--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is by attempting to reach the top at a…" description: "\"It is by attempting to reach the top at a single leap that so much misery is caused in the world.\" — William Cobbett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/william-cobbett-8980_ambition_it-is-by-attempting-to-reach-the-top-at_3220238.png" --- # It is by attempting to reach the top at a single leap that… ![“It is by attempting to reach the top at a single leap that so much misery is caused in the world.” quote by William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/william-cobbett-8980_ambition_it-is-by-attempting-to-reach-the-top-at_3220238.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/william-cobbett-8980_ambition_it-is-by-attempting-to-reach-the-top-at_3220238.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/william-cobbett-8980_ambition_it-is-by-attempting-to-reach-the-top-at_3220238.png) > “It is by attempting to reach the top at a single leap that so much misery is caused in the world.” [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attempting huge goals in one jump creates widespread suffering. **In simple terms:** Big leaps cause pain. Key Takeaway Aim for steady progress. Themes ambition consequences balance Mood reflective cautious Type advisory philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - personal goals - financial planning - social change Key Concepts risk incremental effort Questions to Reflect On - What small steps can you take toward your goal? - How does pacing reduce harm? A Different Perspective Large jumps can ignore necessary preparation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Attempting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attempting/) [Caused World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caused-world-1012176/) [Leap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leap/) [Leap Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leap-misery-1012174/) [Life and love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-and-love/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Misery Caused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery-caused-386672/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patience/) [Single Leap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/single-leap-1012175/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [It is by attempting to reach the top in a single leap that so much misery is caused in the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/it-is-by-attempting-to-reach-the-top-in-a-single-leap-that-so-much-2/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [It is by attempting to reach the top in a single leap that so much misery is produced in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/it-is-by-attempting-to-reach-the-top-in-a-single-leap-that-so-much/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [More trouble is caused in this world by indiscreet answers than by indiscreet questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/more-trouble-is-caused-in-this-world-by-indiscreet-answers-than-by/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [“...And that's the crucial element of life experience that so many of us avoid, you know. Trying something new, taking that single leap of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/and-that-s-the-crucial-element-of-life-experience-that-so-many-of-us/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [People should always mind their own business. More trouble is caused in this world by interference than any other single thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-lamb/people-should-always-mind-their-own-business-more-trouble-is-caused/) [Charlotte Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-lamb/) > [Misery is caused for the most part, not by a heavy crush of disaster, but by the corrosion of less visible evils, which canker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/misery-is-caused-for-the-most-part-not-by-a-heavy-crush-of-disaster/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is indeed probable that more harm and misery have been caused by men determined to use coercion to stamp out a moral evil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/it-is-indeed-probable-that-more-harm-and-misery-have-been-caused-by/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [“The sweetest misery is that caused by love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandria-heather/the-sweetest-misery-is-that-caused-by-love/) [Alexandria Heather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandria-heather/) > [Who can estimate the misery that has been caused by this infamous doctrine of eternal punishment? Think of the lives it has blighted-of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/who-can-estimate-the-misery-that-has-been-caused-by-this-infamous/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [The greater part of human misery is caused by indolence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/the-greater-part-of-human-misery-is-caused-by-indolence/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [No small misery is caused by overworked and unhappy people, in the dark views which they necessarily take up themselves, and force upon others,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/no-small-misery-is-caused-by-overworked-and-unhappy-people-in-the/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Those who divorce aren't necessarily the most unhappy, just those neatly able to believe their misery is caused by one other person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/those-who-divorce-aren-t-necessarily-the-most-unhappy-just-those/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Patience is the most necessary quality for business, many a man would rather you heard his story than grant his request. It is by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/patience-is-the-most-necessary-quality-for-business-many-a-man-would/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [One should never forget that by actually perfecting one piece one gains and learns more than by starting or half-finishing a dozen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-brahms/one-should-never-forget-that-by-actually-perfecting-one-piece-one/) [Johannes