Quotes About Ambition

Is it ever thus, at the end of things? Does any woman ever count the grains of her harvest and say: Good enough? Or does one always think of what more one might have laid in, had the labor been harder, the ambition more vast, the choices more sage?

It is our duty as men and women to proceed as though limits to our abilities do not exist.

Men are always averse to enterprises in which they foresee difficulties.

I have always wanted to be somebody, but I see now I should have been more specific.

Unprovided with original learning, unformed in the habits of thinking, unskilled in the arts of composition, I resolved to write a book.

It is necessary to try to surpass one's self always; this occupation ought to last as long as life.

If you really want something you can figure out how to make it happen.

You may have the universe if I may have Italy.

The lazy are always wanting to do something.

Every man of action has a strong dose of egotism, pride, hardness and cunning. But all those things will be forgiven him, indeed, they will be regarded as high qualities, if he can make them the means to achieve great ends.

There are three classes of men-lovers of wisdom, lovers of honour, lovers of gain.

Tis but a base, ignoble mind That mounts no higher than a bird can soar.

I'm so happy to be rich, I'm willing to take all the consequences.

The man who is anybody and who does anything is surely going to be criticized, vilified, and misunderstood. This is part of the penalty for greatness, and every man understands, too, that it is no proof of greatness.

Let us then be up and doing, with a heart for any fate.

Put yourself in competition with yourself each day. Each morning look back upon your work of yesterday and then try to beat it.

What makes life dreary is want of motive.

One man with a dream, at pleasure, Shall go forth and conquer a crown, And three with a new song's measure, Can trample an empire down.

Winning isn't everything. Wanting to win is.

Every man is said to have his peculiar ambition.

There are only two stimulants to one's best efforts: the fear of punishment, and the hope of reward.

Don't let other people tell you what you want.

Everyone expects to go further than his father went; everyone expects to be better than he was born and every generation has one big impulse in its heart-to exceed all the other generations of the past in all the things that make life worth living.

I don't make deals for the money. I've got enough, much more than I'll never need. I do it to do it. Other people paint beautifully on canvas or write wonderful poetry. I like making deals, preferably big deals. That's how I get my kicks.