--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You will see that Charles set his sights…" description: "\"“You will see that Charles set his sights high. Intelligent idlers always have, in order to justify their idleness to their intelligence.”\" — John Fowles" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/john-fowles-816_charles_you-will-see-that-charles-set-his-sights_2865391.png" --- # You will see that Charles set his sights high. Intelligent… ![“You will see that Charles set his sights high. Intelligent idlers always have, in order to justify their idleness to their intelligence.” quote by John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/john-fowles-816_charles_you-will-see-that-charles-set-his-sights_2865391.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/john-fowles-816_charles_you-will-see-that-charles-set-his-sights_2865391.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/john-fowles-816_charles_you-will-see-that-charles-set-his-sights_2865391.png) > ““You will see that Charles set his sights high. Intelligent idlers always have, in order to justify their idleness to their intelligence.”” [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ambitious people justify idleness by claiming intelligence, using lofty goals to excuse lack of action. **In simple terms:** Intelligence used to excuse laziness. Key Takeaway Set realistic goals and act on them. Themes ambition intelligence idleness justification Mood critical motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career - education - personal development - creative work Key Concepts self-deception motivation Questions to Reflect On - What goals are you using as excuses? - How can you turn ambition into action? A Different Perspective Excuses can become self-fulfilling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charles/) [High Intelligent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-intelligent-3890057/) [Idleness Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idleness-intelligence-3890054/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Intelligent Idlers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligent-idlers-3890056/) [Justify Idleness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justify-idleness-3890055/) ## Related quotes > [Years passed; and he endured the idleness of his intelligence and the inertia of his heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/years-passed-and-he-endured-the-idleness-of-his-intelligence-and-the/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [“Charles gave his hat to Mary, set his lapels, wished he were dead, then went down the hall and into his ordeal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/charles-gave-his-hat-to-mary-set-his-lapels-wished-he-were-dead-then/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [“Come clean Charles, come clean”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/come-clean-charles-come-clean/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [“Beauclaire, for his part, sank back in the soft material of the couch as if the thought that it would impede him should he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/beauclaire-for-his-part-sank-back-in-the-soft-material-of-the-couch/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“previously been reported. For all three, the association with the Koch brothers' network is likely to provide kindling for their opponents, who have already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/previously-been-reported-for-all-three-the-association-with-the-koch/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Charles was most comfortable by himself or, if that wasn't possible, with his pack in the wild. Talking for hours in a crowded auditorium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/charles-was-most-comfortable-by-himself-or-if-that-wasn-t-possible/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [What it means is that some of Charles' press secretaries have been better than others as some of the Queen's press secretaries have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-holden/what-it-means-is-that-some-of-charles-press-secretaries-have-been/) [Anthony Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-holden/) > [I stumbled upon Charles White purely by chance while looking through a book 'Great Negroes, Past and Present' in the library at Forty-Ninth Street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/i-stumbled-upon-charles-white-purely-by-chance-while-looking-through/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [ “I was never a watering pot before I met Charles," he \[Tris\] sobbed. "It's all his fault." "You never cared before you met Charles,"… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-speedwell/i-was-never-a-watering-pot-before-i-met-charles-he-tris-sobbed-it-s/) [Rowan Speedwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-speedwell/) > [Prince Charles was a lot wittier than I thought he'd be, and passionate about the environment and architecture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-marshall/prince-charles-was-a-lot-wittier-than-i-thought-he-d-be-and/) [Kris Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-marshall/) > [“One of the things I learned with Charles," said Gray carefully, "was that finding someone like you does not necessarily mean that either of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/one-of-the-things-i-learned-with-charles-said-gray-carefully-was-that/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [I probably should've listened to Michael a year ago when he said that Charles will never win a championship because he doesn't show any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/i-probably-should-ve-listened-to-michael-a-year-ago-when-he-said-that/) [Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/) > [I learnt a lot from the directors with whom I have worked like Sudhir Mishra in 'Daas Dev,' Prawaal Raman in 'Main Aur Charles.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richa-chadha/i-learnt-a-lot-from-the-directors-with-whom-i-have-worked-like-sudhir/) [Richa Chadha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richa-chadha/) > [I don't think I've met anyone with a stronger work ethic than Ray Charles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/i-don-t-think-i-ve-met-anyone-with-a-stronger-work-ethic-than-ray/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) ## More by John Fowles > [I am infinitely strange to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/i-am-infinitely-strange-to-myself/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [I do not plan my fiction any more than I normally plan woodland walks; I follow the path that seems most promising at any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/i-do-not-plan-my-fiction-any-more-than-i-normally-plan-woodland-walks/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [“The sky is absolutely empty. Beautifully pure and empty. As if the architects and builders would live in all the houses they built! Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/the-sky-is-absolutely-empty-beautifully-pure-and-empty-as-if-the/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [“The evolution of human mentality has put us all in vitro now, behind the glass wall of our own ingenuity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/the-evolution-of-human-mentality-has-put-us-all-in-vitro-now-behind/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [Most marriages recognize this paradox: Passion destroys passion; we want what puts an end to wanting what we want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/most-marriages-recognize-this-paradox-passion-destroys-passion-we/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [That is the great distinction between the sexes. Men see objects, women see the relationships between objects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/that-is-the-great-distinction-between-the-sexes-men-see-objects-women/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [The craving to risk death is our last great perversion. We come from night, we go into night. Why live in night?