---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: in order to make a man or boy covet a…"
description: "\"in order to make a man or boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to attain.\" — Mark Twain"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e23/mark-twain-22_boys_in-order-to-make-a-man-or-boy-covet-a-th_1806152.png"
---

#  in order to make a man or boy covet a thing, it is only…

![“in order to make a man or boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to attain.” quote by Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e23/mark-twain-22_boys_in-order-to-make-a-man-or-boy-covet-a-th_1806152.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e23/mark-twain-22_boys_in-order-to-make-a-man-or-boy-covet-a-th_1806152.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e23/mark-twain-22_boys_in-order-to-make-a-man-or-boy-covet-a-th_1806152.png)

> “in order to make a man or boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to attain.”

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Desire grows when something is scarce or hard to get, prompting covetousness.

**In simple terms:** Hard-to-get items become more desirable.

Key Takeaway

Make goals challenging to increase interest.

Themes

desire scarcity motivation

Mood

intrigued reflective

Type

observational motivational

When to use this quote

- marketing
- personal goals
- relationships
- education

Key Concepts

psychology behavioral economics

Questions to Reflect On

- What do you value more when it’s difficult?
- How can you balance challenge and attainability?

A Different Perspective

If a goal is too hard, it may cause discouragement.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Boy Covet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boy-covet-2074143/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Covet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covet/) [Covet Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covet-thing-2074145/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Difficult Attain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-attain-2074144/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Thing Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-difficult-342730/)

## Related quotes

> [“He had discovered a great law of human action, without knowing it, namely, that, in order to make a man or a boy covet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/he-had-discovered-a-great-law-of-human-action-without-knowing-it/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [Tom said to himself that it was not such a hollow world, after all. He had discovered a great law of human action, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/tom-said-to-himself-that-it-was-not-such-a-hollow-world-after-all-he/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [“Tom said to himself that it was not such a hollow world, after all. He had discovered a great law of human action, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/tom-said-to-himself-that-it-was-not-such-a-hollow-world-after-all-he-2/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [Life is not so easy, some things are difficult to attain but if you take the first step of faith youll always succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmine/life-is-not-so-easy-some-things-are-difficult-to-attain-but-if-you-2/)

[Jazmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmine/)

> [Life is not so easy, some things are difficult to attain but if you take the first step of faith you will always succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-not-so-easy-some-things-are-difficult-to-attain-but-if-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Because a thing seems difficult for you, do not think it impossible for anyone to accomplish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/because-a-thing-seems-difficult-for-you-do-not-think-it-impossible/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [Sometimes THE RIGHT thing is the most difficult mission to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-gualvez/sometimes-the-right-thing-is-the-most-difficult-mission-to-do/)

[Carla Gualvez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-gualvez/)

> [In war, while everything is simple, even the simplest thing is difficult. Difficulties accumulate and produce frictions which no one can comprehend who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/in-war-while-everything-is-simple-even-the-simplest-thing-is/)

[Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/)

> [I think the thing that I find the most difficult to talk about is religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/i-think-the-thing-that-i-find-the-most-difficult-to-talk-about-is/)

[John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/)

> [The hardest thing, and the most difficult thing, is to do the most simple thing. Because that means that you've had to weed out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-luke/the-hardest-thing-and-the-most-difficult-thing-is-to-do-the-most/)

[Dr. Luke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-luke/)

> [By no means because I am a World Champion will I ever stop learning and that’s the biggest thing that’s difficult for someone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-stojko/by-no-means-because-i-am-a-world-champion-will-i-ever-stop-learning/)

[Elvis Stojko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-stojko/)

> [The one thing more difficult than following a regime is keeping from imposing it on others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/the-one-thing-more-difficult-than-following-a-regime-is-keeping-from/)

[Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/)

> [The one thing more difficult than following a regimen is not imposing it on others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/the-one-thing-more-difficult-than-following-a-regimen-is-not-imposing/)

[Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/)

> [The hardest thing you need you need to learn in this world is 'how to live' for it is the only thing which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/the-hardest-thing-you-need-you-need-to-learn-in-this-world-is-how-to/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [There is no such thing as a Difficult Piece. A piece is either impossible - or it is easy. The process whereby it migrates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-kentner/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-difficult-piece-a-piece-is-either/)

[Louis Kentner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-kentner/)

