--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Great Man is a man who lives a long…" description: "\"The Great Man is a man who lives a long way off.\" — Elbert Hubbard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/elbert-hubbard-510_great-man_the-great-man-is-a-man-who-lives-a-long_2513752.png" --- # The Great Man is a man who lives a long way off. ![“The Great Man is a man who lives a long way off.” quote by Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/elbert-hubbard-510_great-man_the-great-man-is-a-man-who-lives-a-long_2513752.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/elbert-hubbard-510_great-man_the-great-man-is-a-man-who-lives-a-long_2513752.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/elbert-hubbard-510_great-man_the-great-man-is-a-man-who-lives-a-long_2513752.png) > “The Great Man is a man who lives a long way off.” [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greatness often comes from those distant from everyday life, observing from afar. **In simple terms:** Great people are often removed from daily concerns. Key Takeaway Seek perspective beyond immediate surroundings. Themes leadership distance observation Mood inspirational critical Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - political leadership - artistic innovation - scientific breakthroughs Key Concepts philosophy social hierarchy Questions to Reflect On - How does distance affect responsibility? - Can greatness be achieved while staying grounded? A Different Perspective Detachment can lead to disconnect from common people. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Lives Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lives-long-372652/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-way/) [Man Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-lives/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Anything is possible in the life of a man if he lives long enough. Even maturity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howell-raines/anything-is-possible-in-the-life-of-a-man-if-he-lives-long-enough/) [Howell Raines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howell-raines/) > [“A man who lives long enough will be a boy twice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-man-who-lives-long-enough-will-be-a-boy-twice/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [The wise man lives as long as he ought, not so long as he can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-wise-man-lives-as-long-as-he-ought-not-so-long-as-he-can/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The wise man lives as long as he should, not just as long as he likes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/the-wise-man-lives-as-long-as-he-should-not-just-as-long-as-he-likes/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The great man is not so great as folks think, and the dull man is not quite so stupid as he seems. The difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-great-man-is-not-so-great-as-folks-think-and-the-dull-man-is-not/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [You can never become a great man or woman until you have overcome anxiety, worry, and fear. It is impossible for an anxious person,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-d-wattles/you-can-never-become-a-great-man-or-woman-until-you-have-overcome/) [Wallace D. Wattles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-d-wattles/) > [Greatness by nature includes a power, but not a will to power. ... The great man, whether we comprehend him in the most intense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-buber/greatness-by-nature-includes-a-power-but-not-a-will-to-power-the/) [Martin Buber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-buber/) > [Nature never sends a great man into the planet, without confiding the secret to another soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/nature-never-sends-a-great-man-into-the-planet-without-confiding-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A great man need not be virtuous, nor his opinions right, but he must have a firm mind, a distinctive luminous character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/a-great-man-need-not-be-virtuous-nor-his-opinions-right-but-he-must/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [The two maxims of any great man at court are, always to keep his countenance, and never to keep his word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/the-two-maxims-of-any-great-man-at-court-are-always-to-keep-his/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [In order to become a great man, one must first be a great rascal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/in-order-to-become-a-great-man-one-must-first-be-a-great-rascal/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [The great man is the man who does a thing for the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/the-great-man-is-the-man-who-does-a-thing-for-the-first-time/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) > [“And as long as she lives, as long as she thinks of me with fondness and the memory of our life together brings her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amalia-dillin/and-as-long-as-she-lives-as-long-as-she-thinks-of-me-with-fondness/) [Amalia Dillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amalia-dillin/) > [Our lives will last as long as God has something for us to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/our-lives-will-last-as-long-as-god-has-something-for-us-to-do/) [Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/) > [“One lives too long. Happy X-mas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/one-lives-too-long-happy-x-mas/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) ## More by Elbert Hubbard > [The teacher is one who makes two ideas grow where only one grew before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-teacher-is-one-who-makes-two-ideas-grow-where-only-one-grew-before/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The highest reward that God gives us for good work is the ability to do better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-highest-reward-that-god-gives-us-for-good-work-is-the-ability-to/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Art is nothing; it's a way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/art-is-nothing-it-s-a-way/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Library: A place where the dead lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/library-a-place-where-the-dead-lie/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [“If we cannot be happy and powerful and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-we-cannot-be-happy-and-powerful-and-prey-on-others-we-invent/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The poor and ignorant will continue to lie and steal as long as the rich and educated show them how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-poor-and-ignorant-will-continue-to-lie-and-steal-as-long-as-the/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [So long as governments set the example of killing their enemies, private individuals will occasionally kill theirs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/so-long-as-governments-set-the-example-of-killing-their-enemies/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [If