--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Greatness is a zigzag streak of lightning…" description: "\"Greatness is a zigzag streak of lightning in the brain.\" — H. H. Asquith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/h-h-asquith-38790_brain_greatness-is-a-zigzag-streak-of-lightnin_3016042.jpg" --- # Greatness is a zigzag streak of lightning in the brain. ![“Greatness is a zigzag streak of lightning in the brain.” quote by H. H. Asquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/h-h-asquith-38790_brain_greatness-is-a-zigzag-streak-of-lightnin_3016042.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/h-h-asquith-38790_brain_greatness-is-a-zigzag-streak-of-lightnin_3016042.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/h-h-asquith-38790_brain_greatness-is-a-zigzag-streak-of-lightnin_3016042.jpg) > “Greatness is a zigzag streak of lightning in the brain.” [H. H. Asquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-h-asquith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greatness appears as sudden, brilliant flashes of insight in the mind. **In simple terms:** Greatness is a lightning streak in the brain. Key Takeaway Cultivate moments of insight. Themes creativity greatness mind inspiration Mood inspired curious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - problem solving - artistic creation - leadership decisions Key Concepts cognitive psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - When have you experienced a mental breakthrough? - How can you nurture such moments? A Different Perspective Greatness also requires sustained effort beyond flashes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Lightning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lightning/) [Streaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streaks/) ## Related quotes > [You threw everything away."I bring a hand up to touch her face,to wipe the rain from her eyelashes."Your entire life-your beliefs...Why would you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/you-threw-everything-away-i-bring-a-hand-up-to-touch-her-face-to-wipe/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) > [And also, one is a mother in order to understand the inexplicable. One is a mother to lighten the darkness. One is a mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariama-b/and-also-one-is-a-mother-in-order-to-understand-the-inexplicable-one/) [Mariama Bâ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariama-b/) > [They rode on and the sun in the east flushed pale streaks of light and then a deeper run of color like blood seeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/they-rode-on-and-the-sun-in-the-east-flushed-pale-streaks-of-light/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [So if big enough droplets fell far enough fast enough, someone floating right near the metallic hydrogen layer inside Jupiter maybe, just maybe, could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-kean/so-if-big-enough-droplets-fell-far-enough-fast-enough-someone/) [Sam Kean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-kean/) > [I watched the early morning light pass over and through the windows of colored glass, leaving streaks of red and green and yellow on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-cushman/i-watched-the-early-morning-light-pass-over-and-through-the-windows/) [Karen Cushman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-cushman/) > [His fingers leave streaks of cold on my skin, invisible to the eye, and I think about wrapping his shirt around my fist and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/his-fingers-leave-streaks-of-cold-on-my-skin-invisible-to-the-eye-and/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Every winning streak will have to end sometime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-winning-streak-will-have-to-end-sometime/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are some moments in life that are like pivots around which your existence turns—small intuitive flashes, when you know you have done something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-davidson/there-are-some-moments-in-life-that-are-like-pivots-around-which-your/) [Robyn Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-davidson/) > [I think especially boys have a competitive streak when they're 12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gage-munroe/i-think-especially-boys-have-a-competitive-streak-when-they-re-12/) [Gage Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gage-munroe/) > [Figures dark beneath their loads pass down the far bank of the river, rendered immortal by the streak of sunset upon their shoulders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-matthiessen/figures-dark-beneath-their-loads-pass-down-the-far-bank-of-the-river/) [Peter Matthiessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-matthiessen/) > [It is the night-black Massachusetts legendry which packs the really macabre "kick". Here is material for a really profound study in group-neuroticism; for certainly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft/it-is-the-night-black-massachusetts-legendry-which-packs-the-really/) [H. P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft/) > [The night is falling down around us. Meteors rain like fireworks, quick rips in the seam of the dark... Every second, another streak of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-night-is-falling-down-around-us-meteors-rain-like-fireworks-quick/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [He lacked tenderness; he was rude; and he had more than a streak of cruelty in him; he was a thief and a liar.