--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A tough but nervous, tenacious but…" description: "\"A tough but nervous, tenacious but restless race [the Yankees]; materially ambitious, yet prone to introspection, and subject to waves of religious emo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/samuel-eliot-morison-27265_ambitious_a-tough-but-nervous-tenacious-but-restle_714672.jpg" --- # A tough but nervous, tenacious but restless race \[the… ![“A tough but nervous, tenacious but restless race [the Yankees]; materially ambitious, yet prone to introspection, and subject to waves of religious emotion. . . . A race whose typical member is eternally torn between a passion for righteousness and a desire to get on in the world.” quote by Samuel Eliot Morison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/samuel-eliot-morison-27265_ambitious_a-tough-but-nervous-tenacious-but-restle_714672.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/samuel-eliot-morison-27265_ambitious_a-tough-but-nervous-tenacious-but-restle_714672.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/samuel-eliot-morison-27265_ambitious_a-tough-but-nervous-tenacious-but-restle_714672.jpg) > “A tough but nervous, tenacious but restless race \[the Yankees\]; materially ambitious, yet prone to introspection, and subject to waves of religious emotion. . . . A race whose typical member is eternally torn between a passion for righteousness and a desire to get on in the world.” [Samuel Eliot Morison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eliot-morison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Yankees embody a tension between ambition, introspection, and religious fervor, driving both achievement and inner conflict. **In simple terms:** Ambition mixed with doubt creates inner struggle. Key Takeaway Channel conflict into purposeful action. Themes ambition introspection faith identity Mood reflective analytical Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - sports leadership - career planning - ethical decision‑making - personal development Key Concepts psychology culture history motivation Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance drive with inner values? - What role does faith play in your goals? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on ambition may cause moral compromise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambitious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitious/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Introspection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/introspection/) [Nervous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervous/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Restless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restless/) [Righteousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/righteousness/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Yankees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yankees/) ## Related quotes > [The herd instinct seems to be the strongest human emotion, one that the race is constantly breeding off as the mavericks are liquidated. Happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-train/the-herd-instinct-seems-to-be-the-strongest-human-emotion-one-that/) John Train > [Today's Democrats are little more than a collection of narrow interest groups-unions, tort lawyers, minorities headed by an ossified leadership. They are clever, tenacious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-l-bartley/today-s-democrats-are-little-more-than-a-collection-of-narrow/) Robert L. Bartley > [Seriously, though, I realise I set the bar really high with Tenacious D - one of the great, great bands of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-gass/seriously-though-i-realise-i-set-the-bar-really-high-with-tenacious-d/) [Kyle Gass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-gass/) > [“And for the record, you had me with your tenacious snark. You are indeed, my girl.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joslyn-westbrook/and-for-the-record-you-had-me-with-your-tenacious-snark-you-are/) Joslyn Westbrook > [Hope is tenacious. It goes on living and working when science has dealt it what should be its deathblow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laurence-dunbar/hope-is-tenacious-it-goes-on-living-and-working-when-science-has/) [Paul Laurence Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laurence-dunbar/) > [They that have grown old in a single state are generally found to be morose, fretful and captious; tenacious of their own practices and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/they-that-have-grown-old-in-a-single-state-are-generally-found-to-be/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [He was so tenacious he defied the distraction of women by refusing to have them in his presence, just as later in life he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-williams/he-was-so-tenacious-he-defied-the-distraction-of-women-by-refusing-to/) [Kit Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-williams/) > [They're very tenacious. They're dedicated. Once a woman decides she's going to do something, she'll probably stick to it. The only problem with women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-lydiard/they-re-very-tenacious-they-re-dedicated-once-a-woman-decides-she-s/) [Arthur Lydiard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-lydiard/) > [Melancholy betrays the world for the sake of knowledge. But in its tenacious self-absorption it embraces dead objects in its