--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Focusing your life solely on making a…" description: "\"Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34b/barack-obama-17_ambition_focusing-your-life-solely-on-making-a-bu_2441400.jpg" --- # Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain… ![“Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34b/barack-obama-17_ambition_focusing-your-life-solely-on-making-a-bu_2441400.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34b/barack-obama-17_ambition_focusing-your-life-solely-on-making-a-bu_2441400.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34b/barack-obama-17_ambition_focusing-your-life-solely-on-making-a-bu_2441400.jpg) > “Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focusing only on money limits personal growth; seeking larger purpose reveals true potential. **In simple terms:** Money alone limits ambition; larger purpose unlocks potential. Key Takeaway Pursue purpose beyond profit. Themes ambition purpose growth Mood reflective inspirational Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - entrepreneurship - volunteering - education - personal development Key Concepts self-actualization meaning potential Questions to Reflect On - What larger purpose could you align with? - How can you balance profit and purpose? A Different Perspective May overlook practical financial needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Ambition Asks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition-asks-491257/) [Focusing Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focusing-life-491256/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Making Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-buck-491258/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Poverty Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty-ambition-257407/) [True potential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-potential/) ## Related quotes > [Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. And it will leave you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/focusing-your-life-solely-on-making-a-buck-shows-a-poverty-of-2/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. And it will leave you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-h-manser/focusing-your-life-solely-on-making-a-buck-shows-a-poverty-of/) [Martin H. Manser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-h-manser/) > [It betrays a poverty of ambition if all you think about is what goods you can buy instead of what good you can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-betrays-a-poverty-of-ambition-if-all-you-think-about-is-what-goods/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We need to steer clear of this poverty of ambition, where people want to drive fancy cars and wear nice clothes and live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-need-to-steer-clear-of-this-poverty-of-ambition-where-people-want/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The elevation of appearance over substance, of celebrity over character, of short term gains over lasting achievement displays a poverty of ambition. It distracts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-elevation-of-appearance-over-substance-of-celebrity-over/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“the big house and the nice suits and the other things that our money culture says you should buy ... betrays a poverty of ambition.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-big-house-and-the-nice-suits-and-the-other-things-that-our-money/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Lets not focus on saving a nickel... lets focus on making a buck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-carolla/lets-not-focus-on-saving-a-nickel-lets-focus-on-making-a-buck/) [Adam Carolla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-carolla/) > [In order to move on you need to stop focusing on their life, and you need to start focusing on your own life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/in-order-to-move-on-you-need-to-stop-focusing-on-their-life-and-you/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [The energy you'll expend focusing on someone else's life is better spent working on your own. Just be your own idol.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/the-energy-you-ll-expend-focusing-on-someone-else-s-life-is-better/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [“What is the one thing that gets you up every morning? The one thing that keeps you going every day, every month, every year?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-murphy/what-is-the-one-thing-that-gets-you-up-every-morning-the-one-thing/) [James A. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-murphy/) > [As a young black immigrant at an inner-city school, I saw how poverty of ambition left many from disadvantaged backgrounds on the scrap-heap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemi-badenoch/as-a-young-black-immigrant-at-an-inner-city-school-i-saw-how-poverty/) [Kemi Badenoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemi-badenoch/) > [Long before they slump into poverty, great powers succumb to a poverty of ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/long-before-they-slump-into-poverty-great-powers-succumb-to-a-poverty/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [It's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-only-when-you-hitch-your-wagon-to-something-larger-than-yourself/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ I believe we can seize this future together, because we are not as divided as our politics suggests. \[...\] We are greater than the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-believe-we-can-seize-this-future-together-because-we-are-not-as/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The greatest tragedy is that many of us spent our life without knowing about our true potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/the-greatest-tragedy-is-that-many-of-us-spent-our-life-without/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## 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": "Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/focusing-your-life-solely-on-making-a-buck-shows-a-certain-poverty-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/focusing-your-life-solely-on-making-a-buck-shows-a-certain-poverty-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34b/barack-obama-17_ambition_focusing-your-life-solely-on-making-a-bu_2441400.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34b/barack-obama-17_ambition_focusing-your-life-solely-on-making-a-bu_2441400.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34b/barack-obama-17_ambition_focusing-your-life-solely-on-making-a-bu_2441400.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of…” — Barack Obama", "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": "Barack Obama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Focusing your life solely on making...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/focusing-your-life-solely-on-making-a-buck-shows-a-certain-poverty-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/focusing-your-life-solely-on-making-a-buck-shows-a-certain-poverty-of/#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 } } ] } ```