"The majority see the obstacles; the few see the objectives; history records the successes of the latter, while oblivion is the reward of the former"
About this Quote
The subtext is sharper than the motivational-poster sheen. Montapert isn’t just praising ambition; he’s offering a theory of memory and status. “History records” and “oblivion” turn perception into legacy. The line implies that what survives isn’t effort or virtue but narrative: winners are the ones who produce an outcome clean enough to be archived. Everyone else becomes background labor, cautionary tale, or untracked data. It’s a quietly brutal worldview, because it suggests most people aren’t merely wrong; they’re forgettable by default.
Context matters. Montapert wrote in a 20th-century America soaked in self-help philosophy, postwar managerial confidence, and the cult of the “doer.” The quote flatters the reader into joining “the few,” while also warning that public life doesn’t reward prudence. It’s elitist, yes, but effective: it weaponizes the fear of anonymity to reframe hesitation as a choice you’ll pay for twice - once in the moment, and again in how you’re (not) remembered.
Quote Details
| Topic | Motivational |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Montapert, Alfred A. (2026, January 14). The majority see the obstacles; the few see the objectives; history records the successes of the latter, while oblivion is the reward of the former. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-majority-see-the-obstacles-the-few-see-the-131683/
Chicago Style
Montapert, Alfred A. "The majority see the obstacles; the few see the objectives; history records the successes of the latter, while oblivion is the reward of the former." FixQuotes. January 14, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-majority-see-the-obstacles-the-few-see-the-131683/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"The majority see the obstacles; the few see the objectives; history records the successes of the latter, while oblivion is the reward of the former." FixQuotes, 14 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-majority-see-the-obstacles-the-few-see-the-131683/. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
