--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No man ever followed his genius till it…" description: "\"No man ever followed his genius till it misled him.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/henry-david-thoreau-20_genius_no-man-ever-followed-his-genius-till-it_2691556.jpg" --- # No man ever followed his genius till it misled him. ![“No man ever followed his genius till it misled him.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/henry-david-thoreau-20_genius_no-man-ever-followed-his-genius-till-it_2691556.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/henry-david-thoreau-20_genius_no-man-ever-followed-his-genius-till-it_2691556.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/henry-david-thoreau-20_genius_no-man-ever-followed-his-genius-till-it_2691556.jpg) > “No man ever followed his genius till it misled him.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People rarely follow their true talents, leading them astray. **In simple terms:** Genius is often ignored. Key Takeaway Listen to and inner calling. Themes self genius direction mislead authenticity Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - Career choices - creative projects - personal growth Key Concepts Self-actualization inner voice societal pressure Questions to Reflect On - What holds you back from your genius? - How to recognize misdirection? A Different Perspective Societal expectations can suppress talent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [No man ever followed his genius til it misled him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/no-man-ever-followed-his-genius-til-it-misled-him/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [It gets laughed at because it is a small town, I know, but nevertheless it is a place where great men may be born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-gets-laughed-at-because-it-is-a-small-town-i-know-but-nevertheless/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Every wild apple shrub excites our expectation thus, somewhat as every wild child. It is, perhaps, a prince in disguise. What a lesson to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/every-wild-apple-shrub-excites-our-expectation-thus-somewhat-as-every/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Genius is not a retainer to any emperor, or is its material silver, or gold, or marble, except to a trifling extent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/genius-is-not-a-retainer-to-any-emperor-or-is-its-material-silver-or/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The news we hear, for the most part, is not news to our genius. It is the stalest repetition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-news-we-hear-for-the-most-part-is-not-news-to-our-genius-it-is/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [It is worth the while to detect new faculties in man,--he is so much the more divine; and anything that fairly excites our admiration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-worth-the-while-to-detect-new-faculties-in-man-he-is-so-much/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [You should not be misled about the so-called single opposition candidate. There are so many of them now that you will lack the fingers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lukashenko/you-should-not-be-misled-about-the-so-called-single-opposition/) [Alexander Lukashenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lukashenko/) > [“The faithful must not be misled”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-chamberlin/the-faithful-must-not-be-misled/) Ann Chamberlin > [The Blue Degrees are but the outer court...of the temple. Part of the symbols are displayed there to the initiate, but he is intentionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-pike/the-blue-degrees-are-but-the-outer-court-of-the-temple-part-of-the/) [Albert Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-pike/) > [Before knowing the truth, if you depend on your intelligence, you can be misled completely. Intelligence that is without the spiritual insight is your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/before-knowing-the-truth-if-you-depend-on-your-intelligence-you-can/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [It is a tribute to the American people that our leaders perceived that they had to lie to us, it is not a tribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-ellsberg/it-is-a-tribute-to-the-american-people-that-our-leaders-perceived/) [Daniel Ellsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-ellsberg/) > [He said to tell you to remember your heart in all things, that it is where your honor and your destiny will be found.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/he-said-to-tell-you-to-remember-your-heart-in-all-things-that-it-is/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [Any seeming deception in a statement is costly, not only in the expense of the advertising but in the detrimental effect produced upon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wanamaker/any-seeming-deception-in-a-statement-is-costly-not-only-in-the/) [John Wanamaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wanamaker/) > [Do not be misled by appearances for these are apt to be deceptive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/do-not-be-misled-by-appearances-for-these-are-apt-to-be-deceptive/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [We need guidance, we've been misled, young and hostile, but not stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blink-182/we-need-guidance-we-ve-been-misled-young-and-hostile-but-not-stupid/) Blink 182 ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Genius quotes > [“If people fully understand you, they will think of you as a normal, if they half understand you, will think of you as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-people-fully-understand-you-they-will-think-of-you-as-a-normal-if/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Woman, in short, has an unconscious life, man a conscious life, and the genius the most conscious life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/woman-in-short-has-an-unconscious-life-man-a-conscious-life-and-the/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The truth is I've just never had any kind of plan at all for my career, which is probably not a very flattering thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/the-truth-is-i-ve-just-never-had-any-kind-of-plan-at-all-for-my/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I have known many chess players, but among them there has been only one genius - Capablanca!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-lasker/i-have-known-many-chess-players-but-among-them-there-has-been-only/) [Emanuel Lasker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-lasker/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius; and the feminine situation has up to the present rendered this becoming practically impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/one-is-not-born-a-genius-one-becomes-a-genius-and-the-feminine/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [The beginning of genius is being scared shitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/the-beginning-of-genius-is-being-scared-shitless/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [Treason implies responsibility for something, control over something, influence upon something, knowledge of something. Treason in our time is a proof of genius. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/treason-implies-responsibility-for-something-control-over-something/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/mediocrity-knows-nothing-higher-than-itself-but-talent-instantly/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [With the proper training, I could've been an evil genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/with-the-proper-training-i-could-ve-been-an-evil-genius/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Never try to judge any one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajat-dogra/never-try-to-judge-any-one/) [Rajat Dogra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajat-dogra/) > [“genius is a path that we can all take and derive much benefit, happiness, fulfillment, and success from...not a genetic windfall or divine gift.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-patrick/genius-is-a-path-that-we-can-all-take-and-derive-much-benefit/) [Sean Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-patrick/) [Browse all 5,125 Genius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No man ever followed his genius till it misled him.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/no-man-ever-followed-his-genius-till-it-misled-him/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Genius" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/no-man-ever-followed-his-genius-till-it-misled-him/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/henry-david-thoreau-20_genius_no-man-ever-followed-his-genius-till-it_2691556.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/henry-david-thoreau-20_genius_no-man-ever-followed-his-genius-till-it_2691556.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/henry-david-thoreau-20_genius_no-man-ever-followed-his-genius-till-it_2691556.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No man ever followed his genius till it misled him.” — Henry David Thoreau", "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": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "No man ever followed his genius...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/no-man-ever-followed-his-genius-till-it-misled-him/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/no-man-ever-followed-his-genius-till-it-misled-him/#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 } } ] } ```