I can teach anybody how to get what they want out of life. The problem is I can't find anybody who can tell me what they want.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Twain highlights the difficulty of teaching people to achieve their goals when they haven't defined what those goals are.
- In plain terms
- You can't help people succeed if they don't know what they want.
- What can you take from it?
- Clarify your goals before seeking methods to achieve them.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Do you know what you truly want out of life?
Another view
Some people may not be able to articulate desires even with help.
More from Mark Twain
If you would have your fiction live forever, you must neither overtly preach nor overtly teach; but you must covertly preach and covertly teach.
Permalink to quote #139 Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please.
Permalink to quote #141 Never let your schooling interfere with your education.
Permalink to quote #138
Related quotes
All men should strive to learn before they die what they are running from, and to, and why.
James ThurberJames Thurber quote #20 Don't listen to what anybody says except the people who encourage you. If it's what you want to do and it's within yourself, then keep going and try to do it f…
Jake GyllenhaalJake Gyllenhaal quote #9 Few people know so clearly what they want. Most people can't even think what to hope for when they throw a penny in a fountain.
Barbara KingsolverBarbara Kingsolver quote #9