--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Throw away all ambition beyond that of…" description: "\"Throw away all ambition beyond that of doing the day's work well. The travelers on the road to success live in the present, heedless of taking thought ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96d/william-osler-2992_ambition_throw-away-all-ambition-beyond-that-of-d_205311.jpg" --- # Throw away all ambition beyond that of doing the day's… ![“Throw away all ambition beyond that of doing the day's work well. The travelers on the road to success live in the present, heedless of taking thought for the morrow. Live neither in the past nor in the future, but let each day's work absorb your entire energies, and satisfy your wildest ambition.” quote by William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96d/william-osler-2992_ambition_throw-away-all-ambition-beyond-that-of-d_205311.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96d/william-osler-2992_ambition_throw-away-all-ambition-beyond-that-of-d_205311.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96d/william-osler-2992_ambition_throw-away-all-ambition-beyond-that-of-d_205311.jpg) > “Throw away all ambition beyond that of doing the day's work well. The travelers on the road to success live in the present, heedless of taking thought for the morrow. Live neither in the past nor in the future, but let each day's work absorb your entire energies, and satisfy your wildest ambition.” [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focus on present work, letting each day's effort fulfill ambition, avoiding distraction by past or future. **In simple terms:** Do your best today, not tomorrow. Key Takeaway Give full energy to today’s tasks. Themes presence focus ambition mindfulness Mood reflective motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily work - career development - personal projects - skill mastery Key Concepts Stoicism flow effort Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance present focus with future goals? - What daily rituals keep you anchored? A Different Perspective Neglecting long‑term planning can hinder growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Each day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/each-day/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Live in the present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-in-the-present/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Road to success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/road-to-success/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Traveler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traveler/) ## Related quotes > [My running ambition is to keep doing it until I'm way past the point where I have any business running. Just to keep doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/my-running-ambition-is-to-keep-doing-it-until-i-m-way-past-the-point/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [Work hard, take it seriously, embrace your ambition. And when you're not doing that, do something - whatever it happens to be - that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/work-hard-take-it-seriously-embrace-your-ambition-and-when-you-re-not/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [Don't live in the past, don't think of the future, live in the present and be happy, even though it's a new day coming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-live-in-the-past-don-t-think-of-the-future-live-in-the-present/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We all live in the past, because there is nothing else to live in. To live in the present is like proposing to sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/we-all-live-in-the-past-because-there-is-nothing-else-to-live-in-to/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [I do not like to live in the past, I live in the present. I think that is very important as a player, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-laudrup/i-do-not-like-to-live-in-the-past-i-live-in-the-present-i-think-that/) [Michael Laudrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-laudrup/) > [“If you want to grow up, live in your present else if you want to fall down, live in your past”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/if-you-want-to-grow-up-live-in-your-present-else-if-you-want-to-fall/) [P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/) > [You don't live in the past. You live in the present and look toward the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-ariza/you-don-t-live-in-the-past-you-live-in-the-present-and-look-toward/) [Trevor Ariza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-ariza/) > [“Don’t live in the past, Eli. Live in the present. Get it? Present. It’s a gift. And every day you unwrap it, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ceecee-james/don-t-live-in-the-past-eli-live-in-the-present-get-it-present-it-s-a/) CeeCee James > [I don't live in the past, I live in the present and that's it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-ramirez/i-don-t-live-in-the-past-i-live-in-the-present-and-that-s-it/) [Manny Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-ramirez/) > [Don't live for the past, it already happened. neither the future, it will soon happened. live in the present it is just happening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deity/don-t-live-for-the-past-it-already-happened-neither-the-future-it/) [deity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deity/) > [Live neither in the past nor in the future, but let each day absorb all your interest, energy and enthusiasm. The best preparation for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/live-neither-in-the-past-nor-in-the-future-but-let-each-day-absorb/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [Here's the advice Sir William Osler gave the students at Yale: Live neither in the past nor in the future, but let each day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/here-s-the-advice-sir-william-osler-gave-the-students-at-yale-live/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [But you have to live in the present. You have to take the old and make it new -- that's my