As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
William ShakespeareRead
it provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance
Interpretation
What this quote means
Desire can be enticing, but it often distracts from the ability to perform effectively.
This quote by William Shakespeare highlights the paradox of desire; while it can ignite passion and motivation, it can simultaneously hinder one's capacity to act and deliver results. The yearning for something can lead to distraction and anxiety, ultimately impeding performance and achievement. It suggests that one must balance desire with focused action to truly succeed.
Themes
DesirePerformanceMotivationActionFocus
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about achieving goals, one might say: 'Remember, it provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance.'
More from William Shakespeare
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Absence doth sharpen love, presence strengthens it; the one brings fuel, the other blows it till it burns clear.
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Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
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Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
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