--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unfortunately life has a way of…" description: "\"“Unfortunately life has a way of sidetracking one’s greatest ambitions. Painters, would-be artists, end up whitewashing walls. Sculptors are forced to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/salman-rushdie-153_ambitions_unfortunately-life-has-a-way-of-sidetrac_726830.jpg" --- # Unfortunately life has a way of sidetracking one’s… ![“Unfortunately life has a way of sidetracking one’s greatest ambitions. Painters, would-be artists, end up whitewashing walls. Sculptors are forced to design toilets. Writers become critics or publicists. Archaeologists, like myself, can become gravediggers.” quote by Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/salman-rushdie-153_ambitions_unfortunately-life-has-a-way-of-sidetrac_726830.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/salman-rushdie-153_ambitions_unfortunately-life-has-a-way-of-sidetrac_726830.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ee/salman-rushdie-153_ambitions_unfortunately-life-has-a-way-of-sidetrac_726830.jpg) > ““Unfortunately life has a way of sidetracking one’s greatest ambitions. Painters, would-be artists, end up whitewashing walls. Sculptors are forced to design toilets. Writers become critics or publicists. Archaeologists, like myself, can become gravediggers.”” [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life often diverts talent into unrelated work, limiting creative fulfillment. **In simple terms:** Talents get misused when circumstances force different jobs. Key Takeaway Seek work aligning with true passion. Themes career creativity compromise Mood frustrated reflective Type cautionary realistic When to use this quote - career planning - creative projects - job interviews - skill development - personal fulfillment Key Concepts vocational misallocation identity artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - What would you do if your dream job seemed impossible? - How can you keep creative spark alive in unrelated work? A Different Perspective Not all constraints are avoidable; external pressures may dominate choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitions/) [Ambitions Painters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitions-painters-5700899/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Greatest Ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-ambitions-5700897/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Sculptors Forced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sculptors-forced-5700898/) [Unfortunately Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfortunately-life-1768646/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Life is full of test...unfortunately life gives out the answer before the tests..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-test-unfortunately-life-gives-out-the-answer-before/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I unfortunately have never in my life been to a wild party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvio-berlusconi/i-unfortunately-have-never-in-my-life-been-to-a-wild-party/) [Silvio Berlusconi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvio-berlusconi/) > [ We kept on racing, doing something that Luis \[Salom\] loved. Fortunately or unfortunately, life goes on. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valentino-rossi/we-kept-on-racing-doing-something-that-luis-salom-loved-fortunately/) [Valentino Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valentino-rossi/) > [Unfortunately in life, justice is not always achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maura-tierney/unfortunately-in-life-justice-is-not-always-achieved/) [Maura Tierney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maura-tierney/) > [It's never nice to lose someone close to you; unfortunately, life goes on, and we have to make peace with it and move on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hougaard/it-s-never-nice-to-lose-someone-close-to-you-unfortunately-life-goes/) [Francois Hougaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hougaard/) > [I wish I could never spend another second talking about cancer and all it does to everyone it surrounds, but unfortunately, that cannot be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-morasca/i-wish-i-could-never-spend-another-second-talking-about-cancer-and/) [Jenna Morasca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-morasca/) > [Unfortunately, the life of a player is not forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-seedorf/unfortunately-the-life-of-a-player-is-not-forever/) [Clarence Seedorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-seedorf/) > [“Unfortunately, life does not always provide elegant solutions. Often”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-kozinn/unfortunately-life-does-not-always-provide-elegant-solutions-often/) [Nat Kozinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-kozinn/) > [Unfortunately, life unfolds as it does, and you can't do everything at the same time, and you can't do some things if you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floor-jansen/unfortunately-life-unfolds-as-it-does-and-you-can-t-do-everything-at/) [Floor Jansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floor-jansen/) > [I hope I can fulfill all my ambitions at Everton. But you never know in this game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-moyes/i-hope-i-can-fulfill-all-my-ambitions-at-everton-but-you-never-know/) [David Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-moyes/) > [It's interesting when you wind up distilling all your ambitions and your goals and dreams into one single person. It's giving that person a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/it-s-interesting-when-you-wind-up-distilling-all-your-ambitions-and/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [I don't know what my ambitions are until they turn up really but I'd love to work with Shane Meadows, I know that much!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kaye/i-don-t-know-what-my-ambitions-are-until-they-turn-up-really-but-i-d/) [Paul Kaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kaye/) > [“Why should some foul word-slinging curb my ambitions?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronika-carnaby/why-should-some-foul-word-slinging-curb-my-ambitions/) [Veronika Carnaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronika-carnaby/) > [Coaching Netherlands remains one of my ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-koeman/coaching-netherlands-remains-one-of-my-ambitions/) [Ronald Koeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-koeman/) > [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/) ## More by Salman Rushdie > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [It's a terrible thing that your life turns into a good story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/it-s-a-terrible-thing-that-your-life-turns-into-a-good-story/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [Sometimes by a woodland stream he watched the water rush over the pebbled bed, its tiny modulations of bounce and flow. A woman's body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/sometimes-by-a-woodland-stream-he-watched-the-water-rush-over-the/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I want to write novels. I want to write stories. I want to do the stuff that I became a writer to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/i-want-to-write-novels-i-want-to-write-stories-i-want-to-do-the-stuff/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [If you want to be a serious writer, then you have to write what there is to write about. If you're going to pull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-you-want-to-be-a-serious-writer-then-you-have-to-write-what-there/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Después de exigir mi marcha, ya no posees jurisdicción en lo concerniente a mi salud.