--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A magnificent cause can overcome a…" description: "\"A magnificent cause can overcome a prickly personality, but your ability to enchant people increases if they like you, so you should aspire to both. Yo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aba/guy-kawasaki-1292_ability_a-magnificent-cause-can-overcome-a-prick_2410003.png" --- # A magnificent cause can overcome a prickly personality… ![“A magnificent cause can overcome a prickly personality, but your ability to enchant people increases if they like you, so you should aspire to both. You’ll know that you’re likeable when you can communicate freely, casually, and comfortably with people.” quote by Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aba/guy-kawasaki-1292_ability_a-magnificent-cause-can-overcome-a-prick_2410003.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aba/guy-kawasaki-1292_ability_a-magnificent-cause-can-overcome-a-prick_2410003.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aba/guy-kawasaki-1292_ability_a-magnificent-cause-can-overcome-a-prick_2410003.png) > “A magnificent cause can overcome a prickly personality, but your ability to enchant people increases if they like you, so you should aspire to both. You’ll know that you’re likeable when you can communicate freely, casually, and comfortably with people.” [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success depends on both a strong cause and likable personality; charm grows when people like you, so aim for both. **In simple terms:** Combine purpose with likability to succeed. Key Takeaway Cultivate cause and charisma together. Themes leadership communication charisma purpose Mood inspirational practical Type motivational advisory When to use this quote - networking events - team building - public speaking Key Concepts social influence personal branding Questions to Reflect On - How can you stay authentic while being likable? - What balance works for your personal brand? A Different Perspective Focusing too much on likability may dilute authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Communicate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communicate/) [Increase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increase/) [Know Likeable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-likeable-1888521/) [Like you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-you/) [Likeable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/likeable/) [Likeable Communicate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/likeable-communicate-6063699/) [Magnificent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magnificent/) [Overcome Prickly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcome-prickly-6063698/) [Overcoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcoming/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality/) [Personality Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality-ability-3903514/) [Prickly Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prickly-personality-4220340/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) ## Related quotes > [I know I'm likeable, but living with me is different. Yes, I can be charming. That desire to please people and learning what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/i-know-i-m-likeable-but-living-with-me-is-different-yes-i-can-be/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [I can be a prickly personality at times, but none of it's ever malicious. I don't think anyone who really knows me on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-rosen/i-can-be-a-prickly-personality-at-times-but-none-of-it-s-ever/) [Josh Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-rosen/) > [“soft and sweet to look at with a prickly personality and a streak of defiant personality. I smirked. Kitten. It suited her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-harper/soft-and-sweet-to-look-at-with-a-prickly-personality-and-a-streak-of/) [Helen Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-harper/) > [My dad was very explosive, God rest his soul. He could fly off the handle like no one I've ever known, and I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boy-george/my-dad-was-very-explosive-god-rest-his-soul-he-could-fly-off-the/) [Boy George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boy-george/) > [I am a bit of a dynamic personality and have the ability to use my vocabulary in some creative ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mauro-ranallo/i-am-a-bit-of-a-dynamic-personality-and-have-the-ability-to-use-my/) [Mauro Ranallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mauro-ranallo/) > [“A superior personality will give us the ability to be cautious by giving us the knowledge and understanding to look before we leap.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlena-jackson/a-superior-personality-will-give-us-the-ability-to-be-cautious-by/) [Charlena Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlena-jackson/) > [The vegan diet is obviously lacking whatever essential nutrient it is that makes people likeable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-goad/the-vegan-diet-is-obviously-lacking-whatever-essential-nutrient-it-is/) [Jim Goad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-goad/) > [I was supposed to be authoritative, but at the same time had to be likeable, a quality that is a bonus, not a requirement,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/i-was-supposed-to-be-authoritative-but-at-the-same-time-had-to-be/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [Jonathan Coe's genial, likeable novel can only be described as a kind of lit-prog-rock concept album... Coe recreates the period with such loving accuracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bradshaw/jonathan-coe-s-genial-likeable-novel-can-only-be-described-as-a-kind/) [Peter Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bradshaw/) > [Anywhere you go liking everyone, everyone will be likeable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/anywhere-you-go-liking-everyone-everyone-will-be-likeable/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [Gillard is as likeable as Rudd is charmless. She is self-deprecating; he is ludicrously vainglorious. She is a mistress of understatement; he is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/gillard-is-as-likeable-as-rudd-is-charmless-she-is-self-deprecating/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [Live like Spongebob, Laugh out loud all day for no reason and annoy all the mean people with your happiness!