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bezdomnaya's avatar

Does anyone know this quote about scary success?

Asked by bezdomnaya (1440points) March 2nd, 2012

I remember reading this quotation somewhere (I think in the NY Public Library student planner, actually).

It was something to the tune of ‘there is nothing more frightening than a person who wants to be successful at anything more than passionate about doing something’ or something similar to that.

The general idea of the quotation is that a person who doesn’t have some cause or goal in mind and just wants to be the best at whatever it is he does is not going about it the right way.

Let me know if you can think of anything that sounds like that!

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6 Answers

CaptainHarley's avatar

Don’t aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally. – David Frost
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CaptainHarley's avatar

I honestly think it is better to be a failure at something you love than to be a success at something you hate. – George Burns

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CaptainHarley's avatar

In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure. – Bill Cosby

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bezdomnaya's avatar

Those are really good. The one I’m thinking of has a slant toward people who want success at the expense of a goal, I think. It’s a bit more negative, I guess.

CaptainHarley's avatar

Sorry, but I was unable to find it. : ((

jaytkay's avatar

Here’s what the question brings to my mind.

If you want to be somebody then do something.
– Emy Florentino
http://www.boardofwisdom.com/mailquote.asp?msgid=308468

Everybody wants to be somebody; nobody wants to grow.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/johannwolf101465.html#ixzz1o45cpPKO

“It used to be about trying to do something. Now it’s about trying to be someone.”
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/tinseltalk/2012/01/thatcher-on-thatcher-the-ten-most-rousing-quotes-from-the-iron-lady/

…“you can be somebody. You will have to make compromises and you will have to turn your back on your friends. But you will be a member of the club and you will get promoted and you will get good assignments..
...[or] you can do something- something for your country and for your Air Force and for yourself. If you decide you want to do something, you may not get promoted and you may not get the good assignments and you certainly will not be a favorite of your superiors. But you won’t have to compromise yourself. You will be true to your friends and to yourself. And your work might make a difference. To be somebody or to do something. In life there is often a roll call. That’s when you will have to make a decision. To be or to do? Which way will you go? ...
http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/98862.John_Boyd

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