--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ambition is vital, but dangerous: it is a…" description: "\"Ambition is vital, but dangerous: it is a keen motive and a driving force, but over what edge can it drive the artist?\" — Eric Maisel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/eric-maisel-3062_ambition_ambition-is-vital-but-dangerous-it-is-a_790245.png" --- # Ambition is vital, but dangerous: it is a keen motive and… ![“Ambition is vital, but dangerous: it is a keen motive and a driving force, but over what edge can it drive the artist?” quote by Eric Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/eric-maisel-3062_ambition_ambition-is-vital-but-dangerous-it-is-a_790245.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/eric-maisel-3062_ambition_ambition-is-vital-but-dangerous-it-is-a_790245.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/eric-maisel-3062_ambition_ambition-is-vital-but-dangerous-it-is-a_790245.png) > “Ambition is vital, but dangerous: it is a keen motive and a driving force, but over what edge can it drive the artist?” [Eric Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-maisel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ambition fuels creativity but can become harmful if it pushes the artist beyond healthy limits. **In simple terms:** Drive is useful but can be dangerous. Key Takeaway Balance ambition with self‑care. Themes creativity ambition risk self‑awareness Mood cautious inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - artistic practice - career planning - mental health - project management Key Concepts motivation psychology of art boundary setting Questions to Reflect On - What boundaries protect your creative energy? - When does ambition become detrimental? 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It is the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-barenboim/in-times-of-totalitarian-or-autocratic-rule-music-indeed-culture-in/) [Daniel Barenboim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-barenboim/) > [Religion has for too long been placed on the back burner of history, when it may be one of the driving forces in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-brat/religion-has-for-too-long-been-placed-on-the-back-burner-of-history/) [Dave Brat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-brat/) > [My driving force is spirituality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-wilson/my-driving-force-is-spirituality/) [Debra Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-wilson/) > [“Do you know what is the driving force in every good play?” He looked at the two women questioningly. When they didn’t respond, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-p-tzsch/do-you-know-what-is-the-driving-force-in-every-good-play-he-looked-at/) [Oliver Pötzsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-p-tzsch/) ## More by Eric Maisel > [Affirmations need to be used if they are to become incorporated into the fabric of your being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-maisel/affirmations-need-to-be-used-if-they-are-to-become-incorporated-into/) [Eric Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-maisel/) > [The wise artist makes peace with the fact that he will understand less than he had anticipated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-maisel/the-wise-artist-makes-peace-with-the-fact-that-he-will-understand/) [Eric Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-maisel/) > [Creativity requires introspection, self-examination, and a willingness to take risks. 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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": "Ambition is vital, but dangerous: it is a keen motive and a driving force, but over what edge can it drive the artist?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric Maisel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-maisel/ambition-is-vital-but-dangerous-it-is-a-keen-motive-and-a-driving/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-maisel/ambition-is-vital-but-dangerous-it-is-a-keen-motive-and-a-driving/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/eric-maisel-3062_ambition_ambition-is-vital-but-dangerous-it-is-a_790245.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/eric-maisel-3062_ambition_ambition-is-vital-but-dangerous-it-is-a_790245.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/eric-maisel-3062_ambition_ambition-is-vital-but-dangerous-it-is-a_790245.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ambition is vital, but dangerous: it is a keen motive and a driving force, but over what edge can it drive…” — Eric Maisel", "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 Maisel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-maisel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Ambition is vital, but dangerous: it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-maisel/ambition-is-vital-but-dangerous-it-is-a-keen-motive-and-a-driving/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-maisel/ambition-is-vital-but-dangerous-it-is-a-keen-motive-and-a-driving/#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 } } ] } ```