--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...it must be odd to have no ambition…" description: "\"“...it must be odd to have no ambition, not to want something more.”\" — Alexander McCall Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/alexander-mccall-smith-372_ambition_it-must-be-odd-to-have-no-ambition-not-t_2624474.png" --- # ...it must be odd to have no ambition, not to want… ![“...it must be odd to have no ambition, not to want something more.” quote by Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/alexander-mccall-smith-372_ambition_it-must-be-odd-to-have-no-ambition-not-t_2624474.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/alexander-mccall-smith-372_ambition_it-must-be-odd-to-have-no-ambition-not-t_2624474.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/alexander-mccall-smith-372_ambition_it-must-be-odd-to-have-no-ambition-not-t_2624474.png) > ““...it must be odd to have no ambition, not to want something more.”” [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Lack of ambition feels odd; desire for growth is natural. **In simple terms:** No ambition feels strange. Key Takeaway Cultivate purposeful goals. Themes ambition purpose selfdiscovery Mood thoughtful inspirational Type personal When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - creative projects Key Concepts goal setting motivation Questions to Reflect On - What drives your ambition? - Can contentment exist without ambition? A Different Perspective May overlook contentment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Ambition Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition-want-748617/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Odd Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/odd-ambition-2138508/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [There's no way a director can communicate with every single person on the set and yet they need to motivate and instill an ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-kennedy/there-s-no-way-a-director-can-communicate-with-every-single-person-on/) [Kathleen Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-kennedy/) > [People with ambition want Paolo Di Canio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-di-canio/people-with-ambition-want-paolo-di-canio/) [Paolo Di Canio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-di-canio/) > [Women have to embrace ambition if they want to. I had a lot of trouble taking compliments in the beginning, and it's really important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tory-burch/women-have-to-embrace-ambition-if-they-want-to-i-had-a-lot-of-trouble/) [Tory Burch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tory-burch/) > [I have no fear, I have only ambition, and I want mine, And I will do anything to protect and feed my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/i-have-no-fear-i-have-only-ambition-and-i-want-mine-and-i-will-do/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [It has been a long journey, but if you dream and have the ambition and want to work hard, then you can achieve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-farah/it-has-been-a-long-journey-but-if-you-dream-and-have-the-ambition-and/) [Mo Farah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-farah/) > [I don't want my son to grow up in a Britain that puts a limit on his ambition; I want him to be free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-morgan/i-don-t-want-my-son-to-grow-up-in-a-britain-that-puts-a-limit-on-his/) [Nicky Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-morgan/) > [I'm very ambitious. But my overall goal, above ambition, is that I want to be happy with what I'm doing, and I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigrid/i-m-very-ambitious-but-my-overall-goal-above-ambition-is-that-i-want/) [Sigrid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigrid/) > [Personal ambition is 'I want to be CEO.' Greater vision ambition is, 'I want to lead this company so that people want to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srikumar-rao/personal-ambition-is-i-want-to-be-ceo-greater-vision-ambition-is-i/) [Srikumar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srikumar-rao/) > [I want my daughter to grow up with some kind of ambition. I want her to work and to have that independence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laila-rouass/i-want-my-daughter-to-grow-up-with-some-kind-of-ambition-i-want-her/) [Laila Rouass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laila-rouass/) > [For me, it's ambition. You want more, always. When you achieve one step you need to get the second step.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-silva/for-me-it-s-ambition-you-want-more-always-when-you-achieve-one-step/) [Marco Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-silva/) > [It is important for me to believe in a team that has ambition. I want to go up and work towards something. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/it-is-important-for-me-to-believe-in-a-team-that-has-ambition-i-want/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) > [I have a lot ambition, I want to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-dias/i-have-a-lot-ambition-i-want-to-win/) [Ruben Dias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-dias/) > [I have enormous personal ambition. I want to shift the entire planet. And I'm doing it. I am now a famous person. I represent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/i-have-enormous-personal-ambition-i-want-to-shift-the-entire-planet/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [I think there's no limit to ambition, and if you want something, you can make anything happen, so go for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-orange-county/i-think-there-s-no-limit-to-ambition-and-if-you-want-something-you/) [Rex Orange County](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-orange-county/) > [My ambition is we want artists to be able to afford to create