--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We never reach our ideals, whether of…" description: "\"We never reach our ideals, whether of mental or moral improvement, but the thought of them shows us our deficiencies, and spurs us on to higher and bet..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/416/tryon-edwards-4992_better-things_we-never-reach-our-ideals-whether-of-men_2017781.png" --- # We never reach our ideals, whether of mental or moral… ![“We never reach our ideals, whether of mental or moral improvement, but the thought of them shows us our deficiencies, and spurs us on to higher and better things.” quote by Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/416/tryon-edwards-4992_better-things_we-never-reach-our-ideals-whether-of-men_2017781.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/416/tryon-edwards-4992_better-things_we-never-reach-our-ideals-whether-of-men_2017781.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/416/tryon-edwards-4992_better-things_we-never-reach-our-ideals-whether-of-men_2017781.png) > “We never reach our ideals, whether of mental or moral improvement, but the thought of them shows us our deficiencies, and spurs us on to higher and better things.” [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideal aspirations reveal personal shortcomings, motivating improvement toward higher standards. **In simple terms:** Aspirations expose flaws and drive growth. Key Takeaway Use ideals to identify and improve weaknesses. Themes self-improvement ideals motivation Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical self‑help When to use this quote - personal reflection - goal setting - self‑assessment Key Concepts psychology ethical development Questions to Reflect On - Which ideal reveals your biggest gap? - How can you set realistic yet challenging goals? A Different Perspective Idealism may cause frustration if unattainable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-things/) [Deficiency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deficiency/) [Higher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher/) [Higher Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher-better-1973127/) [Ideals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideals/) [Ideals Mental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideals-mental-3637325/) [Improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvement/) [Improvement Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvement-thought-3542988/) [Mental Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-moral-1498548/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Moral Improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-improvement-692911/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Spurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spurs/) ## Related quotes > [My philosophy and my belief was that there was a long way for us to go in improving what we had ever known before,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/my-philosophy-and-my-belief-was-that-there-was-a-long-way-for-us-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [People never improve unless they look to some standard or example higher or better than themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/people-never-improve-unless-they-look-to-some-standard-or-example/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [“Always surround yourself with people who are going to lift you higher. The better you feel about yourself the higher you'll fly in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/always-surround-yourself-with-people-who-are-going-to-lift-you-higher/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [Heels are a must. The higher the better. And when in doubt, go with black.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-lezark/heels-are-a-must-the-higher-the-better-and-when-in-doubt-go-with-black/) [Leigh Lezark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-lezark/) > [Each time I think that the song is ended ... something higher and better begins for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-christian-andersen/each-time-i-think-that-the-song-is-ended-something-higher-and-better/) [Hans Christian Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-christian-andersen/) > [God has so framed us as to make freedom of choice and action the very basis of all moral improvement, and all our faculties,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-matthews/god-has-so-framed-us-as-to-make-freedom-of-choice-and-action-the-very/) [William Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-matthews/) > [The moral improvement demands an evolution leading to a higher consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-spir/the-moral-improvement-demands-an-evolution-leading-to-a-higher/) [African Spir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-spir/) > [Moral improvement (or perfecting) require an evolution leading to a higher consciousness, which is the true torch of life; it is what we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-spir/moral-improvement-or-perfecting-require-an-evolution-leading-to-a/) [African Spir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-spir/) > [Infinite toil would not enable you to sweep away a mist; but by ascending a little, you may often look over it altogether. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/infinite-toil-would-not-enable-you-to-sweep-away-a-mist-but-by/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [The higher the better. It's more about an attitude. High heels empower women in a way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-louboutin/the-higher-the-better-it-s-more-about-an-attitude-high-heels-empower/) [Christian Louboutin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-louboutin/) > [The higher we go, the better we shall hear the voice of Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pier-giorgio-frassati/the-higher-we-go-the-better-we-shall-hear-the-voice-of-christ/) [Pier Giorgio Frassati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pier-giorgio-frassati/) > [To attempt social reform, educational reform, industrial expansion, the moral improvement of the race without aiming, first and foremost, at political freedom is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/to-attempt-social-reform-educational-reform-industrial-expansion-the/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [The lower you are in the hierarchy the worse your health, the higher you are, the better your health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-marmot/the-lower-you-are-in-the-hierarchy-the-worse-your-health-the-higher/) [Michael Marmot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-marmot/) > [I do not believe that God has created us under this dire necessity to toil, like beasts, to sustain life. I believe it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/i-do-not-believe-that-god-has-created-us-under-this-dire-necessity-to/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [Ethical religion can be real only to those who are engaged in ceaseless efforts at moral improvement. By moving upward we acquire faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-adler/ethical-religion-can-be-real-only-to-those-who-are-engaged-in/) [Felix Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-adler/) ## More by Tryon Edwards > [Science has sometimes been said to be opposed to faith, and inconsistent with it. But all science, in fact, rests on a basis of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/science-has-sometimes-been-said-to-be-opposed-to-faith-and/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [Credulity is belief in slight evidence, with no evidence, or against evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/credulity-is-belief-in-slight-evidence-with-no-evidence-or-against/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [Mystery is another name for our ignorance; if we were omniscient, all would be perfectly plain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/mystery-is-another-name-for-our-ignorance-if-we-were-omniscient-all/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [Every parting is a form of death, as every reunion is a type of heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/every-parting-is-a-form-of-death-as-every-reunion-is-a-type-of-heaven/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [Anxiety is the poison of human life; the parent of many sins and of more miseries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/anxiety-is-the-poison-of-human-life-the-parent-of-many-sins-and-of/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [The first step to improvement, whether mental, moral, or religious, is to know ourselves - our weakness, errors, deficiencies, and sins, that, by divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/the-first-step-to-improvement-whether-mental-moral-or-religious-is-to/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [The leaves do not change color from the blighting touch of the frost, but from the process of natural decay. They fall when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/the-leaves-do-not-change-color-from-the-blighting-touch-of-the-frost/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [Indolence is the dry rot of even a good mind and a good character; the practical uselessness of both. It is the waste of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/indolence-is-the-dry-rot-of-even-a-good-mind-and-a-good-character-the/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [To rule one's anger is well; to prevent it is still better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/to-rule-one-s-anger-is-well-to-prevent-it-is-still-better/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [Mystery is but another name for ignorance; if we were omniscient, all would be perfectly plain!