--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But indefinite visions of ambition are…" description: "\"But indefinite visions of ambition are weak against the ease of doing what is habitual or beguilingly agreeable; and we all know the difficulty of carr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/342/george-eliot-84_ambition_but-indefinite-visions-of-ambition-are-w_1116782.jpg" --- # But indefinite visions of ambition are weak against the… ![“But indefinite visions of ambition are weak against the ease of doing what is habitual or beguilingly agreeable; and we all know the difficulty of carrying out a resolve when we secretly long that it may turn out to be unnecessary. In such states of mind the most incredulous person has a private…” quote by George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/342/george-eliot-84_ambition_but-indefinite-visions-of-ambition-are-w_1116782.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/342/george-eliot-84_ambition_but-indefinite-visions-of-ambition-are-w_1116782.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/342/george-eliot-84_ambition_but-indefinite-visions-of-ambition-are-w_1116782.jpg) > “But indefinite visions of ambition are weak against the ease of doing what is habitual or beguilingly agreeable; and we all know the difficulty of carrying out a resolve when we secretly long that it may turn out to be unnecessary. In such states of mind the most incredulous person has a private leaning towards miracle: impossible to conceive how our wish could be fulfilled, still - very wonderful things have happened!” [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Habitual comfort often overpowers ambitious goals, making it hard to follow through on resolutions that feel unnecessary. **In simple terms:** Habits beat ambition; resolve is hard. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge comforting habits. Themes ambition habit resolve miracle motivation Mood reflective determined Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - personal goals - habit change - creative projects - health routines Key Concepts psychology willpower cognitive dissonance Questions to Reflect On - What habits undermine your ambitions? - How can you align desire with purpose? A Different Perspective Even strong resolve can falter when desire conflicts with perceived necessity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle/) [Miracles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracles/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Resolve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resolve/) [State of mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state-of-mind/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) [Wonderful things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful-things/) ## Related quotes > [... indefinite visions of ambition are weak against the ease of doing what is habitual or beguilingly agreeable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/indefinite-visions-of-ambition-are-weak-against-the-ease-of-doing/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [Visions and ambition never listened to submission and she was on a mission from the highest above.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cradle-of-filth/visions-and-ambition-never-listened-to-submission-and-she-was-on-a/) [Cradle Of Filth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cradle-of-filth/) > [Expect the most wonderful things to happen, not in the future but right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-caddy/expect-the-most-wonderful-things-to-happen-not-in-the-future-but/) [Eileen Caddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-caddy/) > [“... all sorts of wonderful things got washed up on the beach – crates of clothes and cutlery and children’s toys, boxes of engine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-pugh/all-sorts-of-wonderful-things-got-washed-up-on-the-beach-crates-of/) [Rosie Pugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-pugh/) > [ As you look back in history, we \[the United States\] have done wonderful things, the Marshal Plan is the most obvious. After World War… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beschloss/as-you-look-back-in-history-we-the-united-states-have-done-wonderful/) [Michael Beschloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beschloss/) > [In Vedic times, we had the great quest for the unknown. We did wonderful things; we celebrate our past vigyaan and our wonderful heritage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiran-mazumdar-shaw/in-vedic-times-we-had-the-great-quest-for-the-unknown-we-did/) [Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiran-mazumdar-shaw/) > [“Truly, books are wonderful things; to sit alone in a room and laugh and cry, because you are reading, and still be safe when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/truly-books-are-wonderful-things-to-sit-alone-in-a-room-and-laugh-and/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [The most wonderful thing in life is to do something for a child because they're children for such a short time. We can't allow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-gabriel/the-most-wonderful-thing-in-life-is-to-do-something-for-a-child/) [Juan Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-gabriel/) > [It's a wonderful thing as time goes by, to be with someone who looks into your face when you've gotten old and still sees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cromwell/it-s-a-wonderful-thing-as-time-goes-by-to-be-with-someone-who-looks/) [James Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cromwell/) > [A Grammy is a wonderful thing; all of a sudden you're given a new audience but, like anything, you have to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-manchester/a-grammy-is-a-wonderful-thing-all-of-a-sudden-you-re-given-a-new/) [Melissa Manchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-manchester/) > [“The Importance of Israel's Past (1–8) I Will Teach You (1–3) Truths in parables (1–2a) Things hidden from old (2–3) You Will Teach Others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-e-anders/the-importance-of-israel-s-past-1-8-i-will-teach-you-1-3-truths-in/) Max E. Anders > [“From what I can see of humans, you often destroy wonderful things in the pursuit of something that your delusions make you think is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-l-davroe/from-what-i-can-see-of-humans-you-often-destroy-wonderful-things-in/) A.L. Davroe > [One of the wonderful things about Portlandia - and I'm not just blowing smoke, although I can blow smoke, but I'm not - is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-raab/one-of-the-wonderful-things-about-portlandia-and-i-m-not-just-blowing/) [Scott Raab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-raab/) > [I think the most important thing is to stay hopeful, to believe wonderful things are possible and do your best. Basically, to not give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irena-a-hoffman/i-think-the-most-important-thing-is-to-stay-hopeful-to-believe/) [Irena A. Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irena-a-hoffman/) > [This is the gift of your species and this is the danger, because you do not choose to control your imaginings. You imagine wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/this-is-the-gift-of-your-species-and-this-is-the-danger-because-you/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) ## More by George Eliot > [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/but-the-effect-of-her-being-on-those-around-her-was-incalculably/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [Scepticismcan never be thoroughly applied, else life would come to a standstill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/scepticismcan-never-be-thoroughly-applied-else-life-would-come-to-a/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [Under every guilty secret there is hidden a brood of guilty wishes, whose unwholesome infecting life is cherished by the darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/under-every-guilty-secret-there-is-hidden-a-brood-of-guilty-wishes/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [The most powerful movement of feeling with a liturgy is the prayer which seeks for nothing special, but is a yearning to escape from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/the-most-powerful-movement-of-feeling-with-a-liturgy-is-the-prayer/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [ “\[W\]e must learn to accommodate ourselves to the discovery that some of those cunningly-fashioned instruments called human souls have only a very limited range… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/w-e-must-learn-to-accommodate-ourselves-to-the-discovery-that-some-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“Mr. Casaubon had never had a strong bodily frame, and his soul was sensitive without being enthusiastic: it was too languid to thrill out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/mr-casaubon-had-never-had-a-strong-bodily-frame-and-his-soul-was/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“... she took her husband's jokes and joviality as patiently as everything else, considering that "men would be so", and viewing the stronger sex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/she-took-her-husband-s-jokes-and-joviality-as-patiently-as-everything/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [What is opportunity to the man who can't use it? An unfecundated egg, which the waves of time wash away into nonentity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/what-is-opportunity-to-the-man-who-can-t-use-it-an-unfecundated-egg/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [And, of course men know best about everything, except what women know better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/and-of-course-men-know-best-about-everything-except-what-women-know/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“But let the wise be warned against too great readiness at explanation: it multiplies the sources of mistake, lengthening the sum for reckoners sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/but-let-the-wise-be-warned-against-too-great-readiness-at-explanation/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“But any one watching keenly the stealthy convergence of human lots, sees a slow preparation of effects from one life on another, which tells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/but-any-one-watching-keenly-the-stealthy-convergence-of-human-lots/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [Perspective, as its inventor remarked, is a beautiful thing. What horrors of damp huts, where human beings languish, may not become picturesque through aerial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/perspective-as-its-inventor-remarked-is-a-beautiful-thing-what/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“Sane people did what their neighbours did, so that if any lunatics were at large, one might know and avoid them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/sane-people-did-what-their-neighbours-did-so-that-if-any-lunatics/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [even those who call themselves 'intimate' know very little about each other - hardly ever know just how a sorrow is felt, and hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/even-those-who-call-themselves-intimate-know-very-little-about-each/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) [Explore all 1,492 George Eliot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. 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": "But indefinite visions of ambition are weak against the ease of doing what is habitual or beguilingly agreeable; and we all know the difficulty of carrying out a resolve when we secretly long that it may turn out to be unnecessary. In such states of mind the most incredulous person has a private leaning towards miracle: impossible to conceive how our wish could be fulfilled, still - very wonderful things have happened!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Eliot" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/but-indefinite-visions-of-ambition-are-weak-against-the-ease-of-doing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/but-indefinite-visions-of-ambition-are-weak-against-the-ease-of-doing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/342/george-eliot-84_ambition_but-indefinite-visions-of-ambition-are-w_1116782.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/342/george-eliot-84_ambition_but-indefinite-visions-of-ambition-are-w_1116782.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/342/george-eliot-84_ambition_but-indefinite-visions-of-ambition-are-w_1116782.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But indefinite visions of ambition are weak against the ease of doing what is habitual or beguilingly…” — George Eliot", "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 Eliot", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "But indefinite visions of ambition are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/but-indefinite-visions-of-ambition-are-weak-against-the-ease-of-doing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/but-indefinite-visions-of-ambition-are-weak-against-the-ease-of-doing/#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 } } ] } ```