--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It’s not about having more than the…" description: "\"“It’s not about having more than the others. It’s about being what you are, and being as good as possible at it, without succumbing to all the things t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/542/ryan-holiday-514_accomplishing_it-s-not-about-having-more-than-the-othe_709758.jpg" --- # It’s not about having more than the others. It’s about… ![“It’s not about having more than the others. It’s about being what you are, and being as good as possible at it, without succumbing to all the things that draw you away from it. It’s about going where you set out to go. About accomplishing the most that you’re capable of in what you choose. That’s…” quote by Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/542/ryan-holiday-514_accomplishing_it-s-not-about-having-more-than-the-othe_709758.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/542/ryan-holiday-514_accomplishing_it-s-not-about-having-more-than-the-othe_709758.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/542/ryan-holiday-514_accomplishing_it-s-not-about-having-more-than-the-othe_709758.jpg) > ““It’s not about having more than the others. It’s about being what you are, and being as good as possible at it, without succumbing to all the things that draw you away from it. It’s about going where you set out to go. About accomplishing the most that you’re capable of in what you choose. That’s it. No more and no less.”” [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focus on personal excellence rather than comparison; pursue goals with dedication and avoid distractions. **In simple terms:** Do your best without comparing to others. Key Takeaway Prioritize mastery over competition. Themes self‑improvement focus goal‑setting Mood determined reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - sports training - artistic creation - entrepreneurship - personal health Key Concepts excellence discipline intrinsic motivation Questions to Reflect On - What personal standards guide your work? - How do you resist external distractions? A Different Perspective May lead to neglect of collaboration or community benefits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accomplishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplishing/) [Accomplishing Capable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplishing-capable-1522945/) [Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose/) [Having](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having/) [Having Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-good/) ## Related quotes > [No one can manage you if you don't give them permission to do so. But if you are interested in accomplishing as much as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-maister/no-one-can-manage-you-if-you-don-t-give-them-permission-to-do-so-but/) [David Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-maister/) > [I can be a goofball sometimes. I love having a good time and being carefree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-boldman/i-can-be-a-goofball-sometimes-i-love-having-a-good-time-and-being/) [Spencer Boldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-boldman/) > [I'm like anyone else, if I'm not having a good time you'll hear it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/i-m-like-anyone-else-if-i-m-not-having-a-good-time-you-ll-hear-it/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/) > [Too many people get lost in the game of having a good time and being naive about things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-brown/too-many-people-get-lost-in-the-game-of-having-a-good-time-and-being/) [Steve Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-brown/) > [Having to top yourself is a good problem to have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-lord/having-to-top-yourself-is-a-good-problem-to-have/) [Phil Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-lord/) > [Well, I'm having a good time. Which makes me feel guilty too. How very English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/well-i-m-having-a-good-time-which-makes-me-feel-guilty-too-how-very/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [“For myself I can say that, having had every good thing that money can buy, an experience like another, I could part without a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/for-myself-i-can-say-that-having-had-every-good-thing-that-money-can/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [I think ambition can be having something that you're good at and love to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-duff/i-think-ambition-can-be-having-something-that-you-re-good-at-and-love/) [Hilary Duff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-duff/) > [“who achieve great things that the world will never forget, start out by accomplishing small things that the world will never see.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-burg/who-achieve-great-things-that-the-world-will-never-forget-start-out/) [Bob Burg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-burg/) > [In film, you have the luxury of accomplishing what you need in 24 frames every second. Comics, you only have five or six panels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-k-vaughan/in-film-you-have-the-luxury-of-accomplishing-what-you-need-in-24/) [Brian K. Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-k-vaughan/) > [“Doing nothing accomplishes nothing, gains nothing, changes nothing, and wins nothing. You have to make a move.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/doing-nothing-accomplishes-nothing-gains-nothing-changes-nothing-and/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [When we are accomplishing the good, the greatest opposition comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-smith-jr/when-we-are-accomplishing-the-good-the-greatest-opposition-comes/) [Joseph Smith, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-smith-jr/) > [I think about what I've accomplished and my career. I care about how many wins I have and whether I'm accomplishing my goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-creamer/i-think-about-what-i-ve-accomplished-and-my-career-i-care-about-how/) [Paula Creamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-creamer/) > [It feels wonderful to be accomplishing something on my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira-caine/it-feels-wonderful-to-be-accomplishing-something-on-my-own/) [Shakira Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira-caine/) > [I've been managing myself for some time now, and after accomplishing many goals here in Brazil, I knew it was time to make new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anitta/i-ve-been-managing-myself-for-some-time-now-and-after-accomplishing/) [Anitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anitta/) ## More by Ryan Holiday > [“If we can focus on making clear what parts of our day are within our control and what parts are not, we will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/if-we-can-focus-on-making-clear-what-parts-of-our-day-are-within-our/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“The areas of great interest to the Stoics all make an appearance here: virtue, mortality, emotions, self-awareness, fortitude, right action, problem solving, acceptance, mental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-areas-of-great-interest-to-the-stoics-all-make-an-appearance-here/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“With a business, we take most failures less personally and understand they’re part of the process.