--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A great thing can only be done by a great…" description: "\"A great thing can only be done by a great person; and they do it without effort.\" — John Ruskin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/john-ruskin-314_done_a-great-thing-can-only-be-done-by-a-grea_1730639.jpg" --- # A great thing can only be done by a great person; and they… ![“A great thing can only be done by a great person; and they do it without effort.” quote by John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/john-ruskin-314_done_a-great-thing-can-only-be-done-by-a-grea_1730639.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/john-ruskin-314_done_a-great-thing-can-only-be-done-by-a-grea_1730639.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/john-ruskin-314_done_a-great-thing-can-only-be-done-by-a-grea_1730639.jpg) > “A great thing can only be done by a great person; and they do it without effort.” [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great achievements require great individuals, yet they appear effortless due to mastery. **In simple terms:** Great people make great things seem easy. Key Takeaway Cultivate skill to make effort invisible. Themes excellence effortlessness leadership Mood respectful inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - sports - artistic performance - leadership - teaching Key Concepts mastery talent perception Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize hidden effort behind success? - Can mastery be taught or is it innate? A Different Perspective Effortlessness can mask necessary hard work and privilege. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Great thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-thing/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) ## Related quotes > [There's no such thing as too much. If there's too much, then that's a great thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fat-joe/there-s-no-such-thing-as-too-much-if-there-s-too-much-then-that-s-a/) [Fat Joe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fat-joe/) > [A great thing is a great book; but a greater thing than all is the talk of a great man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/a-great-thing-is-a-great-book-but-a-greater-thing-than-all-is-the/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [“It was a great thing,—a very great thing;—he had no hesitation in saying that it was one of the greatest things out.  He didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/it-was-a-great-thing-a-very-great-thing-he-had-no-hesitation-in/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [Appreciate the effort of a person who really wants to spend their time with you, because not every person can do such effort unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/appreciate-the-effort-of-a-person-who-really-wants-to-spend-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A person has already made the effort once they open a paper or turn on the news. They want to know what's going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-cunningham/a-person-has-already-made-the-effort-once-they-open-a-paper-or-turn/) [Liam Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-cunningham/) > [Dont waste the chance to appreciate the effort of a person who really wants to spend their time to you, because not every person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-siso/dont-waste-the-chance-to-appreciate-the-effort-of-a-person-who-really/) Jerome\_siso > [The great thing about Daniel Ricciardo is you can't not like him, he's got a big smile, he loves what he does, he's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-horner/the-great-thing-about-daniel-ricciardo-is-you-can-t-not-like-him-he-s/) [Christian Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-horner/) > [It is the best thing to have great games, and the tiredness matters little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-griezmann/it-is-the-best-thing-to-have-great-games-and-the-tiredness-matters/) [Antoine Griezmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-griezmann/) > [If you don't have a camera, the best thing you can do is describe how great it looked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-maisel/if-you-don-t-have-a-camera-the-best-thing-you-can-do-is-describe-how/) [Jay Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-maisel/) > [I think anyone who creates anything, whether it's yourself as a writer, anyone - when you finish something, it's gone from being just your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hayes/i-think-anyone-who-creates-anything-whether-it-s-yourself-as-a-writer/) [Darren Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hayes/) > [For no. 1, it's great writing, super writing. The second thing is that it's great chemistry with all the actors. We just all got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/for-no-1-it-s-great-writing-super-writing-the-second-thing-is-that-it/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [Was there ever such thing as great Shakespeare? Only one must not say so! But what think you — what — was there not sad stuff?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-iii/was-there-ever-such-thing-as-great-shakespeare-only-one-must-not-say/) [George III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-iii/) > [There is no such thing as great work without longevity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-hunt/there-is-no-such-thing-as-great-work-without-longevity/) [Johnny Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-hunt/) > [You become great by going small thing in a great way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/you-become-great-by-going-small-thing-in-a-great-way/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [The difference in being good at some thing and being great at something is usually found in the little things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-anderson/the-difference-in-being-good-at-some-thing-and-being-great-at/) Randy Anderson ## More by John Ruskin > [“Occult Theft,--Theft which hides itself even from itself, and is legal, respectable, and cowardly,--corrupts the body and soul of man, to the last fibre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/occult-theft-theft-which-hides-itself-even-from-itself-and-is-legal/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Mighty of heart, mighty of mind, magnanimous-to be this is indeed to be great in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/mighty-of-heart-mighty-of-mind-magnanimous-to-be-this-is-indeed-to-be/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Life is a magic vase filled to the brim, so made that you cannot dip from it nor draw from it; but it overflows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/life-is-a-magic-vase-filled-to-the-brim-so-made-that-you-cannot-dip/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [As in the instances of alchemy, astrology, witchcraft, and other such popular creeds, political economy, has a plausible idea at the root of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/as-in-the-instances-of-alchemy-astrology-witchcraft-and-other-such/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [I am far more provoked at being thought foolish by foolish people, than pleased at being thought sensible by sensible people; and the average…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/i-am-far-more-provoked-at-being-thought-foolish-by-foolish-people/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [When we build ... let it not be for present delights nor for present use alone. Let it be such work as our descendants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/when-we-build-let-it-not-be-for-present-delights-nor-for-present-use/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It is far more difficult to be simple than to be complicated; far more difficult to sacrifice skill and easy execution in the proper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-is-far-more-difficult-to-be-simple-than-to-be-complicated-far-more/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It is a good and safe rule to sojourn in every place as if you meant to spend your life there, never omitting an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-is-a-good-and-safe-rule-to-sojourn-in-every-place-as-if-you-meant/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [“You may trust to the truth of my sympathy; but you must remember that I am engaged in the investigation of enormous religious and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/you-may-trust-to-the-truth-of-my-sympathy-but-you-must-remember-that/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [And remember, child, that nothing is ever done beautifully, which is done in rivalship; or nobly, which is done in pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/and-remember-child-that-nothing-is-ever-done-beautifully-which-is/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-s-unwise-to-pay-too-much-but-it-s-worse-to-pay-too-little/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The world is full of vulgar Purists, who bring discredit on all selection by the silliness of their choice; and this the more, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-world-is-full-of-vulgar-purists-who-bring-discredit-on-all/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Like other beautiful things in this world, its end (that of a shaft) is to be beautiful; and, in proportion to its beauty, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/like-other-beautiful-things-in-this-world-its-end-that-of-a-shaft-is/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [All are to be men of genius in their degree,--rivulets or rivers, it does not matter, so that the souls be clear and pure;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/all-are-to-be-men-of-genius-in-their-degree-rivulets-or-rivers-it/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The art of drawing which is of more real importance to the human race than that of writing...should be taught to every child just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-art-of-drawing-which-is-of-more-real-importance-to-the-human-race/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) [Explore all 696 John Ruskin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) ## More Done quotes > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. 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The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forcing modern speakers of English to not - whoops, not to split an infinitive because it isn't done in Latin makes about as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/forcing-modern-speakers-of-english-to-not-whoops-not-to-split-an/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. 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