--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the Higher Man does something worthy…" description: "\"When the Higher Man does something worthy of admiration, it is an evidence of his Mastership, not the object of it.\" — Idries Shah" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/idries-shah-450_admiration_when-the-higher-man-does-something-worth_3001010.jpg" --- # When the Higher Man does something worthy of admiration… ![“When the Higher Man does something worthy of admiration, it is an evidence of his Mastership, not the object of it.” quote by Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/idries-shah-450_admiration_when-the-higher-man-does-something-worth_3001010.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/idries-shah-450_admiration_when-the-higher-man-does-something-worth_3001010.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/222/idries-shah-450_admiration_when-the-higher-man-does-something-worth_3001010.jpg) > “When the Higher Man does something worthy of admiration, it is an evidence of his Mastership, not the object of it.” [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When a great man acts admirably, it reflects his mastery, not the object of his action. **In simple terms:** Great deeds show mastery. Key Takeaway Recognize mastery in actions. Themes leadership mastery admiration Mood inspirational respectful Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - leadership - personal development - role models Key Concepts self-actualization excellence Questions to Reflect On - What defines true mastery? - How does humility affect perception of greatness? A Different Perspective May ignore the role of others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Admiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admiration/) [Admiration Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admiration-evidence-4764494/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Higher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher/) [Higher Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher-man-461894/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Worthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worthy/) [Worthy Admiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worthy-admiration-777760/) ## Related quotes > [The people who best use their advantages, or overcome adversity, and work honestly are those most worthy of admiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/the-people-who-best-use-their-advantages-or-overcome-adversity-and/) [Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/) > [For those who are genuinely passionate about football, Barca are worthy of admiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dani-alves/for-those-who-are-genuinely-passionate-about-football-barca-are/) [Dani Alves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dani-alves/) > [The higher a man's conception of God, the better will he know Him. And the better he knows God, the nearer will he draw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-higher-a-man-s-conception-of-god-the-better-will-he-know-him-and/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [If the nature of the work is properly appreciated and applied, it will stand in the same relation to the higher faculties as food…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-kumarappa/if-the-nature-of-the-work-is-properly-appreciated-and-applied-it-will-2/) [J. C. Kumarappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-kumarappa/) > [“The higher a man rises, the more things he must do without. There’s no room on the pinnacle except for the man himself. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/the-higher-a-man-rises-the-more-things-he-must-do-without-there-s-no/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [The higher a man stands on the social ladder, the greater the number of people he is connected with, the more power he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-higher-a-man-stands-on-the-social-ladder-the-greater-the-number/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The higher a man is in grace, the lower he will be in his own esteem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-higher-a-man-is-in-grace-the-lower-he-will-be-in-his-own-esteem/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Angels are spirits, flames of fire; they are higher than man, they have wider connections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-simpson/angels-are-spirits-flames-of-fire-they-are-higher-than-man-they-have/) [Matthew Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-simpson/) > [“Just as from dust is evolved the man, from the deeds which he does is evolved the higher man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/compton-gage/just-as-from-dust-is-evolved-the-man-from-the-deeds-which-he-does-is/) [Compton Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/compton-gage/) > [You are grown so very great now, yet the higher a man climbs the farther he has to fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-grown-so-very-great-now-yet-the-higher-a-man-climbs-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But the higher a man mounts, the greater may be his fall; all genius is a conquering of chaos, mystery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/but-the-higher-a-man-mounts-the-greater-may-be-his-fall-all-genius-is/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [With the I-ses higher man. Born off of Zion I-ses higher man him was the conquering lion. I-ses higher man is a de lion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-youth/with-the-i-ses-higher-man-born-off-of-zion-i-ses-higher-man-him-was/) [Big Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-youth/) > [We can have no conception of God higher than man, so our God is man, and man is God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/we-can-have-no-conception-of-god-higher-than-man-so-our-god-is-man/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The higher a man’s conception of God, the better will he know Him. And the better he knows God, the nearer will he draw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-higher-a-man-s-conception-of-god-the-better-will-he-know-him-and-2/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The higher man is distinguished from the lower by his fearlessness and his readiness to challenge misfortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-higher-man-is-distinguished-from-the-lower-by-his-fearlessness/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More by Idries Shah > [“To be a Sufi is to detach from fixed ideas and from preconceptions; and not to try to avoid what is your lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/to-be-a-sufi-is-to-detach-from-fixed-ideas-and-from-preconceptions/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Teach honesty by all means - you do know what it is, don't you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/teach-honesty-by-all-means-you-do-know-what-it-is-don-t-you/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Sufism is transmitted by means of the human exemplar, the teacher.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/sufism-is-transmitted-by-means-of-the-human-exemplar-the-teacher/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“No existe práctica en aislamiento.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/no-existe-pr-ctica-en-aislamiento/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [A king who feared wasps once decreed that they were abolished. As it happened, they did him no harm. But he was eventually stung…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/a-king-who-feared-wasps-once-decreed-that-they-were-abolished-as-it/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Do not tell your secrets to everyone in this headquarters, Earth. We have surveyed it well. There was nobody to whom to entrust secrets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/do-not-tell-your-secrets-to-everyone-in-this-headquarters-earth-we/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Sufis are those who have expunged from their minds the human tendencies of envy and enmity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/sufis-are-those-who-have-expunged-from-their-minds-the-human/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Yes, the world is an illusion. But Truth is always being shown there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/yes-the-world-is-an-illusion-but-truth-is-always-being-shown-there/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [It is the message, not the man, which is important to the Sufis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/it-is-the-message-not-the-man-which-is-important-to-the-sufis/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [The human being, whether he realises it or not, is trusting someone or something every moment of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/the-human-being-whether-he-realises-it-or-not-is-trusting-someone-or/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Who is the wrong person to criticise? You”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/who-is-the-wrong-person-to-criticise-you/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“You may be able to get the bone down your throat But if it reaches your stomach it will tear your navel. (Gulistan)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/you-may-be-able-to-get-the-bone-down-your-throat-but-if-it-reaches/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“People are always trying to understand. There is only one way to do that. It is to discover < + i + >why< +…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/people-are-always-trying-to-understand-there-is-only-one-way-to-do/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [We view Sufism not as an ideology that molds people to the right way of belief or action, but as an art or science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/we-view-sufism-not-as-an-ideology-that-molds-people-to-the-right-way/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) [Explore all 365 Idries Shah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) ## More Admiration quotes > [I have tremendous admiration for companies with the kind of pioneering spirit and innovation eBay has demonstrated from day one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-hammer/i-have-tremendous-admiration-for-companies-with-the-kind-of/) [Bonnie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-hammer/) > [The older you've gotten, the more respect and admiration you've received.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jupp-heynckes/the-older-you-ve-gotten-the-more-respect-and-admiration-you-ve/) [Jupp Heynckes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jupp-heynckes/) > [I still don't feel I know Hitchcock at all. I find that the more one looks, the more elusive he becomes. 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Like Miller, Shields manages to convey his affection for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-alexis/the-book-it-reminded-me-of-most-is-henry-miller-s-the-books-in-my/) [Andre Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-alexis/) > [... we need to interrogate "reverence," for idolization can be another way one is objectified and not really taken seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/we-need-to-interrogate-reverence-for-idolization-can-be-another-way/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-may-be-important-to-great-thinkers-to-examine-the-world-to-explain/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“There must be a reason to smile, Miss François. Will you supply one?" It was Daisy's turn to stare. 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