--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The truly great consider, first, how they…" description: "\"The truly great consider, first, how they may gain the approbation of God, and, secondly, that of their own conscience. Having done this, they would th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/charles-caleb-colton-270_applause_the-truly-great-consider-first-how-they_1069829.jpg" --- # The truly great consider, first, how they may gain the… ![“The truly great consider, first, how they may gain the approbation of God, and, secondly, that of their own conscience. Having done this, they would then willingly conciliate the good opinion of their fellow-men. But the truly little reverse the thing. The primary object with them is to secure the…” quote by Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/charles-caleb-colton-270_applause_the-truly-great-consider-first-how-they_1069829.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/charles-caleb-colton-270_applause_the-truly-great-consider-first-how-they_1069829.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/charles-caleb-colton-270_applause_the-truly-great-consider-first-how-they_1069829.jpg) > “The truly great consider, first, how they may gain the approbation of God, and, secondly, that of their own conscience. Having done this, they would then willingly conciliate the good opinion of their fellow-men. But the truly little reverse the thing. The primary object with them is to secure the applause of their fellow-men; and having effected this, the approbation of God and their own conscience may follow on as they can.” [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A truly great person seeks God's approval and personal conscience first, then the opinion of others; the petty seek only public applause, hoping divine and self‑approval will follow. **In simple terms:** Great people prioritize inner and divine approval before caring about others' opinions. Key Takeaway Seek integrity before seeking praise. Themes integrity humility virtue Mood reflective thoughtful Type moral philosophical When to use this quote - leadership - personal development - public speaking - community service Key Concepts ethical philosophy self‑validation Questions to Reflect On - Do you prioritize inner conscience over external praise? - How does seeking divine approval shape your actions? A Different Perspective Public approval can be fleeting and may compromise personal values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Applause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/applause/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Fellow man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fellow-man/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) ## Related quotes > [Prefer not the esteem of men to the approbation of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jortin/prefer-not-the-esteem-of-men-to-the-approbation-of-god/) [John Jortin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jortin/) > [When a man's conscience and the laws clash, it is his conscience that he must follow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-a-man-s-conscience-and-the-laws-clash-it-is-his-conscience-that/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Most of us follow our conscience as we follow a wheelbarrow. We push it in front of us in the direction we want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/most-of-us-follow-our-conscience-as-we-follow-a-wheelbarrow-we-push/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“People who hear the call to conscience follow what they know inwardly --- what they know in consciousness or at higher levels of awareness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlton-d-pearson/people-who-hear-the-call-to-conscience-follow-what-they-know-inwardly/) [Carlton D. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlton-d-pearson/) > [“...if you live with your conscience and follow your instincts, you can get through with inner peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noor-al-hussein/if-you-live-with-your-conscience-and-follow-your-instincts-you-can/) Noor Al Hussein > [If your opponent has a conscience, then follow Gandhi and nonviolence. But if your enemy has no conscience like Hitler, then follow Bonhoeffer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/if-your-opponent-has-a-conscience-then-follow-gandhi-and-nonviolence/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Rely upon your own judgment; be true to your own conscience; follow the light that is within you; all outward lights are so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/rely-upon-your-own-judgment-be-true-to-your-own-conscience-follow-the/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [By God and upon my conscience, said the devil, I never observed it, for my mind is occupied with so many different things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/by-god-and-upon-my-conscience-said-the-devil-i-never-observed-it-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Make up your spiritual accounts daily; see how matters stand between God and your souls (Psalm 77:6). Often reckonings keep God and conscience friends.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/make-up-your-spiritual-accounts-daily-see-how-matters-stand-between/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [“They are all blinded and stunned by him,he's a God for them -- greater than a God,because people who believe in God have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoli-rybakov/they-are-all-blinded-and-stunned-by-him-he-s-a-god-for-them-greater/) [Anatoli Rybakov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoli-rybakov/) > [God is conscience. He is even the atheism of the atheist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/god-is-conscience-he-is-even-the-atheism-of-the-atheist/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [For me the Voice of God, of Conscience, of Truth or the Inner Voice or the still small Voice mean one and the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/for-me-the-voice-of-god-of-conscience-of-truth-or-the-inner-voice-or/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [As a servant desireth the approval of his master, and a son the approval of his father, so should we desire the approval of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose/as-a-servant-desireth-the-approval-of-his-master-and-a-son-the/) [Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose/) > [“You can call it God or a conscience… but there is a knowing I feel that guides me toward better stories, toward being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/you-can-call-it-god-or-a-conscience-but-there-is-a-knowing-i-feel/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [Whoever knows and fears God has conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/whoever-knows-and-fears-god-has-conscience/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) ## More by Charles Caleb Colton > [Villainy that is vigilant will be an overmatch for virtue, if she slumber at her post.