--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never had a driving ambition to be a…" description: "\"I never had a driving ambition to be a star.\" — Michael Learned" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/michael-learned-30182_ambition_i-never-had-a-driving-ambition-to-be-a-s_2989761.jpg" --- # I never had a driving ambition to be a star. ![“I never had a driving ambition to be a star.” quote by Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/michael-learned-30182_ambition_i-never-had-a-driving-ambition-to-be-a-s_2989761.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/michael-learned-30182_ambition_i-never-had-a-driving-ambition-to-be-a-s_2989761.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/michael-learned-30182_ambition_i-never-had-a-driving-ambition-to-be-a-s_2989761.jpg) > “I never had a driving ambition to be a star.” [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker states they never possessed a strong drive to become famous or a star. **In simple terms:** Never had a strong ambition for stardom. Key Takeaway Define success on personal terms, not fame. Themes ambition celebrity contentment values identity Mood contemplative calm Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - life choices - self‑definition - career planning Key Concepts career satisfaction personal fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - What does success look like for you? - How do you stay true to your values? A Different Perspective Societal pressure may still influence goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Ambition Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition-star-1683080/) [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Driving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving/) [Driving Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving-ambition-1372710/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/star/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) ## Related quotes > [I never had any ambition to be a star, or whatever it is called, and I'm still embarrassed at the word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-never-had-any-ambition-to-be-a-star-or-whatever-it-is-called-and-i/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [I have the desire to work as an actress, but I have no ambition to be a star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-sheedy/i-have-the-desire-to-work-as-an-actress-but-i-have-no-ambition-to-be/) [Ally Sheedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-sheedy/) > [Most people I know that are successful have a few things in common that are undeniable: driving ambition, and they have applied that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wynn/most-people-i-know-that-are-successful-have-a-few-things-in-common/) [Steve Wynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wynn/) > [“He had little respect for anyone who was not willing to put in the effort required to survive and thrive. Not everyone needed the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mallory/he-had-little-respect-for-anyone-who-was-not-willing-to-put-in-the/) [Anne Mallory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mallory/) > [There has to be a way to redirect employee's driving ambition and to channel it more productively. There is. Create heroes in every role.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-has-to-be-a-way-to-redirect-employee-s-driving-ambition-and-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes with people I know, they're playing the hunky action guy and there's resistance to them coming out because it's so connected to straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/sometimes-with-people-i-know-they-re-playing-the-hunky-action-guy-and/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [I don't see myself as a pop star, just a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-henderson/i-don-t-see-myself-as-a-pop-star-just-a-singer/) [Ella Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-henderson/) > [Every star may be a sun to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/every-star-may-be-a-sun-to-someone/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“A Scientist can discover a new star but he cannot make one. He would have to ask an engineer to do it for him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-l-glegg/a-scientist-can-discover-a-new-star-but-he-cannot-make-one-he-would/) [Gordon L. Glegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-l-glegg/) > [I don't know if I'm a star or not. I try to don't think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-moreno/i-don-t-know-if-i-m-a-star-or-not-i-try-to-don-t-think-about-it/) [Brandon Moreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-moreno/) > [You're not a star until they can spell your name in Karachi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/humphrey-bogart/you-re-not-a-star-until-they-can-spell-your-name-in-karachi/) [Humphrey Bogart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/humphrey-bogart/) > [I always knew I was a star And now, the rest of the world seems to agree with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-always-knew-i-was-a-star-and-now-the-rest-of-the-world-seems-to/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [“Being a rock star is the intersection of who you are and who you want to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-dellaira/being-a-rock-star-is-the-intersection-of-who-you-are-and-who-you-want/) [Ava Dellaira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-dellaira/) > [I never wanted to be a movie star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-mitchell/i-never-wanted-to-be-a-movie-star/) [Radha Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-mitchell/) > [Studying Sol's interior by looking for analogous patterns on its incandescent face is known as helioseismology, an active - if largely unpronounceable - research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/studying-sol-s-interior-by-looking-for-analogous-patterns-on-its/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) ## More by Michael Learned > [If you care about what you do, you don't want to let people down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/if-you-care-about-what-you-do-you-don-t-want-to-let-people-down/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [All of us from The Waltons still love each other. I think were closer than some real families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/all-of-us-from-the-waltons-still-love-each-other-i-think-were-closer/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [I don't mean to insult television, but a lot of the time, it's pretty straightforward. If you say, 'I love you,' you mean 'I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-don-t-mean-to-insult-television-but-a-lot-of-the-time-it-s-pretty/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [I'm grateful that I have a theater career because television isn't kind to you when you're over forty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-m-grateful-that-i-have-a-theater-career-because-television-isn-t/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [I dont mean to insult television, but a lot of the time, its pretty straightforward. If you say, I love you, you mean I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-dont-mean-to-insult-television-but-a-lot-of-the-time-its-pretty/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [For a long time, I resisted seeing 'The Sound of Music,' but when I finally did, I cried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/for-a-long-time-i-resisted-seeing-the-sound-of-music-but-when-i/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [I got married very young and put my career on the back burner for the most part because that's what you did in those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-got-married-very-young-and-put-my-career-on-the-back-burner-for-the/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [Nobody can understand the pressures of doing an hour-long TV show unless you've done one. Even when you're not on call, you still are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/nobody-can-understand-the-pressures-of-doing-an-hour-long-tv-show/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [I used to pride myself on the fact that I kept a house running and never burdened anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-used-to-pride-myself-on-the-fact-that-i-kept-a-house-running-and/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [I got married at 17, had three kids by the time I was 24, and have never had much time alone. I never had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-got-married-at-17-had-three-kids-by-the-time-i-was-24-and-have/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [I was certainly typecast for a while on television because I was always being cast as the 'compassionate mother' or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-was-certainly-typecast-for-a-while-on-television-because-i-was/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [I used to love people for what they could be. I thought love was how hard you tried and how much you sacrificed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-used-to-love-people-for-what-they-could-be-i-thought-love-was-how/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [All of us from 'The Waltons' still love each other. I think we're closer than some real families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/all-of-us-from-the-waltons-still-love-each-other-i-think-we-re-closer/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [When I was a girl, my grandmother would take me during the holidays to see the windows at Saks and Rockefeller Center.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/when-i-was-a-girl-my-grandmother-would-take-me-during-the-holidays-to/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [As an actor, one of my greatest fears is losing my memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/as-an-actor-one-of-my-greatest-fears-is-losing-my-memory/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) [Explore all 17 Michael Learned quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) ## 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": "I never had a driving ambition to be a star.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Learned" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-never-had-a-driving-ambition-to-be-a-star/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-never-had-a-driving-ambition-to-be-a-star/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/michael-learned-30182_ambition_i-never-had-a-driving-ambition-to-be-a-s_2989761.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/michael-learned-30182_ambition_i-never-had-a-driving-ambition-to-be-a-s_2989761.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/495/michael-learned-30182_ambition_i-never-had-a-driving-ambition-to-be-a-s_2989761.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I never had a driving ambition to be a star.” — Michael Learned", "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": "Michael Learned", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I never had a driving ambition...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-never-had-a-driving-ambition-to-be-a-star/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/i-never-had-a-driving-ambition-to-be-a-star/#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 } } ] } ```