---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's hard to stay on purpose if we don't…"
description: "\"It's hard to stay on purpose if we don't know what our purpose is.\" — Sam Horn"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/sam-horn-35159_goals_it-s-hard-to-stay-on-purpose-if-we-don-t_1379049.png"
---

#  It's hard to stay on purpose if we don't know what our…

![“It's hard to stay on purpose if we don't know what our purpose is.” quote by Sam Horn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/sam-horn-35159_goals_it-s-hard-to-stay-on-purpose-if-we-don-t_1379049.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/sam-horn-35159_goals_it-s-hard-to-stay-on-purpose-if-we-don-t_1379049.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/sam-horn-35159_goals_it-s-hard-to-stay-on-purpose-if-we-don-t_1379049.png)

> “It's hard to stay on purpose if we don't know what our purpose is.”

[Sam Horn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-horn/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Purpose is hard to maintain without a clear understanding of what that purpose actually is.

**In simple terms:** You need to know your purpose to stay focused.

Key Takeaway

Clarify your purpose.

Themes

purpose motivation self‑discovery

Mood

introspective thoughtful

Type

self‑help motivational

When to use this quote

- career planning
- life coaching
- spiritual practice

Key Concepts

goal setting personal development

Questions to Reflect On

- What defines your purpose?
- How can you discover it?

A Different Perspective

Finding purpose can be overwhelming.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/)

## Related quotes

> [I do the right thing on purpose. I don't do it by accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-do-the-right-thing-on-purpose-i-don-t-do-it-by-accident/)

[Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/)

> [“For decades now I've encouraged everyone to believe that making a good living at what you love is a possibility. If you stay on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-w-dyer/for-decades-now-i-ve-encouraged-everyone-to-believe-that-making-a/)

[Wayne W. Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-w-dyer/)

> [I do everything with a purpose, and I don't really pay attention to the negativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermaine-fowler/i-do-everything-with-a-purpose-and-i-don-t-really-pay-attention-to/)

[Jermaine Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermaine-fowler/)

> [I want a person to come into my life by accident &amp; stay on purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/i-want-a-person-to-come-into-my-life-by-accident-stay-on-purpose/)

[Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/)

> [Know who you are and do it on purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/know-who-you-are-and-do-it-on-purpose/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [You will never be indecisive if you know your purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/you-will-never-be-indecisive-if-you-know-your-purpose/)

[Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/)

> [The earth has Fates all her own. The earth has purpose. And we can only partially know what that purpose is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-caputi/the-earth-has-fates-all-her-own-the-earth-has-purpose-and-we-can-only/)

[Jane Caputi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-caputi/)

> [“... the only thing I was to do while living was to love everyone. That, she let me know, is the purpose of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-hanson-lasater/the-only-thing-i-was-to-do-while-living-was-to-love-everyone-that-she/)

[Judith Hanson Lasater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-hanson-lasater/)

> [Sometimes, you can't tell anybody how you really feel. Not because you don't know why; Not because you don't know your purpose; Not because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-you-can-t-tell-anybody-how-you-really-feel-not-because-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“When people know themselves as their purpose in life and their dreams for their lives, then they are happy, healthy, and flourish!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-g-brzycki-ph-d/when-people-know-themselves-as-their-purpose-in-life-and-their-dreams/)

Henry G. Brzycki Ph.D

> [“Know your purpose and you can climb any mountain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sascha-bosio/know-your-purpose-and-you-can-climb-any-mountain/)

Sascha Bosio

> [What do I believe in? All I know is that everything has a purpose and a cause. There are no accidents. Everything happens for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-do-i-believe-in-all-i-know-is-that-everything-has-a-purpose-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Never obliterate a man unthinkingly, the way an entire fief might do it through some due process of law . Always do it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/never-obliterate-a-man-unthinkingly-the-way-an-entire-fief-might-do/)

[Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/)

> [I know that if there’s a purpose for life, it was for me to hear Mozart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-know-that-if-there-s-a-purpose-for-life-it-was-for-me-to-hear-mozart/)

[Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/)

> [To have our needs met, to love, to be loved, to feel safe in this world and to each know our purpose, is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-have-our-needs-met-to-love-to-be-loved-to-feel-safe-in-this-world/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Sam Horn

> [If they can't repeat it, they didn't get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-horn/if-they-can-t-repeat-it-they-didn-t-get-it/)

[Sam Horn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-horn/)

