---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For true success, it matters what our…"
description: "\"For true success, it matters what our goals are. And it matters how we go about attaining them. The means are as important as the ends. How we get ther..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/685/tom-morris-64500_goals_for-true-success-it-matters-what-our-goa_1477789.jpg"
---

#  For true success, it matters what our goals are. And it…

![“For true success, it matters what our goals are. And it matters how we go about attaining them. The means are as important as the ends. How we get there is as important as where we go.” quote by Tom Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/685/tom-morris-64500_goals_for-true-success-it-matters-what-our-goa_1477789.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/685/tom-morris-64500_goals_for-true-success-it-matters-what-our-goa_1477789.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/685/tom-morris-64500_goals_for-true-success-it-matters-what-our-goa_1477789.jpg)

> “For true success, it matters what our goals are. And it matters how we go about attaining them. The means are as important as the ends. How we get there is as important as where we go.”

[Tom Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morris/)

## About This Quote

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

The methods used to achieve goals are as vital as the goals themselves.

**In simple terms:** Means matter as much as ends.

Key Takeaway

Align actions with values.

Themes

ethics goal setting process

Mood

thoughtful serious

Type

philosophical analytical

When to use this quote

- business strategy
- personal development
- political policy
- environmental activism

Key Concepts

means‑ends integrity

Questions to Reflect On

- What ethical lines will you not cross?
- How do you measure success beyond outcomes?

A Different Perspective

Ends can justify means in emergencies.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Attaining Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attaining-means-5378509/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Goals Matters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals-matters-2416741/) [Matters Attaining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matters-attaining-5378510/) [Matters Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matters-goals-5378508/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success Matters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-matters-1573657/) [True success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-success/)

## Related quotes

> [If the quality and quantity of continuous effort toward goals matters as much as I think it does, we may actually get more productive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/if-the-quality-and-quantity-of-continuous-effort-toward-goals-matters/)

[Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/)

> [Success matters most when pain enters our lives. Pain hurts; yet, we must remember when tears are on the outside, healing is on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/success-matters-most-when-pain-enters-our-lives-pain-hurts-yet-we/)

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

> [Any success matters to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ledisi/any-success-matters-to-me/)

[Ledisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ledisi/)

> [“The opinion of success matters more than the opinions of your critics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/the-opinion-of-success-matters-more-than-the-opinions-of-your-critics/)

[Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/)

> [I believe that true success in bodybuilding nutrition comes from some variety in diet. It allows for more creativity, enables a bodybuilder to enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cheeke/i-believe-that-true-success-in-bodybuilding-nutrition-comes-from-some/)

[Robert Cheeke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cheeke/)

> [“...true success and prosperity comes when you are right where God wants you to be, doing what He wants you to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/true-success-and-prosperity-comes-when-you-are-right-where-god-wants/)

[Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/)

> [Knowledge is worth when we apply.willing is worth when we do,dream is worth when we work to make it true,success is worth when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/knowledge-is-worth-when-we-apply-willing-is-worth-when-we-do-dream-is/)

[DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/)

> [Your inner purpose is an essential part of the purpose of the whole, the universe and its emerging intelligence. Your outer purpose can change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/your-inner-purpose-is-an-essential-part-of-the-purpose-of-the-whole/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [True success in the N.B.A., you must have consistency of culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-spoelstra/true-success-in-the-n-b-a-you-must-have-consistency-of-culture/)

[Erik Spoelstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-spoelstra/)

> [I can tell you from experience that God's help and presence in our lives is vital. He is the Author of all true success…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/i-can-tell-you-from-experience-that-god-s-help-and-presence-in-our/)

[Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/)

> [True success comes to those who are inspired by Faith rather than envy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/true-success-comes-to-those-who-are-inspired-by-faith-rather-than-envy/)

[Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/)

> [True success is figuring out your life and career so you never have to be around jerks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/true-success-is-figuring-out-your-life-and-career-so-you-never-have/)

[John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/)

> [“True success is accepting yourself for what you have to offer rather than for what you cannot do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-shepp/true-success-is-accepting-yourself-for-what-you-have-to-offer-rather/)

[Dave Shepp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-shepp/)

> [True success depends more on character than on intellect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-armand-montapert/true-success-depends-more-on-character-than-on-intellect/)

[Alfred Armand Montapert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-armand-montapert/)

> [“True success is not measured by how much you have achieved but by how many times you've failed”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-leslie/true-success-is-not-measured-by-how-much-you-have-achieved-but-by-how/)

[Brian Leslie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-leslie/)

## More by Tom Morris

> [“Relativism too often is nothing more than a fancy last gasp of adolescent rebellion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morris/relativism-too-often-is-nothing-more-than-a-fancy-last-gasp-of/)

[Tom Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morris/)

> [“One moral of this little story might be that once you’ve burned a bridge with lies, it may be that nothing short of divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morris/one-moral-of-this-little-story-might-be-that-once-you-ve-burned-a/)

[Tom Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morris/)

> [“Neglect of what is genuinely human is the major reason why so many people in American business right now feel more victimized than helped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morris/neglect-of-what-is-genuinely-human-is-the-major-reason-why-so-many/)

[Tom Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morris/)

> [“There is nothing noble in being superior to some other man. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morris/there-is-nothing-noble-in-being-superior-to-some-other-man-the-true/)

[Tom Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morris/)

[Explore all 5 Tom Morris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morris/)

## 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": "For true success, it matters what our goals are. And it matters how we go about attaining them. The means are as important as the ends. How we get there is as important as where we go.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Tom Morris"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morris/for-true-success-it-matters-what-our-goals-are-and-it-matters-how-we/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Goals"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morris/for-true-success-it-matters-what-our-goals-are-and-it-matters-how-we/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/685/tom-morris-64500_goals_for-true-success-it-matters-what-our-goa_1477789.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/685/tom-morris-64500_goals_for-true-success-it-matters-what-our-goa_1477789.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/685/tom-morris-64500_goals_for-true-success-it-matters-what-our-goa_1477789.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“For true success, it matters what our goals are. And it matters how we go about attaining them. The means…” — Tom Morris",
                "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": "Tom Morris",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morris/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "For true success, it matters what...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morris/for-true-success-it-matters-what-our-goals-are-and-it-matters-how-we/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morris/for-true-success-it-matters-what-our-goals-are-and-it-matters-how-we/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
