--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So long as the man with ambition is a…" description: "\"So long as the man with ambition is a failure, the world will tell him to let go of his ideal; but when his ambition is realized, the world will praise..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/christian-d-larson-9540_ambition_so-long-as-the-man-with-ambition-is-a-fa_1538994.png" --- # So long as the man with ambition is a failure, the world… ![“So long as the man with ambition is a failure, the world will tell him to let go of his ideal; but when his ambition is realized, the world will praise him for the persistence and the determination that he manifested during his dark hours, and everybody will point to his life as an example for…” quote by Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/christian-d-larson-9540_ambition_so-long-as-the-man-with-ambition-is-a-fa_1538994.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/christian-d-larson-9540_ambition_so-long-as-the-man-with-ambition-is-a-fa_1538994.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/christian-d-larson-9540_ambition_so-long-as-the-man-with-ambition-is-a-fa_1538994.png) > “So long as the man with ambition is a failure, the world will tell him to let go of his ideal; but when his ambition is realized, the world will praise him for the persistence and the determination that he manifested during his dark hours, and everybody will point to his life as an example for coming generations. This is invariably the rule. Therefore pay no attention to what the world says when you are down. Be determined to get up, to reach the highest goal you have in view, and you will.” [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success is judged differently when ambition fails versus when it succeeds; ignore criticism during setbacks and stay determined to achieve your highest goals. **In simple terms:** Ignore critics when down, stay determined for goals. Key Takeaway Stay determined despite setbacks. Themes ambition perseverance recognition resilience Mood determined reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - personal projects - creative endeavors - entrepreneurship Key Concepts self‑efficacy social validation goal setting Questions to Reflect On - How do you measure success beyond external approval? - What internal motivations sustain you during failure? A Different Perspective World praise may be fleeting; true fulfillment comes from internal standards. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Determination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determination/) [Determined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Letting go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letting-go/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Persistence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persistence/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Getting away from where you live and going to London is like the romantic ideal of ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-bailey/getting-away-from-where-you-live-and-going-to-london-is-like-the/) [Jonathan Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-bailey/) > [Dreams with no ambition is failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neijka-carty/dreams-with-no-ambition-is-failure/) [Neijka Carty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neijka-carty/) > [ Twenty-two years ago Judge \[then-Senator Stephen\] Douglas and I first became acquainted. We were both young then; he a trifle younger than I. Even… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/twenty-two-years-ago-judge-then-senator-stephen-douglas-and-i-first/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“Nothing worse than a weak man with ambition, who gains power because those before him died rather than because his ideals were grand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/nothing-worse-than-a-weak-man-with-ambition-who-gains-power-because/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [“The man of ambition thinks to find his good in the operations of others; the man of pleasure in his own sensations; but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/the-man-of-ambition-thinks-to-find-his-good-in-the-operations-of/) [marcus aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [The biggest changes in a women's nature are brought by love; in man, by ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-biggest-changes-in-a-women-s-nature-are-brought-by-love-in-man-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [An educated man without ambition is as badly off as an ambitious man without education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/an-educated-man-without-ambition-is-as-badly-off-as-an-ambitious-man/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [A man without ambition is worse than dough that has no yeast in it to raise it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-man-without-ambition-is-worse-than-dough-that-has-no-yeast-in-it-to/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [A young man's ambition, can there be a more fleeting prospect?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baldacci/a-young-man-s-ambition-can-there-be-a-more-fleeting-prospect/) [David Baldacci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baldacci/) > [Going after anything worthwile in life entailed risk, of course. A man of ambition and courage didn't let that stop or delay him. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/going-after-anything-worthwile-in-life-entailed-risk-of-course-a-man/) [John Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jakes/) > [Find a man with ambition because in 20 years swag won't pay the bills Yeah, quotes from google won't pay them either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/find-a-man-with-ambition-because-in-20-years-swag-won-t-pay-the-bills/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A man without ambition is dead. A man with ambition but no love is dead. A man with ambition and love for his blessings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-bailey/a-man-without-ambition-is-dead-a-man-with-ambition-but-no-love-is/) [Pearl Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-bailey/) > [Since a rational man's ambition is unlimited, since his pursuit and achievement of values is a life-long process — and the higher the values,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/since-a-rational-man-s-ambition-is-unlimited-since-his-pursuit-and/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Frog in the mud is happier than the man, because it has no ambition to reach the stars!