From what I have seen, the one thing that people are least willing to give up is the desire to become a leader of others. You will see a person give up eating and drinking (excessively); he will abandon wealth and (expensive) clothing. But when we assign him a position of leadership, he stands up and becomes antagonistic and defensive (and ambitious).

—Sufyān al-Thawrī [d. 161H/778CE]

(Read on pg 91-92, Salaahud-Deen ibn ‘Alee ibn ‘Abdul-Maujood, The Biography of Sufyaan Ath-Thauree. Darussalam Publishers. Riyadh:2005.)