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/mystery-is-but-another-name-for-ignorance-if-we-were-omniscient-all/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [To rejoice in another prosperity, is to give content to your own lot: to mitigate another grief, is to alleviate or dispel your own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/to-rejoice-in-another-prosperity-is-to-give-content-to-your-own-lot/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [Hell is truth seen too late - duty neglected in its season](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/hell-is-truth-seen-too-late-duty-neglected-in-its-season/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [No true civilization can be expected permanently to continue which is not based on the great principles of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/no-true-civilization-can-be-expected-permanently-to-continue-which-is/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [My books are my tools, and the greater their variety and perfection the greater the help to my literary work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/my-books-are-my-tools-and-the-greater-their-variety-and-perfection/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [Anxiety is the rust of life, destroying its brightness and weakening its power. A childlike and abiding trust in Providence is its best preventive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/anxiety-is-the-rust-of-life-destroying-its-brightness-and-weakening/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) [Explore all 104 Tryon Edwards quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) ## More Better things quotes > [I won't be tweeting this sunday. I have better things to do like bashing myself by following girls on streets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-won-t-be-tweeting-this-sunday-i-have-better-things-to-do-like/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Sometimes you have to let things go so theres room for better things to come into your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-you-have-to-let-things-go-so-theres-room-for-better-things/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For now, I'm supposing that all movements are equal, which they're not, except in this respect: that none of them gives a damn about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfrid-sheed/for-now-i-m-supposing-that-all-movements-are-equal-which-they-re-not/) [Wilfrid Sheed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfrid-sheed/) > [“Oh, nothing. Only you really did help them, you know.” “Who?” “All the men who’ve come through this House. You helped them find their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helene-wecker/oh-nothing-only-you-really-did-help-them-you-know-who-all-the-men-who/) [Helene Wecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helene-wecker/) > [“Have fun in everything you do. Challenge yourself to bigger and better things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-miller/have-fun-in-everything-you-do-challenge-yourself-to-bigger-and-better/) [Dan Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-miller/) > [Good things come to those who wait, Better things come to those who try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/good-things-come-to-those-who-wait-better-things-come-to-those-who-try/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“Jay got up and walked to the trash to scrape off his plate, but when the trash can popped open, he stopped and reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-j-dell-antonia/jay-got-up-and-walked-to-the-trash-to-scrape-off-his-plate-but-when/) [K.J. Dell'Antonia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-j-dell-antonia/) > [Yes?' Joe Solomon sounded like someone with far better things to do. 'Is there any homework?' she asked, and the class turned instantly from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/yes-joe-solomon-sounded-like-someone-with-far-better-things-to-do-is/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [Believe me, I have better things to do than sabotage your friendships. No one else's world revolves around you, Cassandra." -Paige to Cassandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/believe-me-i-have-better-things-to-do-than-sabotage-your-friendships/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Prayers go up, blessings pour down!! God always makes a way for better things to happen, feeling blessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prayers-go-up-blessings-pour-down-god-always-makes-a-way-for-better/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Even better things are thrown off , when expected comfortableness is not acquired Painful truth is that things are replaced by hearted humans too ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iquote/even-better-things-are-thrown-off-when-expected-comfortableness-is/) [Iquote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iquote/) > [To really enjoy the better things in life, one must first have experienced the things they are better than.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oskar-homolka/to-really-enjoy-the-better-things-in-life-one-must-first-have/) [Oskar Homolka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oskar-homolka/) > [...If our houses, or clothes, our household furniture and utensils are not works of art, they are either wretched makeshifts, or, what is worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/if-our-houses-or-clothes-our-household-furniture-and-utensils-are-not/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [You always need a bit of low-tech.You always need a pair of scissors, it seems to me. You can do better things… The high-tech,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/you-always-need-a-bit-of-low-tech-you-always-need-a-pair-of-scissors/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [“There are always far better things ahead than what we will leave behind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-vonada/there-are-always-far-better-things-ahead-than-what-we-will-leave/) [Chris Vonada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-vonada/) [Browse all 442 Better things quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-things/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We never reach our ideals, whether of mental or moral improvement, but the thought of them shows us our deficiencies, and spurs us on to higher and better things.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tryon Edwards" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/we-never-reach-our-ideals-whether-of-mental-or-moral-improvement-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better things" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/we-never-reach-our-ideals-whether-of-mental-or-moral-improvement-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/416/tryon-edwards-4992_better-things_we-never-reach-our-ideals-whether-of-men_2017781.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/416/tryon-edwards-4992_better-things_we-never-reach-our-ideals-whether-of-men_2017781.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/416/tryon-edwards-4992_better-things_we-never-reach-our-ideals-whether-of-men_2017781.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We never reach our ideals, whether of mental or moral improvement, but the thought of them shows us our…” — Tryon Edwards", "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": "Tryon Edwards", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We never reach our ideals, whether...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/we-never-reach-our-ideals-whether-of-mental-or-moral-improvement-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/we-never-reach-our-ideals-whether-of-mental-or-moral-improvement-but/#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 } } ] } ```