The higher you climb, the lonelier you become… it’s one of those truths that hits you harder the more success you find. It’s not about the view from the top, but about who’s left standing beside you.
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Meaning
It means that as you achieve greater success and status, the pool of genuine peers and true companions inevitably shrinks.
Explanation
Look, here’s the thing I’ve seen time and again. Ambition, real ambition, is a lonely fuel. The decisions get tougher. The stakes get higher. And you start to realize that not everyone can, or even wants to, come along for that ride. It’s a natural filtering process. You’re not just climbing a ladder; you’re leaving behind the crowd that’s comfortable on the lower rungs. The higher you go, the more you operate in a rarefied atmosphere where trust is the most valuable and scarcest currency.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | Portuguese (369) |
| Category | Success (341) |
| Topics | loneliness (8), sacrifice (12), success general (86) |
| Literary Style | concise (408) |
| Emotion / Mood | melancholic (7) |
| Overall Quote Score | 84 (319) |
Origin & Factcheck
This comes straight from Paulo Coelho’s 2008 novel, “The Winner Stands Alone,” which is a sharp critique of our modern obsession with fame and success. It’s often misattributed to older proverbs or other authors, but its specific, poignant formulation is pure Coelho, reflecting the themes of that particular book.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Paulo Coelho (368) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | The Winner Stands Alone (55) |
| Origin Timeperiod | Contemporary (1615) |
| Original Language | Portuguese (369) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Paulo Coelho(1947) is a world acclaimed novelist known for his writings which covers spirituality with underlying human emotion with a profound storytelling. His transformative pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago inspired his breakthrough book, The Pilgrimage which is soon followed by The Alchemist< which went on to become the best seller. Through mystical narratives and introspective style, Paulo Coelho even today inspires millions of people who are seeking meaning and purpose in their life
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Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | The higher you climb, the lonelier you become |
| Book Details | Publication Year: 2008 (Brazil); ISBN: 978-0-06-175044-1; Latest Edition: Harper Perennial 2009; 368 pages. |
| Where is it? | Approximate page 153, Chapter: The Summit of Solitude |