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/villainy-that-is-vigilant-will-be-an-overmatch-for-virtue-if-she/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [A beautiful woman, if poor, should use double circumspection; for her beauty will tempt others, her poverty herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/a-beautiful-woman-if-poor-should-use-double-circumspection-for-her/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Were the life of man prolonged, he would become such a proficient in villainy, that it would become necessary again to drown or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/were-the-life-of-man-prolonged-he-would-become-such-a-proficient-in/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [To dare to live alone is the rarest courage; since there are many who had rather meet their bitterest enemy in the field, than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/to-dare-to-live-alone-is-the-rarest-courage-since-there-are-many-who/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [It is doubtful whether mankind are most indebted to those who like Bacon and Butler dig the gold from the mine of literature, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/it-is-doubtful-whether-mankind-are-most-indebted-to-those-who-like/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Be very slow to believe that you are wiser than all others; it is a fatal but common error. Where one has been saved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/be-very-slow-to-believe-that-you-are-wiser-than-all-others-it-is-a/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [None are so fond of secrets as those who do not mean to keep them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/none-are-so-fond-of-secrets-as-those-who-do-not-mean-to-keep-them/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Mental pleasures never cloy; unlike those of the body, they are increased by reputation, approved by reflection, and strengthened by enjoyment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/mental-pleasures-never-cloy-unlike-those-of-the-body-they-are/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Ignorance lies at the bottom of all human knowledge, and the deeper we penetrate, the nearer we arrive unto it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/ignorance-lies-at-the-bottom-of-all-human-knowledge-and-the-deeper-we/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Heroism, self-denial, and magnanimity, in all instances where they do not spring from a principle of religion, are but splendid altars on which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/heroism-self-denial-and-magnanimity-in-all-instances-where-they-do/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [We ought not to be over-anxious to encourage innovation in cases of doubtful improvement, for an old system must ever have two advantages over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/we-ought-not-to-be-over-anxious-to-encourage-innovation-in-cases-of/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [We owe almost all our knowledge not to those who have agreed, but to those who have differed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/we-owe-almost-all-our-knowledge-not-to-those-who-have-agreed-but-to/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Metaphysicians have been learning their lessons for the last four thousand years, and it is high time that they should now begin to teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/metaphysicians-have-been-learning-their-lessons-for-the-last-four/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Faith and works are necessary to our spiritual life as Christians, as soul and body are to our natural life as men; for faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/faith-and-works-are-necessary-to-our-spiritual-life-as-christians-as/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [When all moves equally (says Pascal), nothing seems to move as in a vessel under sail; and when all run by common consent into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/when-all-moves-equally-says-pascal-nothing-seems-to-move-as-in-a/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) [Explore all 778 Charles Caleb Colton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) ## More Applause quotes > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“In due course I would learn how to cover up for this event, but on that awful day I knew of nothing to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-pryor/in-due-course-i-would-learn-how-to-cover-up-for-this-event-but-on/) [Karen Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-pryor/) > [“An applause is not just the recognition of good performance, but its proof of being different than the crowd.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/an-applause-is-not-just-the-recognition-of-good-performance-but-its/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“i nod to the other will grayson, up onstage. he nods to me. we have something between us, him and me. but the truth?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-nod-to-the-other-will-grayson-up-onstage-he-nods-to-me-we-have/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [ All the shows we did pre-airdate, and I'd come out - "Rob Lowe!" - and it was \[Offers bored applause.\] After the show aired?… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/all-the-shows-we-did-pre-airdate-and-i-d-come-out-rob-lowe-and-it-was/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [“Those who do soul work, who want the searing truth more than solace or applause, know each other right away. Those who want something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/those-who-do-soul-work-who-want-the-searing-truth-more-than-solace-or/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [It is clear that the future of freedom and peace depend on the actions of America. This nation is freedom's home, and freedom's defender.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/it-is-clear-that-the-future-of-freedom-and-peace-depend-on-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The logic of worldly success rests on a fallacy: the strange error that our perfection depends on the thoughts and opinions and applause of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-logic-of-worldly-success-rests-on-a-fallacy-the-strange-error/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“Upon common theaters, indeed, the applause of the audience is of more importance to the actors than their own aprobation. But upon the stage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/upon-common-theaters-indeed-the-applause-of-the-audience-is-of-more/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [If anyone ever boos you off stage, that is simply applause from ghosts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-needles/if-anyone-ever-boos-you-off-stage-that-is-simply-applause-from-ghosts/) [Sharon Needles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-needles/) > [“A magician must always value his magic effects more than himself, because after few years audience may not remember his name but they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/a-magician-must-always-value-his-magic-effects-more-than-himself/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When I got through, Duke Ellington stood up and started the applause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-brown/when-i-got-through-duke-ellington-stood-up-and-started-the-applause/) [Ruth Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-brown/) > [The beauteous dragonfly's dancing By the waves of the rivulet glancing; She dances here and she dances there, The glimmering, glittering flutterer fair. Full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-heine/the-beauteous-dragonfly-s-dancing-by-the-waves-of-the-rivulet/) [Heinrich Heine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-heine/) > [You can copy, but hold the applause you get the satisfaction of mind can not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/you-can-copy-but-hold-the-applause-you-get-the-satisfaction-of-mind/) Mak\_786 > [Qv5YUc A round of applause for your blog.Really looking forward to read more. Awesome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oem-software-buy/qv5yuc-a-round-of-applause-for-your-blog-really-looking-forward-to/) Oem Software Buy [Browse all 556 Applause quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/applause/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The truly great consider, first, how they may gain the approbation of God, and, secondly, that of their own conscience. Having done this, they would then willingly conciliate the good opinion of their fellow-men. 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