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/the-craving-to-risk-death-is-our-last-great-perversion-we-come-from/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [There is only one good definition of God: the freedom that allows other freedoms to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/there-is-only-one-good-definition-of-god-the-freedom-that-allows/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [They looked down on her; and she looked up through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/they-looked-down-on-her-and-she-looked-up-through-them/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [“Long afterwards I realized why some men, racing drivers and their like, become addicted to speed. There are those of us who never see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/long-afterwards-i-realized-why-some-men-racing-drivers-and-their-like/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [The best wines take the longest to mature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/the-best-wines-take-the-longest-to-mature/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [But however good you get at translating personality into line or paint it's no go if your personality isn't worth translating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/but-however-good-you-get-at-translating-personality-into-line-or/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [“Liking other people is an illusion we have to cherish in ourselves if we are to live in society. It”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/liking-other-people-is-an-illusion-we-have-to-cherish-in-ourselves-if/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [Do you know that every great thing in the history of art and every beautiful thing in life is actually what you call nasty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/do-you-know-that-every-great-thing-in-the-history-of-art-and-every/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [“Yet this distance, all those abysses unbridged and then unbridgeable by radio, television, cheap travel and the rest, was not wholly bad. People knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/yet-this-distance-all-those-abysses-unbridged-and-then-unbridgeable/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) [Explore all 341 John Fowles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) ## More Charles quotes > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [I don't think I've met anyone with a stronger work ethic than Ray Charles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/i-don-t-think-i-ve-met-anyone-with-a-stronger-work-ethic-than-ray/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [I learnt a lot from the directors with whom I have worked like Sudhir Mishra in 'Daas Dev,' Prawaal Raman in 'Main Aur Charles.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richa-chadha/i-learnt-a-lot-from-the-directors-with-whom-i-have-worked-like-sudhir/) [Richa Chadha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richa-chadha/) > [I probably should've listened to Michael a year ago when he said that Charles will never win a championship because he doesn't show any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/i-probably-should-ve-listened-to-michael-a-year-ago-when-he-said-that/) [Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/) > [“One of the things I learned with Charles," said Gray carefully, "was that finding someone like you does not necessarily mean that either of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/one-of-the-things-i-learned-with-charles-said-gray-carefully-was-that/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [Prince Charles was a lot wittier than I thought he'd be, and passionate about the environment and architecture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-marshall/prince-charles-was-a-lot-wittier-than-i-thought-he-d-be-and/) [Kris Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-marshall/) > [ “I was never a watering pot before I met Charles," he \[Tris\] sobbed. "It's all his fault." "You never cared before you met Charles,"… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-speedwell/i-was-never-a-watering-pot-before-i-met-charles-he-tris-sobbed-it-s/) [Rowan Speedwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-speedwell/) > [I stumbled upon Charles White purely by chance while looking through a book 'Great Negroes, Past and Present' in the library at Forty-Ninth Street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/i-stumbled-upon-charles-white-purely-by-chance-while-looking-through/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [What it means is that some of Charles' press secretaries have been better than others as some of the Queen's press secretaries have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-holden/what-it-means-is-that-some-of-charles-press-secretaries-have-been/) [Anthony Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-holden/) > [Charles was most comfortable by himself or, if that wasn't possible, with his pack in the wild. Talking for hours in a crowded auditorium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/charles-was-most-comfortable-by-himself-or-if-that-wasn-t-possible/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“previously been reported. For all three, the association with the Koch brothers' network is likely to provide kindling for their opponents, who have already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/previously-been-reported-for-all-three-the-association-with-the-koch/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Beauclaire, for his part, sank back in the soft material of the couch as if the thought that it would impede him should he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/beauclaire-for-his-part-sank-back-in-the-soft-material-of-the-couch/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Charles is Charles. Wale is Wale. It's two separate entities that have nothing to do with each other and probably will never have anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wale/charles-is-charles-wale-is-wale-it-s-two-separate-entities-that-have/) [Wale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wale/) > [Congratulations to Prince Charles for banning foie gras from all his functions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/congratulations-to-prince-charles-for-banning-foie-gras-from-all-his/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Grace commanded the second pew, her whole family jammed together, the six of them sour yet insistent, like the richest people flying coach, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gilbert/grace-commanded-the-second-pew-her-whole-family-jammed-together-the/) [David Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gilbert/) [Browse all 326 Charles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charles/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You will see that Charles set his sights high. 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