Modest Ambition Quotes

I would like to say I can change millions of lives, but realistically, if my journey inspires 10 people to go to university or to achieve something, then I think I've done my job.

I think any artist that's going to become anything in this world faces humility: with great humility comes great success.

I never wanted credit for being a wonderful person or a great human being or looking peculiar. I just wanted credit for the music.

All I ever wanted to do with my life was own a little house. I did that way back with 'Rocky,' so now everything I do is just icing on the cake.

Well, mostly I just want to be an actor. I love being an actor, and I don't want to be a spokesman for anything, I don't want to do anything crazy or fancy like that.

I never wished to be a 'rock star.' I just wanted to be a working musician. My dreams didn't even go past a session player or a working musician. It was too far beyond my dreams.

I am no lover of pompous title, but only desire that my name may be recorded in a line or two, which shall briefly express my name, my virginity, the years of my reign, the reformation of religion under it, and my preservation of peace.

I see myself a humble man, and I tell you I have no ambitions to be president.

My goal was just to try and be the best player on my high school team, and look where I am now. And that was still my goal as a young kid, just to try and be a little better than my brother was.

Every man must be content with that glory which he may have at home.

The measure of success was writing a song, recording it and for it being in the hit parade in England. Success was about the postman walking up the garden whistling my song. I wasn't trying to conquer the world.

What I want to do in life is just be a respectful man and just take care of my children and guide my family in the right direction. I'm not looking to be a chairperson, I'm not looking to be ambassador or anything in that capacity.

I never aspired to be Speaker simply so I could say, 'I am the Speaker of the House of Commons,' and tell my children that.

I don't want to be a star. I just want to play football.

I've done what I could as a painter and that seems to me to be sufficient. I don't want to be compared to the great masters of the past, and my painting is open to criticism; that's enough.

I'm not better than other politicians, but I'm different because I got into the game much later in life, after I had raised a family, after I had written a book, after I had been a successful lawyer. It's different when you get into this business after you've led a full life. I don't want to be a big man. I know who I am.

I always considered myself a minor writer. My province is small, and I try to explore it very, very thoroughly.

I alwaysthought of myself as a competent, minor poet. I know who I'm up against.

I never grew up thinking I wanted to be a quote-unquote star or anything. My thing was just feeling blessed to be able to make my living acting.

I don't think I ever wanted fame.

But I would say basically, I would just like to be remembered for what I did on the field.

The original goal for Papa John's was to make $50 grand a year and have $50 grand in the bank so I could get a date.

Happy he whoe'er, content with the common lot, with safe breeze hugs the shore, and, fearing to trust his skiff to the wider sea, with unambitious oar keeps close to the land.

I never had high expectations going into Hollywood. I went there just to work.

It is my ambition to be, as a private individual, abolished and voided from history, leaving it markless, no refuse save the printed books. [] It is my aim, and every effort bent, that the sum and history of my life, which in the same sentence is my obit and epitaph too, shall be them both: he made the books and he died.