--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never read the life of any important…" description: "\"I never read the life of any important person without discovering that he knew more and could do more than I could ever hope to know or do in half a do..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74b/j-b-priestley-9291_discovering_i-never-read-the-life-of-any-important-p_2037348.png" --- # I never read the life of any important person without… ![“I never read the life of any important person without discovering that he knew more and could do more than I could ever hope to know or do in half a dozen lifetimes.” quote by J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74b/j-b-priestley-9291_discovering_i-never-read-the-life-of-any-important-p_2037348.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74b/j-b-priestley-9291_discovering_i-never-read-the-life-of-any-important-p_2037348.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74b/j-b-priestley-9291_discovering_i-never-read-the-life-of-any-important-p_2037348.png) > “I never read the life of any important person without discovering that he knew more and could do more than I could ever hope to know or do in half a dozen lifetimes.” [J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Studying great lives reveals they achieved far beyond what we imagine, often in multiple lifetimes. **In simple terms:** Great people accomplish far more than we think. Key Takeaway Learn from their breadth of experience. Themes inspiration learning history humility Mood reflective humble Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - career planning - academic research - mentoring Key Concepts biography human potential comparative achievement Questions to Reflect On - What lessons can you apply from their achievements? - How do you measure your own progress? A Different Perspective Comparisons may overlook unique contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discovering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovering/) [Discovering Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovering-knew-3773784/) [Dozen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dozen/) [Dozen Lifetimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dozen-lifetimes-3773785/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-person/) [Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-important/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) ## Related quotes > [“You know, my young friend, I will be ninety years old next year, and life is still a constant surprise to me. We never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-t-sullivan/you-know-my-young-friend-i-will-be-ninety-years-old-next-year-and-3/) [Mark T. Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-t-sullivan/) > [“We never know what will happen next, what we will see, and what important person will come into our life, or what important person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-sullivan/we-never-know-what-will-happen-next-what-we-will-see-and-what-2/) [Mark Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-sullivan/) > [“You are not only the most important person in my life, but you are the most important all the time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/you-are-not-only-the-most-important-person-in-my-life-but-you-are-the/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [The thing about real life is that important events don't announce themselves. Trumpets don't blow, drums don't beat to let you know you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-thing-about-real-life-is-that-important-events-don-t-announce/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We never know what will happen next, what we will see, and what important person will come into our life, or what important person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-t-sullivan/we-never-know-what-will-happen-next-what-we-will-see-and-what/) [Mark T. Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-t-sullivan/) > [“You know, my young friend, I will be ninety years old next year, and life is still a constant surprise to me. We never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-t-sullivan/you-know-my-young-friend-i-will-be-ninety-years-old-next-year-and-2/) [Mark T. Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-t-sullivan/) > [“You know, my young friend, I will be ninety years old next year, and life is still a constant surprise to me. We never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-t-sullivan/you-know-my-young-friend-i-will-be-ninety-years-old-next-year-and/) [Mark T. Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-t-sullivan/) > [I don't know if I have a voice of my own. I don't see me being an important person with something to say. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-ackroyd/i-don-t-know-if-i-have-a-voice-of-my-own-i-don-t-see-me-being-an/) [Peter Ackroyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-ackroyd/) > [It used to be that in media, Johnny Carson used to be the most important person when he would invite you over to sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lampanelli/it-used-to-be-that-in-media-johnny-carson-used-to-be-the-most/) [Lisa Lampanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lampanelli/) > [Personally, I would like to face Barcelona in every game because it gives you so much motivation and you learn a lot from it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-trezeguet/personally-i-would-like-to-face-barcelona-in-every-game-because-it/) [David Trezeguet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-trezeguet/) > [“Your guardian angel loves you. You are precious to it. You are the most important person in the world to this angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorna-byrne/your-guardian-angel-loves-you-you-are-precious-to-it-you-are-the-most/) [Lorna Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorna-byrne/) > [“you do that all the time you know. you ask me questions when you know the answer will piss you off. ask me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/you-do-that-all-the-time-you-know-you-ask-me-questions-when-you-know/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [“My heart is filled with great love for you,” he whispered. Tears sprang to Loretta’s eyes. She couldn’t name the emotion that caused them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/my-heart-is-filled-with-great-love-for-you-he-whispered-tears-sprang/) [Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/) > [When you are important to another person, they will always find a way to make time for you - no excuses, no lies, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-are-important-to-another-person-they-will-always-find-a-way/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This goes out to someone that was Once the most important person in my life I didn't realize it at the time I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aviation/this-goes-out-to-someone-that-was-once-the-most-important-person-in/) [Aviation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aviation/) ## More by J. B. Priestley > [In a world shaped and colored more and more by politicians, the nations meet politically, and hardly any other way to settle their differences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/in-a-world-shaped-and-colored-more-and-more-by-politicians-the/) [J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/) > [Many a man is praised for his reserve and so-called shyness when he is simply too proud to risk making a fool of himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/many-a-man-is-praised-for-his-reserve-and-so-called-shyness-when-he/) [J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/) > [To make the most of Christmas, focus on Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/to-make-the-most-of-christmas-focus-on-christ/) [J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/) > [A novelist who writes nothing for 10 years finds his reputation rising. 