Success Quote by G.K. Chesterton
““A man who thinks much about success must be the drowsiest sentimentalist; for he must be always looking back. If he only likes victory he must always come late for the battle. For the man of action there is nothing but idealism.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Man Who Was Thursday", 1908
Obsessing over success leads to sentimentalism and missed action; idealism alone is insufficient.
In simple terms: Success obsession hinders action.
Key Takeaway
Balance ambition with present action.
Themes
success
action
idealism
Mood
inspirational
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- career planning
- creative projects
- team leadership
Key Concepts
sentimentalism
philosophy of effort
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you stay grounded while pursuing goals?
- What role does reflection play in progress?
A Different Perspective
Idealism without action yields no results.
![“Very often, those who express concern about (or even interest in) the conditions in which farmed animals are raised are disregarded as sentimentalists. But it’s worth taking a step back to ask who is the sentimentalist and who is the realist. […] Two friends are ordering lunch. One says, “I’m in…” quote by Jonathon Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/61d/jonathon-safran-foer-63650_sentimentalism_very-often-those-who-express-concern-abo_202760.jpg)
![“Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and the screenplay of Simon (Beaufoy) and I was reading it, even before the shoot, some kind of sounds came into my mind and I put some stuff [down] and sent it to…” quote by A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/573/a-r-rahman-4481_cutting_since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-o_539.jpg)