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/he-lacked-tenderness-he-was-rude-and-he-had-more-than-a-streak-of/) [Daphne du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/) > [Play small ball. Get back to basics. I would say that you need to be a conservative, but you need to maintain your independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/play-small-ball-get-back-to-basics-i-would-say-that-you-need-to-be-a/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [My Client Brock Lesnar conquered the Undertakers Undefeated Streak at Wrestlemania](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-heyman/my-client-brock-lesnar-conquered-the-undertakers-undefeated-streak-at/) [Paul Heyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-heyman/) ## More by H. H. Asquith > [We are fighting to vindicate the principle that small nationalities are not to be crushed in defiance of international good faith at the arbitrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-h-asquith/we-are-fighting-to-vindicate-the-principle-that-small-nationalities/) [H. H. Asquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-h-asquith/) > [If I am asked what we are fighting for, I can reply in two sentences. In the first place, to fulfil a solemn international…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-h-asquith/if-i-am-asked-what-we-are-fighting-for-i-can-reply-in-two-sentences/) [H. H. Asquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-h-asquith/) > [At 50, don't let aging get you down. It's too hard to get back up. Happy 50th birthday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-h-asquith/at-50-don-t-let-aging-get-you-down-it-s-too-hard-to-get-back-up-happy/) [H. H. Asquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-h-asquith/) > [The army will hear nothing of politics from me and in return I expect to hear nothing of politics from the army.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-h-asquith/the-army-will-hear-nothing-of-politics-from-me-and-in-return-i-expect/) [H. H. Asquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-h-asquith/) > [Of all human troubles the most hateful is to feel that you have the capacity of power and yet you have no field to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-h-asquith/of-all-human-troubles-the-most-hateful-is-to-feel-that-you-have-the/) [H. H. Asquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-h-asquith/) > [There is no more striking illustration of the immobility of British institutions than the House of Commons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-h-asquith/there-is-no-more-striking-illustration-of-the-immobility-of-british/) [H. H. Asquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-h-asquith/) > [I can honestly say that I have never had a more bitter disappointment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-h-asquith/i-can-honestly-say-that-i-have-never-had-a-more-bitter-disappointment/) [H. H. Asquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-h-asquith/) > [We are within measurable, or imaginable, distance of a real Armageddon. Happily there seems to be no reason why we should be anything more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-h-asquith/we-are-within-measurable-or-imaginable-distance-of-a-real-armageddon/) [H. H. Asquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-h-asquith/) > [The War office kept three sets of figures - one to mislead the public, another to mislead the cabinet and the third to mislead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-h-asquith/the-war-office-kept-three-sets-of-figures-one-to-mislead-the-public/) [H. H. Asquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-h-asquith/) > [When our new armies are ready it seems folly to send them to Flanders, where they will chew barbed wire, or be wasted in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-h-asquith/when-our-new-armies-are-ready-it-seems-folly-to-send-them-to-flanders/) [H. H. Asquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-h-asquith/) [Explore all 11 H. H. Asquith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-h-asquith/) ## 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": "Greatness is a zigzag streak of lightning in the brain.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "H. H. Asquith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-h-asquith/greatness-is-a-zigzag-streak-of-lightning-in-the-brain/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-h-asquith/greatness-is-a-zigzag-streak-of-lightning-in-the-brain/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/h-h-asquith-38790_brain_greatness-is-a-zigzag-streak-of-lightnin_3016042.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/h-h-asquith-38790_brain_greatness-is-a-zigzag-streak-of-lightnin_3016042.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/h-h-asquith-38790_brain_greatness-is-a-zigzag-streak-of-lightnin_3016042.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Greatness is a zigzag streak of lightning in the brain.” — H. H. Asquith", "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": "H. H. Asquith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-h-asquith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Greatness is a zigzag streak of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-h-asquith/greatness-is-a-zigzag-streak-of-lightning-in-the-brain/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-h-asquith/greatness-is-a-zigzag-streak-of-lightning-in-the-brain/#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 } } ] } ```