--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men are men before they are lawyers, or…" description: "\"Men are men before they are lawyers, or physicians, or merchants, or manufacturers; and if you make them capable and sensible men, they will make thems..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/john-stuart-mill-477_capable_men-are-men-before-they-are-lawyers-or-p_3157431.png" --- # Men are men before they are lawyers, or physicians, or… ![“Men are men before they are lawyers, or physicians, or merchants, or manufacturers; and if you make them capable and sensible men, they will make themselves capable and sensible lawyers or physicians.” quote by John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/john-stuart-mill-477_capable_men-are-men-before-they-are-lawyers-or-p_3157431.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/john-stuart-mill-477_capable_men-are-men-before-they-are-lawyers-or-p_3157431.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/john-stuart-mill-477_capable_men-are-men-before-they-are-lawyers-or-p_3157431.png) > “Men are men before they are lawyers, or physicians, or merchants, or manufacturers; and if you make them capable and sensible men, they will make themselves capable and sensible lawyers or physicians.” [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People’s innate character shapes their professions; when given the chance, they will develop competence in any field. **In simple terms:** People become good at jobs when they’re allowed to grow as individuals. Key Takeaway Cultivate character before specialization. Themes character development profession education Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - career counseling - team building - leadership training Key Concepts human nature self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What role does character play in career success? - How can institutions foster personal growth? A Different Perspective Some may lack opportunities to develop character. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capable/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Lawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyer/) [Lawyers Physicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyers-physicians-5693512/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Are Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-are-men/) [Men Lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-lawyers-3468597/) [Men Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-make/) [Merchants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merchants/) [Physicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physicians/) [Sensible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensible/) [Sensible Lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensible-lawyers-5693511/) [Sensible Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensible-men-954335/) ## Related quotes > [Lawyers and physicians are an ill provision for any country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/lawyers-and-physicians-are-an-ill-provision-for-any-country/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [I represented a man on death row whose lawyers had spent all of eight hours looking into his claim of innocence. I met men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/i-represented-a-man-on-death-row-whose-lawyers-had-spent-all-of-eight/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [To sensible men, every day is a day of reckoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/to-sensible-men-every-day-is-a-day-of-reckoning/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [I see that sensible men and conscientious men all over the world were of one religion of well-doing and daring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-see-that-sensible-men-and-conscientious-men-all-over-the-world-were-2/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [When we are in the company of sensible men, we ought to be doubly cautious of talking too much, lest we lose two good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/when-we-are-in-the-company-of-sensible-men-we-ought-to-be-doubly/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Sensible men no longer belive in miracles; they were invented by priests to humbug the peasants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfonso-x-of-castile/sensible-men-no-longer-belive-in-miracles-they-were-invented-by/) [Alfonso X of Castile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfonso-x-of-castile/) > [Every blue-stocking will remain a spinster as long as there are sensible men on the earth. \[Fr., Toute fille lettree restera fille toute sa…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/every-blue-stocking-will-remain-a-spinster-as-long-as-there-are/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“Reasonable, sensible men can always make a reasonable scheme appear such to other reasonable men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/reasonable-sensible-men-can-always-make-a-reasonable-scheme-appear/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [As for that," said Waldenshare, "sensible men are all of the same religion." "Pray, what is that?" inquired the Prince. "Sensible men never tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/as-for-that-said-waldenshare-sensible-men-are-all-of-the-same/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [A single seed of fact will produce in a season or two a harvest of calumnies; but sensible men will pay no attention to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/a-single-seed-of-fact-will-produce-in-a-season-or-two-a-harvest-of/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [I see that sensible men and conscientious men all over the world were of one religion, -- the religion of well-doing and daring, men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-see-that-sensible-men-and-conscientious-men-all-over-the-world-were/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If you wish information and improvement from the knowledge of others, and yet at the same time express yourself as firmly fix'd in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/if-you-wish-information-and-improvement-from-the-knowledge-of-others/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Sensible men are all of the same religion. Religious sentiments cannot be stirred up within righteous people of any religion for instigating them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-amit-abraham/sensible-men-are-all-of-the-same-religion-religious-sentiments-cannot/) [Dr. Amit Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-amit-abraham/) > [There is nothing by which men display their character so much as in what they consider ridiculous... Fools and sensible men are equally innocuous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/there-is-nothing-by-which-men-display-their-character-so-much-as-in/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [All sensible men are of the same religion, but no sensible man ever tells.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/all-sensible-men-are-of-the-same-religion-but-no-sensible-man-ever/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) ## More by John Stuart Mill > [The average condition of the people improving or deteriorating, depends upon whether population is advancing faster than improvement, or improvement than population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-average-condition-of-the-people-improving-or-deteriorating/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Liberty lies in the rights of that person whose views you find most odious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/liberty-lies-in-the-rights-of-that-person-whose-views-you-find-most/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Truth emerges from the clash of adverse ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/truth-emerges-from-the-clash-of-adverse-ideas/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“No longer enslaved or made dependent by force of law, the great majority are so by force of poverty; they are still chained to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/no-longer-enslaved-or-made-dependent-by-force-of-law-the-great/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [All acts suppose certain dispositions, and habits of mind and heart, which may be in themselves states of enjoyment or of wretchedness, and