--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How difficult the task to quench the fire…" description: "\"How difficult the task to quench the fire and the pride of private ambition, and to sacrifice ourselves and all our hopes and expectations to the publi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/928/abigail-adams-9209_ambition_how-difficult-the-task-to-quench-the-fir_14587.png" --- # How difficult the task to quench the fire and the pride of… ![“How difficult the task to quench the fire and the pride of private ambition, and to sacrifice ourselves and all our hopes and expectations to the public weal! How few have souls capable of so noble an undertaking!” quote by Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/928/abigail-adams-9209_ambition_how-difficult-the-task-to-quench-the-fir_14587.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/928/abigail-adams-9209_ambition_how-difficult-the-task-to-quench-the-fir_14587.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/928/abigail-adams-9209_ambition_how-difficult-the-task-to-quench-the-fir_14587.png) > “How difficult the task to quench the fire and the pride of private ambition, and to sacrifice ourselves and all our hopes and expectations to the public weal! How few have souls capable of so noble an undertaking!” [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A call to subl personal ambition and pride for the greater good, urging self‑sacrifice and collective responsibility. **In simple terms:** Self‑sacrifice for public welfare Key Takeaway Personal pride hinders societal progress Themes selflessness public duty ambition sacrifice civic virtue Mood inspirational determined hopeful Type aphoristic rhetorical When to use this quote - political leadership - community activism - philanthropy - social reform Key Concepts individual vs collective moral duty social responsibility Practical Applications - policy advocacy - public service initiatives Questions to Reflect On - What personal ambitions must be set aside for the common good? - How can societies nurture selfless leadership? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Ambition Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition-sacrifice-377906/) [Capable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capable/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Difficult task](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-task/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Hopes and expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopes-and-expectations/) [Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Private Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-ambition-377907/) [Quench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quench/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Sacrifice Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice-hopes-377908/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Tasks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tasks/) [Undertakings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/undertakings/) ## Related quotes > [ I charge \[my sons\] never to let the motives of private interest or ambition to influence them to betray, nor the terrors of poverty… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/i-charge-my-sons-never-to-let-the-motives-of-private-interest-or/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [“They must have thought I'm moon. Therefore they made known to me their hopes and expectations that is beyond flesh and blood. I'm only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darmie-orem/they-must-have-thought-i-m-moon-therefore-they-made-known-to-me-their/) [Darmie Orem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darmie-orem/) > [In 2016 the public voted by a majority to leave the E.U. As I can see from my mailbag, some are angry at being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/in-2016-the-public-voted-by-a-majority-to-leave-the-e-u-as-i-can-see/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [“Sometimes we feel empty; we feel a vacuum, a great lack of something. We don’t know the cause; it’s very vague, but that feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-we-feel-empty-we-feel-a-vacuum-a-great-lack-of-something-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We have vastly different hopes and expectations, as far as the U.S.-Russia relationship is concerned, in Moscow and Washington. What we need, however, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimitri-simes/we-have-vastly-different-hopes-and-expectations-as-far-as-the-u-s/) [Dimitri Simes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimitri-simes/) > [Hope itself is a species of happiness, and, perhaps, the chief happiness which this world affords; but, like all other pleasures immoderately enjoyed, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/hope-itself-is-a-species-of-happiness-and-perhaps-the-chief-happiness/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“When we look at something, we are often not aware of who is perceiving, and unaware of the mental-emotional filter created by past experiences,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/when-we-look-at-something-we-are-often-not-aware-of-who-is-perceiving/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [My hope and expectation is that regardless of what Donald Trump said during the campaign, he's going to have to look carefully at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/my-hope-and-expectation-is-that-regardless-of-what-donald-trump-said/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [There is hardly any activity, any enterprise, which is started out with such tremendous hopes and expectations, and yet which fails so regularly, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/there-is-hardly-any-activity-any-enterprise-which-is-started-out-with/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/hope-is-the-thing-with-feathers-that-perches-in-the-soul/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [“I believe that first love is a thorny issue, filled with anticipation and hopes and expectations that are usually dashed by realities of life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-brisbin/i-believe-that-first-love-is-a-thorny-issue-filled-with-anticipation/) [Terri Brisbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-brisbin/) > [“We all need affirmation, but accepting accolades in an undisciplined way can lead to grandiosity, an inflated view of yourself and your cause. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-linsky/we-all-need-affirmation-but-accepting-accolades-in-an-undisciplined/) [Martin Linsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-linsky/) > [“We must surrender our hopes and expectations, as well as our fears, and march directly into disappointment, work with disappointment, go into it, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-must-surrender-our-hopes-and-expectations-as-well-as-our-fears-and/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [“We have a predator that came from the depths of the cosmos and took over the rule of our lives. Human beings are its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/we-have-a-predator-that-came-from-the-depths-of-the-cosmos-and-took/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [Obama came to power with this element of raising many new hopes and expectations but he's been fought back by the system, becoming almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilberto-gil/obama-came-to-power-with-this-element-of-raising-many-new-hopes-and/) [Gilberto Gil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilberto-gil/) ## More by Abigail Adams > [I can hear of the brilliant accomplishments of any of my sex with pleasure and rejoice in that liberality of sentiment which acknowledges them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/i-can-hear-of-the-brilliant-accomplishments-of-any-of-my-sex-with/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [These are the times in which a genius would wish to live. It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/these-are-the-times-in-which-a-genius-would-wish-to-live-it-is-not-in/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [You cannot know, should I discribe to you; the feelings of a parent . . . . Four years have already past away since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/you-cannot-know-should-i-discribe-to-you-the-feelings-of-a-parent/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [Deliver me from your cold phlegmatic preachers, politicians, friends, lovers and husbands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/deliver-me-from-your-cold-phlegmatic-preachers-politicians-friends/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [The habits of a vigorous mind are born in contending with difficulties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/the-habits-of-a-vigorous-mind-are-born-in-contending-with-difficulties/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [The only chance for much intellectual improvement in the female sex, was to be found in the families of the educated class and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/the-only-chance-for-much-intellectual-improvement-in-the-female-sex/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [Many of our disappointments and much of our unhappiness arise from our forming false notions of things and persons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/many-of-our-disappointments-and-much-of-our-unhappiness-arise-from/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [To be good, and do good, is the whole duty of man comprised in a few words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/to-be-good-and-do-good-is-the-whole-duty-of-man-comprised-in-a-few/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [What is meat for one is not for another--no accounting for fancy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/what-is-meat-for-one-is-not-for-another-no-accounting-for-fancy/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [What is it that affectionate parents require of their Children; for all their care, anxiety, and toil on their accounts? Only that they would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/what-is-it-that-affectionate-parents-require-of-their-children-for/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [I've always felt that a person's intelligence is directly reflected by the number of conflicting points of view he can entertain simultaneously on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/i-ve-always-felt-that-a-person-s-intelligence-is-directly-reflected/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [The house shakes...with the roar of the cannon. No sleep for me tonight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/the-house-shakes-with-the-roar-of-the-cannon-no-sleep-for-me-tonight/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [A little of what you call frippery is very necessary towards looking like the rest of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/a-little-of-what-you-call-frippery-is-very-necessary-towards-looking/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [Well, knowledge is a fine thing, and mother Eve thought so; but she smarted so severely for hers, that most of her daughters have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/well-knowledge-is-a-fine-thing-and-mother-eve-thought-so-but-she/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) > [If we expect to inherit the blessings of our Fathers, we should return a little more to their primitive Simplicity of Manners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/if-we-expect-to-inherit-the-blessings-of-our-fathers-we-should-return/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) [Explore all 74 Abigail Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "How difficult the task to quench the fire and the pride of private ambition, and to sacrifice ourselves and all our hopes and expectations to the public weal! 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