--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that people who get to a certain…" description: "\"I think that people who get to a certain position, and then try to ferociously defend it or build on it, it's kind of a dead-end street. You see people..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/viggo-mortensen-1554_becoming_i-think-that-people-who-get-to-a-certain_2767337.jpg" --- # I think that people who get to a certain position, and… ![“I think that people who get to a certain position, and then try to ferociously defend it or build on it, it's kind of a dead-end street. You see people becoming miserable that way.” quote by Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/viggo-mortensen-1554_becoming_i-think-that-people-who-get-to-a-certain_2767337.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/viggo-mortensen-1554_becoming_i-think-that-people-who-get-to-a-certain_2767337.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/viggo-mortensen-1554_becoming_i-think-that-people-who-get-to-a-certain_2767337.jpg) > “I think that people who get to a certain position, and then try to ferociously defend it or build on it, it's kind of a dead-end street. You see people becoming miserable that way.” [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Defending a position obsessively leads to stagnation and unhappiness. **In simple terms:** Clinging to power can trap you. Key Takeaway Seek growth, not rigid defense. Themes power stagnation well‑being Mood thoughtful cautious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - leadership - personal ambition - career transitions Key Concepts ego career dynamics Questions to Reflect On - When is defending your work justified? - How to balance confidence and flexibility? A Different Perspective Some may need to protect achievements. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Becoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/becoming/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Dead ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-ends/) [Defend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defend/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Ferociously Defend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ferociously-defend-3216022/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Miserable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miserable/) [Miserable Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miserable-way-969112/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Miserable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-miserable-767155/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Street People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/street-people-435347/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [This miserable way is taken by the sorry souls of those who lived without disgrace and without praise. They now commingle with the coward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/this-miserable-way-is-taken-by-the-sorry-souls-of-those-who-lived/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Better to have a short life full of what you like doing then a long one spent in a miserable way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/better-to-have-a-short-life-full-of-what-you-like-doing-then-a-long/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing than a long life spent in a miserable way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/better-to-have-a-short-life-that-is-full-of-what-you-like-doing-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It’s better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing, than a long life spent in a miserable way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/it-s-better-to-have-a-short-life-that-is-full-of-what-you-like-doing/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [It's better to have a short life full of what you like to, than a long Life spent in a miserable way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simpleman/it-s-better-to-have-a-short-life-full-of-what-you-like-to-than-a-long/) [Simpleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simpleman/) > [“Don't search about happiness in a miserable way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anas-alhijjaj/don-t-search-about-happiness-in-a-miserable-way/) [Anas Alhijjaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anas-alhijjaj/) > [There are lots of ways of being miserable, but there's only one way of being comfortable, and that is to stop running round after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/there-are-lots-of-ways-of-being-miserable-but-there-s-only-one-way-of/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [I hate seeing people miserable that's why I try to be kind, because I know exactly what it feels like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-seeing-people-miserable-that-s-why-i-try-to-be-kind-because-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not done yet making people miserable. If they're going to make me miserable, then I'm going to make them miserable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-hull/i-m-not-done-yet-making-people-miserable-if-they-re-going-to-make-me/) [Brett Hull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-hull/) > [The happiest of people is the one under whose care people are happy because of him, and the most miserable of people is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umar/the-happiest-of-people-is-the-one-under-whose-care-people-are-happy/) [Umar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umar/) > [“In my contact with people I find that, as a rule, it is only the little, narrow people who live for themselves, who never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/in-my-contact-with-people-i-find-that-as-a-rule-it-is-only-the-little/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [“In his opinion, humans were best when miserable, and so he had worked at being miserable his whole life, and in his generous way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodman-philbrick/in-his-opinion-humans-were-best-when-miserable-and-so-he-had-worked/) [Rodman Philbrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodman-philbrick/) > [Oftentimes. when people are miserable, they will want to make other people miserable, too. But it never helps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/oftentimes-when-people-are-miserable-they-will-want-to-make-other/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our society is so much about fidelity being this thing that's sacred, and people are miserable. They're suicidal. It brings more depression than anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-delpy/our-society-is-so-much-about-fidelity-being-this-thing-that-s-sacred/) [Julie