--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ambition is the weakness of all the great…" description: "\"“Ambition is the weakness of all the great spirits who in acceptance will find the joy & the despair the seek. The physician can only cure when he is w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/684/kenneth-patchen-10815_ambition_ambition-is-the-weakness-of-all-the-grea_2785097.png" --- # Ambition is the weakness of all the great spirits who in… ![“Ambition is the weakness of all the great spirits who in acceptance will find the joy & the despair the seek. The physician can only cure when he is willing to assume your disease. To be shunned is to be God a little...” quote by Kenneth Patchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/684/kenneth-patchen-10815_ambition_ambition-is-the-weakness-of-all-the-grea_2785097.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/684/kenneth-patchen-10815_ambition_ambition-is-the-weakness-of-all-the-grea_2785097.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/684/kenneth-patchen-10815_ambition_ambition-is-the-weakness-of-all-the-grea_2785097.png) > ““Ambition is the weakness of all the great spirits who in acceptance will find the joy & the despair the seek. The physician can only cure when he is willing to assume your disease. To be shunned is to be God a little...”” [Kenneth Patchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-patchen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great spirits face ambition’s weakness, joy and despair; healing requires acceptance of disease. **In simple terms:** Ambition can cause suffering; healing needs willingness. Key Takeaway Accept vulnerability to heal. Themes ambition spirituality health acceptance Mood thoughtful poetic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - creative work - medical practice - spiritual retreats Key Concepts philosophy psychology medicine Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to be shunned? - How can embracing disease lead to growth? A Different Perspective Acceptance may be painful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Aphorisms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aphorisms/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Shunned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shunned/) ## Related quotes > [Ambition is not a weakness unless it be disproportioned to the capacity. To have more ambition than ability is to be at once weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stillman-hillard/ambition-is-not-a-weakness-unless-it-be-disproportioned-to-the/) [George Stillman Hillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stillman-hillard/) > [“In this quest of knowledge ... there are two faults to be shunned—one, the taking of unknown things for known, and giving an assent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-fillmore-swain/in-this-quest-of-knowledge-there-are-two-faults-to-be-shunned-one-the/) [George Fillmore Swain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-fillmore-swain/) > [At North Hollywood High School, I was shunned by everyone. I would sit down in the cafeteria, and students would get up from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/at-north-hollywood-high-school-i-was-shunned-by-everyone-i-would-sit/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [“Of all individuals, the hated, the shunned, and the peculiar are arguably most themselves. They wear no masks whatsoever in order to be accepted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/of-all-individuals-the-hated-the-shunned-and-the-peculiar-are/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Regarding Christians who feel they have a free pass on being criticized; When the blind worship of an invisible being and the doctrine of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-jae-baeli/regarding-christians-who-feel-they-have-a-free-pass-on-being/) [Kelli Jae Baeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-jae-baeli/) > [“It is not the homeless, mentally ill or extremely cunning people that we have to be afraid of. When someone loses everything that meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-is-not-the-homeless-mentally-ill-or-extremely-cunning-people-that/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Boycotts tend to make the shunned more popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/boycotts-tend-to-make-the-shunned-more-popular/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [Politics bereft of religion is absolute dirt, ever to be shunned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/politics-bereft-of-religion-is-absolute-dirt-ever-to-be-shunned/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Those without passion are often passed and shunned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-lilly/those-without-passion-are-often-passed-and-shunned/) [Ryan Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-lilly/) > [Prudence is the knowledge of things to be sought, and those to be shunned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/prudence-is-the-knowledge-of-things-to-be-sought-and-those-to-be/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“Crowded places, I shunned them as noises too rude And fled to the silence of sweet solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-clare/crowded-places-i-shunned-them-as-noises-too-rude-and-fled-to-the/) [John Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-clare/) > [There's so much in American history that has been hidden and shunned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-sanders/there-s-so-much-in-american-history-that-has-been-hidden-and-shunned/) [Ashton Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-sanders/) > [“and descry what shoals and what rocks must be shunned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/and-descry-what-shoals-and-what-rocks-must-be-shunned/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [We are never more self-righteous than when giving up what we should have shunned all along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/we-are-never-more-self-righteous-than-when-giving-up-what-we-should/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by Kenneth Patchen > [Do I not deal with angels When her lips I touch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-patchen/do-i-not-deal-with-angels-when-her-lips-i-touch/) [Kenneth Patchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-patchen/) > [“The animal I wanted Couldn't get into the world I can hear it crying When I sit like this away from life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-patchen/the-animal-i-wanted-couldn-t-get-into-the-world-i-can-hear-it-crying/) [Kenneth Patchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-patchen/) > [“What shall light us to murder & defile if by some chance the Laws of the State happen to get turned off?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-patchen/what-shall-light-us-to-murder-defile-if-by-some-chance-the-laws-of/) [Kenneth Patchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-patchen/) > [“It is the nature of man to expose with laws of doubt & impatience, no feeling of wonder that he should a participant in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-patchen/it-is-the-nature-of-man-to-expose-with-laws-of-doubt-impatience-no/) [Kenneth Patchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-patchen/) > [Dogs with broken legs are shot; men with broken souls write through the night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-patchen/dogs-with-broken-legs-are-shot-men-with-broken-souls-write-through/) [Kenneth Patchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-patchen/) > [Art is not to throw light but to be light...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-patchen/art-is-not-to-throw-light-but-to-be-light/) [Kenneth Patchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-patchen/) > [I think people need a little joy and humor as well as commitment in their lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-patchen/i-think-people-need-a-little-joy-and-humor-as-well-as-commitment-in/) [Kenneth Patchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-patchen/) > [It is fully practical to create that which has form in the silence. The noise art makes is usually heard by those whose lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-patchen/it-is-fully-practical-to-create-that-which-has-form-in-the-silence/) [Kenneth Patchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-patchen/) > [Greatness and Truth can never be in danger from these murdering wretches. To perform one's duty, be it now, be it clean, and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-patchen/greatness-and-truth-can-never-be-in-danger-from-these-murdering/) [Kenneth Patchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-patchen/) > [Literature is what you write when you think you should be saying something. Writing begins when you'd rather be doing anything else: and you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-patchen/literature-is-what-you-write-when-you-think-you-should-be-saying/) [Kenneth Patchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-patchen/) > [Caring is the only daring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-patchen/caring-is-the-only-daring/) [Kenneth Patchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-patchen/) > [I don't consider myself to be a painter. I think of myself as someone who has used the medium of painting in an attempt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-patchen/i-don-t-consider-myself-to-be-a-painter-i-think-of-myself-as-someone/) [Kenneth Patchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-patchen/) > [“Ah I can see that… You can see anything once you've been told it's there to see”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-patchen/ah-i-can-see-that-you-can-see-anything-once-you-ve-been-told-it-s/) [Kenneth Patchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-patchen/) > [“I want to buy me a hat with a golden feather & a book with the confessions of God in it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-patchen/i-want-to-buy-me-a-hat-with-a-golden-feather-a-book-with-the/) [Kenneth Patchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-patchen/) > [Law and order embrace on hate's border.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-patchen/law-and-order-embrace-on-hate-s-border/) [Kenneth Patchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-patchen/) [Explore all 63 Kenneth Patchen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-patchen/) ## 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": "“Ambition is the weakness of all the great spirits who in acceptance will find the joy & the despair the seek. 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