---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As soon as we associate reading with a…"
description: "\"As soon as we associate reading with a test, we've missed the point.\" — Seth Godin"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b9/seth-godin-152_missed_as-soon-as-we-associate-reading-with-a-t_838714.png"
---

#  As soon as we associate reading with a test, we've missed…

![“As soon as we associate reading with a test, we've missed the point.” quote by Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b9/seth-godin-152_missed_as-soon-as-we-associate-reading-with-a-t_838714.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b9/seth-godin-152_missed_as-soon-as-we-associate-reading-with-a-t_838714.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b9/seth-godin-152_missed_as-soon-as-we-associate-reading-with-a-t_838714.png)

> “As soon as we associate reading with a test, we've missed the point.”

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

## About This Quote

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

Linking reading solely to testing undermines its intrinsic value.

**In simple terms:** Reading for tests loses its true purpose.

Key Takeaway

Read for curiosity, not just grades.

Themes

learning intrinsic motivation education

Mood

thoughtful encouraging

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- school curricula
- self‑study
- professional development

Key Concepts

critical thinking lifelong learning

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you enjoy reading beyond exams?
- What habits promote deeper comprehension?

A Different Perspective

Testing can still motivate learning if designed well.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/)

## Related quotes

> [“Not being excited is to have missed the whole point of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-chandler/not-being-excited-is-to-have-missed-the-whole-point-of-life/)

[Steve Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-chandler/)

> [If you don't laugh at all, you've missed the point. If you only laugh, you've missed your chance from illumination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/if-you-don-t-laugh-at-all-you-ve-missed-the-point-if-you-only-laugh/)

[Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/)

> [They's a heap more to God's will than death, disapoint-ment, and like thet. Hit's God's will for us to be good and do good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olive-ann-burns/they-s-a-heap-more-to-god-s-will-than-death-disapoint-ment-and-like/)

[Olive Ann Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olive-ann-burns/)

> [When music fails to agree to the ear, to soothe the ear and the heart and the senses, then it has missed the point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-callas/when-music-fails-to-agree-to-the-ear-to-soothe-the-ear-and-the-heart-2/)

[Maria Callas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-callas/)

> [“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster’—I guess I missed the point of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-frank/whoever-fights-monsters-should-see-to-it-that-in-the-process-he-does-8/)

[Ella Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-frank/)

> [Your calamity was sent to bring you back to the Quran. But the greater calamity is that you missed the point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin/your-calamity-was-sent-to-bring-you-back-to-the-quran-but-the-greater/)

[Yasmin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin/)

> [“missed that point for a long time. I had spent so much of my life concentrating on the “fruit” of my own personal holiness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-weaver/missed-that-point-for-a-long-time-i-had-spent-so-much-of-my-life/)

[Joanna Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-weaver/)

> [“If we use our religion to make us feel bigger, better, stronger than another, instead of secure enough to be one with each other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-f-glassman/if-we-use-our-religion-to-make-us-feel-bigger-better-stronger-than/)

[Charles F. Glassman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-f-glassman/)

> [“If the only thing we have when we leave a time of Bible study is more head knowledge and a spiritual to-do list for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevin-wax/if-the-only-thing-we-have-when-we-leave-a-time-of-bible-study-is-more/)

Trevin Wax

> [When I watch dance, most of the time I just see a potential that is not there at all. I just see they missed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/when-i-watch-dance-most-of-the-time-i-just-see-a-potential-that-is/)

[Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/)

> [As I review my life, I feel I must have missed the point, either then or now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/as-i-review-my-life-i-feel-i-must-have-missed-the-point-either-then/)

[Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/)

> [At the heart of anything good there should be a kernel of something undefinable, and if you can define it, or claim to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-peel/at-the-heart-of-anything-good-there-should-be-a-kernel-of-something/)

[John Peel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-peel/)

> [“A friend said, "Ah, I get it. All of my life I have gone into every next event asking, in effect, What's in it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/a-friend-said-ah-i-get-it-all-of-my-life-i-have-gone-into-every-next/)

[Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/)

> [In recent days, the media, as it usually does, has missed the whole point on immigration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/in-recent-days-the-media-as-it-usually-does-has-missed-the-whole/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [You missed the point completely! You're acting..." The word stuck in my throat. He didn't hesitate to say it. "Jealous?" When I nodded, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-v-snyder/you-missed-the-point-completely-you-re-acting-the-word-stuck-in-my/)

[Maria V. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-v-snyder/)

