--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: people think they have to be good before…" description: "\"people think they have to be good before they can act good. But ... it works just as well the other way 'round.\" — Cecil Dawkins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/cecil-dawkins-81266_action_people-think-they-have-to-be-good-before_46954.jpg" --- # people think they have to be good before they can act… ![“people think they have to be good before they can act good. But ... it works just as well the other way 'round.” quote by Cecil Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/cecil-dawkins-81266_action_people-think-they-have-to-be-good-before_46954.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/cecil-dawkins-81266_action_people-think-they-have-to-be-good-before_46954.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/cecil-dawkins-81266_action_people-think-they-have-to-be-good-before_46954.jpg) > “people think they have to be good before they can act good. But ... it works just as well the other way 'round.” Cecil Dawkins ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote challenges the belief that moral competence must precede ethical action, asserting that acting kindly can also develop goodness. **In simple terms:** Goodness can grow through action, not just preparation. Key Takeaway Action cultivates virtue. Themes self-improvement ethics psychology behavioral change motivation Mood inspirational encouraging Type maxim advice When to use this quote - volunteering - community service - helping strangers - standing up for others Key Concepts moral development agency habit formation Practical Applications - leadership training - personal growth workshops Questions to Reflect On - How does acting ethically influence your self‑identity? - What barriers prevent you from acting before feeling ready? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rounds/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“A good act does not wash out the bad, nor a bad act the good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-good-act-does-not-wash-out-the-bad-nor-a-bad-act-the-good/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [A good act does not wash out the bad, nor a bad act the good. Each should have its own reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-good-act-does-not-wash-out-the-bad-nor-a-bad-act-the-good-each/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Think good, speak good, and be good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inbar-lavi/think-good-speak-good-and-be-good/) [Inbar Lavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inbar-lavi/) > [It's very hard to be good. It is self-destructive thinking to think that there is too much good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-blodget/it-s-very-hard-to-be-good-it-is-self-destructive-thinking-to-think/) [Henry Blodget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-blodget/) > [I am good. I live good. I think good. I don't have to feel good to be good, I take my goodness wherever I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-tosh/i-am-good-i-live-good-i-think-good-i-don-t-have-to-feel-good-to-be/) [Peter Tosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-tosh/) > [I've always thought of acting as a tool to change society. I watch a lot of actors and I see panic in their eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/i-ve-always-thought-of-acting-as-a-tool-to-change-society-i-watch-a/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [Every act has both good and evil results. The best we can do is lean to the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/every-act-has-both-good-and-evil-results-the-best-we-can-do-is-lean/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [I don't like when people say I act good for my age. Who would have said that to Daniel Radcliffe or Emma Watson when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwak-dong-yeon/i-don-t-like-when-people-say-i-act-good-for-my-age-who-would-have/) [Kwak Dong-yeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwak-dong-yeon/) > [When You Think You Are Bad, Rethink And Conclude, You Are Much Good Enough That You Don't Act Good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-andy/when-you-think-you-are-bad-rethink-and-conclude-you-are-much-good/) [Nikhil Andy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-andy/) > [Any one may do a casual act of good-nature; but a continuation of them shows it a part of the temperament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/any-one-may-do-a-casual-act-of-good-nature-but-a-continuation-of-them/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [“Doing good for the sake of a heavenly reward is not an act of good, but a business transaction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-adam-snyder/doing-good-for-the-sake-of-a-heavenly-reward-is-not-an-act-of-good/) [J.Adam Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-adam-snyder/) > [Humanitarian issues must bring together all people who act in good faith trying to alleviate the suffering of people in dire need - especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/humanitarian-issues-must-bring-together-all-people-who-act-in-good/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [The test of your worldview is not how you act in the good times. The test of your worldview is how you act at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-test-of-your-worldview-is-not-how-you-act-in-the-good-times-the/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Anybody can act good to be around when they are doing really well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-butler/anybody-can-act-good-to-be-around-when-they-are-doing-really-well/) [Billy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-butler/) > [“Some consider me as a bad influence, but I prefer to see myself as indifferent. To define an act as good or evil is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-koevari/some-consider-me-as-a-bad-influence-but-i-prefer-to-see-myself-as/) [Peter Koevari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-koevari/) ## More by Cecil Dawkins > [Government! Government! What do I get for all I give, I'd like to know! Potholes and bombs!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-dawkins/government-government-what-do-i-get-for-all-i-give-i-d-like-to-know/) Cecil Dawkins > [you don't deal with time. Time deals with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-dawkins/you-don-t-deal-with-time-time-deals-with-you/) Cecil Dawkins Explore all 3 Cecil Dawkins quotes ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. 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Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. 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