---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Any man of reasonable intelligence can…"
description: "\"Any man of reasonable intelligence can make money if that's what he wants. Mostly it's women or clothes or admiration he really wants and they deflect ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/john-steinbeck-71_admiration_any-man-of-reasonable-intelligence-can-m_1687922.jpg"
---

#  Any man of reasonable intelligence can make money if…

![“Any man of reasonable intelligence can make money if that's what he wants. Mostly it's women or clothes or admiration he really wants and they deflect him.” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/john-steinbeck-71_admiration_any-man-of-reasonable-intelligence-can-m_1687922.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/john-steinbeck-71_admiration_any-man-of-reasonable-intelligence-can-m_1687922.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/john-steinbeck-71_admiration_any-man-of-reasonable-intelligence-can-m_1687922.jpg)

> “Any man of reasonable intelligence can make money if that's what he wants. Mostly it's women or clothes or admiration he really wants and they deflect him.”

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People often think money is the goal, but deeper desires like love, status, or material comforts drive them, and money becomes a means to those ends.

**In simple terms:** Money is a tool for deeper desires.

Key Takeaway

Identify true motivations beyond wealth.

Themes

materialism motivation selfawareness

Mood

reflective analytical

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- career planning
- relationship decisions
- budgeting
- personal development

Key Concepts

psychology human needs maslow's hierarchy

Questions to Reflect On

- What do you truly seek beyond financial success?
- How might recognizing deeper motives change your goals?

A Different Perspective

Focusing solely on money can ignore emotional fulfillment.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Admiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admiration/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Clothes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothes/) [Making money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-money/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/)

## Related quotes

> [We're in this business to make money, but then nobody wants to talk about how much money we're making. That's serious, but nobody will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-nelson/we-re-in-this-business-to-make-money-but-then-nobody-wants-to-talk/)

[Roy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-nelson/)

> [My father was always slightly bemused by my success. Although he knew that I had reasonable intelligence, he always thought that I was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-wogan/my-father-was-always-slightly-bemused-by-my-success-although-he-knew/)

[Terry Wogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-wogan/)

> [“If you see somebody with even reasonable intelligence and a terrific passion for what they do and who can get people around them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/if-you-see-somebody-with-even-reasonable-intelligence-and-a-terrific/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [“And it's not my fault that I have a penchant for good breeding, reasonable intelligence, and passable personal hygiene, not necessarily in that order.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/and-it-s-not-my-fault-that-i-have-a-penchant-for-good-breeding/)

[Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/)

> [They thought that I was a man with reasonable judgment, so I was never under pressure from my parents; I could do whatever I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/they-thought-that-i-was-a-man-with-reasonable-judgment-so-i-was-never/)

[Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/)

> [“I am glad that at such a moment my young man turned out to be not so reasonable; the time will come for an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-am-glad-that-at-such-a-moment-my-young-man-turned-out-to-be-not-so/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [Man, being made reasonable, and so a thinking creature, there is nothing more worthy of his being than the right direction and employment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/man-being-made-reasonable-and-so-a-thinking-creature-there-is-nothing/)

[William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/)

> [No man can have a reasonable opinion of women until he has long lost interest in hair-restorers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/no-man-can-have-a-reasonable-opinion-of-women-until-he-has-long-lost/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

> [Man, being reasonable, must get drunk; the best of life is but intoxication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/man-being-reasonable-must-get-drunk-the-best-of-life-is-but/)

[Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/)

> [“Do you want to kill his love for you? What sort of existence will he have if you rob him of the fruits of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/do-you-want-to-kill-his-love-for-you-what-sort-of-existence-will-he/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [A woman wants to be what other women could not be and men want to be what other man cannot be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-wade/a-woman-wants-to-be-what-other-women-could-not-be-and-men-want-to-be/)

[Elijah Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-wade/)

> [I think that the audience wants to see women being put into real situations where they can relate to them, rather than seeing some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-camp/i-think-that-the-audience-wants-to-see-women-being-put-into-real/)

[Anna Camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-camp/)

> [“Yeah,” Lopen added. “Drehy likes other guys. That’s like … he wants to be even less around women than the rest of us. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/yeah-lopen-added-drehy-likes-other-guys-that-s-like-he-wants-to-be/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [Men are taught how to be what a woman wants and women are taught how to be what a man wants, therefore, people end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/men-are-taught-how-to-be-what-a-woman-wants-and-women-are-taught-how/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Men are taught how to be what a woman wants and women are taught how to be what a man wants, therefore, people end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/men-are-taught-how-to-be-what-a-woman-wants-and-women-are-taught-how-2/)

[C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/)

