Summary

• Tolkien's quotes encourage embracing adventure, stepping out of comfort zones and trying new things.
• The smallest steps can lead to great travels - progress in adventures may be slow, but determination is key.
• Facing the unknown can be daunting, but escaping comfort zones can lead to extraordinary experiences.

J.R.R. Tolkien took readers on grand journeys in his writing leaving plenty of inspiring Tolkien quotes about adventure that can be meaningful to anyone. Tolkien’s works explore many different themes, but one of the central takeaways of his stories is that even the unlikeliest of people can have the grandest of adventures. In The Hobbit and his Lord of the Rings books, though there was plenty of danger to be found, it was all about the idea of embracing the adventure that lies before his characters and making the most of it.

Tolkien's iconic characters obviously found themselves on the more stereotypical adventures, fighting dragons and battling evil forces. However, within Tolkien's writings are the encouragement of all people to seek out adventure in life. That does not mean dropping everything to commit to dangerous expeditions, but could be the everyday adventures of stepping outside of comfort zones and trying something new. While it can be scary, these quotes from the author himself offer the kind of inspiration people sometimes need.

8 "Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost."

The Fellowship Of The Ring

Tolkien likes to challenge people's perception of the world even within his stories that are set in Middle-earth. This quote speaks to those people in life who seem to be in search of something but never find it. While others may look at those people with pity and wonder when they will be able to stop wandering and settle, that misses the point that the search might be part of the pleasure.

It is possible to venture out into the world without knowing where to go. The directionless pursuit can be daunting, but that is also when people often stumble upon something great or beautiful accidentally. Knowing the end goal can be helpful, but just because a person doesn't have one in mind doesn't mean they need one in order to have a purpose.

7 "You Step Onto The Road, And If You Don't Keep Your Feet, There's No Knowing Where You Might Be Swept Off To."

The Fellowship Of The Ring

Just as wandering without direction can be freeing, some of the best experiences come from having no plans at all. Frodo remembers this advice given to him as he faces his own great adventure and how getting the courage to start can be the hardest part. Frodo proves himself to be the bravest of the characters in the story, not because he is the most powerful Lord of the Rings character, but because he is willing to venture further than he ever has without knowing what awaits him.

There is comfort and security to knowing what is in store every day.

This courage can be found in everyday people even if it is not celebrated as much as it should be. There is comfort and security to knowing what is in store every day. However, embracing the fear of the unplanned can be exciting and something that can only be experienced by taking those first steps.

6 "Home Is Behind, The World Ahead."

The Fellowship Of The Ring

There is nothing wrong with enjoying the comfort of home. However, such comfort can be a prison at times and it is important to escape it, no matter how reluctant a person is to do so. This inspiring phrase is featured in one of Bilbo Baggins' songs in The Lord of the Rings and is also used by Gandalf in the first of the Hobbit movies to encourage him on in his journey.

The phrase is perfect for those who fear leaving the house but do so anyway. While it is all too easy to return to the comfort of home, this is a reminder that once out the door, there is a whole world ahead and no time to look back. Once an adventure begins, embrace the fun of it and never worry about how to get things back to normal.

5 "Little By Little, One Travels Far."

The Fellowship Of The Ring

Long journeys can seem daunting. But just like everything else in life, they’re completed one step at a time. Whether it’s a grueling hike or an undergraduate degree, the only way to get to the end is to keep moving, even if it’s slowly. No matter how small a person's stride is, as long as they take enough steps, they'll be able to travel further than they ever imagined.

No adventure worth taking is completed with ease and the progress will sometimes be slower than people hope. However, determination and persistence are enough to achieve great things. Tolkien loves to remind readers of what can be accomplished by the smallest and most unassuming people, as with his heroic Hobbit characters.

4 "The Wide World Is All About You: You Can Fence Yourselves In, But You Cannot For Ever Fence It Out."

The Fellowship Of The Ring

Sometimes leaving the comfort of one's life is not something they should do, but something they have to do. Frodo lived a peaceful life in The Shire, never really wondering much about the world beyond. However, the One Ring brings news of a great danger that faces all of Middle-earth. With this quote, Gandalf warns Frodo that he cannot hide from the reality of the world forever and, like it or not, he will be faced with it.

It is a powerful quote that is something that remains applicable to modern times. There are things in the world that are uncomfortable, unpleasant, and difficult. However, shutting the door and pretending these things do not exist will not truly make them go away. Everyone is confronted with the real world sooner or later and it is best to face it head on.

3 "Then Something Tookish Woke Up Inside Him, And He Wished To Go And See The Great Mountains, And Hear The Pine-Trees And The Waterfalls, And Explore The Caves, And Wear A Sword Instead Of A Walking-Stick."

The Hobbit

Bilbo Baggins is one of the great reluctant heroes in literature. He is a man content with his easy-going existence until the idea of an adventure is presented to him. He is not forced, paid, or tricked. He is simply presented with the opportunity to take it or not. Though he refuses at first, Bilbo cannot ignore the stirring of adventure and the idea of missing out.

Although part of human nature is to crave stability, it’s not a love of routine that leads people to cross oceans and explore lands unknown. Pursuing adventure is as much a part of humanity as seeking security, and the key to living a full life is finding a balance between these two intrinsic drives. Meeting different people and having new experiences can lead to entirely new perspectives. It is something everyone knows deep down, and it is only a matter of how they react when their feeling for adventure stirs.

2 "Don't Adventures Ever Have An End? I Suppose Not. Someone Else Always Has To Carry On The Story."

The Fellowship Of The Ring

The end of the Lord of the Rings trilogy was often criticized for being drawn out and seemingly having multiple endings. Not only did the long conclusion seem earned given the epic trilogy that had been accomplished, but the ending perfectly captures part of the theme Tolkien wrote about. Though one adventure ends, the stories of it will help inspire the next person and the next, ensuring that it forever continues.

For those who love adventure, it can be scary to imagine our escapades coming to an end. However, when it is finally time to settle down, the adventure never truly comes to an end, as long as it lives on in the memories that are shared. Frodo might never have gone on his own adventure without the stories of Bilbo's quest. Sometimes, hearing the experiences of others makes people want to make their own.

1 "The World Is Not In Your Books And Maps, It Is Out There."

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

There are also endless opportunities to explore the world through reading and researching without ever having to leave home.

Thanks to great authors like Tolkien, the world has been given the chance to experience grand adventures within the pages of their books. There are also endless opportunities to explore the world through reading and researching without ever having to leave home. These avenues are important and learning is the key to broadening a person's mind. However, there is also nothing like experience itself.

There are things that can simply not be read in a book, seen in a movie, or drawn on a map. To go out in the world is to truly understand what it is about. It is by seeing the world and trying new things that those books get filled in the first place. Indeed, both Bilbo and Frodo needed to leave the Shire and see the rest of Middle-earth in order to complete their stories that could be passed on to others.