-rose-but-now-the-theory-goes-that/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [Forgive, O Lord, my little jokes on Thee, and I'll forgive Thy great big joke on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/forgive-o-lord-my-little-jokes-on-thee-and-i-ll-forgive-thy-great-big/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [What an exciting age it is we live in With all this talk about the hope of youth And nothing made of youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/what-an-exciting-age-it-is-we-live-in-with-all-this-talk-about-the/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [The footpath down to the well is healed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/the-footpath-down-to-the-well-is-healed/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [There is the fear that we shan't prove worthy in the eyes of someone who knows us at least as well as we know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/there-is-the-fear-that-we-shan-t-prove-worthy-in-the-eyes-of-someone/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [It's God - I recognised him from Blake's picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/it-s-god-i-recognised-him-from-blake-s-picture/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [Create and stir other people to create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/create-and-stir-other-people-to-create/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) [Explore all 624 Robert Frost quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) ## More Blinders quotes > [People in great groups have blinders on. Their work is all they see. They value failures as learning opportunities. They are optimistic, not realistic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/people-in-great-groups-have-blinders-on-their-work-is-all-they-see/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [I think too many times people can get rigid in life, put our blinders on, get locked into one way of thinking, and forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-smalley/i-think-too-many-times-people-can-get-rigid-in-life-put-our-blinders/) [Dave Smalley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-smalley/) > [But down the bagagge, take of the blinders, and see for yourself that this very place is the valley of the endless spring, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-daido-loori/but-down-the-bagagge-take-of-the-blinders-and-see-for-yourself-that/) [John Daido Loori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-daido-loori/) > [In transmitting the dharma, there is neither explanation nor teaching; there is neighter hearing nor attainment. Since explanations never really explains, nor are they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-daido-loori/in-transmitting-the-dharma-there-is-neither-explanation-nor-teaching/) [John Daido Loori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-daido-loori/) > [“But since the world is imperfect, we must put blinders on the senses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/but-since-the-world-is-imperfect-we-must-put-blinders-on-the-senses/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [We are wide-eyed in contemplating the possibility that life may exist elsewhere in the universe, but we wear blinders when contemplating the possibilities of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/we-are-wide-eyed-in-contemplating-the-possibility-that-life-may-exist/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [The natural world is the only one we have. To try to not see the natural world - to put on blinders and avoid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-bass/the-natural-world-is-the-only-one-we-have-to-try-to-not-see-the/) [Rick Bass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-bass/) > [I won't look it in the eye. As soon as I do, I get scared. You gotta walk the plank at some point, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-nakadate/i-won-t-look-it-in-the-eye-as-soon-as-i-do-i-get-scared-you-gotta/) [Laurel Nakadate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-nakadate/) > [ At what point do \[progressives\] take off our partisan blinders and start wondering whether a very powerful faction of Democrats actually continues to SUPPORT… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sirota/at-what-point-do-progressives-take-off-our-partisan-blinders-and/) [David Sirota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sirota/) > [“No emphaty when you had blinders on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/no-emphaty-when-you-had-blinders-on/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Somehow we allow, if a character goes to the dark side, if we're hooked into that character - I'm obsessed with Peaky Blinders. Those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-shuler-donner/somehow-we-allow-if-a-character-goes-to-the-dark-side-if-we-re-hooked/) [Lauren Shuler Donner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-shuler-donner/) > [“It was as if the blinders to his vision had been lifted and he wanted to make up for every moment the two of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kele-moon/it-was-as-if-the-blinders-to-his-vision-had-been-lifted-and-he-wanted/) [Kele Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kele-moon/) > [When things are going awry, it's time to put the blinders on and do your job. Just do your job. Don't worry about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-riggins/when-things-are-going-awry-it-s-time-to-put-the-blinders-on-and-do/) [John Riggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-riggins/) > [The successful people seem to have blinders on. Everything is straight ahead. They go forward and know exactly what they're going to do once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/the-successful-people-seem-to-have-blinders-on-everything-is-straight/) [Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/) > [I just try to do the best job I possibly can - put the blinders on, go to work and be the best you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-parcells/i-just-try-to-do-the-best-job-i-possibly-can-put-the-blinders-on-go/) [Bill Parcells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-parcells/) Browse all 85 Blinders quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A definite purpose, like blinders on a horse, inevitably narrows its possessor's point of view.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Frost" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/a-definite-purpose-like-blinders-on-a-horse-inevitably-narrows-its/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blinders" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/a-definite-purpose-like-blinders-on-a-horse-inevitably-narrows-its/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c31/robert-frost-371_blinders_a-definite-purpose-like-blinders-on-a-ho_1295419.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c31/robert-frost-371_blinders_a-definite-purpose-like-blinders-on-a-ho_1295419.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c31/robert-frost-371_blinders_a-definite-purpose-like-blinders-on-a-ho_1295419.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A definite purpose, like blinders on a horse, inevitably narrows its possessor's point of view.” — Robert Frost", "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": "Robert Frost", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A definite purpose, like blinders on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/a-definite-purpose-like-blinders-on-a-horse-inevitably-narrows-its/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/a-definite-purpose-like-blinders-on-a-horse-inevitably-narrows-its/#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 } } ] } ```