I supply you with a thought, you may remember it and you may not. But if I can make you think a thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-i-supply-you-with-a-thought-you-may-remember-it-and-you-may-not/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 A conservative is a man who is too cowardly to fight and too fat to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/1-2-3-4-5-a-conservative-is-a-man-who-is-too-cowardly-to-fight-and/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The great man is not so great as folks think, and the dull man is not quite so stupid as he seems. The difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-great-man-is-not-so-great-as-folks-think-and-the-dull-man-is-not/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Every knock is a boost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/every-knock-is-a-boost/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [What boy well raised can compare with your street gamin who has the knowledge and the shrewdness of a grown-up broker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/what-boy-well-raised-can-compare-with-your-street-gamin-who-has-the/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Don't make excuses, make good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/don-t-make-excuses-make-good/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [What people need and what they want may be very different… Teachers are those who educate the people to appreciate the things they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/what-people-need-and-what-they-want-may-be-very-different-teachers/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Men who sit back and pride themselves on their culture haven't any to speak of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/men-who-sit-back-and-pride-themselves-on-their-culture-haven-t-any-to/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) [Explore all 506 Elbert Hubbard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) ## More Great man quotes > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [Football is a team sport. I'm proud of what I achieved in my career, but I also know that I wouldn't have achieved any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schmeichel/football-is-a-team-sport-i-m-proud-of-what-i-achieved-in-my-career/) [Peter Schmeichel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schmeichel/) > [My father was a really great man. I'll never forget the last thing he ever said to me. Nor will I ever repeat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/my-father-was-a-really-great-man-i-ll-never-forget-the-last-thing-he/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [To vilify a great man is the readiest way in which a little man can himself attain greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/to-vilify-a-great-man-is-the-readiest-way-in-which-a-little-man-can/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [There are a great many colored people who are ashamed of the cake-walk, but I think they ought to be proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/there-are-a-great-many-colored-people-who-are-ashamed-of-the-cake/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [“The effects of the division of labour, in the general business of society, will be more easily understood by considering in what manner it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/the-effects-of-the-division-of-labour-in-the-general-business-of/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [Greatness by nature includes a power, but not a will to power. ... The great man, whether we comprehend him in the most intense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-buber/greatness-by-nature-includes-a-power-but-not-a-will-to-power-the/) [Martin Buber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-buber/) > [A great man isn't the one who can show all his greatness, but great man is the one who can show his Humility upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-great-man-isn-t-the-one-who-can-show-all-his-greatness-but-great/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“But the mark of a great man is one who knows when to set aside the important things in order to accomplish the vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/but-the-mark-of-a-great-man-is-one-who-knows-when-to-set-aside-the/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [It's awfully hard to be the son of a great man and also of a half-crazy woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-steele-commager/it-s-awfully-hard-to-be-the-son-of-a-great-man-and-also-of-a-half/) [Henry Steele Commager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-steele-commager/) > [“...a great man who is vicious will only be a great doer of evil, and a rich man who is not liberal will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cervantes/a-great-man-who-is-vicious-will-only-be-a-great-doer-of-evil-and-a/) [Miguel Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cervantes/) > [We expect a great man to be a good reader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/we-expect-a-great-man-to-be-a-good-reader/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Nature never sends a great man into the planet, without confiding the secret to another soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/nature-never-sends-a-great-man-into-the-planet-without-confiding-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“We’re not the greatest thing in the universe, certainly not the smartest. Seems logical there’d be a great many things in it we can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-neuvel/we-re-not-the-greatest-thing-in-the-universe-certainly-not-the/) [Sylvain Neuvel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-neuvel/) > [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) [Browse all 1,429 Great man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Great Man is a man who lives a long way off.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elbert Hubbard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-great-man-is-a-man-who-lives-a-long-way-off/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Great man" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-great-man-is-a-man-who-lives-a-long-way-off/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/elbert-hubbard-510_great-man_the-great-man-is-a-man-who-lives-a-long_2513752.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/elbert-hubbard-510_great-man_the-great-man-is-a-man-who-lives-a-long_2513752.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/elbert-hubbard-510_great-man_the-great-man-is-a-man-who-lives-a-long_2513752.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Great Man is a man who lives a long way off.” — Elbert Hubbard", "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": "Elbert Hubbard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The Great Man is a man...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-great-man-is-a-man-who-lives-a-long-way-off/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-great-man-is-a-man-who-lives-a-long-way-off/#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 } } ] } ```