--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Great men too make mistakes, and many…" description: "\"Great men too make mistakes, and many among them do it so often that one is almost tempted to call them little men.\" — Georg C. Lichtenberg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/767/georg-c-lichtenberg-1087_failure_great-men-too-make-mistakes-and-many-amo_2326720.png" --- # Great men too make mistakes, and many among them do it so… ![“Great men too make mistakes, and many among them do it so often that one is almost tempted to call them little men.” quote by Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/767/georg-c-lichtenberg-1087_failure_great-men-too-make-mistakes-and-many-amo_2326720.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/767/georg-c-lichtenberg-1087_failure_great-men-too-make-mistakes-and-many-amo_2326720.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/767/georg-c-lichtenberg-1087_failure_great-men-too-make-mistakes-and-many-amo_2326720.png) > “Great men too make mistakes, and many among them do it so often that one is almost tempted to call them little men.” [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great men err often, so much that they seem insignificant, blurring the line between greatness and mediocrity **In simple terms:** Even the powerful make frequent mistakes Key Takeaway Question the myth of flawless greatness Themes humility fallibility leadership Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - Leadership training - historical analysis - personal growth - teaching ethics Key Concepts Philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What does this say about our expectations of leaders? - How can we balance respect and criticism? A Different Perspective May diminish appreciation for genuine achievements ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Little man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-man/) [Little Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-men-437194/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Make mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-mistakes/) [Making mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-mistakes/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistakes/) [Mistakes Tempted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistakes-tempted-5581489/) [Tempted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tempted/) ## Related quotes > [No sooner does a great man depart, and leave his character as public property, than a crowd of little men rushes towards it. 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As soon as they're old enough, they swell their plumage to be conquerors. If they only knew that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-anouilh/poor-little-men-poor-little-cocks-as-soon-as-they-re-old-enough-they/) [Jean Anouilh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-anouilh/) > [Whom little things occupy and keep busy, are little men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lancaster-spalding/whom-little-things-occupy-and-keep-busy-are-little-men/) [John Lancaster Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lancaster-spalding/) ## More by Georg C. Lichtenberg > [If people should ever start to do only what is necessary millions would die of hunger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/if-people-should-ever-start-to-do-only-what-is-necessary-millions/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [We can see nothing whatever of the soul unless it is visible in the expression of the countenance; one might call the faces at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/we-can-see-nothing-whatever-of-the-soul-unless-it-is-visible-in-the/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [The wisdom of providence is as much revealed in the rarity of genius, as in the circumstance that not everyone is deaf or blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/the-wisdom-of-providence-is-as-much-revealed-in-the-rarity-of-genius/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [I ceased in the year 1764 to believe that one can convince one’s opponents with arguments printed in books. It is not to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/i-ceased-in-the-year-1764-to-believe-that-one-can-convince-one-s/) [Georg C. 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Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [One can live in this world on soothsaying but not on truth saying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/one-can-live-in-this-world-on-soothsaying-but-not-on-truth-saying/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [Actual aristocracy cannot be abolished by any law: all the law can do is decree how it is to be imparted and who is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/actual-aristocracy-cannot-be-abolished-by-any-law-all-the-law-can-do/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [One of the greatest and also the commonest of faults is for men to believe that, because they never hear their shortcomings spoken of,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/one-of-the-greatest-and-also-the-commonest-of-faults-is-for-men-to/) [Georg C. 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