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Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/) > [I fancy that the Hell of Too Many People would occupy a respectable place in the hierarchy of infernal regions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/i-fancy-that-the-hell-of-too-many-people-would-occupy-a-respectable/) [J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/) > [It is good fiction, so largely ignored now, that brings us so much closer to the real facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/it-is-good-fiction-so-largely-ignored-now-that-brings-us-so-much/) [J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/) > [I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/i-have-always-been-delighted-at-the-prospect-of-a-new-day-a-fresh-try/) [J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/) > [Perhaps it would be better not to be a writer, but if you must, then write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/perhaps-it-would-be-better-not-to-be-a-writer-but-if-you-must-then/) [J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/) > [What a grand, higgledy-piggledy, sensible old place Norwich is!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/what-a-grand-higgledy-piggledy-sensible-old-place-norwich-is/) [J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/) > [Man, the creature who knows he must die, who has dreams larger than his destiny, who is forever working a confidence trick on himself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/man-the-creature-who-knows-he-must-die-who-has-dreams-larger-than-his/) [J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/) > [There are plenty of clever young writers. But there is too much genius, not enough talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/there-are-plenty-of-clever-young-writers-but-there-is-too-much-genius/) [J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/) > [If you are a genius, you'll make your own rules, but if not - and the odds are against it - go to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/if-you-are-a-genius-you-ll-make-your-own-rules-but-if-not-and-the/) [J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/) > [But some of us are beginning to pull well away, in our irritation, from...the exquisite tasters, the vintage snobs, the three-star Michelin gourmets. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/but-some-of-us-are-beginning-to-pull-well-away-in-our-irritation-from/) [J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/) [Explore all 73 J. B. Priestley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/) ## More Discovering quotes > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Discovering witnesses is just as important as catching criminals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-wiesenthal/discovering-witnesses-is-just-as-important-as-catching-criminals/) [Simon Wiesenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-wiesenthal/) > [I think the best SF writers are very aware of what we, in the scientific community, are doing, thinking, and discovering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/i-think-the-best-sf-writers-are-very-aware-of-what-we-in-the/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-j-wheatley/there-is-no-power-for-change-greater-than-a-community-discovering/) [Margaret J. Wheatley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-j-wheatley/) > [The future teachers I try to recruit are those show have refused to let themselves be neutered in this way, either in their private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/the-future-teachers-i-try-to-recruit-are-those-show-have-refused-to/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [There are people I'll always love to listen to, and I'm always ending up discovering new songs by them, which is crazy. Like Stevie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-armstrong/there-are-people-i-ll-always-love-to-listen-to-and-i-m-always-ending/) [Neil Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-armstrong/) > [TV is, as I'm discovering now, a marathon. You have to keep going and going and going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-nolan/tv-is-as-i-m-discovering-now-a-marathon-you-have-to-keep-going-and/) [Jonathan Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-nolan/) > [ “d\] One speaks in a language one doesn't understand, uses money whose worth one does not know, and wanders down streets for the very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/d-one-speaks-in-a-language-one-doesn-t-understand-uses-money-whose/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [We can go up or we can do down. I think generally the world is going on an upward swing. We're in a part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/we-can-go-up-or-we-can-do-down-i-think-generally-the-world-is-going/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [Marx, however imperfectly he worked out the details, set himself the task of discovering the law of motion of capitalism, and if there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-robinson/marx-however-imperfectly-he-worked-out-the-details-set-himself-the/) [Joan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-robinson/) > [“There were a lot of stressed out people in the company as we were discovering how dangerous the DeSoto Solar Farm was!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/there-were-a-lot-of-stressed-out-people-in-the-company-as-we-were/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Coming to appreciate your worth can, in some cases, dramatically improve your circumstances by changing the choices you make and the actions you take.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/coming-to-appreciate-your-worth-can-in-some-cases-dramatically/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [Melbourne, where I grew up, is one of the street art capitals of the world. 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