--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man's greatness consists in his ability…" description: "\"Man's greatness consists in his ability to do and the proper application of his powers to things needed to be done.\" — Frederick Douglass" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a9/frederick-douglass-859_ability_man-s-greatness-consists-in-his-ability_1923700.png" --- # Man's greatness consists in his ability to do and the… ![“Man's greatness consists in his ability to do and the proper application of his powers to things needed to be done.” quote by Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a9/frederick-douglass-859_ability_man-s-greatness-consists-in-his-ability_1923700.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a9/frederick-douglass-859_ability_man-s-greatness-consists-in-his-ability_1923700.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a9/frederick-douglass-859_ability_man-s-greatness-consists-in-his-ability_1923700.png) > “Man's greatness consists in his ability to do and the proper application of his powers to things needed to be done.” [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greatness lies in using one's abilities wisely to fulfill necessary tasks. **In simple terms:** Greatness is using talents for needed work. Key Takeaway Apply your powers to what matters. Themes greatness responsibility purpose Mood inspirational thoughtful Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - leadership - community service - career decisions Key Concepts virtue utilitarianism self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What tasks align with your strongest abilities? - How do you prioritize duties? A Different Perspective Talent alone is insufficient without moral direction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Ability Proper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability-proper-2969323/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Greatness Consists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness-consists-551638/) [Man Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-greatness-497517/) ## Related quotes > [Mary's greatness consists in the fact that she wants to magnify God, not herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/mary-s-greatness-consists-in-the-fact-that-she-wants-to-magnify-god/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Greatness consists in deciding only what is necessary for the welfare of the country and making straight for the goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mustafa-kemal-ataturk/greatness-consists-in-deciding-only-what-is-necessary-for-the-welfare/) [Mustafa Kemal Ataturk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mustafa-kemal-ataturk/) > [True greatness consists in the use of a powerful understanding to enlighten oneself and others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/true-greatness-consists-in-the-use-of-a-powerful-understanding-to/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Greatness consists not in the holding of some future office, but really consists in doing great deeds with little means and the accomplishment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-conwell/greatness-consists-not-in-the-holding-of-some-future-office-but-2/) [Russell Conwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-conwell/) > [True greatness consists in being great in little things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-simmons/true-greatness-consists-in-being-great-in-little-things/) [Charles Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-simmons/) > [Life is made up of little things. 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There is no other way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/greatness-consists-in-trying-to-be-great-there-is-no-other-way/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [A great man represents a great ganglion in the nerves of society, or to vary the figure, a strategic point in the campaign of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/a-great-man-represents-a-great-ganglion-in-the-nerves-of-society-or/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [Man's greatness is great in that he knows himself wretched. A tree does not know itself wretched. It is then being wretched to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/man-s-greatness-is-great-in-that-he-knows-himself-wretched-a-tree/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Man's greatness lies in the power of thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ab/man-s-greatness-lies-in-the-power-of-thought/) [AB](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ab/) > [“They breathe the spirit of benevolence for which Toscanelli was noted, and indicate the greatness of the man—a greatness decidedly in contrast to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-a-frederick-albion-ober/they-breathe-the-spirit-of-benevolence-for-which-toscanelli-was-noted/) [Frederick A. (Frederick Albion) Ober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-a-frederick-albion-ober/) > [“Man's greatness comes from knowing that he is wretched: a tree does not know it is wretched. Thus it is wretched to know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/man-s-greatness-comes-from-knowing-that-he-is-wretched-a-tree-does/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [You must judge a man's greatness by how much he will be missed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/you-must-judge-a-man-s-greatness-by-how-much-he-will-be-missed/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) ## More by Frederick Douglass > [“A treacherous President stood in the way; and it can be easily seen how reluctant good men might be to admit an apostasy which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/a-treacherous-president-stood-in-the-way-and-it-can-be-easily-seen/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [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/) > [“But I should be false in the earliest sentiments of my soul, if I suppressed the opinion. I prefer to be true to myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/but-i-should-be-false-in-the-earliest-sentiments-of-my-soul-if-i/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [A man who will enslave his own blood, may not be safely relied on for magnamity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/a-man-who-will-enslave-his-own-blood-may-not-be-safely-relied-on-for/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the south is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes, - a justifier of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-assert-most-unhesitatingly-that-the-religion-of-the-south-is-a-mere/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the South is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes—a justifier of the most appalling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-assert-most-unhesitatingly-that-the-religion-of-the-south-is-a-mere-2/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/the-limits-of-tyrants-are-prescribed-by-the-endurance-of-those-whom/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/power-concedes-nothing-without-a-demand-it-never-did-and-it-never-will/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“We have all met a class of men, very remarkable for their activity, and who yet make but little headway in life; men who,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/we-have-all-met-a-class-of-men-very-remarkable-for-their-activity-and/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“The fatal poison of irresponsible power was already in her hands, and soon commenced its infernal work. That cheerful eye, under the influence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/the-fatal-poison-of-irresponsible-power-was-already-in-her-hands-and/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [A battle lost or won is easily described, understood, and appreciated, but the moral growth of a great nation requires reflection, as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/a-battle-lost-or-won-is-easily-described-understood-and-appreciated/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/knowledge-makes-a-man-unfit-to-be-a-slave/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-was-broken-in-body-soul-and-spirit-my-natural-elasticity-was/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, that whenever my condition was improved, instead of increasing my contentment; it only increased my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my-2/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/at-a-time-like-this-scorching-irony-not-convincing-argument-is-needed/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) [Explore all 348 Frederick Douglass quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Man's greatness consists in his ability to do and the proper application of his powers to things needed to be done.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frederick Douglass" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/man-s-greatness-consists-in-his-ability-to-do-and-the-proper/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/man-s-greatness-consists-in-his-ability-to-do-and-the-proper/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a9/frederick-douglass-859_ability_man-s-greatness-consists-in-his-ability_1923700.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a9/frederick-douglass-859_ability_man-s-greatness-consists-in-his-ability_1923700.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a9/frederick-douglass-859_ability_man-s-greatness-consists-in-his-ability_1923700.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Man's greatness consists in his ability to do and the proper application of his powers to things needed to…” — Frederick Douglass", "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": "Frederick Douglass", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Man's greatness consists in his ability...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/man-s-greatness-consists-in-his-ability-to-do-and-the-proper/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/man-s-greatness-consists-in-his-ability-to-do-and-the-proper/#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 } } ] } ```