Ursula K. Le Guin’s quote, “It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters, in the end,” is a thoughtful reminder that goals are important, but they are not the whole story. The line, from her celebrated novel The Left Hand of Darkness, asks readers to look beyond destination-thinking and recognise the value of experience, growth, struggle, companionship and discovery along the way.
Quote of the day
“It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”
— Ursula K. Le Guin
The quote is often shortened as “It is the journey that matters, in the end.” Its meaning remains deeply relevant for anyone chasing a goal, building a career, healing from change or trying to understand what makes life meaningful.
People chase marks, promotions, money, recognition, titles, milestones, rankings and final results. Goals can be useful because they provide direction. But Le Guin reminds us that life is not lived only at the finish line.
The daily effort, the lessons learned, the people met, the failures endured and the inner changes along the way may matter more than the destination itself.
In simple terms, her message is: a goal gives the journey direction, but the journey gives life its meaning.
Meaning behind the quote
The quote means that destinations are valuable, but they should not blind us to the experience of getting there.
The first half — “It is good to have an end to journey towards” — acknowledges that goals matter. Human beings need direction, purpose and something to move toward.
But the second half — “it is the journey that matters, in the end” — gives the deeper lesson. The final destination may be brief, but the journey shapes who we become. It tests patience, builds character, deepens understanding and reveals what we truly value.
Le Guin’s line does not reject ambition. It asks ambition to become wiser.
Life lessons from Ursula K. Le Guin’s quote
1. Goals matter, but they are not everything
A destination can guide you, but it should not consume you. If you ignore the journey, you may reach the goal and still feel empty.
2. Growth happens on the way
The person you become while trying is often more important than the result you achieve.
3. Do not rush past your own life
Many people spend their days waiting for the next milestone. Le Guin’s quote reminds us that life is happening during the waiting too.
4. Struggle can carry meaning
A difficult journey is not always a wasted journey. It can teach endurance, humility, courage and perspective.
5. The end may change, but the journey remains yours
Sometimes the original goal shifts, fails or becomes less important. But the experience, learning and growth gained along the way still matter.
Who was Ursula K. Le Guin?
Her major works include The Left Hand of Darkness, The Dispossessed, A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore, The Lathe of Heaven and many essays and short stories.
Le Guin’s writing explored power, gender, freedom, language, ecology, identity, politics and the moral imagination. She helped show that science fiction and fantasy could ask profound questions about human society.
Ursula K. Le Guin’s influence and legacy
Her fiction often asked readers to think about different ways of living, governing, loving and understanding identity. She challenged fixed ideas about gender, power, hierarchy and progress.
That is why this quote feels so fitting from Le Guin. Her work repeatedly suggests that meaning is not found only in conquest, arrival or victory. Meaning often emerges through the long, difficult process of travelling, changing and seeing differently.
Why this quote still connects with modern readers
This quote connects today because many people feel trapped in destination anxiety. They believe life will begin after they get the job, finish the degree, buy the house, marry, move, earn more, become successful or reach some imagined future.
Le Guin’s quote gently resists that thinking. It reminds readers that the present path is not just a waiting room for the future.
For students, professionals, writers, travellers, parents and anyone going through transition, the line offers comfort and clarity: do not measure your life only by arrival. Notice what the road is teaching you.
Relevance of the quote in work, study and daily life
In work, the quote teaches that career growth is not only about the final title. Skills, relationships, discipline and self-knowledge are built along the way.
In study, it reminds students that learning matters beyond marks. Curiosity, resilience and understanding are also part of the journey.
In daily life, Le Guin’s quote can become a simple self-check: Am I so focused on the destination that I am missing what this journey is teaching me?
That question can make ambition more human and life more present.
Ursula K. Le Guin’s quote, “It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters, in the end,” is a timeless lesson on meaning and patience.
It reminds us that goals are useful, but they are not the whole of life.
Le Guin teaches that the journey is not merely the road to somewhere else. It is where we become ourselves. The destination may give us direction, but the journey gives us depth.
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