--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Given courage and ability and a favorable…" description: "\"“Given courage and ability and a favorable set of circumstances, there is no greater way to [acquire] influence than to be free of personal ambition.”\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a42/lorena-hickok-257568_ambition_given-courage-and-ability-and-a-favorabl_1135375.jpg" --- # Given courage and ability and a favorable set of… ![“Given courage and ability and a favorable set of circumstances, there is no greater way to [acquire] influence than to be free of personal ambition.” quote by Lorena Hickok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a42/lorena-hickok-257568_ambition_given-courage-and-ability-and-a-favorabl_1135375.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a42/lorena-hickok-257568_ambition_given-courage-and-ability-and-a-favorabl_1135375.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a42/lorena-hickok-257568_ambition_given-courage-and-ability-and-a-favorabl_1135375.jpg) > ““Given courage and ability and a favorable set of circumstances, there is no greater way to \[acquire\] influence than to be free of personal ambition.”” [Lorena Hickok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorena-hickok/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom from personal ambition amplifies influence when circumstances are favorable. **In simple terms:** Being free of ambition boosts influence. Key Takeaway Seek influence beyond self‑interest. Themes power courage ambition Mood inspirational analytical Type Ambition:1 Courage:1 Inspirational success failure:0 Motivation:0 Power:1 Given Courage:0 Personal Ambition:0 Courage Ability:0 Ability Favorable:0 When to use this quote - leadership training - activism - policy making - career planning Key Concepts political science ethics Questions to Reflect On - When does ambition aid influence? - How can you stay free yet effective? A Different Perspective Absence of ambition may reduce drive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability Favorable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability-favorable-3139092/) [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Courage Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage-ability-2040353/) [Given Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given-courage-333455/) [Inspirational success failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-success-failure/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Personal Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-ambition-1987554/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) ## Related quotes > [Courage is the ability to go from failure to failure with enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/courage-is-the-ability-to-go-from-failure-to-failure-with-enthusiasm/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [I've had people call me and tell me, 'You've given me courage.' It's fantastic... it's heart-warming to know you can be a ray of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kubra-sait/i-ve-had-people-call-me-and-tell-me-you-ve-given-me-courage-it-s/) [Kubra Sait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kubra-sait/) > [“Drawing a deep breath, she took control of her fear. She was a commander’s child. Her father had been born in poverty and had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/drawing-a-deep-breath-she-took-control-of-her-fear-she-was-a/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [In Christ we are given the courage and strength to change the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-w-smith/in-christ-we-are-given-the-courage-and-strength-to-change-the-world/) [Michael W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-w-smith/) > [“When we spoke about attempts to give a man in camp mental courage, we said that he had to be shown something to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/when-we-spoke-about-attempts-to-give-a-man-in-camp-mental-courage-we/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [Those who stand alone with God will be given the courage and strength to stand alone for God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/those-who-stand-alone-with-god-will-be-given-the-courage-and-strength/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Imagination does not become great until human beings, given the courage and the strength, use it to create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/imagination-does-not-become-great-until-human-beings-given-the/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Courage is the ability to do the right thing, all the time, no matter how painful or uncomfortable it might be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/courage-is-the-ability-to-do-the-right-thing-all-the-time-no-matter/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [“Courage is the ability to connect with another human and share our truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-rosenheck/courage-is-the-ability-to-connect-with-another-human-and-share-our/) [Alyssa Rosenheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-rosenheck/) > [The only real security is not insurance or money or a job, not a house and furniture paid for, or a retirement fund, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-sutherland/the-only-real-security-is-not-insurance-or-money-or-a-job-not-a-house/) [Audrey Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-sutherland/) > [The first quality of courage is the willingness to launch with no guarantees. The second quality of courage is the ability to endure when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/the-first-quality-of-courage-is-the-willingness-to-launch-with-no/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [“Courage is the ability to defeat your fear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabiso-monkoe/courage-is-the-ability-to-defeat-your-fear/) [Thabiso Monkoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabiso-monkoe/) > [Courage is not an ability one either possess or lacks. Courage is the willingness to engage in a risk-taking behavior regardless of whether the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/courage-is-not-an-ability-one-either-possess-or-lacks-courage-is-the/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) > [A single step of courage can alter whole conception of what seems impossible.Courage is ability to win over fear of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/a-single-step-of-courage-can-alter-whole-conception-of-what-seems/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [“We will never be as invincible as we wish to be. That is why we help each other. Sometimes our courage is not about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-d-marie/we-will-never-be-as-invincible-as-we-wish-to-be-that-is-why-we-help/) [Elizabeth D. Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-d-marie/) ## 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": "“Given courage and ability and a favorable set of circumstances, there is no greater way to [acquire] influence than to be free of personal ambition.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lorena Hickok" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorena-hickok/given-courage-and-ability-and-a-favorable-set-of-circumstances-there/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorena-hickok/given-courage-and-ability-and-a-favorable-set-of-circumstances-there/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a42/lorena-hickok-257568_ambition_given-courage-and-ability-and-a-favorabl_1135375.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a42/lorena-hickok-257568_ambition_given-courage-and-ability-and-a-favorabl_1135375.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a42/lorena-hickok-257568_ambition_given-courage-and-ability-and-a-favorabl_1135375.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Given courage and ability and a favorable set of circumstances, there is no greater way to [acquire]…” — Lorena Hickok", "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": "Lorena Hickok", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorena-hickok/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Given courage and ability and a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorena-hickok/given-courage-and-ability-and-a-favorable-set-of-circumstances-there/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorena-hickok/given-courage-and-ability-and-a-favorable-set-of-circumstances-there/#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 } } ] } ```