--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He was a good con man, but not a great…" description: "\"“He was a good con man, but not a great con man. He wasn't ruthless enough. He had all the tricks, all the techniques, the facility for it. That part i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/933/jeffrey-ford-35775_con-man_he-was-a-good-con-man-but-not-a-great-co_1729522.jpg" --- # He was a good con man, but not a great con man. He wasn't… ![“He was a good con man, but not a great con man. He wasn't ruthless enough. He had all the tricks, all the techniques, the facility for it. That part if you'll excuse the expression, was in his blood. But he never really had the heart for it.” quote by Jeffrey Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/933/jeffrey-ford-35775_con-man_he-was-a-good-con-man-but-not-a-great-co_1729522.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/933/jeffrey-ford-35775_con-man_he-was-a-good-con-man-but-not-a-great-co_1729522.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/933/jeffrey-ford-35775_con-man_he-was-a-good-con-man-but-not-a-great-co_1729522.jpg) > ““He was a good con man, but not a great con man. He wasn't ruthless enough. He had all the tricks, all the techniques, the facility for it. That part if you'll excuse the expression, was in his blood. But he never really had the heart for it.”” [Jeffrey Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-ford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A con man lacks the necessary ruthlessness and emotional detachment, making him ineffective despite skill. **In simple terms:** He’s skilled but not cold enough to be a great con artist. Key Takeaway True success may require emotional sacrifice. Themes morality skill vs. heart human nature Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical character study When to use this quote - crime fiction - character analysis - moral dilemma Key Concepts ethical limits psychology of deception personal integrity Questions to Reflect On - Is heart essential for deception? - Can skill replace ruthlessness? A Different Perspective The quote may romanticize the “good” con man. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Con Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/con-man/) [Good man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-man/) [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) ## Related quotes > [My father was a good man, but he was a con man. 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A distraction should lead the mark's attention upward, either toward the sky or to some better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-ford/simplicity-and-subtlety-make-for-the-best-con-a-distraction-should/) [Jeffrey Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-ford/) > [“Hanging out with you is like an extra job.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-ford/hanging-out-with-you-is-like-an-extra-job/) [Jeffrey Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-ford/) > [“No one gives a shit if you write a book or not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-ford/no-one-gives-a-shit-if-you-write-a-book-or-not/) [Jeffrey Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-ford/) [Explore all 13 Jeffrey Ford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-ford/) ## More Good man quotes > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. 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His rudeness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fowler/it-is-said-that-the-hallmark-of-a-gentleman-is-that-he-is-only-ever/) [Christopher Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fowler/) > [I'm a good man with a good heart had a tough time, got a rough start But I finally learned to let it go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/i-m-a-good-man-with-a-good-heart-had-a-tough-time-got-a-rough-start/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [ I've often thought about that and the only suitable member to join me on that climb \[to Everest\] was George Lowe: he was strong,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-hillary/i-ve-often-thought-about-that-and-the-only-suitable-member-to-join-me/) [Edmund Hillary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-hillary/) > [Of course, when you play football yourself you can think you want to become a manager but it does not make you a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/of-course-when-you-play-football-yourself-you-can-think-you-want-to/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) > [“Falsehood of a good man is better than truth of a bad one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/falsehood-of-a-good-man-is-better-than-truth-of-a-bad-one/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [“Atticus adjusted his glasses as he peered down at the blanket. “Hey, is that the book Nellie told us about?” Jake’s eyes flicked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-watson/atticus-adjusted-his-glasses-as-he-peered-down-at-the-blanket-hey-is/) [Jude Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-watson/) > [A good man therefore is a standing lesson to us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/a-good-man-therefore-is-a-standing-lesson-to-us-all/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [“Grits Glossary blues \\’blüz\\ n: nothing but a good man singing about hardship, sorrow, and the things he’s done wrong--but sake’s alive, they make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/grits-glossary-blues-bl-z-n-nothing-but-a-good-man-singing-about/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) [Browse all 2,081 Good man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He was a good con man, but not a great con man. 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