--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An idiot will accomplish something he…" description: "\"An idiot will accomplish something he desires to do far better than a genius who has been told to do the same thing.\" — Alec Sahakian" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ff/alec-sahakian-97347_accomplishment_an-idiot-will-accomplish-something-he-de_2148836.jpg" --- # An idiot will accomplish something he desires to do far… ![“An idiot will accomplish something he desires to do far better than a genius who has been told to do the same thing.” quote by Alec Sahakian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ff/alec-sahakian-97347_accomplishment_an-idiot-will-accomplish-something-he-de_2148836.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ff/alec-sahakian-97347_accomplishment_an-idiot-will-accomplish-something-he-de_2148836.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ff/alec-sahakian-97347_accomplishment_an-idiot-will-accomplish-something-he-de_2148836.jpg) > “An idiot will accomplish something he desires to do far better than a genius who has been told to do the same thing.” [Alec Sahakian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-sahakian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An idiot driven by desire can outperform a genius who follows orders, highlighting passion over intellect. **In simple terms:** Passion can outshine prescribed intellect. Key Takeaway Cultivate desire and personal drive. Themes passion desire idiot genius performance Mood determined reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - personal projects - entrepreneurship - skill development Key Concepts motivation self-determination creativity Questions to Reflect On - When does desire become counterproductive? - How can passion complement intelligence? A Different Perspective Blind desire may ignore expertise; success isn’t guaranteed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accomplishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplishment/) [Better Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-genius-566831/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Genius Told](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius-told-2609922/) [Idiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiot/) [Idiot Accomplish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiot-accomplish-4508500/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [“Holmes, you're a genius. So I have been told.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-r-king/holmes-you-re-a-genius-so-i-have-been-told/) [Laurie R. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-r-king/) > [For the purposes of life and conduct, and society, a little good sense is surely better than all this genius, and a little good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/for-the-purposes-of-life-and-conduct-and-society-a-little-good-sense/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [Common sense is better than genius, and hence its bestowment is more universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/common-sense-is-better-than-genius-and-hence-its-bestowment-is-more/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [A Fool with a Plan is better off than a Genius without a Plan!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/a-fool-with-a-plan-is-better-off-than-a-genius-without-a-plan/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [A worker without genius is better than a genius who won't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-auer/a-worker-without-genius-is-better-than-a-genius-who-won-t-work/) [Leopold Auer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-auer/) > [I regret that I must so continually use the word genius, as if that should apply only to a caste as well defined from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/i-regret-that-i-must-so-continually-use-the-word-genius-as-if-that/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [Even if we accept, as the basic tenet of true democracy, that one moron is equal to one genius, is it necessary to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-szilard/even-if-we-accept-as-the-basic-tenet-of-true-democracy-that-one-moron/) [Leo Szilard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-szilard/) > [I'm all in favor of the democratic principle that one idiot is as good as one genius, but I draw the line when someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-szilard/i-m-all-in-favor-of-the-democratic-principle-that-one-idiot-is-as/) [Leo Szilard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-szilard/) > [“I’m that annoying?” “Well, you have pretty sharp mouth.” “I don’t want to sound like a smartass, but sir I can’t handle my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rea-lidde/i-m-that-annoying-well-you-have-pretty-sharp-mouth-i-don-t-want-to/) [Rea Lidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rea-lidde/) > [Man as an individual is a genius. But men in the mass form the headless monster, a great, brutish idiot that goes where prodded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-chaplin/man-as-an-individual-is-a-genius-but-men-in-the-mass-form-the/) [Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-chaplin/) > [The truth is I've just never had any kind of plan at all for my career, which is probably not a very flattering thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/the-truth-is-i-ve-just-never-had-any-kind-of-plan-at-all-for-my/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [To accomplish much you must first lose everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/to-accomplish-much-you-must-first-lose-everything/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) ## More by Alec Sahakian > [Our society has been hypnotized into believing that a student who is successful in school will be successful in life, and, although this may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-sahakian/our-society-has-been-hypnotized-into-believing-that-a-student-who-is/) [Alec Sahakian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-sahakian/) [Explore all 2 Alec Sahakian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-sahakian/) ## More Accomplishment quotes > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [To accomplish much you must first lose everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/to-accomplish-much-you-must-first-lose-everything/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [One of the most important rules for success is this: Every great success is the result of hundreds and thousands of small efforts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/one-of-the-most-important-rules-for-success-is-this-every-great/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [For many of us, work is the one place where we feel appreciated. The things that we long to experience at home - pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/for-many-of-us-work-is-the-one-place-where-we-feel-appreciated-the/) [Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/) > [Humility is an elusive virtue. The more we pursue it - and the more we seem to acquire it - the more we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-aquilina/humility-is-an-elusive-virtue-the-more-we-pursue-it-and-the-more-we/) [Mike Aquilina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-aquilina/) > [I'm not always right, but I learn from my mistakes and make it a productive experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-kolhoff/i-m-not-always-right-but-i-learn-from-my-mistakes-and-make-it-a/) [Carson Kolhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-kolhoff/) > [Suffering in life can uncover untold depths of character and unknown strength for service. People who go through life unscathed by sorrow and untouched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/suffering-in-life-can-uncover-untold-depths-of-character-and-unknown/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/there-is-no-limit-to-the-amount-of-good-you-can-do-if-you-don-t-care/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Research is the live heart of the scientific life ... Greatness of position, respect for past accomplishments, the Nobel Prize itself -- none of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-gornick/research-is-the-live-heart-of-the-scientific-life-greatness-of/) [Vivian Gornick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-gornick/) > [“One man accomplishment Is another mans failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-sargent/one-man-accomplishment-is-another-mans-failure/) [Anthony Sargent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-sargent/) > [I expected college to feel like a major accomplishment. I walked across the stage, eight months pregnant with my almost seven-year-old daughter watching in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/i-expected-college-to-feel-like-a-major-accomplishment-i-walked/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [Our purpose on this earth is not one single event, an accomplishment we can check off a list. There is no test. No passing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-hand/our-purpose-on-this-earth-is-not-one-single-event-an-accomplishment/) [Cynthia Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-hand/) > [An untrained or uneducated Marine ... deployed to the combat zone is a bigger threat to mission accomplishment ... than the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/an-untrained-or-uneducated-marine-deployed-to-the-combat-zone-is-a/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) [Browse all 1,598 Accomplishment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplishment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "An idiot will accomplish something he desires to do far better than a genius who has been told to do the same thing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alec Sahakian" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-sahakian/an-idiot-will-accomplish-something-he-desires-to-do-far-better-than-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accomplishment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-sahakian/an-idiot-will-accomplish-something-he-desires-to-do-far-better-than-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ff/alec-sahakian-97347_accomplishment_an-idiot-will-accomplish-something-he-de_2148836.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ff/alec-sahakian-97347_accomplishment_an-idiot-will-accomplish-something-he-de_2148836.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ff/alec-sahakian-97347_accomplishment_an-idiot-will-accomplish-something-he-de_2148836.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“An idiot will accomplish something he desires to do far better than a genius who has been told to do the…” — Alec Sahakian", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alec Sahakian", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-sahakian/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "An idiot will accomplish something he...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-sahakian/an-idiot-will-accomplish-something-he-desires-to-do-far-better-than-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-sahakian/an-idiot-will-accomplish-something-he-desires-to-do-far-better-than-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```