point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-myracle/but-you-have-to-live-in-the-present-you-have-to-take-the-old-and-make/) [Lauren Myracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-myracle/) > [You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island opportunities and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/you-must-live-in-the-present-launch-yourself-on-every-wave-find-your/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Never worry about anything. Live in the present. Live now. Be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsilio-ficino/never-worry-about-anything-live-in-the-present-live-now-be-happy/) [Marsilio Ficino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsilio-ficino/) ## More by William Osler > [As it can be maintained that all the great advances have come from men under forty, so the history of the world shows that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/as-it-can-be-maintained-that-all-the-great-advances-have-come-from/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [No man is really happy or safe without a hobby ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/no-man-is-really-happy-or-safe-without-a-hobby/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [But whatever you do, take neither yourselves nor your fellow-creatures too seriously. There is tragedy enough in our daily routine, but there is room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/but-whatever-you-do-take-neither-yourselves-nor-your-fellow-creatures/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [Without egotism and full of feeling, laughter is the music of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/without-egotism-and-full-of-feeling-laughter-is-the-music-of-life/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [The librarian of today, and it will be true still more of the librarians of tomorrow, are not fiery dragons interposed between the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/the-librarian-of-today-and-it-will-be-true-still-more-of-the/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [The best preparation for tomorrow is to do today's work superbly well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/the-best-preparation-for-tomorrow-is-to-do-today-s-work-superbly-well/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [The very first step towards success in any occupation is to become interested in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/the-very-first-step-towards-success-in-any-occupation-is-to-become/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [The trained nurse has become one of the great blessings of humanity, taking a place beside the physician and the priest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/the-trained-nurse-has-become-one-of-the-great-blessings-of-humanity/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [He who studies medicine without books sails an uncharted sea, but he who studies medicine without patients does not go to sea at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/he-who-studies-medicine-without-books-sails-an-uncharted-sea-but-he/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [In seeking absolute truth we aim at the unattainable and must be content with broken portions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/in-seeking-absolute-truth-we-aim-at-the-unattainable-and-must-be/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [Shed, as you do your garments, your daily sins, whether of omission or commission, and you will wake a free man, with a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/shed-as-you-do-your-garments-your-daily-sins-whether-of-omission-or/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [He who knows syphilis knows medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/he-who-knows-syphilis-knows-medicine/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [Laughter is the music of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/laughter-is-the-music-of-life/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [Beware of people who call you 'Doc.' They rarely pay their bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/beware-of-people-who-call-you-doc-they-rarely-pay-their-bills/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [There are, in truth, no specialties in medicine, since to know fully many of the most important diseases a man must be familiar with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/there-are-in-truth-no-specialties-in-medicine-since-to-know-fully/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) [Explore all 143 William Osler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) ## 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": "Throw away all ambition beyond that of doing the day's work well. The travelers on the road to success live in the present, heedless of taking thought for the morrow. Live neither in the past nor in the future, but let each day's work absorb your entire energies, and satisfy your wildest ambition.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Osler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/throw-away-all-ambition-beyond-that-of-doing-the-day-s-work-well-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/throw-away-all-ambition-beyond-that-of-doing-the-day-s-work-well-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96d/william-osler-2992_ambition_throw-away-all-ambition-beyond-that-of-d_205311.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96d/william-osler-2992_ambition_throw-away-all-ambition-beyond-that-of-d_205311.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96d/william-osler-2992_ambition_throw-away-all-ambition-beyond-that-of-d_205311.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Throw away all ambition beyond that of doing the day's work well. The travelers on the road to success live…” — William Osler", "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 Osler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Throw away all ambition beyond that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/throw-away-all-ambition-beyond-that-of-doing-the-day-s-work-well-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/throw-away-all-ambition-beyond-that-of-doing-the-day-s-work-well-the/#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 } } ] } ```