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
Is it not strange that desire should so many years outlive performance?
Interpretation
What this quote means
Desire can often last longer than the actual achievement of our goals.
This quote by William Shakespeare suggests that human desire is a powerful force that can persist throughout time, often lasting far beyond the actual accomplishments or performances it drives us toward. This highlights the complexity of human motivation and the emotional weight of longing, emphasizing that the ambition to achieve something can outlast the tangible results of our efforts.
Themes
DesirePerformanceAchievementMotivationAmbition
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech about persistence, this quote can be used to explain the importance of desire in achieving goals.
More from William Shakespeare
All quotes βLove bears it out even to the edge of doom.
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Good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people.
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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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