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Something greater than wealth, grander even than fame — that manhood, character, stand for success, and that nothing else really does.
Orison Swett Marden
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Interpretation

What this quote means

True success is defined by a person's character and integrity, more than by wealth or fame.

Orison Swett Marden emphasizes that the essence of success lies not in material wealth or public recognition, but in the strength of one's character and the values one upholds. He suggests that true achievement stems from one's manhood and moral standing, which are far more significant in defining a successful life than external accolades.

Themes

SuccessCharacterWealthFameIntegrity

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech to encourage young adults to prioritize their character over material success.

More from Orison Swett Marden

Opportunity is latent in the very foundation of human society. Opportunity is everywhere about us. But the preparation to seize upon the opportunity, and to make the most of it, is to be made by every one for himself ... he will be self-made or never made.
Orison Swett MardenRead
We lift ourselves by our thought, we climb upon our vision of ourselves. If you want to enlarge your life, you must first enlarge your thought of it and of yourself. Hold the ideal of yourself as you long to be, always, everywhere - your ideal of what you long to attain - the ideal of health, efficiency, success.
Orison Swett MardenRead
You know from past experiences that whenever you have been driven to the wall, or thought you were, you have extricated yourself in a way which you never would have dreamed possible had you not been put to the test. The trouble is that in your everyday life you don't go deep enough to tap the divine mind within you.
Orison Swett MardenRead
You cannot measure a man by his failures. You must know what use he makes of them. What did they mean to him. What did he get out of them.
Orison Swett MardenRead
Many a man has finally succeeded only because he has failed after repeated efforts. If he had never met defeat he would never have known any great victory.
Orison Swett MardenRead
If our dreams are sincere desires to achieve, not mere pipe-dreams, there is something deep within ourselves which comes out to meet them and helps to make them realities.
Orison Swett MardenRead

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