--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...genius is no proof against shooting…" description: "\"...genius is no proof against shooting one's own foot.\" — John Batchelor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/john-batchelor-95364_feet_genius-is-no-proof-against-shooting-one_756132.jpg" --- # ...genius is no proof against shooting one's own foot. ![“...genius is no proof against shooting one's own foot.” quote by John Batchelor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/john-batchelor-95364_feet_genius-is-no-proof-against-shooting-one_756132.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/john-batchelor-95364_feet_genius-is-no-proof-against-shooting-one_756132.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/john-batchelor-95364_feet_genius-is-no-proof-against-shooting-one_756132.jpg) > “...genius is no proof against shooting one's own foot.” [John Batchelor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-batchelor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even the brightest minds can make foolish mistakes that harm themselves. **In simple terms:** Genius can still mess up. Key Takeaway Be cautious of overconfidence. Themes Genius Self‑sabotage Intelligence Humility Mood cautionary reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - Decision making - creative work - leadership Key Concepts Cognitive bias Error management Self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - How do you guard against self‑inflicted errors? - When does confidence become hubris? A Different Perspective Intelligence alone doesn’t prevent errors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feet/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Genius Proof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius-proof-2428561/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Proof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proof/) [Proof Shooting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proof-shooting-5873063/) [Shooting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shooting/) [Shooting Foot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shooting-foot-343096/) ## Related quotes > [You're a genius! And the proof is that both common people and intellectuals find your work completely incoherent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/you-re-a-genius-and-the-proof-is-that-both-common-people-and/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [If you throw obstacles at the relationship with Mexico, you would be shooting yourself in the foot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ildefonso-guajardo-villarreal/if-you-throw-obstacles-at-the-relationship-with-mexico-you-would-be/) [Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ildefonso-guajardo-villarreal/) > [You're shooting yourself in the foot if you isolate or disempower the moderates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/you-re-shooting-yourself-in-the-foot-if-you-isolate-or-disempower-the/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [We cannot use jihadists because it's like shooting yourself in the foot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/we-cannot-use-jihadists-because-it-s-like-shooting-yourself-in-the/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [I could be shooting myself in the foot, but in some ways, I feel I've said all I've needed to say when to comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-liu/i-could-be-shooting-myself-in-the-foot-but-in-some-ways-i-feel-i-ve/) [Marjorie Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-liu/) > [If you take it as a compliment that you don't look your age, then you're really shooting yourself in the foot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-mcdormand/if-you-take-it-as-a-compliment-that-you-don-t-look-your-age-then-you/) [Frances McDormand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-mcdormand/) > [My photographs are proof of what happened. When I go to Russia, sometimes I meet ex-soldiers... They say, 'We came to liberate you…' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-koudelka/my-photographs-are-proof-of-what-happened-when-i-go-to-russia/) [Josef Koudelka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-koudelka/) > [I worship nothing. Not a good lie nor a dark one. If nature is proof of God's amazing creation then I have truly seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-numan/i-worship-nothing-not-a-good-lie-nor-a-dark-one-if-nature-is-proof-of/) [Gary Numan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-numan/) > [Good taste cannot supply the place of genius in literature, for the best proof of taste, when there is no genius, would be, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/good-taste-cannot-supply-the-place-of-genius-in-literature-for-the/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [Treason implies responsibility for something, control over something, influence upon something, knowledge of something. Treason in our time is a proof of genius. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/treason-implies-responsibility-for-something-control-over-something/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Proof is an idol before which the mathematician tortures himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/proof-is-an-idol-before-which-the-mathematician-tortures-himself/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [With a full century of contrary proof in our possession and despite our demonstrated capacity for cooperative teamwork, some among us seem to accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/with-a-full-century-of-contrary-proof-in-our-possession-and-despite/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [And I like a good horror story as much as the next person so long as they kill off some men too and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/and-i-like-a-good-horror-story-as-much-as-the-next-person-so-long-as/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [No sadder proof can be given by a man of his own littleness than disbelief in great men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/no-sadder-proof-can-be-given-by-a-man-of-his-own-littleness-than/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [This is a proof of a well-trained mind, to rejoice in what is good and to grieve at the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/this-is-a-proof-of-a-well-trained-mind-to-rejoice-in-what-is-good-and/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) ## More by John Batchelor > [Bill Ayers is an unrepentant terrorist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-batchelor/bill-ayers-is-an-unrepentant-terrorist/) [John Batchelor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-batchelor/) [Explore all 2 John Batchelor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-batchelor/) ## More Feet quotes > [The minute you step onstage, you get eight feet taller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cooper/the-minute-you-step-onstage-you-get-eight-feet-taller/) [Alice Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cooper/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [I always step on the plane with my right foot and touch the outside of the plane with my left hand. 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It was like suddenly an abyss opened at my feet - I was standing on nothing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-okri/we-never-think-that-our-mothers-will-die-it-was-like-suddenly-an/) [Ben Okri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-okri/) > [“Always wash you feet last.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/always-wash-you-feet-last/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My husband really loves my feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayesha-curry/my-husband-really-loves-my-feet/) [Ayesha Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayesha-curry/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Our duty as Christians is always to keep heaven in our eye and earth under our feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/our-duty-as-christians-is-always-to-keep-heaven-in-our-eye-and-earth/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [Griezmann is an exceptional player. He's brimming with talent, and he knows how to keep his feet on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-matuidi/griezmann-is-an-exceptional-player-he-s-brimming-with-talent-and-he/) [Blaise Matuidi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-matuidi/) > [I thought that I had no time for faith nor time to pray, then I saw an armless man saying his Rosary with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/i-thought-that-i-had-no-time-for-faith-nor-time-to-pray-then-i-saw-an/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [I could not prove the Years had feet-/Yet confident they run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/i-could-not-prove-the-years-had-feet-yet-confident-they-run/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) [Browse all 6,557 Feet quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feet/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "...genius is no proof against shooting one's own foot.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Batchelor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-batchelor/genius-is-no-proof-against-shooting-one-s-own-foot/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Feet" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-batchelor/genius-is-no-proof-against-shooting-one-s-own-foot/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/john-batchelor-95364_feet_genius-is-no-proof-against-shooting-one_756132.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/john-batchelor-95364_feet_genius-is-no-proof-against-shooting-one_756132.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/john-batchelor-95364_feet_genius-is-no-proof-against-shooting-one_756132.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“...genius is no proof against shooting one's own foot.” — John Batchelor", "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": "John Batchelor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-batchelor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "...genius is no proof against shooting...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-batchelor/genius-is-no-proof-against-shooting-one-s-own-foot/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-batchelor/genius-is-no-proof-against-shooting-one-s-own-foot/#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 } } ] } ```