“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” —Misattributed to Mark Twain (1835-1910) No primary source can be found #writerslift #life #authors #love #art #coffee #diary #write #books #amwriting #quotes #marktwainquotes #misattribution No primary source has been found in Twain’s writings, speeches, notebooks, or letters for this quotation. Quote Investigator’s review concludes that the saying is attributed to Twain in modern circulation, but no solid Twain-era documentation has been located. The quote warns against spending time around people who shrink other people’s dreams. Its point is not just that criticism exists, but that some criticism comes from pettiness, insecurity, or fear rather than wisdom. People who feel limited themselves often react to ambition by mocking it, because another person’s hope can expose their own lack of courage. The saying encourages choosing company carefully, since repeated discouragement can quietly wear down confidence and momentum. The second half shifts from warning to guidance. Truly great people are described not as domineering or dismissive, but as enlarging. They make others feel more capable, not smaller. That is why the quote remains popular even without a verified Twain source: it captures a practical truth about influence. The people around you can either drain ambition out of a goal or help breathe life into it, and that difference can shape the course of a life.
“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”
—Misattributed to Mark Twain (1835-1910)
No primary source can be found
#life #love #art #coffee #quotes #marktwainquotes #misattribution
