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Ambition Quotes

Browse 3325 quotes about Ambition.

Ambition Quotes

“Ambition is vital, but dangerous: it is a keen motive and a driving force, but over what edge can it drive the artist?”

Artist Force Dangerous Ambition Edges Driving Motive Driving Force

Book:Affirmations for Artists

Source: Affirmations for Artists

“I confidently trust that the American people will prove themselves ... too wise not to detect the false pride or the dangerous ambitions or the selfish schemes which so often hide themselves under that deceptive cry of mock patriotism: "Our country, right or wrong!" They will not fail to recognize that our dignity, our free institutions and the peace and welfare of this and coming generations of Americans will be secure only as we cling to the watchword of true patriotism: "Our country - when right to be kept right; when wrong to be put right."”

People Country Wise Failing Generations Dangerous Cry Pride Prove Ambition Dignity Institutions Selfish Our Country Secure Welfare Schemes Mock Deceptive True Patriotism False Pride

Author:Carl Schurz

“Rome was in the most dangerous inclination to change on account of the unequal distribution of wealth and property, those of highest rank and greatest spirit having impoverished themselves by shows, entertainments, ambition of offices, and sumptuous buildings, and the riches of the city having thus fallen into the hands of mean and low-born persons. So that there wanted but a slight impetus to set all in motion, it being in the power of every daring man to overturn a sickly commonwealth.”

Source: Greek and Roman Lives

“When ambitious men find an open passage, they are rather busy than dangerous; and if well watched in their proceedings, they will catch them selves in their own snare, and prepare a way for their own destruction.”

Ifs Men Way Wells Self Dangerous Ambition Destruction Busy Passages Ambitious Proceeding Snares Ambitious Man

Author:Francis Quarles

“Fancy has an extensive influence in morals. Some of the most powerful and dangerous feelings in nature, as those of ambition and envy, derive their principal nourishment from a cause apparently so trivial. Its effect on the common affairs of life is greater than might be supposed. Naked reality would scarcely keep the world in motion.”

Source: Aphorisms and Reflections: A Miscellany of Thought and Opinion

“There was no more dangerous kind of madman than one who devoted a good brain and a courageous heart to unhealthy ambitions.”

Heart Kind Brain Dangerous Ambition Courageous Devoted Unhealthy Madmen

Author:Michael Moorcock

“Oh, September! It is so soon for you to lose your friends to good work and strange loves and high ambitions. The sadness of that is too grown-up for you. Like whiskey and voting, it is a dangerous and heady business, as heavy as years. If I could keep your little tribe together forever, I would. I do so want to be generous. But some stories sprout bright vines that tendril off beyond our sight, carrying the folk we love best with them, and if I knew how to accept that with grace, I would share the secret.”

“The strongest passions and most dangerous weaknesses of the human breast; ambition, avarice, vanity, the honorable or venal love of fame, are all in conspiracy against the desire and duty of peace.”

Humans War Desire Passion Peace Dangerous Duty Fame Ambition Weakness Tyranny Vanity Breasts Strongest Tyrants Conspiracy Honorable Avarice

Author:James Madison

“Each child is poisoned by the society through teaching him ambition. Ambition is a poison far more dangerous than any alcohol can ever be, far more dangerous than marijuana or LSD, because ambition destroys your whole life. It keeps you moving in a false direction. It keeps you imagining, desiring, dreaming, it keeps you wasting your life. Ambition means a subtle creation of the ego, and once the ego is created you are in the grip of darkness. And the whole social structure depends on ambition.”

Mean Children Whole Dream Moving Social Darkness Teaching Dangerous Creation Depends Ego Ambition Structure Alcohol Whole Life Poison Subtle Marijuana Moving In Lsd Social Structure Life Ambition

Author:Rajneesh

“Nature has a way sometimes of reminding Man of just how small he is. She occasionally throws up terrible offspring's of our pride and carelessness to remind us of how puny we really are in the face of a tornado, an earthquake, or a Godzilla. The reckless ambitions of Man are often dwarfed by their dangerous consequences. For now, Godzilla - that strangely innocent and tragic monster - has gone to earth. Whether he returns or not, or is never again seen by human eyes, the things he has taught us remain...”