--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only people who attain power are…" description: "\"The only people who attain power are those who crave it.\" — Erich Kastner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/erich-k-stner-18894_attain_the-only-people-who-attain-power-are-tho_2906859.jpg" --- # The only people who attain power are those who crave it. ![“The only people who attain power are those who crave it.” quote by Erich Kastner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/erich-k-stner-18894_attain_the-only-people-who-attain-power-are-tho_2906859.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/erich-k-stner-18894_attain_the-only-people-who-attain-power-are-tho_2906859.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/erich-k-stner-18894_attain_the-only-people-who-attain-power-are-tho_2906859.jpg) > “The only people who attain power are those who crave it.” [Erich Kastner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-k-stner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Only those who desire power can achieve it, implying ambition drives attainment. **In simple terms:** Desire leads to power. Key Takeaway Cultivate purposeful ambition. Themes power ambition achievement psychology Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical political When to use this quote - career advancement - political campaigns - personal goals Key Concepts political theory motivation Questions to Reflect On - What ethical limits guide ambition? - How to balance power and responsibility? A Different Perspective Power can be misused without ethics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) ## Related quotes > [You may be trying to attain power in this world, then you start trying to attain power in that world. First you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/you-may-be-trying-to-attain-power-in-this-world-then-you-start-trying/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [The goal of the human experience is to transform ourselves from being who long to attain power in the physical world to beings who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/the-goal-of-the-human-experience-is-to-transform-ourselves-from-being/) [Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/) > [“Men work hard to attain power, but work even harder to retain it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-curd/men-work-hard-to-attain-power-but-work-even-harder-to-retain-it/) [Megan Curd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-curd/) > [The Highest to which people can attain is wonder; and if the prime phenomenon makes them wonder, let them be content; nothing higher can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-highest-to-which-people-can-attain-is-wonder-and-if-the-prime/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [“Few people attain great lives, in large part because it is just so easy to settle for a good life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/few-people-attain-great-lives-in-large-part-because-it-is-just-so/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [Only two kinds of people can attain self-knowledge: those who are not encumbered at all with learning, that is to say, whose minds are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/only-two-kinds-of-people-can-attain-self-knowledge-those-who-are-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [(People) can never attain fulfillment, or sense of meaning, unless it is shared, unless it pertains to other human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/people-can-never-attain-fulfillment-or-sense-of-meaning-unless-it-is/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [TEAMWORK: the fuel that allows common people attain uncommon results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/teamwork-the-fuel-that-allows-common-people-attain-uncommon-results/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [Ordinary People Attain Extraordinary Success - You Can Too!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-j-zelinski/ordinary-people-attain-extraordinary-success-you-can-too/) [Ernie J Zelinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-j-zelinski/) > [Do not sit down in Satan's easy chair of do-little, but arise and aim at the elevated standard which it is your privilege to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/do-not-sit-down-in-satan-s-easy-chair-of-do-little-but-arise-and-aim/) [Ellen G. 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Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ransone/i-m-friends-with-a-lot-of-brits-and-they-tell-me-when-they-re-over/) [James Ransone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ransone/) > [“one could not attain greater personal excellence without also paving the way for everyone else in society to attain it as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-phillips/one-could-not-attain-greater-personal-excellence-without-also-paving/) [Christopher Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-phillips/) > [Anything you really want, you can attain, if you really go after it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/anything-you-really-want-you-can-attain-if-you-really-go-after-it/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Nothing was ever in any man that is not in you; no man ever had more spiritual or mental power than you can attain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-d-wattles/nothing-was-ever-in-any-man-that-is-not-in-you-no-man-ever-had-more/) [Wallace D. Wattles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-d-wattles/) ## More by Erich Kastner > [ “\[In Berlin\] wird getauscht. Wer haben will, muß hingeben, was er hat.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-k-stner/in-berlin-wird-getauscht-wer-haben-will-mu-hingeben-was-er-hat/) [Erich Kästner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-k-stner/) > [“Lisa had confessed and Mommy had forgiven her. It had been a long, complicated confession, followed by a brief absolution for all the sins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-k-stner/lisa-had-confessed-and-mommy-had-forgiven-her-it-had-been-a-long/) [Erich Kästner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-k-stner/) > [“E simplu sa iei viața in serios. Și e dificil să iei viața in glumă.