--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you want knowledge and understanding…" description: "\"When you want knowledge and understanding as badly as you wanted air, you won't have to ask anyone to give it to you.\" — Sterling W Sill" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/sterling-w-sill-9927_air_when-you-want-knowledge-and-understandin_1144666.jpg" --- # When you want knowledge and understanding as badly as you… ![“When you want knowledge and understanding as badly as you wanted air, you won't have to ask anyone to give it to you.” quote by Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/sterling-w-sill-9927_air_when-you-want-knowledge-and-understandin_1144666.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/sterling-w-sill-9927_air_when-you-want-knowledge-and-understandin_1144666.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/sterling-w-sill-9927_air_when-you-want-knowledge-and-understandin_1144666.jpg) > “When you want knowledge and understanding as badly as you wanted air, you won't have to ask anyone to give it to you.” [Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intense desire for knowledge drives self‑directed learning without needing others. **In simple terms:** Strong curiosity fuels self‑learning. Key Takeaway Cultivate curiosity and seek knowledge independently. Themes learning curiosity self‑reliance knowledge motivation Mood inquisitive empowered Type inspirational motivational When to use this quote - research projects - skill acquisition - personal study - creative exploration Key Concepts education theory philosophy of mind self‑directed study Questions to Reflect On - What resources can you use to satisfy your curiosity? - How do you verify self‑learned information? A Different Perspective Access to resources may be limited without guidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knowledge and understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-and-understanding/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [Knowledge and understanding are life's faithful companions who will never prove untrue to you. For knowledge is your crown, and understanding your staff; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/knowledge-and-understanding-are-life-s-faithful-companions-who-will/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [You need knowledge and understanding to sharpen your wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ofosu-kwarteng-davis/you-need-knowledge-and-understanding-to-sharpen-your-wisdom/) Ofosu Kwarteng Davis > [“Why, you poor things—didn’t you know? Knowledge and understanding aren’t props for one another. Knowledge is a pile of bricks, and understanding is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/why-you-poor-things-didn-t-you-know-knowledge-and-understanding-aren/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [When I was trying to make it into the music business I really wanted to get myself to the AIR Awards to start conversations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-flip/when-i-was-trying-to-make-it-into-the-music-business-i-really-wanted/) [G Flip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-flip/) > [I wanted him like I wanted air to breathe. Not a choice- a necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-wanted-him-like-i-wanted-air-to-breathe-not-a-choice-a-necessity/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [I wanted to be an air hostess because I wanted to see the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabu/i-wanted-to-be-an-air-hostess-because-i-wanted-to-see-the-world/) [Tabu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabu/) > [“I wanted to own the air around him. I wanted to subsist on it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-wallen/i-wanted-to-own-the-air-around-him-i-wanted-to-subsist-on-it/) Jack Wallen > [I really wanted to get myself to the AIR Awards to start conversations with managers and labels, because I knew they were all going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-flip/i-really-wanted-to-get-myself-to-the-air-awards-to-start/) [G Flip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-flip/) > [I want more knowledge so that I can help people, so that I can Do what I need to do to make the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-want-more-knowledge-so-that-i-can-help-people-so-that-i-can-do-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was just in Botswana in Africa. I wanted to learn something about the world. I just feel really ignorant whenever I leave the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-was-just-in-botswana-in-africa-i-wanted-to-learn-something-about/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [My dad was very much a Pan-Africanist and instilled in me and my siblings a want for that knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/my-dad-was-very-much-a-pan-africanist-and-instilled-in-me-and-my/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [Want of care does us more damage than want of knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/want-of-care-does-us-more-damage-than-want-of-knowledge/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“We are always falling in love or quarreling, looking for jobs or fearing to lose them, getting ill and recovering, following public affairs. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/we-are-always-falling-in-love-or-quarreling-looking-for-jobs-or/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [Carelessness does more harm than a want of knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/carelessness-does-more-harm-than-a-want-of-knowledge/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but a little want of knowledge is also a dangerous thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/a-little-knowledge-is-a-dangerous-thing-but-a-little-want-of/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) ## More by Sterling W Sill > [Hang on the walls of your mind the memory of your successes. Take counsel of your strength, not your weakness. Think of the good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/hang-on-the-walls-of-your-mind-the-memory-of-your-successes-take/) [Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) > [I heard of somebody once who said he was interested in doing the greatest amount of good for the greatest number, and that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/i-heard-of-somebody-once-who-said-he-was-interested-in-doing-the/) [Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) > [Make sure that your ambitions are really lofty - not just seem to be. Sometimes instead of engaging in those so called "mountaintop employments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/make-sure-that-your-ambitions-are-really-lofty-not-just-seem-to-be/) [Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) > [Planning is the mother of almost every other ability. Make your plan and set a timetable for its accomplishment in writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/planning-is-the-mother-of-almost-every-other-ability-make-your-plan/) [Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) > [Building a successful life is much like building anything else: it should be thoroughly thought about in advance and then carried through to completion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/building-a-successful-life-is-much-like-building-anything-else-it/) [Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) > [When in our minds we pre-live our marriage, we help to determine the kind of person that we would like to be when that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/when-in-our-minds-we-pre-live-our-marriage-we-help-to-determine-the/) [Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) > [A story is told that Whistler once painted a tiny picture of a spray of roses. The artistry involved in the picture was magnificent.