--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So, the question of Why greatness? is…" description: "\"“So, the question of Why greatness? is almost a nonsense question. If you’re engaged in work that you love and care about, for whatever reason, then th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d8/james-c-collins-2276_greatness_so-the-question-of-why-greatness-is-almo_2375649.png" --- # So, the question of Why greatness? is almost a nonsense… ![“So, the question of Why greatness? is almost a nonsense question. If you’re engaged in work that you love and care about, for whatever reason, then the question needs no answer. The question is not why, but how.” quote by James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d8/james-c-collins-2276_greatness_so-the-question-of-why-greatness-is-almo_2375649.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d8/james-c-collins-2276_greatness_so-the-question-of-why-greatness-is-almo_2375649.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d8/james-c-collins-2276_greatness_so-the-question-of-why-greatness-is-almo_2375649.png) > ““So, the question of Why greatness? is almost a nonsense question. If you’re engaged in work that you love and care about, for whatever reason, then the question needs no answer. The question is not why, but how.”” [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When you love your work, the focus shifts from questioning greatness to figuring out how to excel. **In simple terms:** Love work, focus on execution. Key Takeaway Prioritize how to do great work you love. Themes purpose work ethic excellence Mood inspirational reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career choices - entrepreneurial ventures - team projects - personal development - creative pursuits Key Concepts intrinsic motivation strategic execution leadership Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to improve at work you love? - How do you measure success beyond personal fulfillment? A Different Perspective Passion alone may not overcome external constraints or lack of resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Greatness Nonsense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness-nonsense-5865922/) [Love and care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-care/) [Nonsense Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonsense-question-727940/) [Question Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-greatness-782733/) [Reason Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-question-1933694/) ## Related quotes > [Indeed, the real question is not, "Why greatness?" but "What work makes you feel compelled to try to create greatness?" if you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/indeed-the-real-question-is-not-why-greatness-but-what-work-makes-you/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [“Indeed, the real question is not, “Why greatness?” but “What work makes you feel compelled to try to create greatness?” If you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-collins/indeed-the-real-question-is-not-why-greatness-but-what-work-makes-you-2/) [Jim Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-collins/) > [“If we accept 'what seems to be' as 'what is', then we can't inquire. I mean, if what seems to be were perfectly coherent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/if-we-accept-what-seems-to-be-as-what-is-then-we-can-t-inquire-i-mean/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [Faced with the nonsense question 'What is the meaning of a word?' and perhaps dimly recognizing it to be nonsense, we are nevertheless not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/faced-with-the-nonsense-question-what-is-the-meaning-of-a-word-and/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [That moment when your with someone you like and you intend to ask some nonsense question for him to notice you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quengmo/that-moment-when-your-with-someone-you-like-and-you-intend-to-ask/) [QuengMo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quengmo/) > [There's always a good reason behind any question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mpumelelo-reverb/there-s-always-a-good-reason-behind-any-question/) [Mpumelelo Reverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mpumelelo-reverb/) > [Every human being has the right to ask the reason, why, and to have his question answered by himself, if he only takes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-human-being-has-the-right-to-ask-the-reason-why-and-to-have-his/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [If you ask "Should we be in space?" you ask a nonsense question. We are in space. We will be in space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/if-you-ask-should-we-be-in-space-you-ask-a-nonsense-question-we-are/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“I did not think you would be angry, Jem burst out, and it was like ice cracking across a frozen waterfall, freeing a torrent.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-did-not-think-you-would-be-angry-jem-burst-out-and-it-was-like-ice/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [When you come out of the storms and sub-zero temperatures into a tiny yurt, there's a sense that family love and care is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cope/when-you-come-out-of-the-storms-and-sub-zero-temperatures-into-a-tiny/) [Tim Cope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cope/) > [No birth certificate is issued when friendship is born. There is nothing tangible. There is just a feeling that your life is different and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-tesich/no-birth-certificate-is-issued-when-friendship-is-born-there-is/) [Steve Tesich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-tesich/) > [Some womans had cause the addition of a new element to the PERIODIC TABLE: Name: Women Symbol: Wmn ATOMIC WEIGHT: Don't even dare to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-womans-had-cause-the-addition-of-a-new-element-to-the-periodic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't care who you are,Where you from,As long as you love me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mks-vibz/i-don-t-care-who-you-are-where-you-from-as-long-as-you-love-me/) [Mks Vibz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mks-vibz/) > [“Love is not like Ice, that melts but the foundation of Respect, Love and Care”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samar-sudha/love-is-not-like-ice-that-melts-but-the-foundation-of-respect-love/) [Samar Sudha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samar-sudha/) > [When it comes to people I love and care about, I may condense the time, but I'm giving them every ounce of my energy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-shetty/when-it-comes-to-people-i-love-and-care-about-i-may-condense-the-time/) [Jay Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-shetty/) ## More by James C. Collins > [No matter what. Wherever your mind wanders, it seems to turn up at the same Field of Dreams. It's the vision you wake up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/no-matter-what-wherever-your-mind-wanders-it-seems-to-turn-up-at-the/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [“This