--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are half-hearted creatures, fooling…" description: "\"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us.\" — C. S. Lewis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/c-s-lewis-2-132_ambition_we-are-half-hearted-creatures-fooling-ab_1707213.png" --- # We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink… ![“We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us.” quote by C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/c-s-lewis-2-132_ambition_we-are-half-hearted-creatures-fooling-ab_1707213.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/c-s-lewis-2-132_ambition_we-are-half-hearted-creatures-fooling-ab_1707213.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/c-s-lewis-2-132_ambition_we-are-half-hearted-creatures-fooling-ab_1707213.png) > “We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us.” [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People distract themselves with pleasure, missing deeper, lasting joy offered by spiritual fulfillment **In simple terms:** People chase fleeting pleasures, ignoring infinite joy Key Takeaway Seek deeper fulfillment beyond temporary indulgences Themes spirituality desire fulfillment Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical religious When to use this quote - personal growth - relationships - spiritual practice - life purpose Key Concepts existentialism moral choice inner peace Questions to Reflect On - What truly brings lasting happiness? - How to resist shallow distractions? A Different Perspective Joy may be abstract and hard to grasp ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Desire for god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-for-god/) [Great divorce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-divorce/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Mud pies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mud-pies/) [Mud puddles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mud-puddles/) [Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex/) ## Related quotes > [It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/it-would-seem-that-our-lord-finds-our-desires-not-too-strong-but-too/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/we-are-half-hearted-creatures-fooling-about-with-drink-and-sex-and/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [The fundamental loss of a desire for God is the heart of original sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/the-fundamental-loss-of-a-desire-for-god-is-the-heart-of-original-sin/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [Shattered dreams are never random. They are always a piece in a larger puzzle, a chapter in a larger story. The Holy Spirit uses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-crabb/shattered-dreams-are-never-random-they-are-always-a-piece-in-a-larger/) [Larry Crabb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-crabb/) > [I am deeply convince that the necessity of prayer, and to pray unceasingly, is not as much based on our desire for God as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/i-am-deeply-convince-that-the-necessity-of-prayer-and-to-pray/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Prayer does not mean asking God for all kinds of things we want, it is rather the desire for God Himself, the only Giver…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadhu-sundar-singh/prayer-does-not-mean-asking-god-for-all-kinds-of-things-we-want-it-is/) [Sadhu Sundar Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadhu-sundar-singh/) > [You are probably at your sanest when you come to the place where you abandon all else but your desire for God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/you-are-probably-at-your-sanest-when-you-come-to-the-place-where-you/) [R. 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Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [Gluttony should be destroyed by self-control; unchastity by desire for God and longing for the blessings held in store; avarice by compassion for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-damascus/gluttony-should-be-destroyed-by-self-control-unchastity-by-desire-for/) [John of Damascus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-damascus/) > [May God grant us a desire for God that supersedes all other desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/may-god-grant-us-a-desire-for-god-that-supersedes-all-other-desires/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Desire for God without doctrine is blind; doctrine without desire is empty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-vanhoozer/desire-for-god-without-doctrine-is-blind-doctrine-without-desire-is/) [Kevin Vanhoozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-vanhoozer/) > [Despite my solitary life, I have found infinite joy in books and writing, and am by far too much interested in the affairs of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft/despite-my-solitary-life-i-have-found-infinite-joy-in-books-and/) [H. P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft/) > [Life has its pains and evils-its bitter disappointments; but like a good novel and in healthful length of days, there is infinite joy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/life-has-its-pains-and-evils-its-bitter-disappointments-but-like-a/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [“the beauty of poetic apprehension, the infinite joy of reason.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/the-beauty-of-poetic-apprehension-the-infinite-joy-of-reason/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“Love yourself, even a little bit each day, and your life will bloom into infinite joy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-leigh-mercree/love-yourself-even-a-little-bit-each-day-and-your-life-will-bloom/) [Amy Leigh Mercree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-leigh-mercree/) > [Our own true nature is Infinite Joy! Always happy, Always peaceful, Always free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-satchidananda/our-own-true-nature-is-infinite-joy-always-happy-always-peaceful/) [Swami Satchidananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-satchidananda/) ## More by C. S. Lewis > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Either Jesus is the Son of God ; or a madman or worse. But His being just a great teacher? He's not left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/either-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-or-a-madman-or-worse-but-his-being/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [To every soul, God will look like its first love because He IS its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/to-every-soul-god-will-look-like-its-first-love-because-he-is-its/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Don't you understand anything? Isn't it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/don-t-you-understand-anything-isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities: it is quacks and cranks who do that. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/really-great-moral-teachers-never-do-introduce-new-moralities-it-is/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“When He died in the Wounded World He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/when-he-died-in-the-wounded-world-he-died-not-for-men-but-for-each/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [If a man is going to write on chemistry, he learns chemistry. The same is true of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-a-man-is-going-to-write-on-chemistry-he-learns-chemistry-the-same/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The first fact in the history of Christendom is a number of people who say they have seen the Resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-first-fact-in-the-history-of-christendom-is-a-number-of-people/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I#pray because the need flows out of me all the time-walking and sleeping. It does not change # God - it changes me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-pray-because-the-need-flows-out-of-me-all-the-time-walking-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Are the gods not just?' 'Oh no, child. What would become us us if they were?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/are-the-gods-not-just-oh-no-child-what-would-become-us-us-if-they-were/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Love is more than an emotion, it is a decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/love-is-more-than-an-emotion-it-is-a-decision/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Ink is the great cure for all human ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/ink-is-the-great-cure-for-all-human-ills/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [A man may have to die for our country: but no man must, in any exclusive sense, live for his country. He who surrenders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-may-have-to-die-for-our-country-but-no-man-must-in-any/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [War creates no absolutely new situation: it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/war-creates-no-absolutely-new-situation-it-simply-aggravates-the/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) [Explore all 1,190 C. S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## 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": "We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "C. 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