--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Who runs in circles never gets far." description: "\"Who runs in circles never gets far.\" — Thornton Burgess" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/946/thornton-burgess-96622_circles_who-runs-in-circles-never-gets-far-31202_3120265.jpg" --- # Who runs in circles never gets far. ![“Who runs in circles never gets far.” quote by Thornton Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/946/thornton-burgess-96622_circles_who-runs-in-circles-never-gets-far-31202_3120265.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/946/thornton-burgess-96622_circles_who-runs-in-circles-never-gets-far-31202_3120265.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/946/thornton-burgess-96622_circles_who-runs-in-circles-never-gets-far-31202_3120265.jpg) > “Who runs in circles never gets far.” Thornton Burgess ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Circular effort yields little progress; true advancement requires linear focus. **In simple terms:** Running in circles wastes energy. Key Takeaway Choose a clear direction. Themes focus effort progress Mood determined reflective Type proverbial motivational When to use this quote - personal goals - career planning - project management - fitness training Key Concepts goal setting momentum Questions to Reflect On - What goal could you simplify? - How does focus change outcomes? A Different Perspective Linear paths can be harder to maintain than looping habits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Circles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circles/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Running in circles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running-in-circles/) ## Related quotes > [“The man who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/the-man-who-goes-farthest-is-generally-the-one-who-is-willing-to-do/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [No one ever gets far unless he accomplishes the impossible at least once a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/no-one-ever-gets-far-unless-he-accomplishes-the-impossible-at-least/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The person who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/the-person-who-goes-farthest-is-generally-the-one-who-is-willing-to/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/the-sure-thing-boat-never-gets-far-from-shore/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [She'll chase you around for a while, but there's going to be a day when she's going to stop running in circles for you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/she-ll-chase-you-around-for-a-while-but-there-s-going-to-be-a-day-2/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [She will chase you around for awhile; but there is going to be a day when she is gonna stop running in circles around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/she-will-chase-you-around-for-awhile-but-there-is-going-to-be-a-day/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [She'll chase you around for a while, but there's going to be a day when she's going to stop running in circles around you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/she-ll-chase-you-around-for-a-while-but-there-s-going-to-be-a-day/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I was running in circles, I hurt myself, just to find my purpose. Everything was so worthless, I didn't deserve this, but to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hollywood/i-was-running-in-circles-i-hurt-myself-just-to-find-my-purpose/) Hollywood > [President Bush says we've turned the corner in Iraq. What is that, about 16 corners we've turned? I think they call that running in circles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durst/president-bush-says-we-ve-turned-the-corner-in-iraq-what-is-that/) [Will Durst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durst/) > [“I’ve been grasping at nothing, running in circles, trying desperately to fill the emptiness inside with nothing but air. If I think about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-cohen/i-ve-been-grasping-at-nothing-running-in-circles-trying-desperately/) [Kerry Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-cohen/) > [“why am i always running in circles between wanting you to want me and when you want me deciding it is too emotionally naked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupi-kaur/why-am-i-always-running-in-circles-between-wanting-you-to-want-me-and/) [Rupi Kaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupi-kaur/) > [“That must have been what I looked like to my doctor friend. That must be what I look like to anyone with a real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/that-must-have-been-what-i-looked-like-to-my-doctor-friend-that-must/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [“Life is a feeling, not a thought. Thoughts come after life and feeling. Thoughts are outside life, but necessary for balance within our being.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cosmar/life-is-a-feeling-not-a-thought-thoughts-come-after-life-and-feeling/) [Robert Cosmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cosmar/) > [“When in trouble or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-in-trouble-or-in-doubt-run-in-circles-scream-and-shout/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A little tiny person with nothing to worry about running in circles, worried out of her mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/a-little-tiny-person-with-nothing-to-worry-about-running-in-circles/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) ## More by Thornton Burgess > [This saying is both true and terse: There's nothing bad but might be worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-burgess/this-saying-is-both-true-and-terse-there-s-nothing-bad-but-might-be/) Thornton Burgess Explore all 2 Thornton Burgess quotes ## More Circles quotes > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [Gambling has held human beings in thrall for millennia. It has been engaged in everywhere, from the dregs of society to the most respectable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-l-bernstein/gambling-has-held-human-beings-in-thrall-for-millennia-it-has-been/) [Peter L. Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-l-bernstein/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [If, for instance, they have heard something from the postman, they attribute it to a semi-official statement; if they have fallen into conversation with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/if-for-instance-they-have-heard-something-from-the-postman-they/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [Maybe this is a way of gaslighting myself, but I think of it this way: In certain circles, my grandpa was considered to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/maybe-this-is-a-way-of-gaslighting-myself-but-i-think-of-it-this-way/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [All my life's a circle; But I can't tell you why; Season's spinning round again; The years keep rollin' by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-chapin/all-my-life-s-a-circle-but-i-can-t-tell-you-why-season-s-spinning/) [Harry Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-chapin/) > [There's when a phrase circles in my head in a number of ways for any number of days, weeks, or months, and then that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/there-s-when-a-phrase-circles-in-my-head-in-a-number-of-ways-for-any/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) > [I have no name for what circles so perfectly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/i-have-no-name-for-what-circles-so-perfectly/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [It's important to recognize that expanding the circle of opportunity and increasing the democratic potential of our own society, as well as those across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-s-important-to-recognize-that-expanding-the-circle-of-opportunity/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [The fight against syphilis demands a fight against prostitution, against prejudices, old habits, against previous conceptions, general views among them not least the false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-fight-against-syphilis-demands-a-fight-against-prostitution/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [Tell them you came, and saw, and looked into my eyes and saw the shadow of the guard receding. Thoughts in time and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/tell-them-you-came-and-saw-and-looked-into-my-eyes-and-saw-the-shadow/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/) > [ \[Wise men\] have tried to understand our state of being, by grasping at its stars, or its arts, or its economics. But, if there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-fort/wise-men-have-tried-to-understand-our-state-of-being-by-grasping-at/) [Charles Fort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-fort/) > [You know Kim Jong Un, the evil dictator of North Korea? Apparently, a guy in his inner circle used his ashtray while smoking and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/you-know-kim-jong-un-the-evil-dictator-of-north-korea-apparently-a/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [The Brick House was one of the toughest joints I ever played in ... Guys would drink and fight one another like circle saws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-armstrong/the-brick-house-was-one-of-the-toughest-joints-i-ever-played-in-guys/) [Louis Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-armstrong/) [Browse all 1,860 Circles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circles/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Who runs in circles never gets far.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thornton Burgess" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-burgess/who-runs-in-circles-never-gets-far/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Circles" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-burgess/who-runs-in-circles-never-gets-far/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/946/thornton-burgess-96622_circles_who-runs-in-circles-never-gets-far-31202_3120265.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/946/thornton-burgess-96622_circles_who-runs-in-circles-never-gets-far-31202_3120265.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/946/thornton-burgess-96622_circles_who-runs-in-circles-never-gets-far-31202_3120265.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Who runs in circles never gets far.” — Thornton Burgess", "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": "Thornton Burgess", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-burgess/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Who runs in circles never gets...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-burgess/who-runs-in-circles-never-gets-far/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-burgess/who-runs-in-circles-never-gets-far/#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 } } ] } ```