--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man is the only creature that strives to…" description: "\"Man is the only creature that strives to surpass himself, and yearns for the impossible.\" — Eric Hoffer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/eric-hoffer-343_impossible_man-is-the-only-creature-that-strives-to_85277.jpg" --- # Man is the only creature that strives to surpass himself… ![“Man is the only creature that strives to surpass himself, and yearns for the impossible.” quote by Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/eric-hoffer-343_impossible_man-is-the-only-creature-that-strives-to_85277.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/eric-hoffer-343_impossible_man-is-the-only-creature-that-strives-to_85277.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/eric-hoffer-343_impossible_man-is-the-only-creature-that-strives-to_85277.jpg) > “Man is the only creature that strives to surpass himself, and yearns for the impossible.” [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans uniquely pursue self‑improvement and dream of unattainable goals, reflecting an innate drive beyond survival. **In simple terms:** Self‑transcendence and ambition. Key Takeaway We are motivated by impossible aspirations. Themes self‑improvement ambition human nature aspiration psychology Mood inspired reflective determined Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - creative innovation - leadership challenges - academic research - spiritual practice Key Concepts motivation growth mindset existential drive Practical Applications - goal‑setting frameworks - coaching methodologies Questions to Reflect On - What limits do we impose on our own potential? - How can impossible goals fuel real progress? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creature Strives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creature-strives-1074023/) [Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible/) [Man Creature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-creature/) [Strives Surpass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strives-surpass-1074024/) [Yearns Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yearns-impossible-1074025/) ## Related quotes > [“Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/man-is-the-only-creature-that-consumes-without-producing-he-does-not/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. 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God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/god-wants-man-to-be-his-creature-furthermore-he-wants-him-to-be-his/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [For man is not the creature and product of Mechanism; but, in a far truer sense, its creator and producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/for-man-is-not-the-creature-and-product-of-mechanism-but-in-a-far/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Instead of saying that man is the creature of circumstance, it would be nearer the mark to say that man is the architect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/instead-of-saying-that-man-is-the-creature-of-circumstance-it-would/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [“They thought man was a creature of rapacious self-interest, and yet they wanted him to be free- free, in essence, to contend, to engage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/they-thought-man-was-a-creature-of-rapacious-self-interest-and-yet/) [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) > [Man is a creature that can get accustomed to anything, and I think that is the best definition of him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/man-is-a-creature-that-can-get-accustomed-to-anything-and-i-think/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [Man is a Creature of a wilful Head, And hardly driven is, but eas'ly led.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-daniel/man-is-a-creature-of-a-wilful-head-and-hardly-driven-is-but-eas-ly-led/) [Samuel Daniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-daniel/) > [Specialization is for insects... The race of man? He's a whole other creature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/specialization-is-for-insects-the-race-of-man-he-s-a-whole-other/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Man is the creature that cannot emerge from himself, that knows his fellows only in himself; when he asserts the contrary, he is lying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/man-is-the-creature-that-cannot-emerge-from-himself-that-knows-his/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) ## More by Eric Hoffer > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“We lie the loudest when we lie to ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/we-lie-the-loudest-when-we-lie-to-ourselves/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Our originality shows itself most strikingly not in what we wholly originate but in what we do with that which we borrow from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/our-originality-shows-itself-most-strikingly-not-in-what-we-wholly/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The creative mind is the playful mind. 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Compassion alone stands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/in-the-alchemy-of-man-s-soul-almost-all-noble-attributes-courage/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The act of self-denial seems to confer on us the right to be harsh and merciless toward others. The impression somehow prevails that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-act-of-self-denial-seems-to-confer-on-us-the-right-to-be-harsh/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [A nation without dregs and malcontents, is orderly, decent, peaceful and pleasant, but perhaps without the seed of things to come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/a-nation-without-dregs-and-malcontents-is-orderly-decent-peaceful-and/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Compassion alone stands apart from the continuous traffic between good and evil proceeding within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/compassion-alone-stands-apart-from-the-continuous-traffic-between/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently. We still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/there-are-many-who-find-a-good-alibi-far-more-attractive-than-an/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [A war is not won if the defeated enemy has not been turned into a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/a-war-is-not-won-if-the-defeated-enemy-has-not-been-turned-into-a/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [This food-and-shelter theory concerning man's efforts is without insight. The desire for praise is more imperative than the desire for food and shelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/this-food-and-shelter-theory-concerning-man-s-efforts-is-without/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [It is our talents rusting unused within us that secrete the poison of self-doubt into our bloodstream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/it-is-our-talents-rusting-unused-within-us-that-secrete-the-poison-of/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) [Explore all 658 Eric Hoffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## More Impossible quotes > [Making movies seemed so impossible as far as getting my ideas funded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/making-movies-seemed-so-impossible-as-far-as-getting-my-ideas-funded/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [All Germany was in turmoil. 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Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-l-trump/) [Browse all 7,633 Impossible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Man is the only creature that strives to surpass himself, and yearns for the impossible.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric Hoffer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/man-is-the-only-creature-that-strives-to-surpass-himself-and-yearns/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Impossible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/man-is-the-only-creature-that-strives-to-surpass-himself-and-yearns/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/eric-hoffer-343_impossible_man-is-the-only-creature-that-strives-to_85277.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/eric-hoffer-343_impossible_man-is-the-only-creature-that-strives-to_85277.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/eric-hoffer-343_impossible_man-is-the-only-creature-that-strives-to_85277.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Man is the only creature that strives to surpass himself, and yearns for the impossible.” — Eric Hoffer", "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": "Eric Hoffer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Man is the only creature that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/man-is-the-only-creature-that-strives-to-surpass-himself-and-yearns/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/man-is-the-only-creature-that-strives-to-surpass-himself-and-yearns/#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 } } ] } ```