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/a-story-is-told-that-whistler-once-painted-a-tiny-picture-of-a-spray/) [Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) > [The greatest opportunity of our lives is to wake ourselves up and get going. There is so much to be done and so little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/the-greatest-opportunity-of-our-lives-is-to-wake-ourselves-up-and-get/) [Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) > [Life begins when we begin and each day we ought to be born again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/life-begins-when-we-begin-and-each-day-we-ought-to-be-born-again/) [Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) > [Wealth is not only what you have but it is also what you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/wealth-is-not-only-what-you-have-but-it-is-also-what-you-are/) [Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) > [Everything depends on attitude. We are ambitious or lazy, enthusiastic or dull, loyal or undependable, according to our attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/everything-depends-on-attitude-we-are-ambitious-or-lazy-enthusiastic/) [Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) > [We insist on near perfection in everyone except ourselves. But if our course is questioned we become offended.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/we-insist-on-near-perfection-in-everyone-except-ourselves-but-if-our/) [Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) > [Perhaps punctuality is a quality made even more valuable because it is found in so few people. Punctuality is not usually thought of in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/perhaps-punctuality-is-a-quality-made-even-more-valuable-because-it/) [Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) > [Punctuality is closely related to faithfulness and dependability. Being tardy can be linked to uninterest, apathy, slothfulness and procrastination...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/punctuality-is-closely-related-to-faithfulness-and-dependability/) [Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) > [You can't judge a man by watching him live. . . . I personally watched Babe Ruth at bat three times, and he struck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/you-can-t-judge-a-man-by-watching-him-live-i-personally-watched-babe/) [Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) [Explore all 69 Sterling W Sill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) ## More Air quotes > [I will be a tireless advocate for our District's defense priorities including Sheppard Air Force Base, Pantex, Bell Helicopter, universities conducting important research, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/i-will-be-a-tireless-advocate-for-our-district-s-defense-priorities/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [If U.S. air, naval, missile, and ground forces were not in and around Korea, and if we were not treaty-bound to fight alongside South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/if-u-s-air-naval-missile-and-ground-forces-were-not-in-and-around/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The cooler days have brought a wistful mood upon him. The smell of coalsmoke in the air at night. Old times, dead years. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/the-cooler-days-have-brought-a-wistful-mood-upon-him-the-smell-of/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [I'm a candle flame that sways in currents of air you can't see. You need to be the one who steadies me to burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/i-m-a-candle-flame-that-sways-in-currents-of-air-you-can-t-see-you/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) > [There was a little nook on Air Force Two that contained the vice presidential seal, and I would sort of wedge myself in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-biden/there-was-a-little-nook-on-air-force-two-that-contained-the-vice/) [Jill Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-biden/) > [Words are substance strange. Speak one and the air ripples into another's ears. Write one and the eye laps it up. But the sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-beachy-quick/words-are-substance-strange-speak-one-and-the-air-ripples-into/) [Dan Beachy-Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-beachy-quick/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [...As the disparity between the rich and the poor grows, the fight to corner resources is intensifying. To push through their "sweetheart deals," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/as-the-disparity-between-the-rich-and-the-poor-grows-the-fight-to/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Washington bureaucrats have classified the very air we exhale as a pollutant and have gone unchallenged in this incredible assertion. The logical consequence is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/washington-bureaucrats-have-classified-the-very-air-we-exhale-as-a/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [“It is unnatural to fear something natural.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/it-is-unnatural-to-fear-something-natural/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) Browse all 6,278 Air quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you want knowledge and understanding as badly as you wanted air, you won't have to ask anyone to give it to you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sterling W Sill" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/when-you-want-knowledge-and-understanding-as-badly-as-you-wanted-air/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Air" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/when-you-want-knowledge-and-understanding-as-badly-as-you-wanted-air/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/sterling-w-sill-9927_air_when-you-want-knowledge-and-understandin_1144666.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/sterling-w-sill-9927_air_when-you-want-knowledge-and-understandin_1144666.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/sterling-w-sill-9927_air_when-you-want-knowledge-and-understandin_1144666.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you want knowledge and understanding as badly as you wanted air, you won't have to ask anyone to give…” — Sterling W Sill", "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": "Sterling W Sill", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you want knowledge and understanding...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/when-you-want-knowledge-and-understanding-as-badly-as-you-wanted-air/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/when-you-want-knowledge-and-understanding-as-badly-as-you-wanted-air/#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 } } ] } ```