Breaking away Quote by Daniel Defoe
“As I had once done thus in my breaking away from my Parents, so I could not be content now, but I must go and leave the happy View I had of being a rich and thriving Man in my new Plantation, only to pursue a rash and immoderate Desire of rising faster than the Nature of the Thing admitted; and thus I cast my self down again into the deepest Gulph of human Misery that ever Man fell into, or perhaps could be consistent with Life and a State of Health in the World.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Robinson Crusoe, 1719
The narrator describes abandoning a comfortable, prosperous life to chase an excessive ambition, leading to deep misery and questioning the limits of human desire.
In simple terms: Leaving comfort for reckless ambition brings suffering.
Key Takeaway
Beware overreaching ambition.
Themes
ambition
contentment
human limits
consequences
wealth
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- career advancement
- entrepreneurial pursuits
- personal relationships
- financial speculation
Key Concepts
Hubris
self‑destruction
existential crisis
Questions to Reflect On
- Is your current goal worth the potential loss of peace?
- How do you balance ambition with contentment?
A Different Perspective
Excessive ambition can cause irreversible damage to wellbeing.
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