--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only people who achieve much are…" description: "\"“The only people who achieve much are those who want knowledge so badly that they seek it while the conditions are still unfavourable. Favourable condi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbd/c-s-lewis-121_knowledge_the-only-people-who-achieve-much-are-tho_2833531.jpg" --- # The only people who achieve much are those who want… ![“The only people who achieve much are those who want knowledge so badly that they seek it while the conditions are still unfavourable. Favourable conditions never come.” quote by C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbd/c-s-lewis-121_knowledge_the-only-people-who-achieve-much-are-tho_2833531.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbd/c-s-lewis-121_knowledge_the-only-people-who-achieve-much-are-tho_2833531.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbd/c-s-lewis-121_knowledge_the-only-people-who-achieve-much-are-tho_2833531.jpg) > ““The only people who achieve much are those who want knowledge so badly that they seek it while the conditions are still unfavourable. Favourable conditions never come.”” [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True achievement comes from relentless pursuit of knowledge despite adverse circumstances, not waiting for perfect conditions. **In simple terms:** Seek knowledge even when conditions are tough. Key Takeaway Pursue learning despite obstacles. Themes determination learning resilience Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - self‑study during hardship - research under resource constraints - creative problem solving Key Concepts growth mindset intrinsic motivation adversity Questions to Reflect On - What knowledge will you chase now? - How do you stay motivated in difficulty? A Different Perspective Not all knowledge is equally valuable; effort may be wasted without direction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) ## Related quotes > [If we let ourselves, we shall always be waiting for some distraction or other to end before we can really get down to our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-we-let-ourselves-we-shall-always-be-waiting-for-some-distraction-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I always use the basic quality of people to achieve what I want to achieve. That's a different way of thinking. I always love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruyff/i-always-use-the-basic-quality-of-people-to-achieve-what-i-want-to/) [Johan Cruyff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruyff/) > [“We are always falling in love or quarreling, looking for jobs or fearing to lose them, getting ill and recovering, following public affairs. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/we-are-always-falling-in-love-or-quarreling-looking-for-jobs-or/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [There are two types of people who never achieve very much in their lifetimes. One is the person who won't do what he or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/there-are-two-types-of-people-who-never-achieve-very-much-in-their/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [Coach Landry was a master at maintaining discipline and creating an environment where ordinary people could achieve extra ordinary results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-white/coach-landry-was-a-master-at-maintaining-discipline-and-creating-an/) Danny White > [I don't know a lot of people who achieve what they have really dreamed of as a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garbine-muguruza/i-don-t-know-a-lot-of-people-who-achieve-what-they-have-really/) [Garbine Muguruza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garbine-muguruza/) > [People who achieve the highest levels of success - whether in business or in raising families or simply in discovering fulfillment and satisfaction and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-devos/people-who-achieve-the-highest-levels-of-success-whether-in-business/) [Richard M. DeVos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-devos/) > [I don't look for people who have achieved great things; I look for people who will achieve great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urijah-faber/i-don-t-look-for-people-who-have-achieved-great-things-i-look-for/) [Urijah Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urijah-faber/) > [You can achieve almost any goal if you just do what other successful people have done to achieve the same goals before you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/you-can-achieve-almost-any-goal-if-you-just-do-what-other-successful/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [Systems permit ordinary people to achieve extraordinary results predictably.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/systems-permit-ordinary-people-to-achieve-extraordinary-results/) [Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/) > [Some people achieve the top of the ladder and only then realise it was standing against the wrong wall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/some-people-achieve-the-top-of-the-ladder-and-only-then-realise-it/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [I like helping people achieve their dreams just like people helped me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leguizamo/i-like-helping-people-achieve-their-dreams-just-like-people-helped-me/) [John Leguizamo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leguizamo/) > [Being a KING is not about ruling the people, it's about working with the people to achieve a common destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-king/being-a-king-is-not-about-ruling-the-people-it-s-about-working-with/) Chris King > [“Successful people achieve because they think beforehand when it works & think afterwards when it doesn't work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orrin-woodward/successful-people-achieve-because-they-think-beforehand-when-it-works/) [Orrin Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orrin-woodward/) > [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) ## More by C.S. Lewis > [“At the moment, then, of Man’s victory over Nature, we find the whole human race subjected to some individual men, and those individuals subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/at-the-moment-then-of-man-s-victory-over-nature-we-find-the-whole/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Isn’t it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified of the other?