--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's only ... when we're stripped of…" description: "\"It's only ... when we're stripped of purpose that we know who we are.\" — Samuel R. Delany" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/samuel-r-delany-2591_goals_it-s-only-when-we-re-stripped-of-purpose_1185765.png" --- # It's only ... when we're stripped of purpose that we know… ![“It's only ... when we're stripped of purpose that we know who we are.” quote by Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/samuel-r-delany-2591_goals_it-s-only-when-we-re-stripped-of-purpose_1185765.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/samuel-r-delany-2591_goals_it-s-only-when-we-re-stripped-of-purpose_1185765.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/429/samuel-r-delany-2591_goals_it-s-only-when-we-re-stripped-of-purpose_1185765.png) > “It's only ... when we're stripped of purpose that we know who we are.” [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When stripped of purpose, one discovers their true identity, implying purpose defines self-concept. **In simple terms:** Purpose reveals identity. Key Takeaway Find purpose to know yourself. Themes identity purpose self-discovery Mood introspective motivational Type philosophical personal When to use this quote - career counseling - life coaching - personal reflection Key Concepts philosophical psychology Questions to Reflect On - What gives your life meaning? - How does purpose shape your actions? A Different Perspective Purpose can be elusive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) ## Related quotes > [“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/) > [The money, the fame, if that comes, that's fantastic. But at the end of the day, my aim is to go to sleep at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-de-mori/the-money-the-fame-if-that-comes-that-s-fantastic-but-at-the-end-of/) [Mark de Mori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-de-mori/) > [Purpose is when you know and understand what you were born to accomplish. Vision is when you see it in your mind and begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-munroe/purpose-is-when-you-know-and-understand-what-you-were-born-to/) [Myles Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-munroe/) > [“I want my life to have a purpose. Do you know what I mean?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-monir/i-want-my-life-to-have-a-purpose-do-you-know-what-i-mean/) [Alexandra Monir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-monir/) > [I always knew who I was, and I always ran from my true purpose... I know what my job is. And I always ran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-gates/i-always-knew-who-i-was-and-i-always-ran-from-my-true-purpose-i-know/) [Kevin Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-gates/) > [“I know what is in your mind and in the mind of the youth. I know that your mind has one purpose and his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercer-mayer/i-know-what-is-in-your-mind-and-in-the-mind-of-the-youth-i-know-that/) Mercer Mayer > [God loves me. I'm not here just to fill a place, just to be a number. He has chosen me for a purpose. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/god-loves-me-i-m-not-here-just-to-fill-a-place-just-to-be-a-number-he/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [If you want to feel connected to your own purpose, know this for certain: Your purpose will only be found in service to others,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/if-you-want-to-feel-connected-to-your-own-purpose-know-this-for/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Children who know they are loved, know they have a purpose, and know they have a hope are prepared for anything this world wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kimmel/children-who-know-they-are-loved-know-they-have-a-purpose-and-know/) [Tim Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kimmel/) > [Your purpose...should always be to know...the whole that was intended to be known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-purpose-should-always-be-to-know-the-whole-that-was-intended-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I know what my purpose is. I know what I need to do out there on the floor. Sometimes you won't score a bunch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-allen/i-know-what-my-purpose-is-i-know-what-i-need-to-do-out-there-on-the/) [Ray Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-allen/) > [“For once in life i want no one to judge me ,not my parents not my friends no one..For once in life i want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanav-sharma/for-once-in-life-i-want-no-one-to-judge-me-not-my-parents-not-my/) Kanav Sharma > [The universe may have a purpose, but nothing we know suggests that, if so, this purpose has any similarity to ours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-universe-may-have-a-purpose-but-nothing-we-know-suggests-that-if/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“I saw with my eyes people with and without purpose, people with the purpose know where they are going and the others follow the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/i-saw-with-my-eyes-people-with-and-without-purpose-people-with-the/) Deyth Banger > [You drift through life and let things happen to you, or go by design and say, 'This is what I'm intended to do.' The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/you-drift-through-life-and-let-things-happen-to-you-or-go-by-design-2/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) ## More by Samuel R. Delany > [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > ['You spin in the sky, the world spins under you, and you step from land to land, while we . . .' She turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/you-spin-in-the-sky-the-world-spins-under-you-and-you-step-from-land/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [What you are will make you what you will become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/what-you-are-will-make-you-what-you-will-become/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [“People probably do hear watches go tic-tok. But I’m sure my childhood clock went tic-tic-tic-tic-tic-tic-tic…Why”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/people-probably-do-hear-watches-go-tic-tok-but-i-m-sure-my-childhood/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [“I wanted to get out, Vyme, to keep going and not be trapped, to be free… only I was cruel. I had the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/i-wanted-to-get-out-vyme-to-keep-going-and-not-be-trapped-to-be-free/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [A number of things in 'Dhalgren' are just meant to function as mysteries. They're mysteries when the book begins, and they're mysteries when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-number-of-things-in-dhalgren-are-just-meant-to-function-as/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [The pulp hero, though he may be a renegade, is a guy who doesn't feel. Anything. Ever. And for the adolescent male - pummeled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/the-pulp-hero-though-he-may-be-a-renegade-is-a-guy-who-doesn-t-feel/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [“they were nice in a useless sort of way, which is, after all, the only way to be truly nice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/they-were-nice-in-a-useless-sort-of-way-which-is-after-all-the-only/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [From 1968 on, I was pretty much the black, gay SF writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/from-1968-on-i-was-pretty-much-the-black-gay-sf-writer/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [“Neurotics, proceed with delusions of grandeur. Napoleon Bonaparte, take the lead. Jesus Christ, bring up the rear. Simulate severe depression. Non-communicative with repressed hostility.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/neurotics-proceed-with-delusions-of-grandeur-napoleon-bonaparte-take/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [“Do you follow the wrestling? Most people think it's illegal, but you can watch it there. Ruby and Python are on display this evening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/do-you-follow-the-wrestling-most-people-think-it-s-illegal-but-you/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [Spending practically every minute of your day on pure survival is an absolutely boring life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/spending-practically-every-minute-of-your-day-on-pure-survival-is-an/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [When what is is congruent to what is supposed, the reaction is functional and the mental processes competent. When what is and what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/when-what-is-is-congruent-to-what-is-supposed-the-reaction-is/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [Everyone in a position of authority is hysterical, and everyone else is pretending to be asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/everyone-in-a-position-of-authority-is-hysterical-and-everyone-else/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [Since I spent eighteen years of my life as a child, and nine years of that life as a pretty sexually active gay child,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/since-i-spent-eighteen-years-of-my-life-as-a-child-and-nine-years-of/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) [Explore all 158 Samuel R. Delany quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) ## 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 only ... when we're stripped of purpose that we know who we are.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel R. 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