--- title: "5 Pursuit Quotes By Eric Hoffer" description: "5 Pursuit quotes by Eric Hoffer. Plus more from Eric Hoffer and more Pursuit sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/eric-hoffer-343_inspirational_in-every-passionate-pursuit-the-pursuit_191778.jpg" --- > [In every passionate pursuit, the pursuit counts more than the object pursued.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/in-every-passionate-pursuit-the-pursuit-counts-more-than-the-object/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/eric-hoffer-343_inspirational_in-every-passionate-pursuit-the-pursuit_191778.jpg) > [...the majority of people cannot endure the bareness and futility of their lives unless they have some ardent dedication, or some passionate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-majority-of-people-cannot-endure-the-bareness-and-futility-of/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/eric-hoffer-343_ardent_the-majority-of-people-cannot-endure-the_1390507.jpg) > [The necessary has never been man's top priority. The passionate pursuit of the nonessential and the extravagant is one of the chief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-necessary-has-never-been-man-s-top-priority-the-passionate/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8db/eric-hoffer-343_chiefs_the-necessary-has-never-been-man-s-top-p_2478870.jpg) > [By all odds, earliest man, so naked to the elements and to deadly enemies, should have existed in a state of constant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/by-all-odds-earliest-man-so-naked-to-the-elements-and-to-deadly/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f82/eric-hoffer-343_animal_by-all-odds-earliest-man-so-naked-to-the_2817091.jpg) > [The weak are not a noble breed. Their sublime deeds of faith, daring, and self-sacrifice usually spring from questionable motives. The weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-weak-are-not-a-noble-breed-their-sublime-deeds-of-faith-daring/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/eric-hoffer-343_achievement_the-weak-are-not-a-noble-breed-their-sub_3029102.jpg) ## Other authors on Pursuit - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b023/author-thomas-jefferson-90435.jpg) Thomas Jefferson 17 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/thomas-jefferson/) - [Lailah Gifty Akita 17 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/lailah-gifty-akita/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b011/author-henry-david-thoreau-41473.jpg) Henry David Thoreau 16 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/henry-david-thoreau/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b016/author-mahatma-gandhi-62675.jpg) Mahatma Gandhi 14 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/mahatma-gandhi/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b005/author-barack-obama-16275.jpg) Barack Obama 12 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/barack-obama/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b004/author-ayn-rand-15943.jpg) Ayn Rand 10 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/ayn-rand/) - [Samuel Johnson 9 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/samuel-johnson/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b001/author-leo-tolstoy-55.jpg) Leo Tolstoy 8 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/leo-tolstoy/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b006/author-charles-dickens-22226.jpg) Charles Dickens 8 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/charles-dickens/) - [Ralph Waldo Emerson 7 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/ralph-waldo-emerson/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b019/author-plato-75782.jpg) Plato 7 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/plato/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b013/author-jerry-bridges-49058.jpg) Jerry Bridges 7 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/jerry-bridges/) ## More by Eric Hoffer > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“We lie the loudest when we lie to ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/we-lie-the-loudest-when-we-lie-to-ourselves/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Our originality shows itself most strikingly not in what we wholly originate but in what we do with that which we borrow from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/our-originality-shows-itself-most-strikingly-not-in-what-we-wholly/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The creative mind is the playful mind. Philosophy is the play and dance of ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-creative-mind-is-the-playful-mind-philosophy-is-the-play-and/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [It is also plausible that those movements with the greatest inner contradiction and between profession and practice - that is to say with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/it-is-also-plausible-that-those-movements-with-the-greatest-inner/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The best part of the art of living is to know how to grow old gracefully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-best-part-of-the-art-of-living-is-to-know-how-to-grow-old/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“In the alchemy of man's soul almost all noble attributes--courage, honor, love, hope, faith, duty, loyalty, etc.--can be transmuted into ruthlessness. Compassion alone stands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/in-the-alchemy-of-man-s-soul-almost-all-noble-attributes-courage/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The act of self-denial seems to confer on us the right to be harsh and merciless toward others. The impression somehow prevails that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-act-of-self-denial-seems-to-confer-on-us-the-right-to-be-harsh/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [A nation without dregs and malcontents, is orderly, decent, peaceful and pleasant, but perhaps without the seed of things to come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/a-nation-without-dregs-and-malcontents-is-orderly-decent-peaceful-and/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Compassion alone stands apart from the continuous traffic between good and evil proceeding within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/compassion-alone-stands-apart-from-the-continuous-traffic-between/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently. We still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/there-are-many-who-find-a-good-alibi-far-more-attractive-than-an/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [A war is not won if the defeated enemy has not been turned into a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/a-war-is-not-won-if-the-defeated-enemy-has-not-been-turned-into-a/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Man is the only creature that strives to surpass himself, and yearns for the impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/man-is-the-only-creature-that-strives-to-surpass-himself-and-yearns/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [This food-and-shelter theory concerning man's efforts is without insight. The desire for praise is more imperative than the desire for food and shelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/this-food-and-shelter-theory-concerning-man-s-efforts-is-without/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/eric-hoffer/#itemlist", "name": "5 Pursuit Quotes By Eric Hoffer", "numberOfItems": 5, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In every passionate pursuit, the pursuit counts more than the object pursued.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric Hoffer" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/in-every-passionate-pursuit-the-pursuit-counts-more-than-the-object/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/eric-hoffer-343_inspirational_in-every-passionate-pursuit-the-pursuit_191778.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/eric-hoffer-343_inspirational_in-every-passionate-pursuit-the-pursuit_191778.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/eric-hoffer-343_inspirational_in-every-passionate-pursuit-the-pursuit_191778.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In every passionate pursuit, the pursuit counts more than the object pursued.” — Eric Hoffer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "...the majority of people cannot endure the bareness and futility of their lives unless they have some ardent dedication, or some passionate pursuit in which they can lose themselves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric Hoffer" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-majority-of-people-cannot-endure-the-bareness-and-futility-of/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/eric-hoffer-343_ardent_the-majority-of-people-cannot-endure-the_1390507.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/eric-hoffer-343_ardent_the-majority-of-people-cannot-endure-the_1390507.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/eric-hoffer-343_ardent_the-majority-of-people-cannot-endure-the_1390507.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“...the majority of people cannot endure the bareness and futility of their lives unless they have some…” — Eric Hoffer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The necessary has never been man's top priority. 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