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spongebob/live-like-spongebob-laugh-out-loud-all-day-for-no-reason-and-annoy/) [Spongebob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spongebob/) > [It really takes likeable superstars to get the attention of the masses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-wyatt/it-really-takes-likeable-superstars-to-get-the-attention-of-the-masses/) [Jennifer Wyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-wyatt/) > [The individual attributes of warmth and competence are often perceived to be negatively correlated. That doesn't mean they actually are, but that's how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/the-individual-attributes-of-warmth-and-competence-are-often/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [The easiest way for readers to connect with characters and feel sympathy is to make the character entertaining, sympathetic and likeable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randa-abdel-fattah/the-easiest-way-for-readers-to-connect-with-characters-and-feel/) [Randa Abdel-Fattah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randa-abdel-fattah/) ## More by Guy Kawasaki > [Don't worry, be crappy. Revolutionary means you ship and then test... Lots of things made the first Mac in 1984 a piece of crap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/don-t-worry-be-crappy-revolutionary-means-you-ship-and-then-test-lots/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [In giving presentations, use the 10/20/30 rule…use only 10 slides, take 20 minutes maximum, and use at least 30-point fonts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/in-giving-presentations-use-the-10-20-30-rule-use-only-10-slides-take/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [What I lack in talent, I compensate with my willingness to grind it out. That's the secret of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/what-i-lack-in-talent-i-compensate-with-my-willingness-to-grind-it/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [The mark of a good conversationalist is not that you can talk a lot. The mark is that you can get others to talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/the-mark-of-a-good-conversationalist-is-not-that-you-can-talk-a-lot/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [At the end of my life, I want to say that I made the world a better place because I raised good children, loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/at-the-end-of-my-life-i-want-to-say-that-i-made-the-world-a-better/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [The higher you go in a company, the less oxygen there is, so supporting intelligent life becomes difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/the-higher-you-go-in-a-company-the-less-oxygen-there-is-so-supporting/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [The record of what you do is forever recoverable because of Google. The lofty upside and scary downside makes reciprocity more important than ever.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/the-record-of-what-you-do-is-forever-recoverable-because-of-google/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [I think that no one, or very few, are born as good presenters. It's a skill that you learn. The key is the 10/20/30…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/i-think-that-no-one-or-very-few-are-born-as-good-presenters-it-s-a/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [Pursuing your passions makes you more interesting, and interesting people are enchanting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/pursuing-your-passions-makes-you-more-interesting-and-interesting/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [Entitlement is the opposite of enchantment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/entitlement-is-the-opposite-of-enchantment/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [Revolutionary leaders have to care more about what they think of themselves than what the world thinks of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/revolutionary-leaders-have-to-care-more-about-what-they-think-of/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [If you have more money than brains, you should focus on outbound marketing, If you have more brains than money, you should focus on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/if-you-have-more-money-than-brains-you-should-focus-on-outbound/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [Most venture capitalists won't read a business plan unless the entrepreneur is introduced to them by a contact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/most-venture-capitalists-won-t-read-a-business-plan-unless-the/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > ["(Big name research firm) says our market will be $50 billion in 2010." Every entrepreneur has a few slides about how the market potential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/big-name-research-firm-says-our-market-will-be-50-billion-in-2010/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [Go APE: Author a great book, Publish it quickly, and Entrepreneur your way to success. Self-publishing isn’t easy, but it’s fun and sometimes even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/go-ape-author-a-great-book-publish-it-quickly-and-entrepreneur-your/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) [Explore all 259 Guy Kawasaki quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) ## 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": "A magnificent cause can overcome a prickly personality, but your ability to enchant people increases if they like you, so you should aspire to both. 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