--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The goal isn't to do work and hand it in…" description: "\"The goal isn't to do work and hand it in just before it's due. The goal is to do the work as beautifully as you can, faster than anyone else, so you ca..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/seth-1954_can-do_the-goal-isn-t-to-do-work-and-hand-it-in_2213006.png" --- # The goal isn't to do work and hand it in just before it's… ![“The goal isn't to do work and hand it in just before it's due. The goal is to do the work as beautifully as you can, faster than anyone else, so you can do more work.” quote by Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/seth-1954_can-do_the-goal-isn-t-to-do-work-and-hand-it-in_2213006.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/seth-1954_can-do_the-goal-isn-t-to-do-work-and-hand-it-in_2213006.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/seth-1954_can-do_the-goal-isn-t-to-do-work-and-hand-it-in_2213006.png) > “The goal isn't to do work and hand it in just before it's due. The goal is to do the work as beautifully as you can, faster than anyone else, so you can do more work.” [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Quality and speed should be pursued together; excellence isn’t about deadlines but about efficient, high‑standard work that enables greater output. **In simple terms:** Do work well and fast to achieve more. Key Takeaway Prioritize speed and excellence. Themes productivity efficiency excellence Mood motivational pragmatic Type business self‑help When to use this quote - project sprints - software development - creative design - academic research Key Concepts lean methodology time management Questions to Reflect On - What processes help you maintain quality under speed pressure? - Can speed ever replace thoroughness? A Different Perspective Rushing may compromise depth or creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [Dues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dues/) [Faster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faster/) [Faster Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faster-work-1537888/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goal Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal-isn-576220/) [Goal Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal-work-425361/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Just Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-goal-1606848/) ## Related quotes > [The faster you work, the better off you're going to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-buehrle/the-faster-you-work-the-better-off-you-re-going-to-be/) [Mark Buehrle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-buehrle/) > [“The smaller your ToDos, the faster you move work across the board. The more you retain your focus. The less multitasking you do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-smaller-your-todos-the-faster-you-move-work-across-the-board-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The faster you work and the more you get done, the better you feel. Most successful people work at a higher tempo of activity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/the-faster-you-work-and-the-more-you-get-done-the-better-you-feel/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [I believe in goals. It's never a bad thing to have a dream. If something is really what you want to do, just do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-believe-in-goals-it-s-never-a-bad-thing-to-have-a-dream-if/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I just had a goal and ambition. And, I guess, talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ego-nwodim/i-just-had-a-goal-and-ambition-and-i-guess-talent/) [Ego Nwodim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ego-nwodim/) > [Do something because you really want to do it. If you're doing it just for the goal and don't enjoy the path, then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalpana-chawla/do-something-because-you-really-want-to-do-it-if-you-re-doing-it-just/) [Kalpana Chawla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalpana-chawla/) > [Do not turn back when you are just at the goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/do-not-turn-back-when-you-are-just-at-the-goal/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [The primary goal isn't a financial gain; it's to put out interesting music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/girl-talk/the-primary-goal-isn-t-a-financial-gain-it-s-to-put-out-interesting/) [Girl Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/girl-talk/) > [There is a clear goal and it isn't to make money. The goal is to desperately try to make the best products we can.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/there-is-a-clear-goal-and-it-isn-t-to-make-money-the-goal-is-to/) [Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/) > [The goal isn't to live forever but to create something that will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-goal-isn-t-to-live-forever-but-to-create-something-that-will/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If your goal isn't scary and exciting, then it's not a big enough goal for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/if-your-goal-isn-t-scary-and-exciting-then-it-s-not-a-big-enough-goal/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [The goal isn't more money. The goal is living life on your terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brogan/the-goal-isn-t-more-money-the-goal-is-living-life-on-your-terms/) [Chris Brogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brogan/) > [“Our goal isn't contentment in and of itself. We're not after a mystical state of Zen. Our goal is to be content for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-altrogge/our-goal-isn-t-contentment-in-and-of-itself-we-re-not-after-a/) [Stephen Altrogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-altrogge/) > [The goal isn't to live forever. The goal is to create something that will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-goal-isn-t-to-live-forever-the-goal-is-to-create-something-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Our goal isn’t to predict something that will definitely happen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-webb/our-goal-isn-t-to-predict-something-that-will-definitely-happen/) [Amy Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-webb/) ## More by Seth > [I've certainly seen a lot of my cartoonist friends