Brahms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-brahms/) > [“Part came from Lane, and part from D.H. Lawrence; Gide, though I didn't know it then, gave part. They taught me to express my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden-2/part-came-from-lane-and-part-from-d-h-lawrence-gide-though-i-didn-t/) [W.H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden-2/) ## More by William Cobbett > [If the people of Sheffield could only receive a tenth part of what their knives sell for by retail in America, Sheffield might pave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/if-the-people-of-sheffield-could-only-receive-a-tenth-part-of-what/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [WESTBURY, a nasty odious rotten-borough, a really rotten place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/westbury-a-nasty-odious-rotten-borough-a-really-rotten-place/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [It is not the greatness of a man's means that makes him independent, so much as the smallness of his wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/it-is-not-the-greatness-of-a-man-s-means-that-makes-him-independent/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [There never yet was, and never will be, a nation permanently great, consisting, for the greater part, of wretched and miserable families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/there-never-yet-was-and-never-will-be-a-nation-permanently-great/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [Protestations of impartiality I shall make none. Theyare always useless and are besides perfect nonsense, when used bya news-monger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/protestations-of-impartiality-i-shall-make-none-theyare-always/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [Never esteem men on account of their riches or their station. Respect goodness, find it where you may.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/never-esteem-men-on-account-of-their-riches-or-their-station-respect/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [DEAL is a most villainous place. It is full of filthy-looking people.Great desolationof abomination has beengoing on here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/deal-is-a-most-villainous-place-it-is-full-of-filthy-looking-people/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [“He who can deliberately inflict torture upon an animal, in order to heighten the pleasure his palate is to receive in eating it, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/he-who-can-deliberately-inflict-torture-upon-an-animal-in-order-to/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [Patience is the most necessary quality for business, many a man would rather you heard his story than grant his request. It is by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/patience-is-the-most-necessary-quality-for-business-many-a-man-would/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [Having still in my recollection so many excellent men, to whose grandfathers, upon the same spots, my grandfather had yielded cheerful obedience and reverence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/having-still-in-my-recollection-so-many-excellent-men-to-whose/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [It is by attempting to reach the top in a single leap that so much misery is produced in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/it-is-by-attempting-to-reach-the-top-in-a-single-leap-that-so-much/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [Free yourself from the slavery of tea and coffee and other slop kettles!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/free-yourself-from-the-slavery-of-tea-and-coffee-and-other-slop/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [The ancient nobility and gentry of the kingdom... have been thrust out of all public employment... a race of merchants, and manufacturers and bankers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/the-ancient-nobility-and-gentry-of-the-kingdom-have-been-thrust-out/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [But what is to be the fate of the great wen of all? The monster, called, by the silly coxcombs of the press, "the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/but-what-is-to-be-the-fate-of-the-great-wen-of-all-the-monster-called/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [The very hirelings of the press, whose trade it is to buoy up the spirits of the people. have uttered falsehoods so long, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/the-very-hirelings-of-the-press-whose-trade-it-is-to-buoy-up-the/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) [Explore all 76 William Cobbett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [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/) > [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 was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is by attempting to reach the top at a single leap that so much misery is caused in the world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Cobbett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/it-is-by-attempting-to-reach-the-top-at-a-single-leap-that-so-much/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/it-is-by-attempting-to-reach-the-top-at-a-single-leap-that-so-much/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/william-cobbett-8980_ambition_it-is-by-attempting-to-reach-the-top-at_3220238.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/william-cobbett-8980_ambition_it-is-by-attempting-to-reach-the-top-at_3220238.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/william-cobbett-8980_ambition_it-is-by-attempting-to-reach-the-top-at_3220238.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is by attempting to reach the top at a single leap that so much misery is caused in the world.” — William Cobbett", "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": "William Cobbett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is by attempting to reach...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/it-is-by-attempting-to-reach-the-top-at-a-single-leap-that-so-much/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/it-is-by-attempting-to-reach-the-top-at-a-single-leap-that-so-much/#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 } } ] } ```