--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never climbed any ladder: I have…" description: "\"I never climbed any ladder: I have achieved eminence by sheer gravitation.\" — George Bernard Shaw" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/george-bernard-shaw-68_climbed_i-never-climbed-any-ladder-i-have-achiev_3172525.png" --- # I never climbed any ladder: I have achieved eminence by… ![“I never climbed any ladder: I have achieved eminence by sheer gravitation.” quote by George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/george-bernard-shaw-68_climbed_i-never-climbed-any-ladder-i-have-achiev_3172525.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/george-bernard-shaw-68_climbed_i-never-climbed-any-ladder-i-have-achiev_3172525.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/george-bernard-shaw-68_climbed_i-never-climbed-any-ladder-i-have-achiev_3172525.png) > “I never climbed any ladder: I have achieved eminence by sheer gravitation.” [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Claims personal success came from natural talent rather than deliberate effort. **In simple terms:** Talent, not hard work, led to fame. Key Takeaway Recognize innate strengths while balancing effort. Themes success talent effort humor self‑reflection Mood reflective witty Type philosophical humorous When to use this quote - career choices - education - skill development - self‑esteem building Key Concepts philosophy social commentary self‑assessment Questions to Reflect On - What talents do you have that need nurturing? - How does effort complement talent? A Different Perspective May underestimate the role of hard work and opportunity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achieved Eminence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achieved-eminence-5780683/) [Climbed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climbed/) [Climbed Ladder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climbed-ladder-383642/) [Eminence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eminence/) [Gravitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gravitation/) [Ladder Achieved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ladder-achieved-5780682/) [Ladders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ladders/) [Sheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sheer/) [Sheer Gravitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sheer-gravitation-5780681/) ## Related quotes > [I think there has to be the sense that once you have climbed the ladder of success, that you don't push it away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-think-there-has-to-be-the-sense-that-once-you-have-climbed-the/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [Idiots are always in favour of inequality of income (their only chance of eminence), and the really great in favour of equality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/idiots-are-always-in-favour-of-inequality-of-income-their-only-chance/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“As she climbed a ladder and started boarding up the smashed front windows, Helen realized that some things stay a little bit broken forever—even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/as-she-climbed-a-ladder-and-started-boarding-up-the-smashed-front/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [They climbed the ladder of learning only to find it leaning against the wrong wall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-m-nelson/they-climbed-the-ladder-of-learning-only-to-find-it-leaning-against/) [Russell M. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-m-nelson/) > [“Subject: Get back to work Missy, You're distracting me from the very important topic of workplace safety. How would you feel if I improperly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-m-cameron/subject-get-back-to-work-missy-you-re-distracting-me-from-the-very/) [Chelsea M. Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-m-cameron/) > [As I leave my competition repirator style, climbed the ladder to success escalator style, hold ya'll breath, I told ya'll, death controls ya'll, BIG…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/biggie-smalls/as-i-leave-my-competition-repirator-style-climbed-the-ladder-to/) [Biggie Smalls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/biggie-smalls/) > [Success is like a ladder and no one has ever climbed a ladder with their hands in their pockets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/success-is-like-a-ladder-and-no-one-has-ever-climbed-a-ladder-with/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [“Sybill Trelawney, Divination teacher,’” Harry read. “How’re we supposed to get up there?” As though in answer to his question, the trapdoor suddenly opened,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/sybill-trelawney-divination-teacher-harry-read-how-re-we-supposed-to/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [Jeb climbed the ladder Fang had just lowered and I indulged in a moments fantasy about someone slamming the trapdoor on his head.”-max](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/jeb-climbed-the-ladder-fang-had-just-lowered-and-i-indulged-in-a/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [Merripen, despite his fear of heights, had often climbed a ladder to wash the second floor window for her. He had wanted her view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/merripen-despite-his-fear-of-heights-had-often-climbed-a-ladder-to/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [When down and weary, think of many reasons why you should not give up,think of many people who had climbed the same ladder ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-ngene/when-down-and-weary-think-of-many-reasons-why-you-should-not-give-up/) [Olivia Ngene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-ngene/) > [The most amazing lesson in aerodynamics I ever had was the day I climbed a thermal in a glider at the same time as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/the-most-amazing-lesson-in-aerodynamics-i-ever-had-was-the-day-i/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > ['To Kill a Mockingbird' appeared to highly favorable reviews and quickly climbed to the top of bestseller lists, where it remained for more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-j-shields/to-kill-a-mockingbird-appeared-to-highly-favorable-reviews-and/) [Charles J. Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-j-shields/) > [I remember the first time I climbed the cage - it was almost like a challenge from Snuka. I said, 'This is crazy. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-steamboat/i-remember-the-first-time-i-climbed-the-cage-it-was-almost-like-a/) [Ricky Steamboat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-steamboat/) > [I climbed like a billion stairs... its not like I can take them two at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-devito/i-climbed-like-a-billion-stairs-its-not-like-i-can-take-them-two-at-a/) [Danny DeVito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-devito/) ## More by George Bernard Shaw > [I love little children too but I don't cut off their heads and stick them in vases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-love-little-children-too-but-i-don-t-cut-off-their-heads-and-stick/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Blasphemy and sedition (meaning the truth about Church and State).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/blasphemy-and-sedition-meaning-the-truth-about-church-and-state/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [In the arts of life, man invents nothing; but in the arts of death he outdoes Nature herself, and produces by chemistry and machinery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-arts-of-life-man-invents-nothing-but-in-the-arts-of-death-he/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“My religious convictions and scientific views cannot at present be more specifically defined than as those of a believer in creative evolution. I desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/my-religious-convictions-and-scientific-views-cannot-at-present-be/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [What a man believes may be ascertained, not from his creed, but from the assumptions on which he habitually acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/what-a-man-believes-may-be-ascertained-not-from-his-creed-but-from/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [You are my inspiration and my folly. You are my light across the sea, my million nameless joys, and my day's wage. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-are-my-inspiration-and-my-folly-you-are-my-light-across-the-sea/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Men have to do some awfully mean things to keep up their respectability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/men-have-to-do-some-awfully-mean-things-to-keep-up-their/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The schoolmaster is the person who takes the children off the parents' hands for a consideration. That is to say, he establishes a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-schoolmaster-is-the-person-who-takes-the-children-off-the-parents/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [As long as I have a want, I have a reason for living. Satisfaction is death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/as-long-as-i-have-a-want-i-have-a-reason-for-living-satisfaction-is/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The camera can represent flesh so superbly that, if I dared, I would never photograph a figure without asking that figure to take its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-camera-can-represent-flesh-so-superbly-that-if-i-dared-i-would/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [A man who is not a communist at the age of twenty is a fool. Any man who is still communist at the age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/a-man-who-is-not-a-communist-at-the-age-of-twenty-is-a-fool-any-man/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [But to admire a strong person and to live under that strong person’s thumb are two different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/but-to-admire-a-strong-person-and-to-live-under-that-strong-person-s/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Socialism is the same as Communism, only better English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/socialism-is-the-same-as-communism-only-better-english/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The person who is ignorant enough to believe that his nourishment depends on meat is in a horrible dilemma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-person-who-is-ignorant-enough-to-believe-that-his-nourishment/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [In the arts of peace Man is a bungler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-arts-of-peace-man-is-a-bungler/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) [Explore all 1,640 George Bernard Shaw quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## More Climbed quotes > [I climbed like a billion stairs... its not like I can take them two at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-devito/i-climbed-like-a-billion-stairs-its-not-like-i-can-take-them-two-at-a/) [Danny DeVito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-devito/) > [I remember the first time I climbed the cage - it was almost like a challenge from Snuka. I said, 'This is crazy. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-steamboat/i-remember-the-first-time-i-climbed-the-cage-it-was-almost-like-a/) [Ricky Steamboat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-steamboat/) > ['To Kill a Mockingbird' appeared to highly favorable reviews and quickly climbed to the top of bestseller lists, where it remained for more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-j-shields/to-kill-a-mockingbird-appeared-to-highly-favorable-reviews-and/) [Charles J. Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-j-shields/) > [The most amazing lesson in aerodynamics I ever had was the day I climbed a thermal in a glider at the same time as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/the-most-amazing-lesson-in-aerodynamics-i-ever-had-was-the-day-i/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > [I've walked through the crimson flames, crawled through Satan's playground, and climbed my way out of Hell. I'll show you, how great I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silentbluejay/i-ve-walked-through-the-crimson-flames-crawled-through-satan-s/) [SilentBlueJay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silentbluejay/) > [You never know what's around the corner. It could be everything. Or it could be nothing. You keep putting one foot in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/you-never-know-what-s-around-the-corner-it-could-be-everything-or-it/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [Chashkin Sar was virgin, and we climbed it for the first time, and afterwards, the people renamed it as Samina Baig.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samina-baig/chashkin-sar-was-virgin-and-we-climbed-it-for-the-first-time-and/) [Samina Baig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samina-baig/) > [I've always walked and climbed; spent a lot of time in the arctic and places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-day/i-ve-always-walked-and-climbed-spent-a-lot-of-time-in-the-arctic-and/) [Robin Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-day/) > [If you climbed one step, it means you can climb the rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/praveen-kumar/if-you-climbed-one-step-it-means-you-can-climb-the-rest/) [Praveen Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/praveen-kumar/) > [I knew I needed to challenge myself mentally and physically - not just for me but for my family - so I climbed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorit-kemsley/i-knew-i-needed-to-challenge-myself-mentally-and-physically-not-just/) [Dorit Kemsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorit-kemsley/) > [“The moon climbed out of the ravine, blue, skinny, as if it had been fed on nothing but skimmed milk. It climbed out, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yevgeny-zamyatin/the-moon-climbed-out-of-the-ravine-blue-skinny-as-if-it-had-been-fed/) [Yevgeny Zamyatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yevgeny-zamyatin/) > [Im not afraid to fall; it means I climbed too high. Either way it shows at least I tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-not-afraid-to-fall-it-means-i-climbed-too-high-either-way-it-shows/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I feel like I'm on top of the world. Honestly, I feel like I've climbed a very giant mountain, and I'm just standing right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shania-twain/i-feel-like-i-m-on-top-of-the-world-honestly-i-feel-like-i-ve-climbed/) [Shania Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shania-twain/) > [In Canada, I climbed some mountains with the Alpine Club of Canada, which taught me a lot about stamina.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/in-canada-i-climbed-some-mountains-with-the-alpine-club-of-canada/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [Because of what I did and where I came from, people just assumed I'd climbed every mountain in my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmal-purja/because-of-what-i-did-and-where-i-came-from-people-just-assumed-i-d/) [Nirmal Purja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmal-purja/) [Browse all 94 Climbed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climbed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never climbed any ladder: I have achieved eminence by sheer gravitation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Bernard Shaw" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-never-climbed-any-ladder-i-have-achieved-eminence-by-sheer/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Climbed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-never-climbed-any-ladder-i-have-achieved-eminence-by-sheer/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/george-bernard-shaw-68_climbed_i-never-climbed-any-ladder-i-have-achiev_3172525.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/george-bernard-shaw-68_climbed_i-never-climbed-any-ladder-i-have-achiev_3172525.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/george-bernard-shaw-68_climbed_i-never-climbed-any-ladder-i-have-achiev_3172525.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I never climbed any ladder: I have achieved eminence by sheer gravitation.” — George Bernard Shaw", "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": "George Bernard Shaw", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I never climbed any ladder: I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-never-climbed-any-ladder-i-have-achieved-eminence-by-sheer/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-never-climbed-any-ladder-i-have-achieved-eminence-by-sheer/#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 } } ] } ```