which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/all-acts-suppose-certain-dispositions-and-habits-of-mind-and-heart/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Unfortunately for the good sense of mankind, the fact of their fallibility is far from carrying the weight in their practical judgement, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/unfortunately-for-the-good-sense-of-mankind-the-fact-of-their/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“In history, as in traveling, men usually see only what they already had in their own minds; and few learn much from history, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/in-history-as-in-traveling-men-usually-see-only-what-they-already-had/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [All errors which a man is likely to commit against advice are far outweighed by the evil of allowing others to constrain him for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/all-errors-which-a-man-is-likely-to-commit-against-advice-are-far/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Every great movement must experience three stages: ridicule, discussion, adoption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/every-great-movement-must-experience-three-stages-ridicule-discussion/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [The successful conduct of an industrial enterprise requires two quite distinct qualifications: fidelity and zeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-successful-conduct-of-an-industrial-enterprise-requires-two-quite/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [ “\[For people\] to refuse a hearing to an opinion, because they are sure that it is false, is to assume that their certainty is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/for-people-to-refuse-a-hearing-to-an-opinion-because-they-are-sure/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [This is what writers mean when they say that the notion of cause involves the idea of necessity. If there be any meaning which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/this-is-what-writers-mean-when-they-say-that-the-notion-of-cause/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“Protection, therefore, against tyranny of the magistrate is not enough: there needs protection also against the tyranny of the prevailing opinion and feeling; against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/protection-therefore-against-tyranny-of-the-magistrate-is-not-enough/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Landlords grow rich in their sleep without working, risking or economizing. The increase in the value of land, arising as it does from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/landlords-grow-rich-in-their-sleep-without-working-risking-or/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [There is one characteristic of the present direction of public opinion, peculiarly calculated to make it intolerant of any marked demonstration of individuality. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/there-is-one-characteristic-of-the-present-direction-of-public/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) [Explore all 524 John Stuart Mill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) ## More Capable quotes > [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/) [Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/) > [Everybody is different. Some writers can write reams of great books and then J. D. Salinger wrote just a few. Beethoven wrote nine symphonies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/everybody-is-different-some-writers-can-write-reams-of-great-books/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [People are capable of great, great change during the span of one lifetime. And women even more than men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/people-are-capable-of-great-great-change-during-the-span-of-one/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [But, outside of being a sweet little girl, she was awfully dumb and capable of doing horrible things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/but-outside-of-being-a-sweet-little-girl-she-was-awfully-dumb-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I was terrible student. I was capable, but I never like being told what to do, so I was always in the bottom class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lilley/i-was-terrible-student-i-was-capable-but-i-never-like-being-told-what/) [Chris Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lilley/) > [Not everyone is capable of madness; and of those lucky enough to be capable, not many have the courage for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/not-everyone-is-capable-of-madness-and-of-those-lucky-enough-to-be/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [ \[The Community's\] crosses and trials give me confidence. But I derive my hope above all, and most especially, from our utter incapacity, for it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-guerin/the-community-s-crosses-and-trials-give-me-confidence-but-i-derive-my/) [Theodore Guerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-guerin/) > [The mathematical facts worthy of being studied are those which, by their analogy with other facts, are capable of leading us to the knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/the-mathematical-facts-worthy-of-being-studied-are-those-which-by/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [“If you not yet try How to know you can or not?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sopharat/if-you-not-yet-try-how-to-know-you-can-or-not/) [Sopharat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sopharat/) > [I'm attracted to the garden, without a doubt, but I always try and image the wolf that's there, too. And that wolf would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-light/i-m-attracted-to-the-garden-without-a-doubt-but-i-always-try-and/) [Michael Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-light/) > [A man, as a man, could arrive at all the dignity that a man was capable of obtaining or receiving; but it needed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor/a-man-as-a-man-could-arrive-at-all-the-dignity-that-a-man-was-capable/) [John Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor/) > [Playing is much, much harder than composing in my opinion, becoming a player. If you want to be a player for all your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/playing-is-much-much-harder-than-composing-in-my-opinion-becoming-a/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [How difficult the task to quench the fire and the pride of private ambition, and to sacrifice ourselves and all our hopes and expectations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/how-difficult-the-task-to-quench-the-fire-and-the-pride-of-private/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) [Browse all 3,861 Capable quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capable/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Men are men before they are lawyers, or physicians, or merchants, or manufacturers; and if you make them capable and sensible men, they will make themselves capable and sensible lawyers or physicians.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Stuart Mill" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/men-are-men-before-they-are-lawyers-or-physicians-or-merchants-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Capable" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/men-are-men-before-they-are-lawyers-or-physicians-or-merchants-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/john-stuart-mill-477_capable_men-are-men-before-they-are-lawyers-or-p_3157431.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/john-stuart-mill-477_capable_men-are-men-before-they-are-lawyers-or-p_3157431.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02f/john-stuart-mill-477_capable_men-are-men-before-they-are-lawyers-or-p_3157431.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Men are men before they are lawyers, or physicians, or merchants, or manufacturers; and if you make them…” — John Stuart Mill", "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 Stuart Mill", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Men are men before they are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/men-are-men-before-they-are-lawyers-or-physicians-or-merchants-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/men-are-men-before-they-are-lawyers-or-physicians-or-merchants-or/#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 } } ] } ```