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/frog-in-the-mud-is-happier-than-the-man-because-it-has-no-ambition-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [A young man's ambition is to get along in the world and make a place for himself-half your life goes that way, till you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-penn-warren/a-young-man-s-ambition-is-to-get-along-in-the-world-and-make-a-place/) [Robert Penn Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-penn-warren/) ## More by Christian D. Larson > [One of the principal reasons why so many fail to get what they want is because they do not definitely know what they want,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/one-of-the-principal-reasons-why-so-many-fail-to-get-what-they-want/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) > [Nature intends all men and women to be mental and spiritual giants, and does not intend that any one should follow the will of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/nature-intends-all-men-and-women-to-be-mental-and-spiritual-giants/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) > [The real feeling of youth comes when we actually think in the consciousness of youth and give the realization of the now to every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/the-real-feeling-of-youth-comes-when-we-actually-think-in-the/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) > [Never try to compel others to change; leave them free to change naturally and orderly because they want to; and they will want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/never-try-to-compel-others-to-change-leave-them-free-to-change/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) > [“God helps them that help themselves.” When you begin to help yourself, which means to make the best of what is in yourself, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/god-helps-them-that-help-themselves-when-you-begin-to-help-yourself/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) > [The true purpose of the strong is to promote greater strength in the weak, and not to keep the weak in that state where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/the-true-purpose-of-the-strong-is-to-promote-greater-strength-in-the/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) > [The habit of giving up when the present task is half finished and try something else is one of the chief causes of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/the-habit-of-giving-up-when-the-present-task-is-half-finished-and-try/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) > [“The man who never weakens when things are against him will grow stronger and stronger until all things will delight to be for him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/the-man-who-never-weakens-when-things-are-against-him-will-grow/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) > [The master mind is the mind that thinks what it wants to think, regardless of what circumstances, environment or associations may suggest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/the-master-mind-is-the-mind-that-thinks-what-it-wants-to-think/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) > [Depend only upon yourself, but work in harmony with all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/depend-only-upon-yourself-but-work-in-harmony-with-all-things/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) > [“The average person is in the habit of saying, “The older I get;”’ and he thereby calls the attention of his mind to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/the-average-person-is-in-the-habit-of-saying-the-older-i-get-and-he/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) > [Whenever you permit yourself to think what persons, things, conditions, or circumstances may suggest, you are not following what you want to think. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/whenever-you-permit-yourself-to-think-what-persons-things-conditions/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) > [“When you permit an outside agency to control your feelings and emotions at frequent intervals for a prolonged period, your system will soon get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/when-you-permit-an-outside-agency-to-control-your-feelings-and/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) > [What we love in others we not only awaken in others, but we develop those very things more or less in ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/what-we-love-in-others-we-not-only-awaken-in-others-but-we-develop/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) > [“Every mental process, or every mental action, that takes place in our wide-awake consciousness will, if it has depth of feeling or intensity, enter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/every-mental-process-or-every-mental-action-that-takes-place-in-our/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) [Explore all 72 Christian D. Larson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) ## 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": "So long as the man with ambition is a failure, the world will tell him to let go of his ideal; but when his ambition is realized, the world will praise him for the persistence and the determination that he manifested during his dark hours, and everybody will point to his life as an example for coming generations. This is invariably the rule. Therefore pay no attention to what the world says when you are down. Be determined to get up, to reach the highest goal you have in view, and you will.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christian D. Larson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/so-long-as-the-man-with-ambition-is-a-failure-the-world-will-tell-him/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/so-long-as-the-man-with-ambition-is-a-failure-the-world-will-tell-him/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/christian-d-larson-9540_ambition_so-long-as-the-man-with-ambition-is-a-fa_1538994.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/christian-d-larson-9540_ambition_so-long-as-the-man-with-ambition-is-a-fa_1538994.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/christian-d-larson-9540_ambition_so-long-as-the-man-with-ambition-is-a-fa_1538994.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“So long as the man with ambition is a failure, the world will tell him to let go of his ideal; but when his…” — Christian D. Larson", "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": "Christian D. Larson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "So long as the man with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/so-long-as-the-man-with-ambition-is-a-failure-the-world-will-tell-him/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/so-long-as-the-man-with-ambition-is-a-failure-the-world-will-tell-him/#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 } } ] } ```