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-k-stner/e-simplu-sa-iei-via-a-in-serios-i-e-dificil-s-iei-via-a-in-glum/) [Erich Kästner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-k-stner/) > [“Einsam bist du sehr alleine - und am schlimmsten ist die Einsamkeit zu zweit. (in: Kleines Solo)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-k-stner/einsam-bist-du-sehr-alleine-und-am-schlimmsten-ist-die-einsamkeit-zu/) [Erich Kästner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-k-stner/) > [“You can build something beautiful from stones that are put in your way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-k-stner/you-can-build-something-beautiful-from-stones-that-are-put-in-your-way/) [Erich Kästner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-k-stner/) > [“Alles, was gigantische Formen annimmt, kann imponieren, auch die Dummheit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-k-stner/alles-was-gigantische-formen-annimmt-kann-imponieren-auch-die-dummheit/) [Erich Kästner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-k-stner/) > [“Manches, was man als Kind erlebt hat, erhält seinen Sinn erst nach vielen Jahren. Und vieles, was uns später geschieht, bliebe ohne die Erinnerung…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-k-stner/manches-was-man-als-kind-erlebt-hat-erh-lt-seinen-sinn-erst-nach/) [Erich Kästner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-k-stner/) > [“Erst wenn die Mutigen klug und die Klugen mutig geworden sind, wird das zu spüren sein, was irrtümlicherweise schon oft festgestellt wurde: ein Fortschritt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-k-stner/erst-wenn-die-mutigen-klug-und-die-klugen-mutig-geworden-sind-wird/) [Erich Kästner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-k-stner/) > [Most people put their childhood away as if it was an old hat. 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Wattles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-d-wattles/) > [Anything you really want, you can attain, if you really go after it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/anything-you-really-want-you-can-attain-if-you-really-go-after-it/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [“one could not attain greater personal excellence without also paving the way for everyone else in society to attain it as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-phillips/one-could-not-attain-greater-personal-excellence-without-also-paving/) [Christopher Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-phillips/) > [I'm friends with a lot of Brits, and they tell me when they're over here what a huge phenomenon 'The Wire' has become. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ransone/i-m-friends-with-a-lot-of-brits-and-they-tell-me-when-they-re-over/) [James Ransone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ransone/) > [Wanting is not enough, long and you attain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petrarch/wanting-is-not-enough-long-and-you-attain-it/) [Petrarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petrarch/) > [Do not sit down in Satan's easy chair of do-little, but arise and aim at the elevated standard which it is your privilege to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/do-not-sit-down-in-satan-s-easy-chair-of-do-little-but-arise-and-aim/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [Expect the best, not the worst, and you will attain your heart's desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/expect-the-best-not-the-worst-and-you-will-attain-your-heart-s-desire/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Endeavor to work as hard as possible to attain a new aim with each day that comes by. Don't go to bed until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aliko-dangote/endeavor-to-work-as-hard-as-possible-to-attain-a-new-aim-with-each/) [Aliko Dangote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aliko-dangote/) > [The required demeanor each individual has to attain is to fathom. Success is surrendering thinking about the situation your in, work hard, and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-melvin-jr/the-required-demeanor-each-individual-has-to-attain-is-to-fathom/) [Kenneth Melvin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-melvin-jr/) > [Those who would attain to any marked degree of excellence in a chosen pursuit must work, and work hard for it, prince or peasant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-taylor/those-who-would-attain-to-any-marked-degree-of-excellence-in-a-chosen/) [Bayard Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-taylor/) > [Attain the unattainable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/attain-the-unattainable/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [We are aware that in 2005 our efforts to preserve the stability and prestige of the Republic of Bulgaria in the area of foreign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-aware-that-in-2005-our-efforts-to-preserve-the-stability-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If the undocumented have to work hard to attain citizenship, those of us who already are citizens should have to work hard to sustain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-liu/if-the-undocumented-have-to-work-hard-to-attain-citizenship-those-of/) [Eric Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-liu/) > [We will not attain a state of perfection in this life, but we can and should press forward with faith in Christ along the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/we-will-not-attain-a-state-of-perfection-in-this-life-but-we-can-and/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [“Most sane human beings who have managed to attain and retain fame each uses it to dramatically increase their name’s chances of being remembered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/most-sane-human-beings-who-have-managed-to-attain-and-retain-fame/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) Browse all 113 Attain quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only people who attain power are those who crave it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Erich Kastner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-k-stner/the-only-people-who-attain-power-are-those-who-crave-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-k-stner/the-only-people-who-attain-power-are-those-who-crave-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/erich-k-stner-18894_attain_the-only-people-who-attain-power-are-tho_2906859.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/erich-k-stner-18894_attain_the-only-people-who-attain-power-are-tho_2906859.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/erich-k-stner-18894_attain_the-only-people-who-attain-power-are-tho_2906859.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only people who attain power are those who crave it.” — Erich Kastner", "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": "Erich Kastner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-k-stner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only people who attain power...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-k-stner/the-only-people-who-attain-power-are-those-who-crave-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-k-stner/the-only-people-who-attain-power-are-those-who-crave-it/#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 } } ] } ```