--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unless you are a genius, it is best to…" description: "\"Unless you are a genius, it is best to aim at being intelligible.\" — Anthony Hope" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dc/anthony-hope-26203_aim_unless-you-are-a-genius-it-is-best-to-ai_1877837.png" --- # Unless you are a genius, it is best to aim at being… ![“Unless you are a genius, it is best to aim at being intelligible.” quote by Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dc/anthony-hope-26203_aim_unless-you-are-a-genius-it-is-best-to-ai_1877837.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dc/anthony-hope-26203_aim_unless-you-are-a-genius-it-is-best-to-ai_1877837.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dc/anthony-hope-26203_aim_unless-you-are-a-genius-it-is-best-to-ai_1877837.png) > “Unless you are a genius, it is best to aim at being intelligible.” [Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intelligibility should be the aim, not genius, for effective communication. **In simple terms:** Be clear, not overly clever. Key Takeaway Aim for understandable expression. Themes communication humility learning Mood thoughtful practical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - teaching - writing - public speaking Key Concepts simplicity accessibility Questions to Reflect On - What trade‑offs exist between clarity and depth? - How to balance simplicity with nuance? A Different Perspective Complex ideas may be oversimplified. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) [Aim Intelligible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim-intelligible-2633766/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Genius Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius-best-405101/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Intelligible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligible/) [Unless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unless/) [Unless Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unless-genius-2633765/) ## Related quotes > [Unless one is a genius, it is best to aim at being intelligible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/unless-one-is-a-genius-it-is-best-to-aim-at-being-intelligible/) [Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) > [Fella’s a genius. Best ever by a distance in my life time. Never really saw Pele… Souness, Gullit, Venables and now Rooney agree Messi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/fella-s-a-genius-best-ever-by-a-distance-in-my-life-time-never-really/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [“You're an absolute genius! I'm the best Daphne ever!" "And so humble,too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/you-re-an-absolute-genius-i-m-the-best-daphne-ever-and-so-humble-too/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Like many of the people quoted on this dust-cover, I have not read Carl King's book. I am confident, however, that my review still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-anne-campbell/like-many-of-the-people-quoted-on-this-dust-cover-i-have-not-read/) [Heather Anne Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-anne-campbell/) > [“If you're the only one that can see the genius in you, It's best you revisit the drawing board.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nike-thaddeus/if-you-re-the-only-one-that-can-see-the-genius-in-you-it-s-best-you/) [Nike Thaddeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nike-thaddeus/) > [“Anyone who wishes to be understood had better be sure he has made himself intelligible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/anyone-who-wishes-to-be-understood-had-better-be-sure-he-has-made/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [It is the first duty of a hypothesis to be intelligible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/it-is-the-first-duty-of-a-hypothesis-to-be-intelligible/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [“...reality is a system, completely ordered and fully intelligible, with which thought in its advance is more and more identifying itself. We may look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brand-blanshard/reality-is-a-system-completely-ordered-and-fully-intelligible-with/) [Brand Blanshard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brand-blanshard/) > [We see that pedantry has never been held in such esteem for the government of the world as in our times, and it offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/we-see-that-pedantry-has-never-been-held-in-such-esteem-for-the/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [The present is only intelligible in the light of the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-chenevix-trench/the-present-is-only-intelligible-in-the-light-of-the-past/) [Richard Chenevix Trench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-chenevix-trench/) > [My lectures are published and not published; they will be intelligible to those who heard them, and to none beside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/my-lectures-are-published-and-not-published-they-will-be-intelligible/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [“we neither of us are able to deliver our conceptions in a manner intelligible to the other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/we-neither-of-us-are-able-to-deliver-our-conceptions-in-a-manner/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [What is not intelligible to me is not necessarily unintelligent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/what-is-not-intelligible-to-me-is-not-necessarily-unintelligent/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The Athanasian Creed is to me light and intelligible reading in comparison with much that now passes for science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/the-athanasian-creed-is-to-me-light-and-intelligible-reading-in/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [We are concerned with the relationship between art and life. Contemporary art is only intelligible in terms of its relationship to our life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-elliott/we-are-concerned-with-the-relationship-between-art-and-life/) [David Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-elliott/) ## More by Anthony Hope > [In the deep, unwritten wisdom of life there are many things to be learned that cannot be taught. We never know them by hearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/in-the-deep-unwritten-wisdom-of-life-there-are-many-things-to-be/) [Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) > [I have an income nearly sufficient for my wants (no one's income is ever quite sufficient, you know).