Delpy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-delpy/) > [There's a lot of people out there who are just miserable in their own lives, I guess, and just trying to make other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-owens/there-s-a-lot-of-people-out-there-who-are-just-miserable-in-their-own/) [Kevin Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-owens/) ## More by Viggo Mortensen > [Speaking more than one language and living in a multicultural family and environment did not seem like anything but what it was: the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/speaking-more-than-one-language-and-living-in-a-multicultural-family/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [We all experience many freakish and unexpected events - you have to be open to suffering a little. The philosopher Schopenhauer talked about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/we-all-experience-many-freakish-and-unexpected-events-you-have-to-be/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [Most actors can't make any kind of living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/most-actors-can-t-make-any-kind-of-living/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [As far as money goes, there's a saying in Denmark: 'Your last suit doesn't have any pockets.' You can't take it with you. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/as-far-as-money-goes-there-s-a-saying-in-denmark-your-last-suit-doesn/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [Most movies are lucky to have one moment, one shot that you look at and you always remember that moment and that scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/most-movies-are-lucky-to-have-one-moment-one-shot-that-you-look-at/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [I like stories that leave you wanting more, leave you wondering, but don't tell you everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/i-like-stories-that-leave-you-wanting-more-leave-you-wondering-but/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [Usually the characters I play are men of few words, who communicate in non-verbal ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/usually-the-characters-i-play-are-men-of-few-words-who-communicate-in/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [You do need to get lucky, no matter how talented you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/you-do-need-to-get-lucky-no-matter-how-talented-you-are/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [When I was a little boy, I rode, but I didn't own horses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/when-i-was-a-little-boy-i-rode-but-i-didn-t-own-horses/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [I realise how important it is to use the time I have. I respect people who want to do that by watching television. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/i-realise-how-important-it-is-to-use-the-time-i-have-i-respect-people/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [When I land in a country and they ask for 'occupation,' I always just put 'artist.' I think that covers all of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/when-i-land-in-a-country-and-they-ask-for-occupation-i-always-just/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [I was born in New York but as a baby moved to Venezuela and Argentina. I've also lived in Denmark, where my father's from.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/i-was-born-in-new-york-but-as-a-baby-moved-to-venezuela-and-argentina/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [People are becoming more intimately acquainted with people who are different than them - it's not so unusual anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/people-are-becoming-more-intimately-acquainted-with-people-who-are/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [There might be people out there who wouldn't hire me because they thought I should keep my mouth shut, but I'm not aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/there-might-be-people-out-there-who-wouldn-t-hire-me-because-they/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [Bernie Sanders has inspired millions of people in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/bernie-sanders-has-inspired-millions-of-people-in-this-country/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) [Explore all 228 Viggo Mortensen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) ## More Becoming quotes > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) [Jennifer Siebel Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-siebel-newsom/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [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/) > [The path I choose through the maze makes me what I am. I am not only a thing, but also a way of being--one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-keyes/the-path-i-choose-through-the-maze-makes-me-what-i-am-i-am-not-only-a/) [Daniel Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-keyes/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [When other boys dreamt of going to the moon or becoming doctors, I wanted to be a designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-theyskens/when-other-boys-dreamt-of-going-to-the-moon-or-becoming-doctors-i/) [Olivier Theyskens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-theyskens/) > [One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius; and the feminine situation has up to the present rendered this becoming practically impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/one-is-not-born-a-genius-one-becomes-a-genius-and-the-feminine/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) > [I'm getting to a point where everything is becoming streamlined in my life. I'm learning how to stand onstage for two hours and play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/i-m-getting-to-a-point-where-everything-is-becoming-streamlined-in-my/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [The term 'Pre-Raphaelite' is in danger of becoming one of the most misused tags in art history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-wood/the-term-pre-raphaelite-is-in-danger-of-becoming-one-of-the-most/) [Christopher Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-wood/) > [We are somehow the children of the planet, we are somehow its finest hour; we bind time, we bind the past, we anticipate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-somehow-the-children-of-the-planet-we-are-somehow-its-finest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The reason so many of us are obsessed with becoming stars is because we are not yet starring in our own lives. 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