embrace 'Little Lulu' in a much deeper way because their kids love it so much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/i-ve-certainly-seen-a-lot-of-my-cartoonist-friends-embrace-little/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [We must be talented, powerful and resilient creatures indeed given how much we manage to produce despite the constant undercutting, ridicule and needless censorship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/we-must-be-talented-powerful-and-resilient-creatures-indeed-given-how/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [“If you become so frightened of realities that are not your own, if you take upon yourselves tragedies that do not exist in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/if-you-become-so-frightened-of-realities-that-are-not-your-own-if-you/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [The connection economy rewards the leader, the initiator, and the rebel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-connection-economy-rewards-the-leader-the-initiator-and-the-rebel/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [There is no other way to change your physical reality but by changing your thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/there-is-no-other-way-to-change-your-physical-reality-but-by-changing/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [The search for the right answer is the enemy of art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-search-for-the-right-answer-is-the-enemy-of-art/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [If you do not have a loving concern for the environment... it will no longer sustain you - you will not be worthy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/if-you-do-not-have-a-loving-concern-for-the-environment-it-will-no/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [The only real help is self-help. Anything else is just designed to get you to the point where you can help yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-only-real-help-is-self-help-anything-else-is-just-designed-to-get/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [The easiest thing is to react. The second easiest thing is to respond. But the hardest thing is to initiate. – When people ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-easiest-thing-is-to-react-the-second-easiest-thing-is-to-respond/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [“Love. It has always seemed to me that love is a combination of lust and pity. (...) I've got to have some feelings of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/love-it-has-always-seemed-to-me-that-love-is-a-combination-of-lust/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [My life is mine and I form it. Tell yourself this often. Create your own life now, using your beliefs as an artist uses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/my-life-is-mine-and-i-form-it-tell-yourself-this-often-create-your/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [There's a huge difference between the shallow pleasure of instant applause and the long-lasting impact of true connection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/there-s-a-huge-difference-between-the-shallow-pleasure-of-instant/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [Ideas that spread win. Ideas don't have to be selfish to win, in fact, it turns out that the more generous the interactions an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/ideas-that-spread-win-ideas-don-t-have-to-be-selfish-to-win-in-fact/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [A good job is largely anonymous and forgotten (but still important). A personal job, on the other hand, is humanized. It brings us closer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/a-good-job-is-largely-anonymous-and-forgotten-but-still-important-a/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [Don’t try to change someone’s worldview is the strategy smart marketers follow. Don’t try to use facts to prove your case and to insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/don-t-try-to-change-someone-s-worldview-is-the-strategy-smart/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) [Explore all 195 Seth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) ## More Can do quotes > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/anybody-can-be-prince-charming-one-day-a-year-with-the-dinner-and-the/) [Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [If people don't have their own vision, all they can do is 'sign-up' for someone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/if-people-don-t-have-their-own-vision-all-they-can-do-is-sign-up-for/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/) [James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [I'm not an educated man. I only know what I'm told, and I'm not told that much; I have no frame of reference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-not-an-educated-man-i-only-know-what-i-m-told-and-i-m-not-told/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) [Browse all 5,673 Can do quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The goal isn't to do work and hand it in just before it's due. The goal is to do the work as beautifully as you can, faster than anyone else, so you can do more work.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-goal-isn-t-to-do-work-and-hand-it-in-just-before-it-s-due-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Can do" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-goal-isn-t-to-do-work-and-hand-it-in-just-before-it-s-due-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/seth-1954_can-do_the-goal-isn-t-to-do-work-and-hand-it-in_2213006.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/seth-1954_can-do_the-goal-isn-t-to-do-work-and-hand-it-in_2213006.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/seth-1954_can-do_the-goal-isn-t-to-do-work-and-hand-it-in_2213006.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The goal isn't to do work and hand it in just before it's due. The goal is to do the work as beautifully as…” — Seth", "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", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The goal isn't to do work...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-goal-isn-t-to-do-work-and-hand-it-in-just-before-it-s-due-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-goal-isn-t-to-do-work-and-hand-it-in-just-before-it-s-due-the/#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 } } ] } ```