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/with-a-business-we-take-most-failures-less-personally-and-understand/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Many creatives want to be just the creator, or only “the idea guy.” They like that because it’s sexy and because that’s what comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/many-creatives-want-to-be-just-the-creator-or-only-the-idea-guy-they/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [Pretty much everyone's career starts the same way: with grunt work. Not just the cliched fetching of coffee, but other lowly tasks: taking notes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/pretty-much-everyone-s-career-starts-the-same-way-with-grunt-work-not/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [The greats - they protect their sleep because it's where the best work comes from. They say no to things. They turn in when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-greats-they-protect-their-sleep-because-it-s-where-the-best-work/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Where little danger is apprehended, the more the enemy will be unprepared and consequently there is the fairest prospect of success.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/where-little-danger-is-apprehended-the-more-the-enemy-will-be/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [We often learn the hard way that our world is ruled by external factors. We don't always get what is rightfully ours, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/we-often-learn-the-hard-way-that-our-world-is-ruled-by-external/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“From Rusticus … I learned to read carefully and not be satisfied with a rough understanding of the whole, and not to agree too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/from-rusticus-i-learned-to-read-carefully-and-not-be-satisfied-with-a/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [I wholeheartedly agree that many media 'standards' can feel disingenuous or, in fact, be a cover for less-than-honest behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/i-wholeheartedly-agree-that-many-media-standards-can-feel/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Remember: even what we get for free has a cost, if only in what we pay to store it—in our garages and in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/remember-even-what-we-get-for-free-has-a-cost-if-only-in-what-we-pay/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [It's your job to find a release and an outlet for the stress and the feelings. Never forget: the crazy stays at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/it-s-your-job-to-find-a-release-and-an-outlet-for-the-stress-and-the/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [Where the head goes, the body follows. Perception precedes action. Right action follows the right perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/where-the-head-goes-the-body-follows-perception-precedes-action-right/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [The risks of speaking extemporaneously are apparent the first time you wing it and promptly put your foot in your mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-risks-of-speaking-extemporaneously-are-apparent-the-first-time/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“The tools of the Internet and social media have made it possible to track, test, iterate, and improve marketing to the point where these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-tools-of-the-internet-and-social-media-have-made-it-possible-to/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) [Explore all 504 Ryan Holiday quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) ## More Accomplishing quotes > [It feels wonderful to be accomplishing something on my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira-caine/it-feels-wonderful-to-be-accomplishing-something-on-my-own/) [Shakira Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira-caine/) > [I think about what I've accomplished and my career. I care about how many wins I have and whether I'm accomplishing my goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-creamer/i-think-about-what-i-ve-accomplished-and-my-career-i-care-about-how/) [Paula Creamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-creamer/) > [When we are accomplishing the good, the greatest opposition comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-smith-jr/when-we-are-accomplishing-the-good-the-greatest-opposition-comes/) [Joseph Smith, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-smith-jr/) > [“Doing nothing accomplishes nothing, gains nothing, changes nothing, and wins nothing. You have to make a move.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/doing-nothing-accomplishes-nothing-gains-nothing-changes-nothing-and/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [In film, you have the luxury of accomplishing what you need in 24 frames every second. Comics, you only have five or six panels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-k-vaughan/in-film-you-have-the-luxury-of-accomplishing-what-you-need-in-24/) [Brian K. Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-k-vaughan/) > [“who achieve great things that the world will never forget, start out by accomplishing small things that the world will never see.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-burg/who-achieve-great-things-that-the-world-will-never-forget-start-out/) [Bob Burg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-burg/) > [I've been managing myself for some time now, and after accomplishing many goals here in Brazil, I knew it was time to make new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anitta/i-ve-been-managing-myself-for-some-time-now-and-after-accomplishing/) [Anitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anitta/) > [“Accomplishing is the combination of learning what to do, knowing how to do, and then doing until it's done.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accomplishing-is-the-combination-of-learning-what-to-do-knowing-how/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [So what you are accomplishing is entrenching yourself more and more in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/so-what-you-are-accomplishing-is-entrenching-yourself-more-and-more/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I keep accomplishing things, and maybe I've put too much pressure on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-rahm/i-keep-accomplishing-things-and-maybe-i-ve-put-too-much-pressure-on/) [Jon Rahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-rahm/) > [Your age is just a number. It should never hinder you from accomplishing your goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-age-is-just-a-number-it-should-never-hinder-you-from/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Make the decision, then do something, no matter how small, toward accomplishing what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/make-the-decision-then-do-something-no-matter-how-small-toward/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm a firm believer in goal setting. Step by step. I can't see any other way of accomplishing anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-m-a-firm-believer-in-goal-setting-step-by-step-i-can-t-see-any/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [Accomplishing the impossible means only the boss will add it to your regular duties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/accomplishing-the-impossible-means-only-the-boss-will-add-it-to-your/) [Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/) > [Not snow, no, nor rain, nor heat, nor night keeps them from accomplishing their appointed courses with all speed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/not-snow-no-nor-rain-nor-heat-nor-night-keeps-them-from-accomplishing/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) [Browse all 86 Accomplishing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplishing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It’s not about having more than the others. 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