--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: genius must ever be imperfect. Life is…" description: "\"genius must ever be imperfect. Life is not long enough nor slow enough for both brain and character to grow side by side to superhuman proportions.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/gertrude-atherton-9180_brain_genius-must-ever-be-imperfect-life-is-no_74017.jpg" --- # genius must ever be imperfect. Life is not long enough nor… ![“genius must ever be imperfect. Life is not long enough nor slow enough for both brain and character to grow side by side to superhuman proportions.” quote by Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/gertrude-atherton-9180_brain_genius-must-ever-be-imperfect-life-is-no_74017.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/gertrude-atherton-9180_brain_genius-must-ever-be-imperfect-life-is-no_74017.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/gertrude-atherton-9180_brain_genius-must-ever-be-imperfect-life-is-no_74017.jpg) > “genius must ever be imperfect. Life is not long enough nor slow enough for both brain and character to grow side by side to superhuman proportions.” [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Perfection is unattainable; intellectual and moral development cannot both reach extraordinary levels within a single lifetime. **In simple terms:** Limits of human growth. Key Takeaway Excellence requires trade‑offs. Themes human limitation growth balance imperfection time Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - high‑achieving professionals - students - creative artists - entrepreneurs Key Concepts cognitive development character formation temporal constraints Practical Applications - personal development planning - leadership training Questions to Reflect On - How do you prioritize intellectual versus moral growth? - What sacrifices are acceptable for greatness? A Different Perspective Some argue that extraordinary individuals can achieve both brilliance and virtue through disciplined effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Perfect life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-life/) [Side by side](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/side-by-side/) [Superhuman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superhuman/) ## Related quotes > [“The perfect life is not worth living. There would be nothing to look forward to. The imperfect life is perfect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-agon/the-perfect-life-is-not-worth-living-there-would-be-nothing-to-look/) [Ted Agon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-agon/) > [After all, I wasn't a bad person. I was just doing my best in what had turned out to be a fairly imperfect life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-robinson/after-all-i-wasn-t-a-bad-person-i-was-just-doing-my-best-in-what-had/) [Lucy Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-robinson/) > [Sometimes, even when you aren't shooting, 25 percent of your brain is still with your character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-sarbh/sometimes-even-when-you-aren-t-shooting-25-percent-of-your-brain-is/) [Jim Sarbh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-sarbh/) > [“Brain, character, soul—only as one sees more of life does one understand how distinct is each.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/brain-character-soul-only-as-one-sees-more-of-life-does-one/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Let me... remind you that it is only by working with an energy which is almost superhuman and which looks to uninterested spectators like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/let-me-remind-you-that-it-is-only-by-working-with-an-energy-which-is/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [Remove everything pointless from an imperfect life and itd lose even its imperfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/remove-everything-pointless-from-an-imperfect-life-and-itd-lose-even/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Keep on talking behind my back, you make me feel I'm the center of your imperfect life. :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mega/keep-on-talking-behind-my-back-you-make-me-feel-i-m-the-center-of/) Mega > [“It brought him the most peace to simply believe that people were imperfect, and life was imperfect and sometimes bad things just happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaya-mclaren/it-brought-him-the-most-peace-to-simply-believe-that-people-were/) [Kaya McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaya-mclaren/) > [“All I have to say is - run, dive, pitch a tent... Spend hours on the phone with your best friend… Wear bikinis. Drink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-gideon/all-i-have-to-say-is-run-dive-pitch-a-tent-spend-hours-on-the-phone/) [Melanie Gideon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-gideon/) > [“I live the perfect imperfect life. -Paul Lore”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-smith/i-live-the-perfect-imperfect-life-paul-lore/) [Larry Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-smith/) > [Experience teaches acceptance of the imperfect as life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/experience-teaches-acceptance-of-the-imperfect-as-life/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [We're all imperfect, and life is simply a perpetual, unending struggle against those imperfections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-poitier/we-re-all-imperfect-and-life-is-simply-a-perpetual-unending-struggle/) [Sidney Poitier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-poitier/) > [“Remove everything pointless from an imperfect life, and it'd lose even it's imperfection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/remove-everything-pointless-from-an-imperfect-life-and-it-d-lose-even/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Don't pointless things have a place, too, in this far-from-perfect world? Remove everything pointless from an imperfect life, and it'd lose even its imperfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/don-t-pointless-things-have-a-place-too-in-this-far-from-perfect/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“Remove everything pointless from an imperfect life and it’d lose even its imperfection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/remove-everything-pointless-from-an-imperfect-life-and-it-d-lose-even-2/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) ## More by Gertrude Atherton > [There is nothing so carking as the pangs of unsatisfied curiosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/there-is-nothing-so-carking-as-the-pangs-of-unsatisfied-curiosity/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [The