What I aspired to be and was not, comforts me.

What I aspired to be and was not, comforts me.

The shades of night were falling fast,
As through an Alpine village passed
A youth, who bore, read more

The shades of night were falling fast,
As through an Alpine village passed
A youth, who bore, 'mid snow and ice
A banner with the strange device,
Excelsior!

Big results require big ambitions.

Big results require big ambitions.

Ambition has one heel nailed in well, though she stretch her fingers to touch the heavens.

Ambition has one heel nailed in well, though she stretch her fingers to touch the heavens.

Nothing is too high for the daring of mortals: we would storm
heaven itself in our folly.
[Lat., read more

Nothing is too high for the daring of mortals: we would storm
heaven itself in our folly.
[Lat., Nil mortalibus arduum est:
Coelum ipsum petimus stultitia.]

Ambition is the last refuge of failure.

Ambition is the last refuge of failure.

The very substance of the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream.

The very substance of the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream.

You are rewarding a teacher poorly if you remain always a pupil.

You are rewarding a teacher poorly if you remain always a pupil.

Ambition is like love, impatient both of delays and rivals.

Ambition is like love, impatient both of delays and rivals.