## More by Mark Twain

> [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [“The Creator sat upon the throne, thinking. Behind him stretched the illimitable continent of heaven, steeped in a glory of light and color; before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-creator-sat-upon-the-throne-thinking-behind-him-stretched-the/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [It's easy to quit smoking. I've done it hundreds of times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-s-easy-to-quit-smoking-i-ve-done-it-hundreds-of-times/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [“It is never wrong to do the right thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-is-never-wrong-to-do-the-right-thing/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [A man accustomed to American food and American domestic cookery would not starve to death suddenly in Europe, but I think he would gradually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/a-man-accustomed-to-american-food-and-american-domestic-cookery-would/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [There is nothing training can't cannot do. Nothing is above its reach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/there-is-nothing-training-can-t-cannot-do-nothing-is-above-its-reach/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [I never write Metropolis for seven cents because I can get the same price for city. I never write policeman because I can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-never-write-metropolis-for-seven-cents-because-i-can-get-the-same/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [The higher animals get their teeth without pain or inconvenience. Man gets his through months and months of cruel torture; he will never get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-higher-animals-get-their-teeth-without-pain-or-inconvenience-man/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [“As far as I can see, Italy, for fifteen hundred years, has turned all her energies, all her finances, and all her industry to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/as-far-as-i-can-see-italy-for-fifteen-hundred-years-has-turned-all/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [Begin with the determination to succeed and the work is half done already.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/begin-with-the-determination-to-succeed-and-the-work-is-half-done/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [Many public-school children seem to know only two dates—1492 and 4th of July; and as a rule they don't know what happened on either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/many-public-school-children-seem-to-know-only-two-dates-1492-and-4th/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [If we could imagine such a man, that is a man who could invent the fly and send him out on his mission and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-we-could-imagine-such-a-man-that-is-a-man-who-could-invent-the-fly/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [You perceive, now, that these things are all impossible except in a dream. You perceive that they are pure and puerile insanities, the silly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/you-perceive-now-that-these-things-are-all-impossible-except-in-a/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [Lord save us all from a hope tree that has lost the faculty of putting out blossoms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/lord-save-us-all-from-a-hope-tree-that-has-lost-the-faculty-of/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

[Explore all 3,277 Mark Twain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

## More Boys quotes

> [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/)

[John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/)

> [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/)

[Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/)

> [Lets face it this world is ruled by girls that why we must away pleases our girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/lets-face-it-this-world-is-ruled-by-girls-that-why-we-must-away/)

[MrAwesome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mrawesome/)

> [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/)

[Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/)

> [When it comes to bullying small businesses, Donald Trump is the poster boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-it-comes-to-bullying-small-businesses-donald-trump-is-the-poster/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [When other boys dreamt of going to the moon or becoming doctors, I wanted to be a designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-theyskens/when-other-boys-dreamt-of-going-to-the-moon-or-becoming-doctors-i/)

[Olivier Theyskens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-theyskens/)

> [In the middle of a play, I go crazy and don't realize what I'm doing. I'll snap back to reality and I realize, 'Hey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-bosworth/in-the-middle-of-a-play-i-go-crazy-and-don-t-realize-what-i-m-doing-i/)

[Brian Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-bosworth/)

> [If Pete’s (Sampras) child is a girl, my son will like her; if he’s a boy, my son will defeat him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-agassi/if-pete-s-sampras-child-is-a-girl-my-son-will-like-her-if-he-s-a-boy/)

[Andre Agassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-agassi/)

> [The tie's a multi purpose accessory, y'know, belt, school boy, Rambo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fielding/the-tie-s-a-multi-purpose-accessory-y-know-belt-school-boy-rambo/)

[Noel Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fielding/)

> [The reason I went to an all-boys Catholic school was because they had the best football team. We won the state championship my junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-rossi/the-reason-i-went-to-an-all-boys-catholic-school-was-because-they-had/)

[Theo Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-rossi/)

> [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/)

[Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/)

> [She had been dragged in the most humiliating of all dusts, the dust reserved for older women who let themselves be approached, on amorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/she-had-been-dragged-in-the-most-humiliating-of-all-dusts-the-dust/)

[Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/)

> [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/)

[Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/)

> [So I was ugly. I was never fat, really, and I never wore headgear or had zits or anything. But I was ugly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-i-was-ugly-i-was-never-fat-really-and-i-never-wore-headgear-or-had/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/)

[Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/)

[Browse all 7,168 Boys quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "in order to make a man or boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to attain.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mark Twain"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/in-order-to-make-a-man-or-boy-covet-a-thing-it-is-only-necessary-to/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Boys"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/in-order-to-make-a-man-or-boy-covet-a-thing-it-is-only-necessary-to/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e23/mark-twain-22_boys_in-order-to-make-a-man-or-boy-covet-a-th_1806152.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e23/mark-twain-22_boys_in-order-to-make-a-man-or-boy-covet-a-th_1806152.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e23/mark-twain-22_boys_in-order-to-make-a-man-or-boy-covet-a-th_1806152.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“in order to make a man or boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to attain.” — Mark Twain",
                "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": "Mark Twain",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "in order to make a man...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/in-order-to-make-a-man-or-boy-covet-a-thing-it-is-only-necessary-to/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/in-order-to-make-a-man-or-boy-covet-a-thing-it-is-only-necessary-to/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
