--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greatest thing in the world is for a…" description: "\"The greatest thing in the world is for a man to be able to do something well, and say nothing about it.\" — E. W. Howe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/e-w-howe-2815_able_the-greatest-thing-in-the-world-is-for-a_277677.png" --- # The greatest thing in the world is for a man to be able to… ![“The greatest thing in the world is for a man to be able to do something well, and say nothing about it.” quote by E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/e-w-howe-2815_able_the-greatest-thing-in-the-world-is-for-a_277677.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/e-w-howe-2815_able_the-greatest-thing-in-the-world-is-for-a_277677.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/e-w-howe-2815_able_the-greatest-thing-in-the-world-is-for-a_277677.png) > “The greatest thing in the world is for a man to be able to do something well, and say nothing about it.” [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True mastery is shown by doing excellent work quietly, without bragging. **In simple terms:** Excellence is silent. Key Takeaway Let actions speak louder than words. Themes humility excellence modesty Mood proud thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - workplace - art - sports Key Concepts quiet achievement integrity skill Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance humility and recognition? - When is it appropriate to share achievements? A Different Perspective Silence can be misinterpreted as lack of confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The greatest thing you do as a leader may not be what you do as a leader but who watches you do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/the-greatest-thing-you-do-as-a-leader-may-not-be-what-you-do-as-a/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [The greatest thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/br0k3n-h3art/the-greatest-thing/) Br0k3n\_h3Art > [Anyone who tells you fatherhood is the greatest thing that can happen to you, they are understating it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-myers/anyone-who-tells-you-fatherhood-is-the-greatest-thing-that-can-happen/) [Mike Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-myers/) > [“You gotta be the greatest thing I ever stole”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-lance/you-gotta-be-the-greatest-thing-i-ever-stole/) [Amanda Lance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-lance/) > [The greatest thing to do if you want nothing is to sit back and do nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melva-timbane/the-greatest-thing-to-do-if-you-want-nothing-is-to-sit-back-and-do/) Melva Timbane > [The greatest thing to fear is ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/the-greatest-thing-to-fear-is-ourselves/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [Greatest thing we can produce is character. Everything else can be taken from us, but not our character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/greatest-thing-we-can-produce-is-character-everything-else-can-be/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [To have a job making people laugh really is the greatest thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-gold/to-have-a-job-making-people-laugh-really-is-the-greatest-thing/) [Judy Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-gold/) > [It's the greatest thing you'd ever imagine, But you'll never know until you're there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panic-at-the-disco/it-s-the-greatest-thing-you-d-ever-imagine-but-you-ll-never-know/) [Panic At The Disco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panic-at-the-disco/) > [The greatest thing in the world as an actor or an artist to connect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-plummer/the-greatest-thing-in-the-world-as-an-actor-or-an-artist-to-connect/) [Charlie Plummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-plummer/) > [The greatest thing that we can do for the world is be America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/the-greatest-thing-that-we-can-do-for-the-world-is-be-america/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [The 'Lone Star' experience was tough at the time, but it really allowed me to look at things from a 3,000-foot high view. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolk/the-lone-star-experience-was-tough-at-the-time-but-it-really-allowed/) [James Wolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolk/) > [Being able to have a home studio is the greatest thing ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-patton/being-able-to-have-a-home-studio-is-the-greatest-thing-ever/) [Mike Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-patton/) > [Getting back an old friendship is the greatest thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/getting-back-an-old-friendship-is-the-greatest-thing-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But here is the single greatest thing about the 'Vanity Fair' party: There are uniformed In-N-Out Burger employees circulating the room with trays of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diablo-cody/but-here-is-the-single-greatest-thing-about-the-vanity-fair-party/) [Diablo Cody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diablo-cody/) ## More by E. W. Howe > [There is always a type of man who says he loves his fellow men, and expects to make a living at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/there-is-always-a-type-of-man-who-says-he-loves-his-fellow-men-and/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [I believe in grumbling; it is the politest form of fighting known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/i-believe-in-grumbling-it-is-the-politest-form-of-fighting-known/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [A theory is no more like a fact than a photograph is like a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/a-theory-is-no-more-like-a-fact-than-a-photograph-is-like-a-person/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [Few men progress, except as they are pushed along by events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/few-men-progress-except-as-they-are-pushed-along-by-events/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [Men are a good deal better collectively than they are individually. Many a man will do that privately which he will denounce in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/men-are-a-good-deal-better-collectively-than-they-are-individually/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [The modest person is usually admired, if people ever hear of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/the-modest-person-is-usually-admired-if-people-ever-hear-of-them/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [No man would listen to you talk if he didn't know it was his turn next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/no-man-would-listen-to-you-talk-if-he-didn-t-know-it-was-his-turn-next/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [People never have confidence in a Big Talker. They know his statements must be cut down, but they can never tell how much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/people-never-have-confidence-in-a-big-talker-they-know-his-statements/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [The only gambling tip which amounts to anything is to keep out of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/the-only-gambling-tip-which-amounts-to-anything-is-to-keep-out-of-the/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [One has fear in front of a goat, in back of a mule, and on every side of a fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/one-has-fear-in-front-of-a-goat-in-back-of-a-mule-and-on-every-side/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [No man's credit is ever as good as his money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/no-man-s-credit-is-ever-as-good-as-his-money/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [Some men storm imaginary Alps all their lives, and die in the foothills cursing difficulties which do not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/some-men-storm-imaginary-alps-all-their-lives-and-die-in-the/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [There is something in the red of a raspberry pie that looks as good to a man as the red in a sheep looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/there-is-something-in-the-red-of-a-raspberry-pie-that-looks-as-good/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [Love affairs have always greatly interested me, but I do not greatly care for them in books or moving pictures. In a love affair,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/love-affairs-have-always-greatly-interested-me-but-i-do-not-greatly/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [Many people would be more truthful were it not for their uncontrollable desire to talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/many-people-would-be-more-truthful-were-it-not-for-their/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) [Explore all 149 E. W. Howe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The greatest thing in the world is for a man to be able to do something well, and say nothing about it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "E. W. 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