--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nothing is more common than the wish to…" description: "\"“Nothing is more common than the wish to be remarkable”\" — Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb3/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr-18686_quote_nothing-is-more-common-than-the-wish-to_1560928.jpg" --- # Nothing is more common than the wish to be remarkable ![“Nothing is more common than the wish to be remarkable” quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb3/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr-18686_quote_nothing-is-more-common-than-the-wish-to_1560928.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb3/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr-18686_quote_nothing-is-more-common-than-the-wish-to_1560928.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb3/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr-18686_quote_nothing-is-more-common-than-the-wish-to_1560928.jpg) > ““Nothing is more common than the wish to be remarkable”” [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often desire to be extraordinary, yet mediocrity is common. **In simple terms:** Desire for distinction is widespread. Key Takeaway Pursue genuine excellence over mere desire. Themes ambition self‑image achievement Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career advancement - creative pursuits - personal branding Key Concepts authenticity self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What does being remarkable mean to you? - How can you focus on substance over image? A Different Perspective Seeking fame can distract from true growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [Nothing is so common as the wish to be remarkable.(attributed to)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/nothing-is-so-common-as-the-wish-to-be-remarkable-attributed-to/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Nothing is so common-place as to wish to be remarkable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-is-so-common-place-as-to-wish-to-be-remarkable/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nothing is so commonplace has the wish to be remarkable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/nothing-is-so-commonplace-has-the-wish-to-be-remarkable/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [The common wish of the international community is for peace instead of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-zhaoxing/the-common-wish-of-the-international-community-is-for-peace-instead/) [Li Zhaoxing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-zhaoxing/) > [The only thing that will redeem mankind is cooperation ... it is common to wish well to oneself, but in our technically unified world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-only-thing-that-will-redeem-mankind-is-cooperation-it-is-common/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Is it not remarkable that the common repute which we all give to attorneys in the general is exactly opposite to that which every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/is-it-not-remarkable-that-the-common-repute-which-we-all-give-to/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [I will tell you why we have these extraordinary minds and souls, Miss Whittaker," he continued, as though he had not heard her. 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A sip of milk itself or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-mcgee/it-s-still-possible-to-savor-the-remarkable-foods-that-millennia-of/) Harold McGee ## More by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr > [No families take so little medicine as those of doctors, except those of apothecaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/no-families-take-so-little-medicine-as-those-of-doctors-except-those/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [What refuge is there for the victim who is oppressed with the feeling that there are a thousand new books he ought to read,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/what-refuge-is-there-for-the-victim-who-is-oppressed-with-the-feeling/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [Science is the topography of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/science-is-the-topography-of-ignorance/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [“My experience with public libraries is that the first volume of the book I inquire for is out, unless I happen to want the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/my-experience-with-public-libraries-is-that-the-first-volume-of-the/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [“The great thing in this world, is not so much where we are, but in which direction we are moving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/the-great-thing-in-this-world-is-not-so-much-where-we-are-but-in/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [And if I should live to be The last leaf upon the tree In the spring, Let them smile, as I do now, At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/and-if-i-should-live-to-be-the-last-leaf-upon-the-tree-in-the-spring/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [“Yet in opinions look not always back,-- Your wake is nothing, mind the coming track; Leave what you've done for what you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/yet-in-opinions-look-not-always-back-your-wake-is-nothing-mind-the/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [“The Last Leaf I saw him once before, As he passed by the door, And again The pavement stones resound, As he totters o'er…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/the-last-leaf-i-saw-him-once-before-as-he-passed-by-the-door-and/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [Me wretched! Let me curr to quercine shades! Effund your albid hausts, lactiferous maids! O, might I vole to some umbrageous clump,-- Depart,--be off,--excede,--evade,--erump!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/me-wretched-let-me-curr-to-quercine-shades-effund-your-albid-hausts/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [Man is born a predestined idealist, for he is born to act. 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A mother's secret love outlives them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/youth-fades-love-droops-the-leaves-of-friendship-fall-a-mother-s/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [“Have faith and pursue the unknown end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/have-faith-and-pursue-the-unknown-end/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [“A man's mind is stretched by a new idea or sensation, and never shrinks back to its former dimensions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/a-man-s-mind-is-stretched-by-a-new-idea-or-sensation-and-never/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [The year is getting to feel rich, for his golden fruits are ripening fast, and he has a large balance in the barns, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/the-year-is-getting-to-feel-rich-for-his-golden-fruits-are-ripening/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) [Explore all 34 Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) ## More Common quotes > [I'm Fine!, the most common LIE in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/i-m-fine-the-most-common-lie-in-the-world/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. 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