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/despu-s-de-exigir-mi-marcha-ya-no-posees-jurisdicci-n-en-lo/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [If there is a choice between absolute safety and freedom, then freedom must always prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-there-is-a-choice-between-absolute-safety-and-freedom-then-freedom/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I'm not a prophet, but I always thought it was natural for dictatorships to fall. I remember in 1989, two months before the fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/i-m-not-a-prophet-but-i-always-thought-it-was-natural-for/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I'd wanted to create a storm so that I could become more famous and richer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/i-d-wanted-to-create-a-storm-so-that-i-could-become-more-famous-and/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [Who what am I? My answer: I am the sum total of everything that went before me, of all I have been seen done,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/who-what-am-i-my-answer-i-am-the-sum-total-of-everything-that-went/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“...proving once again that there was no escape from recurrence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/proving-once-again-that-there-was-no-escape-from-recurrence/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“information, in a stream-of-consciousness soliloquy that revealed the extent to which he had internalised the adversarial fragmentation of American culture and made it a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/information-in-a-stream-of-consciousness-soliloquy-that-revealed-the/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [A little bit of one story joins onto an idea from another, and hey presto, . . . not old tales but new ones.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/a-little-bit-of-one-story-joins-onto-an-idea-from-another-and-hey/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I'm a novelist. Fortunately I don't have to rule the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/i-m-a-novelist-fortunately-i-don-t-have-to-rule-the-world/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [The First Amendment defends all forms of speech including hate speech, which is why groups like Ku Klux Klan are allowed to utter their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/the-first-amendment-defends-all-forms-of-speech-including-hate-speech/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) [Explore all 1,087 Salman Rushdie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) ## More Ambitions quotes > [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/) > [Coaching Netherlands remains one of my ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-koeman/coaching-netherlands-remains-one-of-my-ambitions/) [Ronald Koeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-koeman/) > [“Why should some foul word-slinging curb my ambitions?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronika-carnaby/why-should-some-foul-word-slinging-curb-my-ambitions/) [Veronika Carnaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronika-carnaby/) > [I don't know what my ambitions are until they turn up really but I'd love to work with Shane Meadows, I know that much!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kaye/i-don-t-know-what-my-ambitions-are-until-they-turn-up-really-but-i-d/) [Paul Kaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kaye/) > [It's interesting when you wind up distilling all your ambitions and your goals and dreams into one single person. It's giving that person a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/it-s-interesting-when-you-wind-up-distilling-all-your-ambitions-and/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [I hope I can fulfill all my ambitions at Everton. But you never know in this game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-moyes/i-hope-i-can-fulfill-all-my-ambitions-at-everton-but-you-never-know/) [David Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-moyes/) > [There are a lot of goals and ambitions that I have in life, things I want to accomplish. Who knows? I mean - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-tebow/there-are-a-lot-of-goals-and-ambitions-that-i-have-in-life-things-i/) [Tim Tebow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-tebow/) > [Success needs to be measured according to the ambitions and the resources of each designer. And many aren't interested in being a megabrand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-gunn/success-needs-to-be-measured-according-to-the-ambitions-and-the/) [Tim Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-gunn/) > [I have no screen ambitions whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-princess-of-hanover/i-have-no-screen-ambitions-whatsoever/) [Caroline, Princess of Hanover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-princess-of-hanover/) > [Some players have ambitions, and therefore, they leave and want to experience something new, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-emerick-aubameyang/some-players-have-ambitions-and-therefore-they-leave-and-want-to/) [Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-emerick-aubameyang/) > [When you've accomplished a certain amount in your career, you're not so focused on your ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-douglas/when-you-ve-accomplished-a-certain-amount-in-your-career-you-re-not/) [Michael Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-douglas/) > [“Beware of those who steer you away from your heart’s true happiness. It would make them happy to see you steer yourself right next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/beware-of-those-who-steer-you-away-from-your-heart-s-true-happiness/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [My ambitions have ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/behdad-sami/my-ambitions-have-ambitions/) [Behdad Sami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/behdad-sami/) > [Do what in your heart you know is right. It is easy to get caught up in your ambitions, but no job is worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irene-rosenfeld/do-what-in-your-heart-you-know-is-right-it-is-easy-to-get-caught-up/) [Irene Rosenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irene-rosenfeld/) > [There are points in your life, especially if you have creative ambitions, where selfishness is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kristofferson/there-are-points-in-your-life-especially-if-you-have-creative/) [Kris Kristofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kristofferson/) [Browse all 312 Ambitions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Unfortunately life has a way of sidetracking one’s greatest ambitions. Painters, would-be artists, end up whitewashing walls. Sculptors are forced to design toilets. Writers become critics or publicists. 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