--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Worldly ambition inhibits true learning…" description: "\"“Worldly ambition inhibits true learning. Ask me. I know. A young man in a hurry is nearly uneducable: He knows what he wants and where he’s headed; wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/andrew-j-bacevich-45029_ambition_worldly-ambition-inhibits-true-learning_2194111.jpg" --- # Worldly ambition inhibits true learning. Ask me. I know. A… ![“Worldly ambition inhibits true learning. Ask me. I know. A young man in a hurry is nearly uneducable: He knows what he wants and where he’s headed; when it comes to looking back or entertaining heretical thoughts, he has neither the time nor the inclination. All that counts is that he is going…” quote by Andrew J. Bacevich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/andrew-j-bacevich-45029_ambition_worldly-ambition-inhibits-true-learning_2194111.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/andrew-j-bacevich-45029_ambition_worldly-ambition-inhibits-true-learning_2194111.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/andrew-j-bacevich-45029_ambition_worldly-ambition-inhibits-true-learning_2194111.jpg) > ““Worldly ambition inhibits true learning. Ask me. I know. A young man in a hurry is nearly uneducable: He knows what he wants and where he’s headed; when it comes to looking back or entertaining heretical thoughts, he has neither the time nor the inclination. All that counts is that he is going somewhere. Only as ambition wanes does education become a possibility.”” [Andrew J. Bacevich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-j-bacevich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excessive ambition narrows learning; only when ambition eases can one truly study and reflect. **In simple terms:** Hurry limits learning; calm allows education. Key Takeaway Balance drive with openness to new ideas. Themes ambition learning reflection Mood critical analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - academic pursuits - personal development - life coaching Key Concepts education psychology career development Questions to Reflect On - When does ambition become a barrier to growth? - How can one maintain ambition while staying open? A Different Perspective Ambition can also motivate learning; not all urgency is harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Ambition Inhibits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition-inhibits-4791952/) [Ambition Wanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition-wanes-4791954/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Going Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-ambition-4791953/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Worldly Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worldly-ambition-3475624/) [Young man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-man/) ## Related quotes > [Worldly ambition is founded on pride or envy, but emulation, or laudable ambition, is actually founded in humility; for it evidently implies that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-hall/worldly-ambition-is-founded-on-pride-or-envy-but-emulation-or/) [Joseph Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-hall/) > [“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/) > [“Risking a glance at the dignified young man beside her- what was his name?- Mr. Arthurson, Arterton?- Pandora decided to try her hand at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/risking-a-glance-at-the-dignified-young-man-beside-her-what-was-his/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [“Sorry, bad wing." 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"Friends," he repeated roughly. Her smile was bright enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/she-knew-how-to-play-him-so-very-well-he-slipped-his-hand-around-hers/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) ## More by Andrew J. Bacevich > [“The line in the sand that Carter drew along Iran’s Zagros Mountains now stretches from Central Asia through the Middle East and across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-j-bacevich/the-line-in-the-sand-that-carter-drew-along-iran-s-zagros-mountains/) [Andrew J. Bacevich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-j-bacevich/) > [“I began to appreciate that authentic truth is never simple and that any version of truth handed down from on high-whether by presidents, prime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-j-bacevich/i-began-to-appreciate-that-authentic-truth-is-never-simple-and-that-2/) [Andrew J. 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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. 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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": "“Worldly ambition inhibits true learning. 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