--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He who blinded by ambition, raises…" description: "\"He who blinded by ambition, raises himself to a position whence he cannot mount higher, must thereafter fall with the greatest loss.\" — Niccolo Machiav..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ece/niccolo-machiavelli-368_ambition_he-who-blinded-by-ambition-raises-himsel_382063.jpg" --- # He who blinded by ambition, raises himself to a position… ![“He who blinded by ambition, raises himself to a position whence he cannot mount higher, must thereafter fall with the greatest loss.” quote by Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ece/niccolo-machiavelli-368_ambition_he-who-blinded-by-ambition-raises-himsel_382063.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ece/niccolo-machiavelli-368_ambition_he-who-blinded-by-ambition-raises-himsel_382063.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ece/niccolo-machiavelli-368_ambition_he-who-blinded-by-ambition-raises-himsel_382063.jpg) > “He who blinded by ambition, raises himself to a position whence he cannot mount higher, must thereafter fall with the greatest loss.” [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ambition can elevate you beyond your capacity, leading to a fall when you cannot progress further. **In simple terms:** Overreaching ambition leads to downfall. Key Takeaway Balance ambition with realistic limits. Themes ambition hubris power failure ethics Mood cautionary reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - leadership - career planning - personal growth - risk management Key Concepts political theory human nature self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - What limits should you set for yourself? - How can you recognize when ambition becomes harmful? A Different Perspective Excessive ambition may cause irreversible loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss/) ## Related quotes > [“To better myself, using my past as my teacher. It took me too long. I was blinded by ambition, my drive…I know now what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-a-turkot/to-better-myself-using-my-past-as-my-teacher-it-took-me-too-long-i/) Joseph A. Turkot > [The labor of rising from the ground will be great, ... but as we mount higher, the earth's attraction, and the body's gravity, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-labor-of-rising-from-the-ground-will-be-great-but-as-we-mount/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Never let a boy build you up with words, because the higher you are, the higher you fall, & youll always fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/my-beating-heart/never-let-a-boy-build-you-up-with-words-because-the-higher-you-are/) My Beating Heart > [“There are no shortcuts in life. The more you want to go higher and higher. The more you will fall down again and again”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srinivart/there-are-no-shortcuts-in-life-the-more-you-want-to-go-higher-and/) [Srinivart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srinivart/) > [Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside while still alive. Never surrender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-not-the-greatest-loss-in-life-the-greatest-loss-is-what-dies-3/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The greatest loss in life is not losing an arm or losing a friend or losing a fortune, it's losing your relationship with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-loss-in-life-is-not-losing-an-arm-or-losing-a-friend-or/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is when a relationship dies between two people while they are still alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ab/death-is-not-the-greatest-loss-in-life-the-greatest-loss-is-when-a/) AB > [Death is not the greatest loss in life, The greatest loss is What dies in you when you are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kand3n/death-is-not-the-greatest-loss-in-life-the-greatest-loss-is-what-dies-2/) [Kand3n](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kand3n/) > [“You don’t fall in love with the person responsible for your greatest loss. And God help you if you do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-finn/you-don-t-fall-in-love-with-the-person-responsible-for-your-greatest/) [Elizabeth Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-finn/) > [Every loss which we incur leaves behind it vexation in the memory, save the greatest loss of all, that is, death, which annihilates the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/every-loss-which-we-incur-leaves-behind-it-vexation-in-the-memory/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/death-is-not-the-greatest-loss-in-life-the-greatest-loss-is-what-dies/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [“Sometimes a person’s greatest loss lay in risks not taken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-thurlo/sometimes-a-person-s-greatest-loss-lay-in-risks-not-taken/) Aimee Thurlo > [Someone once said that death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/someone-once-said-that-death-is-not-the-greatest-loss-in-life-the-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Someone once said that death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside of us while we live.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-tree-hill-haley-james-scott/someone-once-said-that-death-is-not-the-greatest-loss-in-life-the/) One tree hill haley james scott > [India has been at the greatest loss because governments were run only for elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/india-has-been-at-the-greatest-loss-because-governments-were-run-only/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) ## More by Niccolo Machiavelli > [Men generally decide upon a middle course, which is most hazardous, for they know neither how to be entirely good nor entirely bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-generally-decide-upon-a-middle-course-which-is-most-hazardous-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-there-are-three-classes-of-intellects-one-which-comprehends/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [It is the duty of a man of honor to teach others the good which he has not been able to do himself because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-the-duty-of-a-man-of-honor-to-teach-others-the-good-which-he/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Anyone who believes that new benefits make men of high station forget old injuries deceives himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/anyone-who-believes-that-new-benefits-make-men-of-high-station-forget/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [He who has once begun to live by rapine always finds reasons for taking what is not his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-has-once-begun-to-live-by-rapine-always-finds-reasons-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Everyone who wants to know what will happen ought to examine what has happened: everything in this world in any epoch has their replicas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/everyone-who-wants-to-know-what-will-happen-ought-to-examine-what-has/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Speaking generally, men are ungrateful, fickle, hypocritical, fearful odanger and covetous ogain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/speaking-generally-men-are-ungrateful-fickle-hypocritical-fearful/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [There is nothing as likely to succeed as what the enemy believes you cannot attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/there-is-nothing-as-likely-to-succeed-as-what-the-enemy-believes-you/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearance, as though they were realities and are often more influenced by the things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/for-the-great-majority-of-mankind-are-satisfied-with-appearance-as/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [That prince is highly esteemed who conveys this impression of himself, and he who is highly esteemed is not easily conspired against; for, provided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/that-prince-is-highly-esteemed-who-conveys-this-impression-of-himself/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Anyone who studies present and ancient affairs will easily see how in all cities and all peoples there still exist, and have always existed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/anyone-who-studies-present-and-ancient-affairs-will-easily-see-how-in/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without concern, any man after he is dead since every reason and supervision for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/i-believe-that-it-is-possible-for-one-to-praise-without-concern-any/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Men are always averse to enterprises in which they foresee difficulties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-are-always-averse-to-enterprises-in-which-they-foresee/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“He who causes another to become powerful ruins himself, for he brings such a power into being either by design or by force, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-causes-another-to-become-powerful-ruins-himself-for-he-brings/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [One never finds anything perfectly pure and ... exempt from danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/one-never-finds-anything-perfectly-pure-and-exempt-from-danger/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) [Explore all 590 Niccolo Machiavelli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## 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": "He who blinded by ambition, raises himself to a position whence he cannot mount higher, must thereafter fall with the greatest loss.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Niccolo Machiavelli" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-blinded-by-ambition-raises-himself-to-a-position-whence-he/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-blinded-by-ambition-raises-himself-to-a-position-whence-he/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ece/niccolo-machiavelli-368_ambition_he-who-blinded-by-ambition-raises-himsel_382063.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ece/niccolo-machiavelli-368_ambition_he-who-blinded-by-ambition-raises-himsel_382063.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ece/niccolo-machiavelli-368_ambition_he-who-blinded-by-ambition-raises-himsel_382063.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He who blinded by ambition, raises himself to a position whence he cannot mount higher, must thereafter fall…” — Niccolo Machiavelli", "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": "Niccolo Machiavelli", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "He who blinded by ambition, raises...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-blinded-by-ambition-raises-himself-to-a-position-whence-he/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-blinded-by-ambition-raises-himself-to-a-position-whence-he/#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 } } ] } ```