--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't know that I ever wanted…" description: "\"I don't know that I ever wanted greatness, on its own. It seems rather like wanting to be an engineer, rather than wanting to design something--or want..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/roger-zelazny-1604_design_i-don-t-know-that-i-ever-wanted-greatnes_1414296.png" --- # I don't know that I ever wanted greatness, on its own. It… ![“I don't know that I ever wanted greatness, on its own. It seems rather like wanting to be an engineer, rather than wanting to design something--or wanting to be a writer, rather than wanting to write. It should be a by-product, not a thing in itself. Otherwise, it's just an ego trip.” quote by Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/roger-zelazny-1604_design_i-don-t-know-that-i-ever-wanted-greatnes_1414296.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/roger-zelazny-1604_design_i-don-t-know-that-i-ever-wanted-greatnes_1414296.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/roger-zelazny-1604_design_i-don-t-know-that-i-ever-wanted-greatnes_1414296.png) > “I don't know that I ever wanted greatness, on its own. It seems rather like wanting to be an engineer, rather than wanting to design something--or wanting to be a writer, rather than wanting to write. It should be a by-product, not a thing in itself. Otherwise, it's just an ego trip.” [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greatness should be a side effect of purpose, not a primary goal, to avoid ego‑driven pursuits. **In simple terms:** Seek purpose, not fame. Key Takeaway Focus on meaningful work. Themes purpose ego creativity Mood contemplative serious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - artistic creation - entrepreneurship Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What drives your work beyond recognition? - How can you measure success by impact? A Different Perspective Pure ambition can still lead to ego traps. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Ego trip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego-trip/) [Engineering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineering/) [Engineers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineers/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Because you are designed to want something that will hurt you. And you cannot help it...cannot stop wanting it. It is in your design.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-wilson/because-you-are-designed-to-want-something-that-will-hurt-you-and-you/) [Daniel H. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-wilson/) > [“The narrative will look completely different when you start wanting to design your own life, become dedicated to bettering your future, and strive to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-green/the-narrative-will-look-completely-different-when-you-start-wanting/) [Nate Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-green/) > [“You are designed to want something that will hurt you. And you cannot help wanting it. You cannot stop wanting it. It is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-wilson/you-are-designed-to-want-something-that-will-hurt-you-and-you-cannot/) [Daniel H. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-wilson/) > [“I need more retweets, I need the favs, am I alive, etc., and I know people are like, shut up already, what are you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-need-more-retweets-i-need-the-favs-am-i-alive-etc-and-i-know-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Rock stars wanting to write is even worse than wanting to act in movies, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-dando/rock-stars-wanting-to-write-is-even-worse-than-wanting-to-act-in/) [Evan Dando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-dando/) > [My wanting to write books annihilates the original root impulse that would have me bravely and blunderingly working on them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/my-wanting-to-write-books-annihilates-the-original-root-impulse-that/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [I never wanted to write really cheesy pop lyrics - like, 'baby, baby, the sun is shining' - that's not something that interests me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-mayberry/i-never-wanted-to-write-really-cheesy-pop-lyrics-like-baby-baby-the/) [Lauren Mayberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-mayberry/) > [Having room to run and having just the space to use your imagination and create stories out of everyday life, I think that had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/having-room-to-run-and-having-just-the-space-to-use-your-imagination/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [“The difference between wanting to write and having written is one year of hard, relentless labour. 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Perhaps my blood was tainted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-was-willing-to-die-fighting-but-it-was-senseless-for-all-these-men/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I know, too, that death is the only god who comes when you call.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-know-too-that-death-is-the-only-god-who-comes-when-you-call/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [There's no such thing as civilization. The word just means the art of living in cities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/there-s-no-such-thing-as-civilization-the-word-just-means-the-art-of/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“Time, too, is a function of Shadow, and even Dworkin did not know all of its ins and outs. Or perhaps he did. 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This, because you are fairly adept at the various embalming arts and you occasionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/to-waste-you-are-unknown-and-unwanted-save-by-me-this-because-you-are/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I watched the spinning stars, grateful, sad and proud, as only a man who has outlived his destiny and realizes he might yet forge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-watched-the-spinning-stars-grateful-sad-and-proud-as-only-a-man-who/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) [Explore all 220 Roger Zelazny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) ## More Design quotes > [That's the great secret of creativity. 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