--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To me one man is worth ten thousand if he…" description: "\"To me one man is worth ten thousand if he is first-rate.\" — Heraclitus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/heraclitus-1050_firsts_to-me-one-man-is-worth-ten-thousand-if-h_2929328.jpg" --- # To me one man is worth ten thousand if he is first-rate. ![“To me one man is worth ten thousand if he is first-rate.” quote by Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/heraclitus-1050_firsts_to-me-one-man-is-worth-ten-thousand-if-h_2929328.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/heraclitus-1050_firsts_to-me-one-man-is-worth-ten-thousand-if-h_2929328.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/heraclitus-1050_firsts_to-me-one-man-is-worth-ten-thousand-if-h_2929328.jpg) > “To me one man is worth ten thousand if he is first-rate.” [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Values individuals of exceptional quality above many. **In simple terms:** One great person outweighs many mediocre ones. Key Takeaway Seek excellence in yourself and others. Themes excellence individualism value Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - leadership selection - talent scouting - team building Key Concepts philosophy ethics Questions to Reflect On - What defines a “first‑rate” person? - How can groups foster excellence? A Different Perspective May undervalue collective effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Man Worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-worth/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [One man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-man/) [Rate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rate/) [Superiority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superiority/) [Ten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ten/) [Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand/) [Thousand Rate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand-rate-4309360/) [Worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worth/) [Worth Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worth-thousand/) ## Related quotes > [“One man is worth thousand if he is extraordinary”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/one-man-is-worth-thousand-if-he-is-extraordinary/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A man’s status in both business and social life depends mainly upon what he has done to develop his brain. As a chemical product,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-n-cassion/a-man-s-status-in-both-business-and-social-life-depends-mainly-upon/) [Herbert N Cassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-n-cassion/) > [“Love is the only trophy that makes a man worth his own salt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-matthew-nespoli/love-is-the-only-trophy-that-makes-a-man-worth-his-own-salt/) [J. Matthew Nespoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-matthew-nespoli/) > [No man is worth your tears, but once you find one that is, he won't make you cry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-man-is-worth-your-tears-but-once-you-find-one-that-is-he-won-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've never known a man worth his salt who, in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn't appreciate the grind, the discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/i-ve-never-known-a-man-worth-his-salt-who-in-the-long-run-deep-down/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [The fight for equal rights or pay has become this thing where people expect actresses to talk about it. Why they feel that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaya-scodelario/the-fight-for-equal-rights-or-pay-has-become-this-thing-where-people/) [Kaya Scodelario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaya-scodelario/) > [We must treat each man on his worth and merits as a man. We must see that each is given a square deal, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-must-treat-each-man-on-his-worth-and-merits-as-a-man-we-must-see/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“An empty pageant; a stage play; flocks of sheep, herds of cattle; a bone flung among a pack of dogs; a crumb tossed into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-garcia-martinez/an-empty-pageant-a-stage-play-flocks-of-sheep-herds-of-cattle-a-bone/) [Antonio Garcia Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-garcia-martinez/) > [A man's worth is what he is divided by what he thinks he is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/a-man-s-worth-is-what-he-is-divided-by-what-he-thinks-he-is/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [You are mistaken, my friend, if you think that a man who is worth anything ought to spend his time weighing up the prospects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/you-are-mistaken-my-friend-if-you-think-that-a-man-who-is-worth/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [They say a good man is worth fighting for. But a man who's good for YOU shouldn't make you fight just for the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyra-davis/they-say-a-good-man-is-worth-fighting-for-but-a-man-who-s-good-for/) [Kyra Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyra-davis/) > [“No man is worth the pain you’re putting yourself through. Don’t wither away because of someone who is beneath you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-foor/no-man-is-worth-the-pain-you-re-putting-yourself-through-don-t-wither/) [Jennifer Foor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-foor/) > [“If this was the price of benefits, it was too high. He wanted his friend back, because that was a man worth taking an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-p-wayne/if-this-was-the-price-of-benefits-it-was-too-high-he-wanted-his/) [S.P. Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-p-wayne/) > [“Every man from his worth can build and increase his net worth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/every-man-from-his-worth-can-build-and-increase-his-net-worth/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) ## More by Heraclitus > [Learning many things does not teach understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/learning-many-things-does-not-teach-understanding/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [Dogs, also, bark at what they do not know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/dogs-also-bark-at-what-they-do-not-know/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [The fairest harmony springs from discord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/the-fairest-harmony-springs-from-discord/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [“One man is worth thousand if he is extraordinary”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/one-man-is-worth-thousand-if-he-is-extraordinary/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [Presumption must be quenched even more than a fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/presumption-must-be-quenched-even-more-than-a-fire/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [Those unmindful when they hear, for all they make of their intelligence, may be regarded as the walking dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/those-unmindful-when-they-hear-for-all-they-make-of-their/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [Everything is in flux.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/everything-is-in-flux/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [The Cosmos was not made by gods but always was and is eternal fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/the-cosmos-was-not-made-by-gods-but-always-was-and-is-eternal-fire/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [ Men who are lovers of wisdom \[i.e., philosophers\] must be inquirers into many things. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/men-who-are-lovers-of-wisdom-i-e-philosophers-must-be-inquirers-into/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [We do not step in the same river twice, for the waters have moved on and we too have changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/we-do-not-step-in-the-same-river-twice-for-the-waters-have-moved-on/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [War is the father of all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/war-is-the-father-of-all-things/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [The fairest order in the world is a heap of random sweepings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/the-fairest-order-in-the-world-is-a-heap-of-random-sweepings/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [The seeing have the world in common.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/the-seeing-have-the-world-in-common/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [All men have the capacity of knowing themselves and acting with moderation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/all-men-have-the-capacity-of-knowing-themselves-and-acting-with/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [Those who love wisdom must investigate many things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/those-who-love-wisdom-must-investigate-many-things/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) [Explore all 296 Heraclitus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) ## More Firsts 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/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [You sort of can't talk about the post production unless you talk about what comes first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-greengrass/you-sort-of-can-t-talk-about-the-post-production-unless-you-talk/) [Paul Greengrass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-greengrass/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [When I first started, my message was about joy, but I didn't really have the vocabulary and life experience to fully deliver it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/when-i-first-started-my-message-was-about-joy-but-i-didn-t-really/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [Meanwhile someone is shining my head to get it dry to attach my top-hat to my head with toupee tape. I get into microphone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/meanwhile-someone-is-shining-my-head-to-get-it-dry-to-attach-my-top/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) [Browse all 32,432 Firsts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To me one man is worth ten thousand if he is first-rate.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Heraclitus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/to-me-one-man-is-worth-ten-thousand-if-he-is-first-rate/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Firsts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/to-me-one-man-is-worth-ten-thousand-if-he-is-first-rate/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/heraclitus-1050_firsts_to-me-one-man-is-worth-ten-thousand-if-h_2929328.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/heraclitus-1050_firsts_to-me-one-man-is-worth-ten-thousand-if-h_2929328.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/heraclitus-1050_firsts_to-me-one-man-is-worth-ten-thousand-if-h_2929328.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To me one man is worth ten thousand if he is first-rate.” — Heraclitus", "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": "Heraclitus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To me one man is worth...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/to-me-one-man-is-worth-ten-thousand-if-he-is-first-rate/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/to-me-one-man-is-worth-ten-thousand-if-he-is-first-rate/#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 } } ] } ```