proverb · Words worth keeping
He that would be Pope must think of nothing else.
He that would be Pope must think of nothing else.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
A very demanding ambition can require sustained attention. The wish to become Pope gives the saying an extreme example of a goal absorbing a person’s effort.
What the words are saying
The saying makes a high office depend on thinking of nothing else. It can encourage focus when a task has serious demands, while also revealing what an all-consuming ambition may cost. Concentration alone does not secure a position, and other responsibilities need not be discarded. A careful reading asks what attention the goal reasonably requires and whether pursuing it still leaves room for care, rest and judgment.
Everyday example
A person preparing for a difficult role sets aside regular focused time without abandoning family commitments or needed rest.
When to use it
Use it to examine the attention required by a demanding ambition.
What it does not mean
Single-mindedness does not guarantee advancement or justify neglecting other responsibilities.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1270 · Pope
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English