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/i-have-an-income-nearly-sufficient-for-my-wants-no-one-s-income-is/) [Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) > [Somehow love gives even to a dull man the knowledge of his lover's heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/somehow-love-gives-even-to-a-dull-man-the-knowledge-of-his-lover-s/) [Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) > [“But if it be never - if I can never hold sweet converse again with her, or look upon her face, or know from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/but-if-it-be-never-if-i-can-never-hold-sweet-converse-again-with-her/) [Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) > [I wish you would read a little poetry sometimes. Your ignorance cramps my conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/i-wish-you-would-read-a-little-poetry-sometimes-your-ignorance-cramps/) [Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) > [You oughtn't to yield to temptation. Well, somebody must, or the thing becomes absurd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/you-oughtn-t-to-yield-to-temptation-well-somebody-must-or-the-thing/) [Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) > [Economy is going without something you do want in case you should, some day, want something you probably won't want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/economy-is-going-without-something-you-do-want-in-case-you-should/) [Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) > [“Ah! but a man cannot be held to write down in cold blood the wild and black thoughts that storm his brain when an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/ah-but-a-man-cannot-be-held-to-write-down-in-cold-blood-the-wild-and/) [Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) > [“It is my belief that, given the necessary physical likeness, it was far easier to pretend to be king of Ruritania than it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/it-is-my-belief-that-given-the-necessary-physical-likeness-it-was-far/) [Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) > [“Yet, unless he sets up as a saint, he need not hate himself for them. He is better employed, as it humbly seems to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/yet-unless-he-sets-up-as-a-saint-he-need-not-hate-himself-for-them-he/) [Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) > [Unless one is a genius, it is best to aim at being intelligible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/unless-one-is-a-genius-it-is-best-to-aim-at-being-intelligible/) [Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) > [“God save the King!" Old Sapt's mouth wrinkled into a smile. "God save 'em both!" he whispered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/god-save-the-king-old-sapt-s-mouth-wrinkled-into-a-smile-god-save-em/) [Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) > [Good families are generally worse than any others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/good-families-are-generally-worse-than-any-others/) [Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) > [I may not understand, but I am willing to admire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/i-may-not-understand-but-i-am-willing-to-admire/) [Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) > [Telling the truth to people who misunderstand you is generally promoting a falsehood, isn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/telling-the-truth-to-people-who-misunderstand-you-is-generally/) [Anthony Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) [Explore all 22 Anthony Hope quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/) ## More Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Unless you are a genius, it is best to aim at being intelligible.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anthony Hope" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/unless-you-are-a-genius-it-is-best-to-aim-at-being-intelligible/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aim" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/unless-you-are-a-genius-it-is-best-to-aim-at-being-intelligible/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dc/anthony-hope-26203_aim_unless-you-are-a-genius-it-is-best-to-ai_1877837.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dc/anthony-hope-26203_aim_unless-you-are-a-genius-it-is-best-to-ai_1877837.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dc/anthony-hope-26203_aim_unless-you-are-a-genius-it-is-best-to-ai_1877837.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Unless you are a genius, it is best to aim at being intelligible.” — Anthony Hope", "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": "Anthony Hope", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hope/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Unless you are a genius, it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/unless-you-are-a-genius-it-is-best-to-aim-at-being-intelligible/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hope/unless-you-are-a-genius-it-is-best-to-aim-at-being-intelligible/#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 } } ] } ```