--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People can be great, but they can also be…" description: "\"“People can be great, but they can also be lousy. I am often lousy.”\" — Jennifer Niven" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd8/jennifer-niven-2493_quote_people-can-be-great-but-they-can-also-be_1191528.jpg" --- # People can be great, but they can also be lousy. I am… ![“People can be great, but they can also be lousy. I am often lousy.” quote by Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd8/jennifer-niven-2493_quote_people-can-be-great-but-they-can-also-be_1191528.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd8/jennifer-niven-2493_quote_people-can-be-great-but-they-can-also-be_1191528.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd8/jennifer-niven-2493_quote_people-can-be-great-but-they-can-also-be_1191528.jpg) > ““People can be great, but they can also be lousy. I am often lousy.”” [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledging that everyone has strengths and flaws, including oneself. **In simple terms:** People are both good and bad. Key Takeaway Accept imperfection. Themes self-awareness humility growth psychology Mood introspective hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal relationships - self-improvement - team dynamics - leadership Key Concepts human nature self-criticism Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance self-criticism with self-compassion? - What strengths can you build on? A Different Perspective Self-judgment can hinder confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Diabetes is a lousy, lousy disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-stritch/diabetes-is-a-lousy-lousy-disease/) [Elaine Stritch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-stritch/) > [Tax cuts were not going to be effective at creating jobs, and the job creation record is lousy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/tax-cuts-were-not-going-to-be-effective-at-creating-jobs-and-the-job/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [We used to say poor people had lousy genes. Then we decided that wasn't OK, but we transferred the prejudice to upbringing. We said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/we-used-to-say-poor-people-had-lousy-genes-then-we-decided-that-wasn/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [When you come off that last hole and you've just finished a good round of golf, life is good. When you come off that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-watson/when-you-come-off-that-last-hole-and-you-ve-just-finished-a-good/) [Tom Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-watson/) > [“He played a great part in my life. It was great in that it was a majority of time, but it wasn’t great as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/he-played-a-great-part-in-my-life-it-was-great-in-that-it-was-a/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Writing is pretty flexible work, don't you think? If you want to surf, you just have to get a lot done when the waves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-finnegan/writing-is-pretty-flexible-work-don-t-you-think-if-you-want-to-surf/) [William Finnegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-finnegan/) > [I know a lot of people in the business recommend the many Story Structure seminars being offered here, but I point to them as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wood/i-know-a-lot-of-people-in-the-business-recommend-the-many-story/) [Douglas Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wood/) > [“Welcome to sporadic and lousy service from your new carrier. We hope you enjoy sounding like you’re in a barrel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-tatano/welcome-to-sporadic-and-lousy-service-from-your-new-carrier-we-hope/) Nic Tatano > [I'm a lousy reader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/broderick-crawford/i-m-a-lousy-reader/) [Broderick Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/broderick-crawford/) > [It's well known that actors are lousy writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-well-known-that-actors-are-lousy-writers/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I worked in three local news markets and in every single one of them, they said: 'You're a lousy anchor. We would love to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-vargas/i-worked-in-three-local-news-markets-and-in-every-single-one-of-them/) [Elizabeth Vargas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-vargas/) > [We should abolish 'work.' By that I mean abolishing the distinction between work and leisure, one of the greatest mistakes of the last century,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-zeldin/we-should-abolish-work-by-that-i-mean-abolishing-the-distinction/) [Theodore Zeldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-zeldin/) > [I've always had tremendous support from my parents. I think there's a myth that gay people have lousy relationships with their parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-always-had-tremendous-support-from-my-parents-i-think-there-s-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Poetry is a lousy form of activism; it doesn't really change much. And maybe we can point to one or two historical times when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-gottlieb/poetry-is-a-lousy-form-of-activism-it-doesn-t-really-change-much-and/) [Daphne Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-gottlieb/) > [I was a lousy nun. I couldn't do it. I couldn't find God. It wasn't suitable for me. It is suitable for very few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-was-a-lousy-nun-i-couldn-t-do-it-i-couldn-t-find-god-it-wasn-t/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) ## More by Jennifer Niven > [The problem with people is they forget that most of the time it's the small things that count.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/the-problem-with-people-is-they-forget-that-most-of-the-time-it-s-the/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“I am disappearing, maybe I'm already gone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/i-am-disappearing-maybe-i-m-already-gone/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“Sometimes, Ultraviolet, things feel true to us even if they’re not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/sometimes-ultraviolet-things-feel-true-to-us-even-if-they-re-not/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“Stars on the sky, stars on the ground. It's hard to tell where the sky ends and the earth begins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/stars-on-the-sky-stars-on-the-ground-it-s-hard-to-tell-where-the-sky/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“Who cares for Algebra? Who delights in solving math? I only want to live my life Along the creative path.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/who-cares-for-algebra-who-delights-in-solving-math-i-only-want-to/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [Sorry wastes time. You have to live your life like you'll never be sorry. It's easier just to do the right thing from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/sorry-wastes-time-you-have-to-live-your-life-like-you-ll-never-be/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“I expect some fast reply, something flirty and flip, but instead he doesn't look up, just reaches for my hand and keeps reading. