--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do not let great ambitions overshadow…" description: "\"Do not let great ambitions overshadow small success.\" — Miguel Angel Ruiz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/miguel-angel-ruiz-1323_ambition_do-not-let-great-ambitions-overshadow-sm_591779.png" --- # Do not let great ambitions overshadow small success. ![“Do not let great ambitions overshadow small success.” quote by Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/miguel-angel-ruiz-1323_ambition_do-not-let-great-ambitions-overshadow-sm_591779.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/miguel-angel-ruiz-1323_ambition_do-not-let-great-ambitions-overshadow-sm_591779.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/miguel-angel-ruiz-1323_ambition_do-not-let-great-ambitions-overshadow-sm_591779.png) > “Do not let great ambitions overshadow small success.” [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prioritize modest achievements rather than being blinded by grand ambitions. **In simple terms:** Small wins matter more than big dreams. Key Takeaway Celebrate minor successes. Themes humility focus achievement Mood reflective encouraging Type motivational practical When to use this quote - personal projects - career milestones - daily habits - team contributions Key Concepts goal setting self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance big plans with daily wins? - What small success can you honor today? A Different Perspective Large goals can cause neglect of immediate progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitions/) [Great ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-ambition/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Small successes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-successes/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [I think you're never going to get somewhere ambitious if you don't start out with great ambitions. What I would say is: we got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-clark/i-think-you-re-never-going-to-get-somewhere-ambitious-if-you-don-t/) [Christy Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-clark/) > [It is wonderful to have great ambitions and splendid dreams as long as these ambitions and dreams are wonderful for the humanity too!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/it-is-wonderful-to-have-great-ambitions-and-splendid-dreams-as-long/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I have great ambitions for when I get out of government. I will watch a broader range of stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-have-great-ambitions-for-when-i-get-out-of-government-i-will-watch/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [Take advantage of each small success. In this way you close the gap between what you want from life and what it is giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/take-advantage-of-each-small-success-in-this-way-you-close-the-gap/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Only those with great ambitions know what great fears drive them forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-ackroyd/only-those-with-great-ambitions-know-what-great-fears-drive-them/) [Peter Ackroyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-ackroyd/) > [I am attracted to characters who are in worlds where they don't belong and who have great ambitions that they imagine will somehow reconcile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bennett-miller/i-am-attracted-to-characters-who-are-in-worlds-where-they-don-t/) [Bennett Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bennett-miller/) > [Most people would succeed in small things if they were not troubled with great ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/most-people-would-succeed-in-small-things-if-they-were-not-troubled/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [“I’ve had great ambitions and boundless dreams, but so has the delivery boy\* or the seamstress, because everyone has dreams. What distinguishes certain of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-had-great-ambitions-and-boundless-dreams-but-so-has-the-delivery/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I had great ambitions and extravagant dreams, but so did the errand boy and the seamstress, for everyone has dreams; the only difference is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/i-had-great-ambitions-and-extravagant-dreams-but-so-did-the-errand/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [You have to motivate people to take almost certain failure to get a small amount of success, which has driven our economy forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-conard/you-have-to-motivate-people-to-take-almost-certain-failure-to-get-a/) [Edward Conard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-conard/) > [“At each small success we should not become our own heroes in our minds”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-v-v-rao-2/at-each-small-success-we-should-not-become-our-own-heroes-in-our-minds/) [Dr. V. V. Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-v-v-rao-2/) > [“Once you achieve a small dream and make a small success, it gives you confidence to go on the next step”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-johnson/once-you-achieve-a-small-dream-and-make-a-small-success-it-gives-you/) john Johnson > [“Every small success makes the next big success possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/del-suggs/every-small-success-makes-the-next-big-success-possible/) [Del Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-suggs/) > [What I find in terms of the small success that I've had, with no backing, just doing it off my own back is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cinnamon/what-i-find-in-terms-of-the-small-success-that-i-ve-had-with-no/) [Gerry Cinnamon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cinnamon/) > [“Whatever beginning goals you set for yourself, following through on them will build momentum and a sense of achievement and those small success will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-glass-kelly/whatever-beginning-goals-you-set-for-yourself-following-through-on/) [Pamela Glass Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-glass-kelly/) ## More by Miguel Angel Ruiz > [There is nothing to do except to be just who you are. You have the right to feel beautiful and enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/there-is-nothing-to-do-except-to-be-just-who-you-are-you-have-the/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [The only reason you are happy is because you choose to be happy. Happiness is a choice, and so is suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/the-only-reason-you-are-happy-is-because-you-choose-to-be-happy/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [What we call education is nothing but domestication of the human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/what-we-call-education-is-nothing-but-domestication-of-the-human-being/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [The only way to change the world is to change the main character of our story - the one we believe that we are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/the-only-way-to-change-the-world-is-to-change-the-main-character-of/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [You can choose to follow your heart always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/you-can-choose-to-follow-your-heart-always/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [What I have most learned from my son is to respect him and to love him unconditionally. I believe that if parents respect their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/what-i-have-most-learned-from-my-son-is-to-respect-him-and-to-love/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [We only see what we want to see, and hear what we want to hear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/we-only-see-what-we-want-to-see-and-hear-what-we-want-to-hear/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [Today is the most wonderful day of your life. This moment represents eternity. It is the moment when you return to love by deciding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/today-is-the-most-wonderful-day-of-your-life-this-moment-represents/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [Whatever you perceive, you always make a story with yourself as the main character, and that dictates your life. Then when you read 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/whatever-you-perceive-you-always-make-a-story-with-yourself-as-the/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [If there is anything in your life that takes away your happiness, you have all the power you need to change it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/if-there-is-anything-in-your-life-that-takes-away-your-happiness-you/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [Only the truth can set us free from the fear, the drama and the conflict of our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/only-the-truth-can-set-us-free-from-the-fear-the-drama-and-the/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [You can recover the truth of what you really are. When you finally see yourself as you are, when you finally take responsibility for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/you-can-recover-the-truth-of-what-you-really-are-when-you-finally-see/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [Every prayer is an agreement with yourself. The mind is asking the real you, which is life, to guide your decisions for every single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/every-prayer-is-an-agreement-with-yourself-the-mind-is-asking-the/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [With knowledge, our creation can go in any direction - from the worst kind of drama, to the most beautiful dream. Then the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/with-knowledge-our-creation-can-go-in-any-direction-from-the-worst/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [You are what you believe you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/you-are-what-you-believe-you-are/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) [Explore all 256 Miguel Angel Ruiz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) ## 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": "Do not let great ambitions overshadow small success.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Miguel Angel Ruiz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/do-not-let-great-ambitions-overshadow-small-success/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/do-not-let-great-ambitions-overshadow-small-success/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/miguel-angel-ruiz-1323_ambition_do-not-let-great-ambitions-overshadow-sm_591779.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/miguel-angel-ruiz-1323_ambition_do-not-let-great-ambitions-overshadow-sm_591779.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/miguel-angel-ruiz-1323_ambition_do-not-let-great-ambitions-overshadow-sm_591779.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Do not let great ambitions overshadow small success.” — Miguel Angel Ruiz", "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": "Miguel Angel Ruiz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Do not let great ambitions overshadow...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/do-not-let-great-ambitions-overshadow-small-success/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/do-not-let-great-ambitions-overshadow-small-success/#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 } } ] } ```