## More by Seth Godin

> [“You weren't born to be a cog in the giant industrial machine. You were trained to become a cog. There's an alternative available to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/you-weren-t-born-to-be-a-cog-in-the-giant-industrial-machine-you-were/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [Forgive yourself for not being the richest, the thinnest, the tallest, the one with the best hair. Forgive yourself for not being the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/forgive-yourself-for-not-being-the-richest-the-thinnest-the-tallest/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [The easier it is to quantify, the less it's worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-easier-it-is-to-quantify-the-less-it-s-worth/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [Developing expertise or assets that are not easily copied is essential; otherwise you're just a middleman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/developing-expertise-or-assets-that-are-not-easily-copied-is/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [Leadership is a choice. It's the choice not to do nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/leadership-is-a-choice-it-s-the-choice-not-to-do-nothing/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [The next thing you do today will be the most important thing on your agenda, because, after all, you're doing it next. Well, perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-next-thing-you-do-today-will-be-the-most-important-thing-on-your/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [I look at Starbucks, Howard Schultz has made many brilliant decisions, and one of the things that they did was they invented the third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/i-look-at-starbucks-howard-schultz-has-made-many-brilliant-decisions/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [Be relentlessly generous, without focusing on when it will come back to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/be-relentlessly-generous-without-focusing-on-when-it-will-come-back/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [The public square is more public than ever, but minds are rarely changed in 140 character bursts and by selfies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-public-square-is-more-public-than-ever-but-minds-are-rarely/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [Making an average pitch to average people, or having an average gala for average people isn't going to scale anymore. You've got to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/making-an-average-pitch-to-average-people-or-having-an-average-gala/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [Our job is to make change. Our job is to connect to people, to interact with them in a way that leaves them better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/our-job-is-to-make-change-our-job-is-to-connect-to-people-to-interact/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [“Life is actually far better than it is in the movies. And it takes longer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/life-is-actually-far-better-than-it-is-in-the-movies-and-it-takes/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [I don't think there's a shortage of remarkable ideas. I think your business has plenty of great opportunities to do great things. Nope, what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-shortage-of-remarkable-ideas-i-think-your/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [The mirror we hold up to the person next to us is one of the most important pictures she will ever see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-mirror-we-hold-up-to-the-person-next-to-us-is-one-of-the-most/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [If you're a marketer who doesn't know how to invent, design, influence, adapt, and ultimately discard products, then you're no longer a marketer. You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/if-you-re-a-marketer-who-doesn-t-know-how-to-invent-design-influence/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

[Explore all 1,110 Seth Godin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

## More Missed quotes

> [What is interesting in Washington, D.C., is I've never missed a vote. The veterans' committee keeps track of hearings, and I've never missed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/what-is-interesting-in-washington-d-c-is-i-ve-never-missed-a-vote-the/)

[Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/)

> [I was so drunk last night I fell down and missed the floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-martin/i-was-so-drunk-last-night-i-fell-down-and-missed-the-floor/)

[Dean Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-martin/)

> [“I think I’ve missed you all my life,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-h-cosway/i-think-i-ve-missed-you-all-my-life/)

[L.H. Cosway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-h-cosway/)

> [“My boy doesn’t want to come out of there baby, he missed his mama.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-silver/my-boy-doesn-t-want-to-come-out-of-there-baby-he-missed-his-mama/)

[Jordan Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-silver/)

> [I'm so sorry I missed your birthday, I hope that you had a wonderful day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-so-sorry-i-missed-your-birthday-i-hope-that-you-had-a-wonderful/)

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

> [Pleaseure missed today might be missed forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ofer/pleaseure-missed-today-might-be-missed-forever/)

Ofer

> [“I've had recurring nightmares that I was loved for who I am...and missed the opportunity to be a better man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muse/i-ve-had-recurring-nightmares-that-i-was-loved-for-who-i-am-and/)

[Muse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muse/)

> [Realising that no one missed you hurts, Finding out no one realised you were gone kills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/realising-that-no-one-missed-you-hurts-finding-out-no-one-realised/)

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

> [There have been trade-offs every day, every month, every year. There's a lot that I missed and I do have regrets in that area.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-woodruff/there-have-been-trade-offs-every-day-every-month-every-year-there-s-a/)

[Judy Woodruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-woodruff/)

> [I got this emptiness inside that got me fighting for approval because I missed out on my daddy saying, Way to Go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/i-got-this-emptiness-inside-that-got-me-fighting-for-approval-because/)

[Lecrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/)

> [I have a very low tolerance for boredom and often think I would have missed out on books entirely if Id grown up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/i-have-a-very-low-tolerance-for-boredom-and-often-think-i-would-have/)

[Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/)

> [I've missed out on a European Cup final because I was injured three weeks beforehand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-neill/i-ve-missed-out-on-a-european-cup-final-because-i-was-injured-three/)

[Martin O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-neill/)

> [I managed to get onto 'The Hobbit,' which is a story in itself. I missed the main round of auditions but managed to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-stevens/i-managed-to-get-onto-the-hobbit-which-is-a-story-in-itself-i-missed/)

[Conan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-stevens/)

> [If I worried about things I have missed, it would lead to depression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saswata-chatterjee/if-i-worried-about-things-i-have-missed-it-would-lead-to-depression/)

[Saswata Chatterjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saswata-chatterjee/)

> [I missed you today and nearly cried but to keep true to my promise to you I didnt cry but to really tell you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-missed-you-today-and-nearly-cried-but-to-keep-true-to-my-promise-to/)

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

Browse all 1,029 Missed quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "As soon as we associate reading with a test, we've missed the point.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Seth Godin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/as-soon-as-we-associate-reading-with-a-test-we-ve-missed-the-point/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Missed"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/as-soon-as-we-associate-reading-with-a-test-we-ve-missed-the-point/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b9/seth-godin-152_missed_as-soon-as-we-associate-reading-with-a-t_838714.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b9/seth-godin-152_missed_as-soon-as-we-associate-reading-with-a-t_838714.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b9/seth-godin-152_missed_as-soon-as-we-associate-reading-with-a-t_838714.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“As soon as we associate reading with a test, we've missed the point.” — Seth Godin",
                "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": "Seth Godin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "As soon as we associate reading...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/as-soon-as-we-associate-reading-with-a-test-we-ve-missed-the-point/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/as-soon-as-we-associate-reading-with-a-test-we-ve-missed-the-point/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
