Character Quote by Ayn Rand
““The virtue of Pride can best be described by the term: "moral ambitiousness." It means that one must earn the right to hold oneself as one's own highest value by achieving one's own moral perfection—which one achieves by never accepting any code of irrational virtues impossible to practise and by never failing to practise the virtues one knows to be rational—by never accepting an unearned guilt and never earning any, or, if one has earned it, never leaving it uncorrected—by never resigning oneself passively to any flaws in one's character—by never placing concern, fear or mood of the moment above the reality one's own self-esteem.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, 1957
Moral ambition means earning self‑esteem through rational virtue, rejecting irrational duties, guilt, and unexamined flaws.
In simple terms: Earn self‑worth by rational virtue, not irrational duties.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate rational self‑esteem.
Themes
self‑esteem
rationality
virtue
individualism
Mood
determined
reflective
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- personal development
- ethical decision‑making
- leadership
- self‑improvement
Key Concepts
moral ambition
rational self‑esteem
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you distinguish rational from irrational virtues?
- What guilt do you hold that hinders self‑esteem?
A Different Perspective
Rational virtue may be hard to define universally.
