---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: By annihilating the desires, you…"
description: "\"By annihilating the desires, you annihilate the mind. Every man without passions has within him no principle of action, nor motive to act.\" — Claude Ad..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f0/claude-adrien-helvetius-19156_act_by-annihilating-the-desires-you-annihila_871855.jpg"
---

#  By annihilating the desires, you annihilate the mind…

![“By annihilating the desires, you annihilate the mind. Every man without passions has within him no principle of action, nor motive to act.” quote by Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f0/claude-adrien-helvetius-19156_act_by-annihilating-the-desires-you-annihila_871855.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f0/claude-adrien-helvetius-19156_act_by-annihilating-the-desires-you-annihila_871855.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f0/claude-adrien-helvetius-19156_act_by-annihilating-the-desires-you-annihila_871855.jpg)

> “By annihilating the desires, you annihilate the mind. Every man without passions has within him no principle of action, nor motive to act.”

[Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Eliminating desires extinguishes the mind; without passion, there is no drive or principle to act.

**In simple terms:** Passion fuels action.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate purposeful desires.

Themes

desire motivation mind principle

Mood

thoughtful serene

Type

philosophical educational

When to use this quote

- goal setting
- spiritual practice
- creative work

Key Concepts

ethical philosophy psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- What desires motivate you positively?
- How can you balance desire and restraint?

A Different Perspective

Suppressing desire can lead to apathy.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desires/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Motive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motive/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Passions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passions/) [Principle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/)

## Related quotes

> [By annihilating desires, you annihilate the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/by-annihilating-desires-you-annihilate-the-mind/)

[Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/)

> [Every man without passions has within him no principle of action, nor motive to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/every-man-without-passions-has-within-him-no-principle-of-action-nor/)

[Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/)

> [... passion, once unleashed, has a way of unleashing other passions -- a principle adhered to as firmly by the police force of any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-gordon/passion-once-unleashed-has-a-way-of-unleashing-other-passions-a/)

[Caroline Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-gordon/)

> [What man or woman of common sense now doubts the intellectual capacity of colored people? Who does not know, that with all our efforts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-grimke/what-man-or-woman-of-common-sense-now-doubts-the-intellectual/)

[Angelina Grimke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-grimke/)

> [“Then this must be my answer: We know that the attributes of God are infinite and it has always seemed strange to me that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/then-this-must-be-my-answer-we-know-that-the-attributes-of-god-are/)

[W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/)

> [“If the men were without passions, it would be forgivable to see Machiavel try to give some to them; he would be the new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-the-great/if-the-men-were-without-passions-it-would-be-forgivable-to-see/)

[Frederick the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-the-great/)

> [If there were some solitary or feral man, the passions of the soul would be sufficient for him; by them he would be conformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/if-there-were-some-solitary-or-feral-man-the-passions-of-the-soul/)

[Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/)

> [“Burke was not a sentimentalist, however.43 “Leave a man to his passions,” he wrote, “and you leave a wild beast to a savage and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-levin/burke-was-not-a-sentimentalist-however-43-leave-a-man-to-his-passions/)

[Yuval Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-levin/)

> [I am a man of passions, capable of and subject to doing more or less foolish things- which I happen to regret, more or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-am-a-man-of-passions-capable-of-and-subject-to-doing-more-or-less/)

[Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/)

> [No one likes to admit they are racist or bear prejudices. Nor do they even like to be open and honest when they witness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/no-one-likes-to-admit-they-are-racist-or-bear-prejudices-nor-do-they/)

[Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/)

> [Poverty and backwardness in the midst of clear waters and verdant mountains is no good, nor is it to have prosperity and wealth while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-keqiang/poverty-and-backwardness-in-the-midst-of-clear-waters-and-verdant/)

[Li Keqiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-keqiang/)

> [Instead of explaining the sober facts of mechanics and electricity, I want to say a few words about the debt which we owe to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-bloch/instead-of-explaining-the-sober-facts-of-mechanics-and-electricity-i/)

[Felix Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-bloch/)

> [You don't have to be Sigmund Freud to surmise that war has a perverse appeal for the human race, nor is the attraction limited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-willis/you-don-t-have-to-be-sigmund-freud-to-surmise-that-war-has-a-perverse/)

[Ellen Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-willis/)

> [I dont want to be a victim, nor be portrayed as one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davina-mccall/i-dont-want-to-be-a-victim-nor-be-portrayed-as-one/)

[Davina McCall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davina-mccall/)

> [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

## More by Claude Adrien Helvetius

> [Every man without passions has within him no principle of action, nor motive to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/every-man-without-passions-has-within-him-no-principle-of-action-nor/)

[Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/)

> [He who has no passion has no principal or motive to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/he-who-has-no-passion-has-no-principal-or-motive-to-act/)

[Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/)

> [Genius is nothing but continued attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/genius-is-nothing-but-continued-attention/)

[Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/)

> [A man who believes that he eats his God we do not call mad; yet, a man who says he is Jesus Christ, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/a-man-who-believes-that-he-eats-his-god-we-do-not-call-mad-yet-a-man/)

[Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/)

> [The men of sense, the idols of the shallow, are very inferior to the men of passions. It is the strong passions which, rescuing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/the-men-of-sense-the-idols-of-the-shallow-are-very-inferior-to-the/)

[Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/)

> [To limit the press is to insult a nation; to prohibit reading of certain books is to declare the inhabitants to be either fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/to-limit-the-press-is-to-insult-a-nation-to-prohibit-reading-of/)

[Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/)

> [No nation has reason to regard itself superior to others by virtue of its innate endowment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/no-nation-has-reason-to-regard-itself-superior-to-others-by-virtue-of/)

[Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/)

> [The man who believes he can do it is probably right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/the-man-who-believes-he-can-do-it-is-probably-right/)

[Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/)

> [To be loved, we should merit but little esteem; all superiority attracts awe and aversion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/to-be-loved-we-should-merit-but-little-esteem-all-superiority/)

[Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/)

> [The degree of genius necessary to please us is pretty nearly the same proportion that we ourselves have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/the-degree-of-genius-necessary-to-please-us-is-pretty-nearly-the-same/)

[Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/)

> [Pleasure and pain are the only springs of action in man, and always will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/pleasure-and-pain-are-the-only-springs-of-action-in-man-and-always/)

[Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/)

> [Harsh counsels have no effect; they are like hammers which are always repulsed by the anvil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/harsh-counsels-have-no-effect-they-are-like-hammers-which-are-always/)

[Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/)

> [Truth is a torch which gleams in the fog but does not dispel it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/truth-is-a-torch-which-gleams-in-the-fog-but-does-not-dispel-it/)

[Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/)

> [Discipline is simply the art of making the soldiers fear their officers more than the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/discipline-is-simply-the-art-of-making-the-soldiers-fear-their/)

[Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/)

> [Education made us what we are](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/education-made-us-what-we-are/)

[Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/)

[Explore all 33 Claude Adrien Helvetius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/)

## More Act quotes

> [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/)

[Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/)

> [Teachers' unions don't act in the interest of most teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sal-khan/teachers-unions-don-t-act-in-the-interest-of-most-teachers/)

[Sal Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sal-khan/)

> [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [People take years learning how to act; it's a skill, not just a job. If I tried it out and thought I'd be OK,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-fimmel/people-take-years-learning-how-to-act-it-s-a-skill-not-just-a-job-if/)

[Travis Fimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-fimmel/)

> [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/)

[Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/)

> [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vashti-quiroz-vega/don-t-turn-your-face-away-once-you-ve-seen-you-can-no-longer-act-like/)

Vashti Quiroz-Vega

> [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [I have no interest in watching myself act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wesley/i-have-no-interest-in-watching-myself-act/)

[Paul Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wesley/)

> [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [I do believe some people can naturally act and don't know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-arnold/i-do-believe-some-people-can-naturally-act-and-don-t-know-it/)

[Andrea Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-arnold/)

> [Regardless of what I do, whether I write a book or whether I act or whether I host, I'll always do stand-up comedy because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/regardless-of-what-i-do-whether-i-write-a-book-or-whether-i-act-or/)

[Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/)

> [On 'Workaholics,' I feel like I'm just hanging out with my buddies being filmed, but on 'Mindy,' I'm around professional funny people who act.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/on-workaholics-i-feel-like-i-m-just-hanging-out-with-my-buddies-being/)

[Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/)

> [I'm not an artist, and I want to take risks, and when the possibility of failure occurs, it's because the idea is all exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-m-not-an-artist-and-i-want-to-take-risks-and-when-the-possibility/)

[Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/)

> [I don't have a huge amount of gear, but on the software side, I have a number of plug-in chains that act as abstracted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hopkins/i-don-t-have-a-huge-amount-of-gear-but-on-the-software-side-i-have-a/)

[Jon Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hopkins/)

> [I honestly didn't know that I wanted to act until I was probably 12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-rae-mayo/i-honestly-didn-t-know-that-i-wanted-to-act-until-i-was-probably-12/)

[Miranda Rae Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-rae-mayo/)

Browse all 1,802 Act quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "By annihilating the desires, you annihilate the mind. Every man without passions has within him no principle of action, nor motive to act.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Claude Adrien Helvetius"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/by-annihilating-the-desires-you-annihilate-the-mind-every-man-without/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Act"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/by-annihilating-the-desires-you-annihilate-the-mind-every-man-without/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f0/claude-adrien-helvetius-19156_act_by-annihilating-the-desires-you-annihila_871855.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f0/claude-adrien-helvetius-19156_act_by-annihilating-the-desires-you-annihila_871855.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f0/claude-adrien-helvetius-19156_act_by-annihilating-the-desires-you-annihila_871855.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“By annihilating the desires, you annihilate the mind. Every man without passions has within him no principle…” — Claude Adrien Helvetius",
                "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": "Claude Adrien Helvetius",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "By annihilating the desires, you annihilate...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/by-annihilating-the-desires-you-annihilate-the-mind-every-man-without/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/by-annihilating-the-desires-you-annihilate-the-mind-every-man-without/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```