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a-fierce-left-and-a-fierce/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“All Hell is smaller than one pebble of your earthly world: but it is smaller than one atom of this world, the Real World.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/all-hell-is-smaller-than-one-pebble-of-your-earthly-world-but-it-is/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“the greatest service we can do to education today is to teach fewer subjects. No one has time to do more than a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/the-greatest-service-we-can-do-to-education-today-is-to-teach-fewer/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“If the Divine call does not make us better, it will make us very much worse. Of all bad men religious bad men are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/if-the-divine-call-does-not-make-us-better-it-will-make-us-very-much/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“The husband is the head of the wife just in so far as he is to her what Christ is to the Church -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/the-husband-is-the-head-of-the-wife-just-in-so-far-as-he-is-to-her/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“We use a most unfortunate idiom when we say, of a lustful man prowling the streets, that he "wants a woman". Strictly speaking, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/we-use-a-most-unfortunate-idiom-when-we-say-of-a-lustful-man-prowling/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Después de cada fracaso, pedid perdón, levantaos del suelo y volved a intentarlo. Muy a menudo, lo que Dios nos otorga primero no es…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/despu-s-de-cada-fracaso-pedid-perd-n-levantaos-del-suelo-y-volved-a/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Then two wonders happened at the same moment. One was that the voice was suddenly joined by other voices; more voices than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/then-two-wonders-happened-at-the-same-moment-one-was-that-the-voice/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/because-free-will-though-it-makes-evil-possible-is-also-the-only/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Laugh and fear not, creatures. Now that you are no longer dumb and witless, you need not always be grave. For jokes as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/laugh-and-fear-not-creatures-now-that-you-are-no-longer-dumb-and/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“When two humans have lived together for many years it usually happens that each has tones of voice and expressions of face which are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/when-two-humans-have-lived-together-for-many-years-it-usually-happens/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“He sees as well as you do that courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/he-sees-as-well-as-you-do-that-courage-is-not-simply-one-of-the/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“If you do not take the distinction between good and bad very seriously, then it is easy to say that anything you find in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/if-you-do-not-take-the-distinction-between-good-and-bad-very/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Now the whole offer which Christianity makes is this: that we can, if we let God have His way, come to share in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/now-the-whole-offer-which-christianity-makes-is-this-that-we-can-if/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) [Explore all 1,165 C.S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) ## More Knowledge quotes > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) Rabelaise > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [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/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. This enlightened awareness is truly unborn and marvellously illuminating; and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bankei-yotaku/an-enlightened-awareness-is-within-each-one-of-us-right-at-this/) [Bankei Yotaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bankei-yotaku/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I never knew any man who had once tasted the sweetness of experimental knowledge, that ever afterward fasted after ye Vapour garlick and onions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-zimmer/i-never-knew-any-man-who-had-once-tasted-the-sweetness-of/) [Carl Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-zimmer/) > [I would rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent than in the extent of my powers and dominion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/i-would-rather-excel-others-in-the-knowledge-of-what-is-excellent/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I've always been a believer in research. 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They should be aware of what's happening in the society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-tripathi/i-am-an-aware-citizen-so-i-want-my-characters-to-be-aware-too-they/) [Pankaj Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-tripathi/) > [Technology means the systematic application of scientific or other organized knowledge to practical tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/technology-means-the-systematic-application-of-scientific-or-other/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Love is a vision,love carry our vision,and love by-step our vision. we carry our love to our by-step. once love is vision love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-a-vision-love-carry-our-vision-and-love-by-step-our-vision-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Man is an ignoramus athirst for knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wagner/man-is-an-ignoramus-athirst-for-knowledge/) [Charles Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wagner/) [Browse all 13,227 Knowledge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The only people who achieve much are those who want knowledge so badly that they seek it while the conditions are still unfavourable. 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