Ambition makes more trusty slaves than need
—Ben Jonson (1572–1637) English Dramatist, Poet, Actor
What I aspired to be and was not, comforts me.
—Robert Browning (1812–89) English Poet
Without ambition one starts nothing. Without work one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it. The man who knows how will always have a job. The man who also knows why will always be his boss. As to methods there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.
—W. W. Ziege
Don’t be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated; you can’t cross a chasm in two small jumps.
—David Lloyd George (1863–1945) British Liberal Statesman
Ambition. An overmastering desire to be vilified by enemies while living and made ridiculous by friends when dead.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.
—Timothy Leary (1920–96) American Psychologist, Author
Though ambition itself is a vice, it is often the parent of virtues.
—Quintilian (c.35–c.100 CE) Roman Rhetorician, Literary Critic
He who would rise in the world should veil his ambitions with the forms of humanity.
—Chinese Proverb
He, who opens his heart for ambition, closes it for the rest.
—Chinese Proverb
Ambition is a vice, but it may be the father of virtue.
—Quintilian (c.35–c.100 CE) Roman Rhetorician, Literary Critic
If your energy is as boundless as your ambition, total commitment may be a way of life you should seriously consider.
—Joyce Brothers (1927–2013) American Psychologist, Advice Columnist
Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings.
—Salvador Dali (1904–89) Spanish Painter
I do not fear failure. I only fear the “slowing up” of the engine inside of me which is pounding, saying, “Keep going, someone must be on top, why not you?”
—George S. Patton (1885–1945) American Military Leader
If we don’t start, it’s certain we can’t arrive.
—Zig Ziglar (1926–2012) American Author
We must love stupid people better than ourselves; are they not the really unfortunate ones of this world? Do not people without taste and without ideal grow constantly weary, rejoicing in nothing, and being quite useless here below?
—George Sand (1804–76) French Novelist, Dramatist
Pride is still aiming at the best houses: Men would be angels, angels would be gods. Aspiring to be gods, if angels fell; aspiring to be angels men rebel.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Ambition destroys its possessor.
—Hebrew Proverb
Goethe tells us in his greatest poem that Faust lost the liberty of his soul when he said to the passing moment, ‘Stay, thou art so fair.’
—Robert F. Kennedy (1925–68) American Politician, Civil Rights Activist
The same sun which gilds all nature, and exhilarates the whole creation, does not shine upon disappointed ambition.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
So many worlds, so much to do,
So little done, such things to be.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–92) British Poet
The comfort zone takes our greatest aspirations and turns them into excuses for not bothering to aspire.
—Peter McWilliams (1949–2000) American Author, Activist
Ambition often puts men upon doing the meanest offices; so climbing is performed in the same posture with creeping.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are thoroughly alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger after them.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
Ambition is to the mind what the cap is to the falcon; it blinds us first, and then compels us to tower by reason of our blindness.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Ambition is but the evil shadow of aspiration.
—George MacDonald (1824–1905) Scottish Novelist, Lecturer, Poet
Think. Think about your appearance, associations, actions, ambitions, accomplishment.
—Thomas J. Watson, Sr. (1874–1956) American Business Executive
Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principals which direct them.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
Ambition is the last refuge of the failure.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Too often those who entertain ambition, expel remorse and nature.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
It is a psychological law that whatever we desire to accomplish we must impress upon the subjective or subconscious mind; that is, we must register a vow with ourselves, we must make our resolution with vigor, with faith that we can do the thing we want to do; we must register our conviction with such intensity that the great creative forces within us will tend to realize them. Our impressions will become expressions just in proportion to the vigor with which we register our vows to accomplish our ambitions, to make our visions realities.
—Orison Swett Marden (1850–1924) American New Thought Writer, Physician, Entrepreneur
I think my greatest ambition in life is to pass on to others what I know.
—Frank Sinatra (1915–1998) American Singer
Nature that framed us of four elements, warring within our breasts for regiment, doth teach us all to have aspiring minds.
—Christopher Marlowe (1564–93) English Playwright, Poet, Translator
Ambition, fueled by compassion, wisdom and integrity, is a powerful force for good that will turn the wheels of industry and open the doors of opportunity for you and countless others.
—Zig Ziglar (1926–2012) American Author
As he was valiant, I honor him. But as he was ambitious, I slew him.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Ambition is the last infirmity of noble minds.
—J. M. Barrie (1860–1937) Scottish Novelist, Dramatist
No bird soars too high if he soars with his own wings.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
A man’s worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men,—from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms. The sentiment of love, the sentiment of maternity, the sentiment of the paramount obligation of the parent to the child as having called it into existence, enhanced just in proportion to the power and knowledge of the one and the weakness and ignorance of the other.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809–94) American Physician, Essayist
Ambition thinks no face so beautiful, as that which looks from under a crown.
—Philip Sidney (1554–86) English Soldier Poet, Courtier
Ambition and love are the wings to great deeds.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
A man with too much ambition cannot sleep in peace.
—African Proverb
Do not let big ambitions overshadow small successes.
—Unknown
Where ambition ends happiness begins.
—Unknown
Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do.
—Henry Ford (1863–1947) American Businessperson, Engineer
If you aspire to the highest place, it is no disgrace to stop at the second, or even the third, place.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
It is my ambition to say in ten sentences what other men say in whole books – what other men do not say in whole books.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Though ambition in itself is a vice, it often is also the parent of virtue.
—Edgar Quinet (1803–75) French Historian, Poet
Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.
—Kenny Rogers (1938–2020) American Country, Pop Singer, Actor