> [There is nothing wrong with people that reasoning with them won't aggravate!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-horn/there-is-nothing-wrong-with-people-that-reasoning-with-them-won-t/)

[Sam Horn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-horn/)

> [Bullies are masters at holding others responsible for their misbehavior. Instead of claiming "the devil made me do it", they argue "You made me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-horn/bullies-are-masters-at-holding-others-responsible-for-their/)

[Sam Horn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-horn/)

> [Occasional kindness does not cancel out cruelty. Hitting is never acceptable under any circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-horn/occasional-kindness-does-not-cancel-out-cruelty-hitting-is-never/)

[Sam Horn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-horn/)

> [Books in your head help no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-horn/books-in-your-head-help-no-one/)

[Sam Horn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-horn/)

> [Anyone who consistently makes you feel bad is not helping you get better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-horn/anyone-who-consistently-makes-you-feel-bad-is-not-helping-you-get/)

[Sam Horn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-horn/)

> [“The quality of our relationships is directly proportionate to the quality of our communication.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-horn/the-quality-of-our-relationships-is-directly-proportionate-to-the/)

[Sam Horn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-horn/)

> [I have never met an author who was sorry he or she wrote a book. They are only sorry they did not write it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-horn/i-have-never-met-an-author-who-was-sorry-he-or-she-wrote-a-book-they/)

[Sam Horn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-horn/)

> [One sign of an excellent speech? 'Can people repeat something they heard, word for word?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-horn/one-sign-of-an-excellent-speech-can-people-repeat-something-they/)

[Sam Horn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-horn/)

> [Mistakes are doorways to discovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-horn/mistakes-are-doorways-to-discovery/)

[Sam Horn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-horn/)

> [Mistakes are the doorway to discovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-horn/mistakes-are-the-doorway-to-discovery/)

[Sam Horn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-horn/)

> [People don't want information; they want epiphanies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-horn/people-don-t-want-information-they-want-epiphanies/)

[Sam Horn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-horn/)

[Explore all 13 Sam Horn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-horn/)

## More Goals quotes

> [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/)

[Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/)

[Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/)

> [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [The goal of spiritual practice is full recovery, and the only thing you need to recover from is a fractured sense of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-goal-of-spiritual-practice-is-full-recovery-and-the-only-thing/)

[Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/)

> [Every drop of rain hits its appointed target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/every-drop-of-rain-hits-its-appointed-target/)

[John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/)

> [“Achieving mental harmony is one of the greatest goals and experiences in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kambiz-mostofizadeh/achieving-mental-harmony-is-one-of-the-greatest-goals-and-experiences/)

[Kambiz Mostofizadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kambiz-mostofizadeh/)

> [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/)

[Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/)

> [Too many times we flitter our energy into too many goals and in the process don't achieve much. Focus is very important in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaishali-kasture/too-many-times-we-flitter-our-energy-into-too-many-goals-and-in-the/)

[Vaishali Kasture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaishali-kasture/)

> [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/)

[Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/)

> [According to the best research, less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/according-to-the-best-research-less-than-3-of-americans-have-written/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/)

[Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/)

> [“What shapes us is not always our achievements but our omissions. Not lies; simply the truths we don’t tell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-tudor/what-shapes-us-is-not-always-our-achievements-but-our-omissions-not/)

[C.J. Tudor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-tudor/)

[Browse all 21,276 Goals quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It's hard to stay on purpose if we don't know what our purpose is.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sam Horn"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-horn/it-s-hard-to-stay-on-purpose-if-we-don-t-know-what-our-purpose-is/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Goals"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-horn/it-s-hard-to-stay-on-purpose-if-we-don-t-know-what-our-purpose-is/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/sam-horn-35159_goals_it-s-hard-to-stay-on-purpose-if-we-don-t_1379049.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/sam-horn-35159_goals_it-s-hard-to-stay-on-purpose-if-we-don-t_1379049.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/sam-horn-35159_goals_it-s-hard-to-stay-on-purpose-if-we-don-t_1379049.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It's hard to stay on purpose if we don't know what our purpose is.” — Sam Horn",
                "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": "Sam Horn",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-horn/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It's hard to stay on purpose...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-horn/it-s-hard-to-stay-on-purpose-if-we-don-t-know-what-our-purpose-is/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-horn/it-s-hard-to-stay-on-purpose-if-we-don-t-know-what-our-purpose-is/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