only two good words that can be said for a hurricane are that it gives sufficient warning of its approach, and that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-only-two-good-words-that-can-be-said-for-a-hurricane-are-that-it/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [The world, and the great and free United States in particular, is full of narrow-minded, ignorant, moronic, bigoted, cowardly, self-righteous, anemic, pig-headed, stupid, puritanical,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-world-and-the-great-and-free-united-states-in-particular-is-full/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [Men are not amusing during the shooting season; but, after all, my dear, men were not especially designed to amuse women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/men-are-not-amusing-during-the-shooting-season-but-after-all-my-dear/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [the best of all good friends is pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-best-of-all-good-friends-is-pride/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [The final result of too much routine is death in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-final-result-of-too-much-routine-is-death-in-life/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [Self-admiration giveth much consolation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/self-admiration-giveth-much-consolation/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [Fame compensates for a column of wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/fame-compensates-for-a-column-of-wants/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [If you can't get the very best in this world, take nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/if-you-can-t-get-the-very-best-in-this-world-take-nothing/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [No country can reach a high stage of civilization without a leisure class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/no-country-can-reach-a-high-stage-of-civilization-without-a-leisure/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [... France is the genius among nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/france-is-the-genius-among-nations/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [The world changed somewhat in form during its progress, but never in substance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-world-changed-somewhat-in-form-during-its-progress-but-never-in/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [... the irony of life is not that you cannot forget but that you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-irony-of-life-is-not-that-you-cannot-forget-but-that-you-can/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [ \[Alexander\] Hamilton estimated portrait painters as thieves of time. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/alexander-hamilton-estimated-portrait-painters-as-thieves-of-time/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [The French are a race of individuals. There is no type.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-french-are-a-race-of-individuals-there-is-no-type/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) [Explore all 74 Gertrude Atherton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) ## More Brain quotes > [The brain abhors discrepancies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/the-brain-abhors-discrepancies/) [Vilayanur S. Ramachandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/) > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [down with ought with because with every brain that thinks it thinks nor dares to feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/down-with-ought-with-because-with-every-brain-that-thinks-it-thinks/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/) [Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/) > [I prefer the word 'musician.' I'm a musician and a composer. I have a problem with the word 'artist.' I don't know if it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-prefer-the-word-musician-i-m-a-musician-and-a-composer-i-have-a/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [Thinking of sex provides enough mental stimulation to reduce risk of diseases that damage the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thinking-of-sex-provides-enough-mental-stimulation-to-reduce-risk-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My writing routine is: get son off to school and sit down at 8 A.M. I read what I wrote the day before, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chevalier/my-writing-routine-is-get-son-off-to-school-and-sit-down-at-8-a-m-i/) [Tracy Chevalier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chevalier/) > [The reason I'm drawn to it is - both the off road racing and the motorcycles on the track - it takes a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/the-reason-i-m-drawn-to-it-is-both-the-off-road-racing-and-the/) [Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/) > [Without illusions. I love you because you are fallible and because your poor misguided testosterone-corrupted brain has you doing cartwheels trying not to be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-gerard/without-illusions-i-love-you-because-you-are-fallible-and-because/) [Cindy Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-gerard/) > [being asked to decide between your passion for work and your passion for children was like being asked by your doctor whether you preferred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-bevington/being-asked-to-decide-between-your-passion-for-work-and-your-passion/) [Helen Bevington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-bevington/) > [I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-boyle/i-was-told-i-had-brain-damage-i-always-knew-it-was-an-unfair-label/) [Susan Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-boyle/) > [The act of learning to read added an entirely new circuit to our hominid brain's repertoire. The long developmental process of learning to read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/the-act-of-learning-to-read-added-an-entirely-new-circuit-to-our/) [Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [I am the way I am. If you like me because I'm glamorous, so be it. If you like me, because I speak well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malaika-arora-khan/i-am-the-way-i-am-if-you-like-me-because-i-m-glamorous-so-be-it-if/) [Malaika Arora Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malaika-arora-khan/) [Browse all 8,465 Brain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "genius must ever be imperfect. 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