Ambition Quote by Michel de Montaigne
“Other passions have objects to flatter them, and seem to content and satisfy them for a while; there is power in ambition, pleasure in luxury, and pelf in covetousness; but envy can gain nothing but vexation.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Essays by Michel de Montaigne, 1580
Ambition, luxury, and greed bring temporary satisfaction, but envy only causes frustration and unrest.
In simple terms: Envy yields only irritation, not gain.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate contentment over comparison.
Themes
ambition
greed
envy
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- career advancement
- wealth accumulation
- social media comparison
- personal relationships
Key Concepts
human desire
psychology of satisfaction
Questions to Reflect On
- What triggers your envy?
- How can you transform envy into self‑improvement?
A Different Perspective
Envy can motivate positive change if redirected.
![“The yearning after equality [in economic outcome] is the offspring of envy and covetousness, and there is no possible plan for satisfying that yearning which can do aught else than rob A to give to B; consequently all such plans nourish some of the meanest vices of human nature, waste capital, and…” quote by William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9b4/william-graham-sumner-5011_can-do_the-yearning-after-equality-in-economic_454035.jpg)
