--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He (William Cort) had some desire to be…" description: "\"He (William Cort) had some desire to be successful, but it did not burn so strongly in him that he was prepared to overcome his character to achieve it..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7e/iain-pears-9652_achieve_he-william-cort-had-some-desire-to-be-su_2186726.jpg" --- # He (William Cort) had some desire to be successful, but it… ![“He (William Cort) had some desire to be successful, but it did not burn so strongly in him that he was prepared to overcome his character to achieve it.” quote by Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7e/iain-pears-9652_achieve_he-william-cort-had-some-desire-to-be-su_2186726.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7e/iain-pears-9652_achieve_he-william-cort-had-some-desire-to-be-su_2186726.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7e/iain-pears-9652_achieve_he-william-cort-had-some-desire-to-be-su_2186726.jpg) > “He (William Cort) had some desire to be successful, but it did not burn so strongly in him that he was prepared to overcome his character to achieve it.” [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desire without strong drive leads to compromising character; success requires deep motivation and willingness to change. **In simple terms:** Weak desire won't push you to change. Key Takeaway Cultivate strong, purposeful drive. Themes motivation character success Mood reflective determined Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - personal development - entrepreneurship - academic achievement Key Concepts self-discipline integrity goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What drives you beyond comfort? - How can you strengthen your resolve? A Different Perspective Strong desire alone may not overcome ingrained habits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Being successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Overcoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcoming/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) ## Related quotes > [“So difficult people don’t just come into our lives randomly. We are drawn to them, or they are drawn to us, to help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rosen/so-difficult-people-don-t-just-come-into-our-lives-randomly-we-are/) [Mark Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rosen/) > [We have to be successful at the cutting-edge industries of the future like Twitter. But we also have always been a country that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-have-to-be-successful-at-the-cutting-edge-industries-of-the-future/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Don't worry about your individual numbers. Worry about the team. If the team is successful, each of you will be successful, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-rickey/don-t-worry-about-your-individual-numbers-worry-about-the-team-if-the/) [Branch Rickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-rickey/) > [There's nobody that wants the president to be successful more than I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-r-clapper/there-s-nobody-that-wants-the-president-to-be-successful-more-than-i/) [James R. Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-r-clapper/) > [I think there is a big and significant difference between being a leader and being a manager-leaders lead from the heart. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-jung/i-think-there-is-a-big-and-significant-difference-between-being-a/) [Andrea Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-jung/) > [There has always been a display of wealth and always will be, until the depression comes, which it always does. And let me tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/there-has-always-been-a-display-of-wealth-and-always-will-be-until/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Hockey is a unique sport in the sense that you need each and every guy helping each other and pulling in the same direction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/hockey-is-a-unique-sport-in-the-sense-that-you-need-each-and-every/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [If you increase the number of rockets you build and you buy, then it's the scale of the economy, the price is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/if-you-increase-the-number-of-rockets-you-build-and-you-buy-then-it-s/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [Everyone has a breaking point, turning point, stress point, the game is permeated with it. The fans don't see it because we make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everyone-has-a-breaking-point-turning-point-stress-point-the-game-is/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [You can't not be a little different from others and be successful for three decades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/you-can-t-not-be-a-little-different-from-others-and-be-successful-for/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [You cannot be successful without passion. If you don't love what you're doing, if you don't have passion for it - forget it. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-cannot-be-successful-without-passion-if-you-don-t-love-what-you/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/) Chris Kirubi > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) ## More by Iain Pears > [“Odd, don't you think? I have seen war, and invasions and riots. I have heard of massacres and brutalities beyond imagining, and I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/odd-don-t-you-think-i-have-seen-war-and-invasions-and-riots-i-have/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [“The next day was a dream of such perfection that I have never approached the like again. It was, of course, all illusion, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/the-next-day-was-a-dream-of-such-perfection-that-i-have-never/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [And a more foolish notion can scarcely be imagined, it being obvious that the reader is only informed of what the writer wishes him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/and-a-more-foolish-notion-can-scarcely-be-imagined-it-being-obvious/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [I learned that I' have to be detached if I was ever to achieve anything