might not sound very exciting (inventory management is not something that tends to rivet readers), but think of it this way: Imagine walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/this-might-not-sound-very-exciting-inventory-management-is-not/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [“Merck • Corporate social responsibility • Unequivocal excellence in all aspects of the company • Science-based innovation • Honesty and integrity • Profit, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/merck-corporate-social-responsibility-unequivocal-excellence-in-all/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [Greatest danger is not failure, but be successful and not know why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/greatest-danger-is-not-failure-but-be-successful-and-not-know-why/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [“If you have the right people on the bus, they will be self-motivated. The real question then becomes: How do you manage in such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/if-you-have-the-right-people-on-the-bus-they-will-be-self-motivated/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [“2. Core purpose is an organization’s most fundamental reason for being. It should not be confused with the company’s current product lines or customer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/2-core-purpose-is-an-organization-s-most-fundamental-reason-for-being/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [The drive for progress doesn't wait for the external world to say "It's time to change."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/the-drive-for-progress-doesn-t-wait-for-the-external-world-to-say-it/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [The secret to a successful retirement is to find your retirement sweet spot. The sweet spot is where your passions, what you do best,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/the-secret-to-a-successful-retirement-is-to-find-your-retirement/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [Managing your problems can only make you good, whereas building your opportunities is the only way to become great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/managing-your-problems-can-only-make-you-good-whereas-building-your/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [Creative leadership impact increases in your 50's. When I turn 50 I want to say, "Nice start!"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/creative-leadership-impact-increases-in-your-50-s-when-i-turn-50-i/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [“The fact that something is a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” is irrelevant, unless it fits within the three circles. A great company will have many once-in-a-lifetime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/the-fact-that-something-is-a-once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity-is/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [Don't take care of your career. Take care of your people. They will take care of your career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/don-t-take-care-of-your-career-take-care-of-your-people-they-will/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [Indeed, the real question is not, "Why greatness?" but "What work makes you feel compelled to try to create greatness?" if you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/indeed-the-real-question-is-not-why-greatness-but-what-work-makes-you/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [Not one of the good-to-great companies focused obsessively on growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/not-one-of-the-good-to-great-companies-focused-obsessively-on-growth/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [“Compare Bethlehem Steel to Nucor. Both companies operated in the steel industry and produced hard-to-differentiate products. Both companies faced the competitive challenge of cheap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/compare-bethlehem-steel-to-nucor-both-companies-operated-in-the-steel/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) [Explore all 175 James C. Collins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) ## More Greatness quotes > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Every man who is high up likes to think that he has done it all himself, and the wife smiles and lets it go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-man-who-is-high-up-likes-to-think-that-he-has-done-it-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“You are destiny for greatness. Your future is in the hands of the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-are-destiny-for-greatness-your-future-is-in-the-hands-of-the-lord/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/we-need-to-discover-all-over-again-that-worship-is-natural-to-the/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Nothing brings out the lower traits of human nature like office-seeking. Men of good character and impulses are betrayed by it into all sorts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/nothing-brings-out-the-lower-traits-of-human-nature-like-office/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [Men generally decide upon a middle course, which is most hazardous, for they know neither how to be entirely good nor entirely bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-generally-decide-upon-a-middle-course-which-is-most-hazardous-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Every man remembers his childhood as a kind of mythical age, just as every nation's childhood is its mythical age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/every-man-remembers-his-childhood-as-a-kind-of-mythical-age-just-as/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [Greatness is not guarding yourself from people. Greatness is being accepted by the people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/greatness-is-not-guarding-yourself-from-people-greatness-is-being/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [The superior man is distressed by his want (lack) of ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-is-distressed-by-his-want-lack-of-ability/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Great men don't 'move to the center' - great men move the center!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/great-men-don-t-move-to-the-center-great-men-move-the-center/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Perfection is the enemy of greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/perfection-is-the-enemy-of-greatness/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Men want a challenge, but they want a challenge they can win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-gaskell/men-want-a-challenge-but-they-want-a-challenge-they-can-win/) [Whitney Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-gaskell/) [Browse all 7,631 Greatness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“So, the question of Why greatness? is almost a nonsense question. If you’re engaged in work that you love and care about, for whatever reason, then the question needs no answer. The question is not why, but how.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James C. 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