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/i-expect-some-fast-reply-something-flirty-and-flip-but-instead-he/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“You shouldn't spend all your time worrying about the love that leaves, because then you might overlook the love that was always there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/you-shouldn-t-spend-all-your-time-worrying-about-the-love-that-leaves/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“There's more to you than meets the eye”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/there-s-more-to-you-than-meets-the-eye/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“Maybe it isn't the room that's different. Maybe it's me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/maybe-it-isn-t-the-room-that-s-different-maybe-it-s-me/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“You’re probably better at math than I am, because pretty much everyone’s better at math than I am, but it’s okay, I’m fine with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/you-re-probably-better-at-math-than-i-am-because-pretty-much-everyone/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“lovely is a lovey word that should be used more often”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/lovely-is-a-lovey-word-that-should-be-used-more-often/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [Since I stopped writing, I read more than ever. Other people's words, not my own - my words are gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/since-i-stopped-writing-i-read-more-than-ever-other-people-s-words/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“It's my experience that people are a lot more sympathetic if they can see you hurting, and for the millionth time in my life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/it-s-my-experience-that-people-are-a-lot-more-sympathetic-if-they-can/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“Be careful with that heart of yours”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/be-careful-with-that-heart-of-yours/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) [Explore all 162 Jennifer Niven quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) ## More Lousy quotes > [I was a lousy nun. I couldn't do it. I couldn't find God. It wasn't suitable for me. It is suitable for very few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-was-a-lousy-nun-i-couldn-t-do-it-i-couldn-t-find-god-it-wasn-t/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Poetry is a lousy form of activism; it doesn't really change much. And maybe we can point to one or two historical times when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-gottlieb/poetry-is-a-lousy-form-of-activism-it-doesn-t-really-change-much-and/) [Daphne Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-gottlieb/) > [I've always had tremendous support from my parents. I think there's a myth that gay people have lousy relationships with their parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-always-had-tremendous-support-from-my-parents-i-think-there-s-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We should abolish 'work.' By that I mean abolishing the distinction between work and leisure, one of the greatest mistakes of the last century,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-zeldin/we-should-abolish-work-by-that-i-mean-abolishing-the-distinction/) [Theodore Zeldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-zeldin/) > [I worked in three local news markets and in every single one of them, they said: 'You're a lousy anchor. We would love to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-vargas/i-worked-in-three-local-news-markets-and-in-every-single-one-of-them/) [Elizabeth Vargas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-vargas/) > [It's well known that actors are lousy writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-well-known-that-actors-are-lousy-writers/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm a lousy reader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/broderick-crawford/i-m-a-lousy-reader/) [Broderick Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/broderick-crawford/) > [“Welcome to sporadic and lousy service from your new carrier. We hope you enjoy sounding like you’re in a barrel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-tatano/welcome-to-sporadic-and-lousy-service-from-your-new-carrier-we-hope/) Nic Tatano > [I know a lot of people in the business recommend the many Story Structure seminars being offered here, but I point to them as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wood/i-know-a-lot-of-people-in-the-business-recommend-the-many-story/) [Douglas Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wood/) > [Writing is pretty flexible work, don't you think? If you want to surf, you just have to get a lot done when the waves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-finnegan/writing-is-pretty-flexible-work-don-t-you-think-if-you-want-to-surf/) [William Finnegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-finnegan/) > [“He played a great part in my life. It was great in that it was a majority of time, but it wasn’t great as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/he-played-a-great-part-in-my-life-it-was-great-in-that-it-was-a/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [When you come off that last hole and you've just finished a good round of golf, life is good. When you come off that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-watson/when-you-come-off-that-last-hole-and-you-ve-just-finished-a-good/) [Tom Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-watson/) > [We used to say poor people had lousy genes. Then we decided that wasn't OK, but we transferred the prejudice to upbringing. We said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/we-used-to-say-poor-people-had-lousy-genes-then-we-decided-that-wasn/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [Tax cuts were not going to be effective at creating jobs, and the job creation record is lousy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/tax-cuts-were-not-going-to-be-effective-at-creating-jobs-and-the-job/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [“Would that I were still a ludicrous character in his lousy book!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/would-that-i-were-still-a-ludicrous-character-in-his-lousy-book/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) Browse all 95 Lousy quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“People can be great, but they can also be lousy. I am often lousy.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jennifer Niven" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/people-can-be-great-but-they-can-also-be-lousy-i-am-often-lousy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Lousy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/people-can-be-great-but-they-can-also-be-lousy-i-am-often-lousy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd8/jennifer-niven-2493_quote_people-can-be-great-but-they-can-also-be_1191528.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd8/jennifer-niven-2493_quote_people-can-be-great-but-they-can-also-be_1191528.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd8/jennifer-niven-2493_quote_people-can-be-great-but-they-can-also-be_1191528.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People can be great, but they can also be lousy. I am often lousy.” — Jennifer Niven", "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": "Jennifer Niven", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“People can be great, but they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/people-can-be-great-but-they-can-also-be-lousy-i-am-often-lousy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/people-can-be-great-but-they-can-also-be-lousy-i-am-often-lousy/#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 } } ] } ```