## More by John Steinbeck

> [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [Prayer never brought in no side-meat. Takes a shoat to bring in pork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/prayer-never-brought-in-no-side-meat-takes-a-shoat-to-bring-in-pork/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“And now submarines are armed with mass murder, our silly, only way of deterring mass murder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/and-now-submarines-are-armed-with-mass-murder-our-silly-only-way-of/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“I’d think there are degrees of greatness,” Adam said. “I don’t think so,” said Samuel. “That would be like saying there is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-d-think-there-are-degrees-of-greatness-adam-said-i-don-t-think-so/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“He was forever inventing a new way of doing an old thing and doing it better and quicker, but he never in his whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/he-was-forever-inventing-a-new-way-of-doing-an-old-thing-and-doing-it/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“You come back a changed man. Samuel, you don’t change him. He changes you. I can see the look of him in your face.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/you-come-back-a-changed-man-samuel-you-don-t-change-him-he-changes/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [I find out of long experience that I admire all nations and hate all governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-find-out-of-long-experience-that-i-admire-all-nations-and-hate-all/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [At about 10 o'clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows and in and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/at-about-10-o-clock-in-the-morning-the-sun-threw-a-bright-dust-laden/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“Who in his mind has not probe the dark water?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/who-in-his-mind-has-not-probe-the-dark-water/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [Sometimes, a lie is told in kindness. I don't believe it ever works kindly. The quick pain of truth can pass away, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/sometimes-a-lie-is-told-in-kindness-i-don-t-believe-it-ever-works/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [People like you to be something, preferably what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/people-like-you-to-be-something-preferably-what-they-are/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“Suddenly he knew joy and sorrow felted into one fabric. Courage and fear were one thing too. He found that he had started to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/suddenly-he-knew-joy-and-sorrow-felted-into-one-fabric-courage-and/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [I am writing this from what we Americans call Yurrp. In Yurrp writers are taken as seriously as Lana Turner's legs are in America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-am-writing-this-from-what-we-americans-call-yurrp-in-yurrp-writers/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [I write because I like to write. I find joy in the texture and tone and rhythm of words. It is a satisfaction like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-write-because-i-like-to-write-i-find-joy-in-the-texture-and-tone/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

[Explore all 1,589 John Steinbeck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

## More Admiration quotes

> [I have tremendous admiration for companies with the kind of pioneering spirit and innovation eBay has demonstrated from day one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-hammer/i-have-tremendous-admiration-for-companies-with-the-kind-of/)

[Bonnie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-hammer/)

> [The older you've gotten, the more respect and admiration you've received.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jupp-heynckes/the-older-you-ve-gotten-the-more-respect-and-admiration-you-ve/)

[Jupp Heynckes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jupp-heynckes/)

> [I still don't feel I know Hitchcock at all. I find that the more one looks, the more elusive he becomes. But my admiration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-jones/i-still-don-t-feel-i-know-hitchcock-at-all-i-find-that-the-more-one/)

[Toby Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-jones/)

> [“There have been those among us who have been so dazzled by the might and technological wizardy of Europe that they have been rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahdaf-soueif/there-have-been-those-among-us-who-have-been-so-dazzled-by-the-might/)

[Ahdaf Soueif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahdaf-soueif/)

> [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Humor is the opposite of all self-admiration and self-praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/humor-is-the-opposite-of-all-self-admiration-and-self-praise/)

[Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/)

> [“A warm, trustworthy person who is also strong elicits admiration, but only after you’ve established trust does your strength become a gift rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-cuddy/a-warm-trustworthy-person-who-is-also-strong-elicits-admiration-but/)

[Amy Cuddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-cuddy/)

> [The book it reminded me of most is Henry Miller’s The Books in My Life. Like Miller, Shields manages to convey his affection for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-alexis/the-book-it-reminded-me-of-most-is-henry-miller-s-the-books-in-my/)

[Andre Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-alexis/)

> [... we need to interrogate "reverence," for idolization can be another way one is objectified and not really taken seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/we-need-to-interrogate-reverence-for-idolization-can-be-another-way/)

[Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

> [It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-may-be-important-to-great-thinkers-to-examine-the-world-to-explain/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [“There must be a reason to smile, Miss François. Will you supply one?" It was Daisy's turn to stare. For a long moment they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-jo-wright/there-must-be-a-reason-to-smile-miss-fran-ois-will-you-supply-one-it/)

[Jaime Jo Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-jo-wright/)

> [“Let me make two remarks. First I concentrate on the task ahead for 2016. I’m quite busy with that—thank you very much. And I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-clark/let-me-make-two-remarks-first-i-concentrate-on-the-task-ahead-for/)

[Claudia Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-clark/)

> [The holiness of the church means that life, as well as truth, marks Christ’s church; the behavior of Christians in the world must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-clowney/the-holiness-of-the-church-means-that-life-as-well-as-truth-marks/)

[Edmund Clowney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-clowney/)

> [Admittedly great though these reasons be, they are not the principal grounds, that is, those which may rightfully claim for themselves the privilege of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-pico-della-mirandola/admittedly-great-though-these-reasons-be-they-are-not-the-principal/)

[Giovanni Pico della Mirandola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-pico-della-mirandola/)

> [Doctor Who' is a great part and I grew up with the series, but I've never done anything more than express my admiration for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/doctor-who-is-a-great-part-and-i-grew-up-with-the-series-but-i-ve/)

[Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/)

[Browse all 1,179 Admiration quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admiration/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Any man of reasonable intelligence can make money if that's what he wants. Mostly it's women or clothes or admiration he really wants and they deflect him.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Steinbeck"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/any-man-of-reasonable-intelligence-can-make-money-if-that-s-what-he/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Admiration"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/any-man-of-reasonable-intelligence-can-make-money-if-that-s-what-he/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/john-steinbeck-71_admiration_any-man-of-reasonable-intelligence-can-m_1687922.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/john-steinbeck-71_admiration_any-man-of-reasonable-intelligence-can-m_1687922.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/john-steinbeck-71_admiration_any-man-of-reasonable-intelligence-can-m_1687922.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Any man of reasonable intelligence can make money if that's what he wants. Mostly it's women or clothes or…” — John Steinbeck",
                "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 Steinbeck",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Any man of reasonable intelligence can...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/any-man-of-reasonable-intelligence-can-make-money-if-that-s-what-he/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/any-man-of-reasonable-intelligence-can-make-money-if-that-s-what-he/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