contemplation, in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/melancholy-betrays-the-world-for-the-sake-of-knowledge-but-in-its/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [You have to be really tenacious. You have to keep at it. There are many roads to get there. If you can get yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/you-have-to-be-really-tenacious-you-have-to-keep-at-it-there-are-many/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [The magic in that country was so thick and tenacious that it settled over the land like chalk-dust and over floors and shelves like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-mckinley/the-magic-in-that-country-was-so-thick-and-tenacious-that-it-settled/) [Robin McKinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-mckinley/) > [Like some kind of particularly tenacious vampire the short story refuses to die, and seems at this point in time to be a wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/like-some-kind-of-particularly-tenacious-vampire-the-short-story/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [BlackBerrys are a wonderful tool. I'm very tenacious about keeping up with my kids, as they are with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-mccain/blackberrys-are-a-wonderful-tool-i-m-very-tenacious-about-keeping-up/) [Cindy McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-mccain/) > [My favorite type of music to sing to would be rock and roll, Tenacious D, Led Zeppelin, some Queen - I love all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-abrams/my-favorite-type-of-music-to-sing-to-would-be-rock-and-roll-tenacious/) [Casey Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-abrams/) > [I just remember the early days of Tenacious D. There was no talk or thought about doing a TV show or a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-black/i-just-remember-the-early-days-of-tenacious-d-there-was-no-talk-or/) [Jack Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-black/) ## More by Samuel Eliot Morison > [America was discovered accidentally by a great seaman who was looking for something else; when discovered it was not wanted; and most of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eliot-morison/america-was-discovered-accidentally-by-a-great-seaman-who-was-looking/) [Samuel Eliot Morison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eliot-morison/) > [If the European discovery had been delayed for a century or two, it is possible that the Aztec in Mexico or the Iroquois in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eliot-morison/if-the-european-discovery-had-been-delayed-for-a-century-or-two-it-is/) [Samuel Eliot Morison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eliot-morison/) > [But sea power has never led to despotism. The nations that have enjoyed sea power even for a brief period-Athens, Scandinavia, the Netherlands, England,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eliot-morison/but-sea-power-has-never-led-to-despotism-the-nations-that-have/) [Samuel Eliot Morison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eliot-morison/) > [If the American Revolution had produced nothing but the Declaration of Independence, it would have been worthwhile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eliot-morison/if-the-american-revolution-had-produced-nothing-but-the-declaration/) [Samuel Eliot Morison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eliot-morison/) > [If the American Revolution had produced nothing but the Declaration of Independence, it would have been worth while. . . . The beauty and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eliot-morison/if-the-american-revolution-had-produced-nothing-but-the-declaration-2/) [Samuel Eliot Morison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eliot-morison/) > [Dream dreams and write them aye, but live them first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eliot-morison/dream-dreams-and-write-them-aye-but-live-them-first/) [Samuel Eliot Morison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eliot-morison/) > [Never, in these United States, has the brain of man conceived, or the hand of man fashioned, so perfect a thing as a clipper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eliot-morison/never-in-these-united-states-has-the-brain-of-man-conceived-or-the/) [Samuel Eliot Morison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eliot-morison/) > [A few hints as to literary craftsmanship may be useful to budding historians. First and foremost, get writing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eliot-morison/a-few-hints-as-to-literary-craftsmanship-may-be-useful-to-budding/) [Samuel Eliot Morison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eliot-morison/) > [Franklin may . . . be considered one of the founding fathers of American democracy, since no democratic government can last long without conciliation and compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eliot-morison/franklin-may-be-considered-one-of-the-founding-fathers-of-american/) [Samuel Eliot Morison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eliot-morison/) > [One learns more from defeat than from victory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eliot-morison/one-learns-more-from-defeat-than-from-victory/) [Samuel Eliot Morison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eliot-morison/) > [Military and absolutist regimes are undoubtedly well fitted to get the jump on an unsuspecting or unprepared enemy; but the history of modern warfare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eliot-morison/military-and-absolutist-regimes-are-undoubtedly-well-fitted-to-get/) [Samuel Eliot