at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/i-learned-that-i-have-to-be-detached-if-i-was-ever-to-achieve/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [“And here was the moment. The end of it all, for civilization was merely another name for friendship, and friendship was coming to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/and-here-was-the-moment-the-end-of-it-all-for-civilization-was-merely/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [When all this is over, people will try to blame the Germans alone, and the Germans will try to blame the Nazis alone, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/when-all-this-is-over-people-will-try-to-blame-the-germans-alone-and/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [“Considering he was neither priest nor scholar, the young man gave sensible, thoughtful replies -- the more so, perhaps, for being untrained, for he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/considering-he-was-neither-priest-nor-scholar-the-young-man-gave/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [“Felix had gone to live in a lotus land of his imagination. Where what is desired is dreamed of as already happened, where obstacles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/felix-had-gone-to-live-in-a-lotus-land-of-his-imagination-where-what/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [In my small way, I preserved and catalogued, and dipped into the vast ocean of learning that awaited, knowing all the time that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/in-my-small-way-i-preserved-and-catalogued-and-dipped-into-the-vast/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [“Aunt Gertie could not tell the difference between 1928 and now. Uncle Joseph was dead and alive. In other words, she grasped the essential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/aunt-gertie-could-not-tell-the-difference-between-1928-and-now-uncle/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [“I cannot remember a single painting, although I do remember trying hard to be deeply impressed by them at the time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/i-cannot-remember-a-single-painting-although-i-do-remember-trying/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [“It was, for the time being, an empty threat, and he must have sensed it also, for he laughed easily and with contempt. “You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/it-was-for-the-time-being-an-empty-threat-and-he-must-have-sensed-it/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [Shame, I do believe, is the most powerful emotion known to man; most discoveries and journeys of importance have been accomplished because of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/shame-i-do-believe-is-the-most-powerful-emotion-known-to-man-most/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [“Politics bores you?" Bronsen said. Julien smiled. "It does. Apologies, sir, and it is not that I haven't tried to be fascinated. But careful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/politics-bores-you-bronsen-said-julien-smiled-it-does-apologies-sir/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [“The world was full of such madmen in those days. Imprisonment is not the way to deal with such people; half measures merely feed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/the-world-was-full-of-such-madmen-in-those-days-imprisonment-is-not/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) [Explore all 71 Iain Pears quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) ## More Achieve quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [I'm a film guy. I love it. When I read the screenplay, I knew that there would be no HD camera that could achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-taylor/i-m-a-film-guy-i-love-it-when-i-read-the-screenplay-i-knew-that-there/) Deon Taylor > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera > [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Governments follow their people. A great deal has to do with the vision of the leadership of governments. They have a vision, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/governments-follow-their-people-a-great-deal-has-to-do-with-the/) [Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/) > [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [To achieve something you've never achieved before, you must become someone you've never been before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-joshi/to-achieve-something-you-ve-never-achieved-before-you-must-become/) [Shubham Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-joshi/) > [I've identified as bisexual since I was a teenager, and if we want to achieve equality for all in our policies, we need more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hill/i-ve-identified-as-bisexual-since-i-was-a-teenager-and-if-we-want-to/) [Katie Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hill/) Browse all 6,390 Achieve quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He (William Cort) had some desire to be successful, but it did not burn so strongly in him that he was prepared to overcome his character to achieve it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Iain Pears" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/he-william-cort-had-some-desire-to-be-successful-but-it-did-not-burn/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Achieve" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/he-william-cort-had-some-desire-to-be-successful-but-it-did-not-burn/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7e/iain-pears-9652_achieve_he-william-cort-had-some-desire-to-be-su_2186726.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7e/iain-pears-9652_achieve_he-william-cort-had-some-desire-to-be-su_2186726.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7e/iain-pears-9652_achieve_he-william-cort-had-some-desire-to-be-su_2186726.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He (William Cort) had some desire to be successful, but it did not burn so strongly in him that he was…” — Iain Pears", "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": "Iain Pears", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "He (William Cort) had some desire...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/he-william-cort-had-some-desire-to-be-successful-but-it-did-not-burn/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/he-william-cort-had-some-desire-to-be-successful-but-it-did-not-burn/#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 } } ] } ```