Applause is the spur of noble minds, the end and aim of weak ones.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Praise drives ambitious people to do good, but weak people seek it as their only goal.
- In plain terms
- Noble people use approval as motivation; weak people chase it for itself.
- What can you take from it?
- Seek purpose beyond external validation.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What drives your work more than praise?
- Do you seek approval too often?
Another view
External praise can sometimes help identify useful work that needs recognition.
More from Edmund Burke
What ever disunites man from God, also disunites man from man.
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