John A. Shedd — A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.
A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.John A. Shedd
John A. Shedd, 'Salt from My Attic' (1928)
Safety is not the purpose; it is only the starting point. A ship kept forever at the dock is preserved and useless. Its whole design points outward, toward weather it was made to meet.
You were not built to keep your English safely inside your head. The point is to take it out — into conversations, mistakes, and open water. That is what it is for.
Words that widen the world
A sheltered place where ships are kept safe.
Synonyms: port, haven, dock
The ship left the safety of the harbor.
The reason something exists or is done.
Synonyms: aim, function, intention
Safety was never the ship's purpose.
Common questions
It means staying safe is not the goal of life; like a ship, we are meant to venture out and fulfill our purpose, even at some risk.
From John A. Shedd's 1928 collection of sayings, 'Salt from My Attic'.
Carry it with you
In your own words, what does this thought mean to you? Write three or four sentences in English about a moment when it felt true — saying it yourself is how it stays with you.
Read more from John A. Shedd
A hand-picked book or collection to sit with this idea longer. Affiliate links — replace # with your tagged URL.
Explore the readingLove this one? Order it as a print or poster → (shop coming soon)