--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have a goal so lofty it's almost…" description: "\"I have a goal so lofty it's almost embarrassing to talk about. And that's to be the best restaurant in the world.\" — Charlie Trotter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/charlie-trotter-9546_about_i-have-a-goal-so-lofty-it-s-almost-embar_325782.png" --- # I have a goal so lofty it's almost embarrassing to talk… ![“I have a goal so lofty it's almost embarrassing to talk about. And that's to be the best restaurant in the world.” quote by Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/charlie-trotter-9546_about_i-have-a-goal-so-lofty-it-s-almost-embar_325782.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/charlie-trotter-9546_about_i-have-a-goal-so-lofty-it-s-almost-embar_325782.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/charlie-trotter-9546_about_i-have-a-goal-so-lofty-it-s-almost-embar_325782.png) > “I have a goal so lofty it's almost embarrassing to talk about. And that's to be the best restaurant in the world.” [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aiming for an extremely high, perhaps unattainable, ambition can be both motivating and daunting, highlighting the tension between aspiration and humility. **In simple terms:** Setting very high goals can feel embarrassing but drives excellence. Key Takeaway Embrace ambition while staying grounded. Themes ambition excellence humility culinary arts Mood determined inspired Type motivational practical When to use this quote - opening a restaurant - career planning - brand building Key Concepts goal setting self‑efficacy risk taking Questions to Reflect On - What does “best” truly mean to you? - How can you balance ambition with realistic milestones? A Different Perspective Pursuing perfection may lead to burnout or unrealistic expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Lofty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lofty/) [Restaurant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restaurant/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Like I say, it's almost embarrassing to talk about. I don't know if Michael Jordan or Bill Gates or Alexander the Great or anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/like-i-say-it-s-almost-embarrassing-to-talk-about-i-don-t-know-if/) [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) > [“What's the best way to say because it's too embarrassing to talk to a crush about sex and read an explicit thing they wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-b-lee/what-s-the-best-way-to-say-because-it-s-too-embarrassing-to-talk-to-a/) [C.B. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-b-lee/) > [Being branded number one restaurant in the world is actually very humbling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heston-blumenthal/being-branded-number-one-restaurant-in-the-world-is-actually-very/) [Heston Blumenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heston-blumenthal/) > [It has long been acknowledged that the single best restaurant in the world is Arthur Bryant's Barbecue at Eighteenth and Booklyn in Kansas city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/it-has-long-been-acknowledged-that-the-single-best-restaurant-in-the/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [Every restaurant in the world is owned by a Greek.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/every-restaurant-in-the-world-is-owned-by-a-greek/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [There is no restaurant anywhere in the world where I have been that I haven't been able to find something to eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-kane/there-is-no-restaurant-anywhere-in-the-world-where-i-have-been-that-i/) [Carol Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-kane/) > [“David Chang, who had become the darling of the New York restaurant world, thanks to his Momofuku noodle and ssäm bars in the East…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-thomas/david-chang-who-had-become-the-darling-of-the-new-york-restaurant/) Amy Thomas > [The trouble with talking about acting is that it's like sex. It's enormously fun to do but just dreadfully embarrassing when you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bettany/the-trouble-with-talking-about-acting-is-that-it-s-like-sex-it-s/) [Paul Bettany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bettany/) > [This is odd, but there are certain things that are really embarrassing to talk about - one is my job and the success that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-moody/this-is-odd-but-there-are-certain-things-that-are-really-embarrassing/) [Rick Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-moody/) > [It's very embarrassing to talk of your own work before shooting for it and even before it is released. I have been a witness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-madhavan/it-s-very-embarrassing-to-talk-of-your-own-work-before-shooting-for/) [R. Madhavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-madhavan/) > [My experiences are universal. I'm not doing anything embarrassing - to me what would be embarrassing is to talk about minutia. It would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/my-experiences-are-universal-i-m-not-doing-anything-embarrassing-to/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [A lofty sense of independence is, in man, the best privilege of his nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/a-lofty-sense-of-independence-is-in-man-the-best-privilege-of-his/) [Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/) > [Nearly all the Gauls are of a lofty stature, white, and of ruddy complexion; terrible from the sternness of their eyes, very quarrelsome, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammianus-marcellinus/nearly-all-the-gauls-are-of-a-lofty-stature-white-and-of-ruddy/) [Ammianus Marcellinus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammianus-marcellinus/) > [No one is born with good character; it's not a hereditary trait. And it isn't determined by a single noble act. Character is