--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I do not believe in eternal progress…" description: "\"I do not believe in eternal progress, that we are growing on ever and ever in a straight line. It is too nonsensical to believe. There is no motion in ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a50/swami-vivekananda-53_believe_i-do-not-believe-in-eternal-progress-tha_2971877.jpg" --- # I do not believe in eternal progress, that we are growing… ![“I do not believe in eternal progress, that we are growing on ever and ever in a straight line. It is too nonsensical to believe. There is no motion in a straight line. A straight line infinitely projected becomes a circle. The force sent out will complete the circle and return to its starting place.” quote by Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a50/swami-vivekananda-53_believe_i-do-not-believe-in-eternal-progress-tha_2971877.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a50/swami-vivekananda-53_believe_i-do-not-believe-in-eternal-progress-tha_2971877.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a50/swami-vivekananda-53_believe_i-do-not-believe-in-eternal-progress-tha_2971877.jpg) > “I do not believe in eternal progress, that we are growing on ever and ever in a straight line. It is too nonsensical to believe. There is no motion in a straight line. A straight line infinitely projected becomes a circle. The force sent out will complete the circle and return to its starting place.” [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Progress isn’t a straight line; motion in a straight line is impossible, and a projected line becomes a circle, returning to its start. **In simple terms:** Progress is cyclical, not linear. Key Takeaway Embrace cycles of growth. Themes spirituality philosophy growth non‑linearity Mood contemplative hopeful Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - personal development - meditation practice - educational seminars - life coaching - philosophical discourse Key Concepts cyclical dynamics cosmic law self‑realization Questions to Reflect On - What cycles do you notice in your life? - How can you use circular motion as a metaphor? A Different Perspective The metaphor may oversimplify scientific concepts of motion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Circles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circles/) [Eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Straight line](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/straight-line/) ## Related quotes > [There is no motion in a straight line. A straight line infinitely projected becomes a circle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/there-is-no-motion-in-a-straight-line-a-straight-line-infinitely/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Society must cease to look upon 'progress' as something desirable. 'Eternal Progress' is a nonsensical myth. What must be implemented is not a 'steadily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/society-must-cease-to-look-upon-progress-as-something-desirable/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [Every body persists in a state of rest or of uniform motion in a straight line, unless it is compelled to change that state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/every-body-persists-in-a-state-of-rest-or-of-uniform-motion-in-a/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Look - The moon thumbs through night's book. Finds a lake where nothing is printed. Draws a straight line. That's all it can. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rolf-jacobsen/look-the-moon-thumbs-through-night-s-book-finds-a-lake-where-nothing/) [Rolf Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rolf-jacobsen/) > [An object in motion tends to remain in motion along a straight line unless acted upon by an outside force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/an-object-in-motion-tends-to-remain-in-motion-along-a-straight-line/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Every body continues in its state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line, except insofar as it doesn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/every-body-continues-in-its-state-of-rest-or-uniform-motion-in-a/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [Developing spirituality is critical to our eternal progress. The fruits of eternal progress are manifest in joy, peace, love, hope, increased confidence in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-l-jack/developing-spirituality-is-critical-to-our-eternal-progress-the/) [Elaine L. Jack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-l-jack/) > [Satan does not have a body, and his eternal progress has been halted. Just as water flowing in a riverbed is stopped by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/satan-does-not-have-a-body-and-his-eternal-progress-has-been-halted/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [There is never a day in any mans life when repentance is not essential to his well being in eternal progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/there-is-never-a-day-in-any-mans-life-when-repentance-is-not/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [I am not a strict constructionalist, believing that we seal our eternal progress by what we do here. It is my belief that God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-reuben-clark/i-am-not-a-strict-constructionalist-believing-that-we-seal-our/) [J. Reuben Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-reuben-clark/) > [“the line is not always straight..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-nassar/the-line-is-not-always-straight/) ليندا نصّار Linda Nassar > [The straightest line between a straight distance is two points.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-straightest-line-between-a-straight-distance-is-two-points/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [It was kind of a prodding myself to play I Walk The Line straight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/it-was-kind-of-a-prodding-myself-to-play-i-walk-the-line-straight/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [What is straight? A line can be straight, or a street, but the human heart, oh, no, it's curved like a road through mountains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/what-is-straight-a-line-can-be-straight-or-a-street-but-the-human/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [We can't really tell how crooked our thinking is until we line it up with the straight edge of Scripture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/we-can-t-really-tell-how-crooked-our-thinking-is-until-we-line-it-up/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) ## More by Swami Vivekananda > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The Hindus have a peculiar slovenliness in business matters, not being sufficiently methodical and strict in keeping accounts etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-hindus-have-a-peculiar-slovenliness-in-business-matters-not-being/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Renunciation is in our blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/renunciation-is-in-our-blood/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Let positive, strong, helpful thoughts enter into your brains from very childhood. Lay yourselves open to these thoughts, and not to weakening and paralysing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/let-positive-strong-helpful-thoughts-enter-into-your-brains-from-very/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Where can we go to find God if we cannot see Him in our own hearts and in every living being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/where-can-we-go-to-find-god-if-we-cannot-see-him-in-our-own-hearts/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [It is the free alone which never changes, and the unchangeable alone which is free; for change is produced by something exterior to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/it-is-the-free-alone-which-never-changes-and-the-unchangeable-alone/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Above all, India is the land of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/above-all-india-is-the-land-of-religion/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The awakening of the soul to its bondage and its effort to stand up and assert itself - this is called life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-awakening-of-the-soul-to-its-bondage-and-its-effort-to-stand-up/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [It is the Prana that is manifesting as motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/it-is-the-prana-that-is-manifesting-as-motion/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Though an atom is invisible, unthinkable, yet in it are the whole power and potency of the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/though-an-atom-is-invisible-unthinkable-yet-in-it-are-the-whole-power/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Nothing can be produced without a cause, and the effect is but the cause reproduced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/nothing-can-be-produced-without-a-cause-and-the-effect-is-but-the/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [All the strength and succour you want is within yourselves. Therefore make your own future. "Let the dead past bury its dead." The infinite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/all-the-strength-and-succour-you-want-is-within-yourselves-therefore/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Be brave! Be strong! Be fearless! Once you have taken up the spiritual life, fight as long as there is any life in you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/be-brave-be-strong-be-fearless-once-you-have-taken-up-the-spiritual/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“there is a continuity of mind, as the Yogis call it. The mind is universal. Your mind, my mind, all these little minds, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/there-is-a-continuity-of-mind-as-the-yogis-call-it-the-mind-is/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) [Explore all 1,889 Swami Vivekananda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [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/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I do not believe in eternal progress, that we are growing on ever and ever in a straight line. It is too nonsensical to believe. There is no motion in a straight line. A straight line infinitely projected becomes a circle. 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