--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ambition is not what a man would do, but…" description: "\"Ambition is not what a man would do, but what a man does, for ambition without action is fantasy.\" — Bryant H. McGill" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de5/bryant-h-mcgill-2612_action_ambition-is-not-what-a-man-would-do-but_2603192.jpg" --- # Ambition is not what a man would do, but what a man does… ![“Ambition is not what a man would do, but what a man does, for ambition without action is fantasy.” quote by Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de5/bryant-h-mcgill-2612_action_ambition-is-not-what-a-man-would-do-but_2603192.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de5/bryant-h-mcgill-2612_action_ambition-is-not-what-a-man-would-do-but_2603192.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de5/bryant-h-mcgill-2612_action_ambition-is-not-what-a-man-would-do-but_2603192.jpg) > “Ambition is not what a man would do, but what a man does, for ambition without action is fantasy.” [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ambition without action remains a daydream; true ambition is demonstrated through deeds. **In simple terms:** Ambition needs action. Key Takeaway Act on your goals. Themes ambition action reality Mood determined optimistic Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - career planning - personal projects - entrepreneurship - goal setting Key Concepts motivation self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - What actions will you take today? - How do you measure progress? A Different Perspective Action alone doesn't guarantee success; execution quality matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Ambition Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition-action-1963006/) [Ambition Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition-man-1963004/) [Does Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does-ambition-1963005/) [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) ## Related quotes > [Define yourself by action. and make every action the mirror of ambition. Have ambition to climb the sky of success by being true to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/define-yourself-by-action-and-make-every-action-the-mirror-of/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [Ambition, if it feeds at all, does so on the ambition of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/ambition-if-it-feeds-at-all-does-so-on-the-ambition-of-others/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [“The grandest ambition that any man can possibly have, is to so live, and so improve himself in heart and brain, as to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/the-grandest-ambition-that-any-man-can-possibly-have-is-to-so-live-2/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [The grandest ambition that any man can possibly have is to so live and so improve himself in heart and brain as to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/the-grandest-ambition-that-any-man-can-possibly-have-is-to-so-live/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Ambition is not what man does... but what man would do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/ambition-is-not-what-man-does-but-what-man-would-do/) [Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/) > [A slave has but one master. An ambition man, has as many as there are people who helped him get his fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-mizner/a-slave-has-but-one-master-an-ambition-man-has-as-many-as-there-are/) [Wilson Mizner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-mizner/) > [Sometimes with people I know, they're playing the hunky action guy and there's resistance to them coming out because it's so connected to straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/sometimes-with-people-i-know-they-re-playing-the-hunky-action-guy-and/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“It was amazing how a crisis could concentrate some minds while others went to pieces. Things had gone disastrously wrong in the last few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-nowaz/it-was-amazing-how-a-crisis-could-concentrate-some-minds-while-others/) [Max Nowaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-nowaz/) > [“A magic Adam never knew existed, yet he must somehow control it to survive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-nowaz/a-magic-adam-never-knew-existed-yet-he-must-somehow-control-it-to/) [Max Nowaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-nowaz/) > [“Here's a thought. You answer what I ask and I keep not killing you." - Antiope Flint - DREAMNASIUM”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-thorne/here-s-a-thought-you-answer-what-i-ask-and-i-keep-not-killing-you/) [Geoffrey Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-thorne/) > [“If you believe it, is it real, or is it real because you believe it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-mckevitt/if-you-believe-it-is-it-real-or-is-it-real-because-you-believe-it/) [Virginia McKevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-mckevitt/) > [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 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/) > [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/) > [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/) ## More by Bryant H. McGill > [True education is limited to those people who would die without knowing, whereas the masses in the institutions are merely going through the motions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/true-education-is-limited-to-those-people-who-would-die-without/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [You reclaim your power by loving what you were once taught to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/you-reclaim-your-power-by-loving-what-you-were-once-taught-to-hate/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [It will feel impossible; like you are dying inside this is your soul crying out for life. It may take everything you have; every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/it-will-feel-impossible-like-you-are-dying-inside-this-is-your-soul/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [Genius is always accompanied by enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/genius-is-always-accompanied-by-enthusiasm/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [My self-esteem had been crushed through years of childhood bullying and serious abuses, which would take me decades to overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/my-self-esteem-had-been-crushed-through-years-of-childhood-bullying/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [Good manners are appreciated as much as bad manners are abhorred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/good-manners-are-appreciated-as-much-as-bad-manners-are-abhorred/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [Become empty to become complete, for it is the void that defines the form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/become-empty-to-become-complete-for-it-is-the-void-that-defines-the/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [Dare to love every person, including yourself. Become the energy of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/dare-to-love-every-person-including-yourself-become-the-energy-of-love/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [A mistake made by many people with great convictions is that they will let nothing stand in the way of their views, not even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/a-mistake-made-by-many-people-with-great-convictions-is-that-they/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [You are the artist and the art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/you-are-the-artist-and-the-art/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [In America, educators punish those who actually think for themselves. There is only acceptance for popular opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/in-america-educators-punish-those-who-actually-think-for-themselves/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [Hate controls everything it touches, but love sets everything it touches free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/hate-controls-everything-it-touches-but-love-sets-everything-it/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [Let people speak. Let people disagree. Communicate. Listen. Have high-respect, if not for your opponent, then for your own comportment and conduct as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/let-people-speak-let-people-disagree-communicate-listen-have-high/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [While it is important for people to see your promise you must also remember that hope is the keeper of both happiness and disappointment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/while-it-is-important-for-people-to-see-your-promise-you-must-also/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [Stop your worrying, panicking and stressing. Breathe. Remember, you made it this far through difficulties that seemed impossible. Remember how many times you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/stop-your-worrying-panicking-and-stressing-breathe-remember-you-made/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) [Explore all 158 Bryant H. McGill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! 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