Pride is founded not on the sense of happiness, but on the sense of power.
William HazlittRead
People of genius do not excel in any profession because they work in it, they work in it because they excel.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Genius individuals find success not merely through their work but because their innate talent drives them to excel in their chosen fields.
This quote by William Hazlitt emphasizes that exceptional individuals are not defined by their professions but by their remarkable abilities. They excel in their work because their unique talents compel them to engage deeply, resulting in innovation and excellence. It highlights the idea that true dedication stems from passion and inherent skill rather than obligation.
Themes
GeniusExcellenceTalentProfessionWork
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about pursuing passion in career choices.
More from William Hazlitt
All quotes βThe world loves to be amused by hollow professions, to be deceived by flattering appearances, to live in a state of hallucination; and can forgive everything but the plain, downright, simple, honest truth.
William HazlittRead
Our repugnance to death increases in proportion to our consciousness of having lived in vain.
William HazlittRead
We can bear to be deprived of everything but our self-conceit.
William HazlittRead
There are few things in which we deceive ourselves more than in the esteem we profess to entertain for our firends. It is little better than a piece of quackery. The truth is, we think of them as we please, that is, as they please or displease us.
William HazlittRead
Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity is a greater. Possession pampers the mind; privation trains and strengthens it.
William HazlittRead
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In the end, I am quite normal. I don't have odd habits. I don't dramatize. Above all, I do not romanticize the act of writing. I don't talk about the anguish I suffer in creating. I do not have a fear of the blank page, writer's block, all those things that we hear about writers.
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It's hard to decide who's truly brilliant; it's easier to see who's driven, which in the long run may be more important.
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