the music they want to create, and if it takes them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-ek/my-ambition-is-we-want-artists-to-be-able-to-afford-to-create-the/) [Daniel Ek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-ek/) ## More by Alexander McCall Smith > [“old-fashioned, gentle Scottish physician, unmoved by the considerations of profit and personal gain that could so disfigure medicine. That doctors should consider themselves businessmen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/old-fashioned-gentle-scottish-physician-unmoved-by-the-considerations/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“She had not made a lot of money, but she had not made a loss, and she had been happy and entertained. That counted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/she-had-not-made-a-lot-of-money-but-she-had-not-made-a-loss-and-she/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [And that, in a way, was the burden of being a philosopher: one knew what one had to do, but it was so often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-that-in-a-way-was-the-burden-of-being-a-philosopher-one-knew-what/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“To use strong language, she thought, was a sign of bad temper and lack of concern for others. Such people were not clever or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/to-use-strong-language-she-thought-was-a-sign-of-bad-temper-and-lack/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Men are very sensitive, Mma Makutsi. You would not always think it to look at them, but they are. They do not like you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/men-are-very-sensitive-mma-makutsi-you-would-not-always-think-it-to/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“He is a good man, but even a good man can fall for a glamorous woman. That is well known.” “That is very well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/he-is-a-good-man-but-even-a-good-man-can-fall-for-a-glamorous-woman/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“And then the second thing you have to do is go and see your son. That is a duty of love, Andrew. It's as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-then-the-second-thing-you-have-to-do-is-go-and-see-your-son-that/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Because laughs never die away entirely,” said Jamie. “At least, if you believe in Marconi.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/because-laughs-never-die-away-entirely-said-jamie-at-least-if-you/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“The trouble with having a conscience, she said to herself, is that it never sleeps.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/the-trouble-with-having-a-conscience-she-said-to-herself-is-that-it/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“And if there's bad behaviour," Mma Potokwane went on. "If there's bad behaviour, the quickest way of stopping it is to give more love.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-if-there-s-bad-behaviour-mma-potokwane-went-on-if-there-s-bad/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“We never realise how transparent we are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/we-never-realise-how-transparent-we-are/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Has he not got a wife back wherever he comes from? Is there no wife to say, ‘You must not go off and visit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/has-he-not-got-a-wife-back-wherever-he-comes-from-is-there-no-wife-to/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“He looked at her in the darkness, at this woman who was everything to him-mother, Africa, wisdom, understanding, good things to eat, pumpkins, chicken,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/he-looked-at-her-in-the-darkness-at-this-woman-who-was-everything-to/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“It is because you are generous in spirit; and may I be like that; may I become like you—which unrealistic wish, to become the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/it-is-because-you-are-generous-in-spirit-and-may-i-be-like-that-may-i/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni,” she asked, “do you think that our souls grow as we get older?” He did not answer immediately, but when he did,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/mr-j-l-b-matekoni-she-asked-do-you-think-that-our-souls-grow-as-we/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) [Explore all 628 Alexander McCall Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) ## 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": "“...it must be odd to have no ambition, not to want something more.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alexander McCall Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/it-must-be-odd-to-have-no-ambition-not-to-want-something-more/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/it-must-be-odd-to-have-no-ambition-not-to-want-something-more/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/alexander-mccall-smith-372_ambition_it-must-be-odd-to-have-no-ambition-not-t_2624474.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/alexander-mccall-smith-372_ambition_it-must-be-odd-to-have-no-ambition-not-t_2624474.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/alexander-mccall-smith-372_ambition_it-must-be-odd-to-have-no-ambition-not-t_2624474.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“...it must be odd to have no ambition, not to want something more.” — Alexander McCall Smith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alexander McCall Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“...it must be odd to have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/it-must-be-odd-to-have-no-ambition-not-to-want-something-more/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/it-must-be-odd-to-have-no-ambition-not-to-want-something-more/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```