--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Real greatness is often humble, simple…" description: "\"Real greatness is often humble, simple, and unobtrusive. It is not easy to trust ourselves and our actions without public affirmation. Some of the grea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/henri-nouwen-600_action_real-greatness-is-often-humble-simple-an_1301444.jpg" --- # Real greatness is often humble, simple, and unobtrusive… ![“Real greatness is often humble, simple, and unobtrusive. It is not easy to trust ourselves and our actions without public affirmation. Some of the greatest works of art and the most important works of peace were created by people who had no need for the limelight. They knew that what they were…” quote by Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/henri-nouwen-600_action_real-greatness-is-often-humble-simple-an_1301444.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/henri-nouwen-600_action_real-greatness-is-often-humble-simple-an_1301444.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/henri-nouwen-600_action_real-greatness-is-often-humble-simple-an_1301444.jpg) > “Real greatness is often humble, simple, and unobtrusive. It is not easy to trust ourselves and our actions without public affirmation. Some of the greatest works of art and the most important works of peace were created by people who had no need for the limelight. They knew that what they were doing was their call, and they did it with great patience, perseverance, and love.” [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greatness often lies in humility and quiet perseverance, not in seeking applause. **In simple terms:** Quiet humility yields lasting impact. Key Takeaway Embrace humility and patient effort. Themes humility greatness perseverance Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - creative work - peacebuilding - personal development - leadership Key Concepts selflessness inner calling artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - How do you measure success without applause? - What practices nurture humility? A Different Perspective Not all quiet contributions are recognized; risk of self‑neglect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Affirmation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirmation/) [Affirmation Greatest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirmation-greatest-4275083/) [And love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/and-love/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Great patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-patience/) [Greatest Works](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-works-1824275/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Greatness Humble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness-humble-1476313/) [Humble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humble/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-work/) [Limelight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limelight/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Our actions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-actions/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Perseverance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perseverance/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-greatness-2316900/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Works of art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/works-of-art/) ## Related quotes > [“Humility is not weakness but a price for greatness. Be humble for CHRIST sake and watch GOD take you to places you never dreamt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-uwandu/humility-is-not-weakness-but-a-price-for-greatness-be-humble-for/) [James C. Uwandu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-uwandu/) > [Real greatness comes from that sort of spontaneity of the moment that takes it into another level. 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The weakest instruments are chosen to do the greatest works so that the glory might go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/i-now-understand-more-of-our-calling-the-weakest-instruments-are/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > [Mystery is like a kind of atmosphere which bathes the greatest works of the masters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auguste-rodin/mystery-is-like-a-kind-of-atmosphere-which-bathes-the-greatest-works/) [Auguste Rodin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auguste-rodin/) > [To have read the greatest works of any great poet, to have beheld or heard the greatest works of any great painter or musician,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/to-have-read-the-greatest-works-of-any-great-poet-to-have-beheld-or/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [ “...\[T\]he three greatest works are those of Homer , Dante and Shakespeare . These are closely followed by the works of Virgil and Milton .” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-devlin/t-he-three-greatest-works-are-those-of-homer-dante-and-shakespeare/) [Joseph Devlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-devlin/) > [The greatest works are done by the ones. The hundreds do not often do much, the companies never; it is the units, the single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon-2/the-greatest-works-are-done-by-the-ones-the-hundreds-do-not-often-do-2/) [Charles H Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon-2/) > [I'm art. You're art. We are God's greatest works, simple as that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-m-art-you-re-art-we-are-god-s-greatest-works-simple-as-that/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [The greatest works of admiration, And all the fair examples of renown. Out of distress and misery are grown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-daniel/the-greatest-works-of-admiration-and-all-the-fair-examples-of-renown/) [Samuel Daniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-daniel/) > [The greatest works of art speak to us without knowing us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/the-greatest-works-of-art-speak-to-us-without-knowing-us/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“As always with the greatest works, the novel is so many-sided that over time it mirrors back the shifting concerns of those who read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-f-hovde/as-always-with-the-greatest-works-the-novel-is-so-many-sided-that/) [Carl F. Hovde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-f-hovde/) > [We serve a God that does His greatest works when it becomes impossible for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-joyner/we-serve-a-god-that-does-his-greatest-works-when-it-becomes/) [Rick Joyner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-joyner/) > [The greatest works of literature seem to embody both "art" and "morality".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-greatest-works-of-literature-seem-to-embody-both-art-and-morality/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## More by Henri Nouwen > [We are not the healers, we are not the reconcilers, we are not the givers of life. We are sinful, broken, vulnerable people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/we-are-not-the-healers-we-are-not-the-reconcilers-we-are-not-the/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [The more we touch the intimate love of God which creates, sustains, and guides us, the more we recognize the multitude of fruits that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-more-we-touch-the-intimate-love-of-god-which-creates-sustains-and/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Feelings of guilt dominate our work as peacemakers we cannot last long. But when we have opened each other's eyes to the great human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/feelings-of-guilt-dominate-our-work-as-peacemakers-we-cannot-last/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [...we all want to hear stories, from the moment we are born to the moment we die. 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Keep your heart on God's love. Keep focused on the fact that you are God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/jesus-says-keep-your-heart-on-the-kingdom-first-keep-your-heart-on/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [This sounds very simple and maybe even trite, but very few people know that they are loved without condition or limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/this-sounds-very-simple-and-maybe-even-trite-but-very-few-people-know/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [“The more preoccupied we are with security the more visible the force of death becomes, whether in the form of a pistol beside our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-more-preoccupied-we-are-with-security-the-more-visible-the-force/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [If you feel a great loneliness and a deep longing for human contact, you have to be extremely discerning...and ask yourself whether this situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/if-you-feel-a-great-loneliness-and-a-deep-longing-for-human-contact/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [I choose L'Arche; L'Arche chooses me. I would be dead if I weren't here. I need people to love me and care for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/i-choose-l-arche-l-arche-chooses-me-i-would-be-dead-if-i-weren-t-here/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [The truth, even though I cannot feel it right now, is that I am the chosen child of God, precious in God's eyes, called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-truth-even-though-i-cannot-feel-it-right-now-is-that-i-am-the/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [In a world so torn apart by rivalry, anger, and hatred, we have the privileged vocation to be living signs of a love that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/in-a-world-so-torn-apart-by-rivalry-anger-and-hatred-we-have-the/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Where true inner freedom is, there is God. And where God is, there we want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/where-true-inner-freedom-is-there-is-god-and-where-god-is-there-we/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) [Explore all 452 Henri Nouwen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. 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