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There are people who make things happen, there are people who_x000D_ watch things happen, and there are people who wonder what_x000D_ happened. To be successful, you need to be a person who makes_x000D_ things happen.
Jim Lovell
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Success requires active participation and initiative rather than passivity.

This quote emphasizes the importance of taking action in order to achieve success. Jim Lovell distinguishes between three types of people regarding their engagement with life: those who actively create opportunities, those who observe events unfold, and those who are left confused by the outcomes. For anyone seeking to be successful, it underscores the necessity of being proactive and intentional in making things happen.

Themes

SuccessActionInitiativeProactivityEngagement

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech about teamwork: 'Let's be those who make things happen together.'

More from Jim Lovell

If you're going to go into space, you have to have an objective, a mission. Where do you want to go? Earth orbit? The moon? Mars? What's the technology to get there? You develop the technology for the mission.
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The vast loneliness is awe-inspiring and it makes you realize just what you have back there on Earth.
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When I circled the moon and looked back at Earth, my outlook on life and my viewpoint of Earth changed... Earth is a spaceship, just like Apollo - and just like Apollo, the crew must learn to live and work together. We must learn to manage the resources of this world with new imagination.
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Well, Frank, my thoughts are very similar. The vast loneliness up here at the moon is awe-inspiring, and it makes you realize what you have back there on earth. The earth from here is a grand oasis in the big vastness of space.
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People say, 'Did you violate Heaven?' Well, God is down here, too. If you believe in God, you believe in God here as well as 240,000 miles away.
Jim LovellRead
There are people who make things happen, there are people who watch things happen, and there are people who wonder what happened. To be successful, you need to be a person who makes things happen.
Jim LovellRead

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