Morison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eliot-morison/) > [An historian should yield himself to his subject, become immersed in the place and period of his choice, standing apart from it now and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eliot-morison/an-historian-should-yield-himself-to-his-subject-become-immersed-in/) [Samuel Eliot Morison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eliot-morison/) > [No big modern war has been won without preponderant sea power; and, conversely, very few rebellions of maritime provinces have succeeded without acquiring sea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eliot-morison/no-big-modern-war-has-been-won-without-preponderant-sea-power-and/) [Samuel Eliot Morison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eliot-morison/) > [The cruel policy initiated by Columbus and pursued by his successors resulted in complete genocide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eliot-morison/the-cruel-policy-initiated-by-columbus-and-pursued-by-his-successors/) [Samuel Eliot Morison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eliot-morison/) > [A few hints as to the craft may be useful to budding historians. First and foremost, get writing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-eliot-morison/a-few-hints-as-to-the-craft-may-be-useful-to-budding-historians-first/) [Samuel Eliot Morison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eliot-morison/) [Explore all 20 Samuel Eliot Morison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-eliot-morison/) ## More Ambitious quotes > [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 want my squad to be confident, ambitious. They have to believe in big things and we have to set targets internally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-howe/i-want-my-squad-to-be-confident-ambitious-they-have-to-believe-in-big/) [Eddie Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-howe/) > [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/) > [“Getting rich is easy, staying rich is impressive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-trip/getting-rich-is-easy-staying-rich-is-impressive/) [Don Trip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-trip/) > [Trying to be perfect may be inevitable for people who are smart and ambitious and interested in the world and its good opinion...What is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/trying-to-be-perfect-may-be-inevitable-for-people-who-are-smart-and/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/) Chris Kirubi > [I am ambitious to do more than what has been offered me. I want to be the best in whatever career I choose and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uday-chopra/i-am-ambitious-to-do-more-than-what-has-been-offered-me-i-want-to-be/) [Uday Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uday-chopra/) > [There are four varieties in society — the lovers, the ambitious, observers, and fools. The fools are the happiest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippolyte-taine/there-are-four-varieties-in-society-the-lovers-the-ambitious/) [Hippolyte Taine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippolyte-taine/) > [People who are ambitious - politicians who crave power - think that they're in control of it, but at some point, the movement that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-liu/people-who-are-ambitious-politicians-who-crave-power-think-that-they/) [Ken Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-liu/) > [I'm not ambitious. Not a bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-m-not-ambitious-not-a-bit/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [Aggressive and hard-charging women violate unwritten rules about acceptable social conduct. Men are continually applauded for being ambitious and powerful and successful, but women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/aggressive-and-hard-charging-women-violate-unwritten-rules-about/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [I understood early on that I was not the best-looking girl in the room. But I knew my advantage was a hard work ethic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-connor/i-understood-early-on-that-i-was-not-the-best-looking-girl-in-the/) [Erin O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-connor/) > [It is ordained that to the ambitious, who derive no satisfaction from the gifts of life and the beauty of the world, life shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/it-is-ordained-that-to-the-ambitious-who-derive-no-satisfaction-from/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [If Reagan and John Paul II were linked by anything, it was a grand, ambitious, and generous idea of Western political civilization, one in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/if-reagan-and-john-paul-ii-were-linked-by-anything-it-was-a-grand/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [To talk only about national security, national defense, means to be selfish, ambitious. It is discrimination, isolation. "It is just me. What do I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evo-morales/to-talk-only-about-national-security-national-defense-means-to-be/) [Evo Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evo-morales/) [Browse all 1,269 Ambitious quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitious/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A tough but nervous, tenacious but restless race [the Yankees]; materially ambitious, yet prone to introspection, and subject to waves of religious emotion. . . . 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