established…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-josephson/no-one-is-born-with-good-character-it-s-not-a-hereditary-trait-and-it/) [Michael Josephson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-josephson/) > [So often do you see collegians enter life with high resolve and lofty purpose and then watch them shrink and shrink to sordid, selfish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/so-often-do-you-see-collegians-enter-life-with-high-resolve-and-lofty/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) ## More by Charlie Trotter > [I don't want to turn 50 and say, 'Gosh, I wish I'd lived in that part of the world for a time. I wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/i-don-t-want-to-turn-50-and-say-gosh-i-wish-i-d-lived-in-that-part-of/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [If people give me a year or two of their best effort, then I am their friend for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/if-people-give-me-a-year-or-two-of-their-best-effort-then-i-am-their/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [You know the old adage that the customer's always right? Well, I kind of think that the opposite is true. The customer is rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/you-know-the-old-adage-that-the-customer-s-always-right-well-i-kind/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [I never considered Miles Davis a perfectionist; I always considered him as an excellence-ist, where deviation is actually kind of cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/i-never-considered-miles-davis-a-perfectionist-i-always-considered/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [I wasn't using college as a stepping stone to law school or some other career. I just wanted a liberal-arts education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/i-wasn-t-using-college-as-a-stepping-stone-to-law-school-or-some/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [There has been no great surprise, no sudden revelation. I knew pretty much what I was getting into. What I've learned is that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/there-has-been-no-great-surprise-no-sudden-revelation-i-knew-pretty/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [Sometimes I think I should have chosen a line of work where it was just me alone in the room, with the sun coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/sometimes-i-think-i-should-have-chosen-a-line-of-work-where-it-was/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [I'm really not that comfortable with people. I mean, I love individuals, but I'm not very social.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/i-m-really-not-that-comfortable-with-people-i-mean-i-love-individuals/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [At home, a man is entitled to raise his voice maybe once a year, if something really gets under his skin. At work, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/at-home-a-man-is-entitled-to-raise-his-voice-maybe-once-a-year-if/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [In a time when it is common for chefs to simply reproduce the innovations of others, the few who speak for themselves through their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/in-a-time-when-it-is-common-for-chefs-to-simply-reproduce-the/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [I worked in 40 restaurants over a five-year period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/i-worked-in-40-restaurants-over-a-five-year-period/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [I love faltering. I love, in a sense, coming up short. Because you learn nothing from success. You learn so much from failing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/i-love-faltering-i-love-in-a-sense-coming-up-short-because-you-learn/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [I believe in focusing on details.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/i-believe-in-focusing-on-details/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [Ultimately, I want to prepare food that will be recognized equally in Tokyo, London, and Paris. I am after that universality, that transcendence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/ultimately-i-want-to-prepare-food-that-will-be-recognized-equally-in/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [I have always considered desserts to be of equal importance to the savory food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/i-have-always-considered-desserts-to-be-of-equal-importance-to-the/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) [Explore all 72 Charlie Trotter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have a goal so lofty it's almost embarrassing to talk about. And that's to be the best restaurant in the world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charlie Trotter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/i-have-a-goal-so-lofty-it-s-almost-embarrassing-to-talk-about-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/i-have-a-goal-so-lofty-it-s-almost-embarrassing-to-talk-about-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/charlie-trotter-9546_about_i-have-a-goal-so-lofty-it-s-almost-embar_325782.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/charlie-trotter-9546_about_i-have-a-goal-so-lofty-it-s-almost-embar_325782.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/charlie-trotter-9546_about_i-have-a-goal-so-lofty-it-s-almost-embar_325782.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have a goal so lofty it's almost embarrassing to talk about. And that's to be the best restaurant in the…” — Charlie Trotter", "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": "Charlie Trotter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have a goal so lofty...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/i-have-a-goal-so-lofty-it-s-almost-embarrassing-to-talk-about-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/i-have-a-goal-so-lofty-it-s-almost-embarrassing-to-talk-about-and/#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 } } ] } ```