--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't aim at success - the more you aim…" description: "\"“Don't aim at success - the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued;..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/viktor-e-frankl-668_goals_don-t-aim-at-success-the-more-you-aim-at_647805.jpg" --- # Don't aim at success - the more you aim at it and make it… ![“Don't aim at success - the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one's dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one's…” quote by Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/viktor-e-frankl-668_goals_don-t-aim-at-success-the-more-you-aim-at_647805.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/viktor-e-frankl-668_goals_don-t-aim-at-success-the-more-you-aim-at_647805.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/viktor-e-frankl-668_goals_don-t-aim-at-success-the-more-you-aim-at_647805.jpg) > ““Don't aim at success - the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one's dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one's surrender to a person other than oneself. Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it.”” [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success and happiness arise as by‑products of purpose‑driven dedication, not direct pursuit. **In simple terms:** Purpose leads to success and happiness. Key Takeaway Focus on meaningful work, not outcomes. Themes purpose success happiness Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - volunteering - creative projects Key Concepts meaning intrinsic motivation Questions to Reflect On - What cause gives your life meaning? - How can you serve others without expecting reward? A Different Perspective Chasing goals can create anxiety and disappointment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aim Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim-success-664078/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Pursued](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-pursued-1035697/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success Aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-aim-1150707/) [Success Let](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-let-580989/) [Success Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-like/) ## Related quotes > [“Don’t aim at success—the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/don-t-aim-at-success-the-more-you-aim-at-it-and-make-it-a-target-the-5/) [Viktor E. 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Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one's personal dedication to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/for-success-like-happiness-cannot-be-pursued-it-must-ensue-and-it-3/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“Messages “For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one’s dedication to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/messages-for-success-like-happiness-cannot-be-pursued-it-must-ensue/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [“...success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue...as the unintended side-effect of one's personal dedication to a course greater than oneself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/success-like-happiness-cannot-be-pursued-it-must-ensue-as-the/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/happiness-must-happen-and-the-same-holds-for-success-you-have-to-let-2/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it. I want you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/happiness-must-happen-and-the-same-holds-for-success-you-have-to-let/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) ## More by Viktor E. Frankl > [For the meaning of life differs from man to man, from day to day and from hour to hour. What matters, therefore, is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/for-the-meaning-of-life-differs-from-man-to-man-from-day-to-day-and/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“In the past, nothing is irretrievably lost, but rather, on the contrary, everything is irrevocably stored and treasured. To be sure, people tend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/in-the-past-nothing-is-irretrievably-lost-but-rather-on-the-contrary/) [Viktor E. 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Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [Man's last freedom is his freedom to choose how he will react in any given situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/man-s-last-freedom-is-his-freedom-to-choose-how-he-will-react-in-any/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [The more one forgets himself - by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love - the more human he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/the-more-one-forgets-himself-by-giving-himself-to-a-cause-to-serve-or/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“There is nothing in the world, I venture to say, that would so effectively help one to survive even the worst conditions as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/there-is-nothing-in-the-world-i-venture-to-say-that-would-so/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [Man's search for meaning is the chief motivation of his life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/man-s-search-for-meaning-is-the-chief-motivation-of-his-life/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [In a last violent protest against the hopelessness of imminent death, I sensed my spirit piercing through the enveloping gloom. I felt it transcend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/in-a-last-violent-protest-against-the-hopelessness-of-imminent-death/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“But happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/but-happiness-cannot-be-pursued-it-must-ensue/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [Being tolerant does not mean that I share another one's belief. But it does mean that I acknowledge another one's right to believe, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-that-i-share-another-one-s-belief-but-it/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“I think it was Lessing who once said, 'There are things which must cause you to lose your reason or you have none to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/i-think-it-was-lessing-who-once-said-there-are-things-which-must/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“I believe that my handicap will only enhance my ability to help others. I know that without the suffering, the growth that I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/i-believe-that-my-handicap-will-only-enhance-my-ability-to-help/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [“He main retain his human dignity even in a concentration camp. Dostoevsky said once, 'There is only one thing that I dread: not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/he-main-retain-his-human-dignity-even-in-a-concentration-camp/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) [Explore all 381 Viktor E. Frankl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) ## More Goals quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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