--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not easy to be crafty and winsome…" description: "\"It is not easy to be crafty and winsome at the same time, and few accomplish it after the age of six.\" — John W. Gardner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adf/john-w-gardner-7687_accomplish_it-is-not-easy-to-be-crafty-and-winsome_1535091.jpg" --- # It is not easy to be crafty and winsome at the same time… ![“It is not easy to be crafty and winsome at the same time, and few accomplish it after the age of six.” quote by John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adf/john-w-gardner-7687_accomplish_it-is-not-easy-to-be-crafty-and-winsome_1535091.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adf/john-w-gardner-7687_accomplish_it-is-not-easy-to-be-crafty-and-winsome_1535091.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adf/john-w-gardner-7687_accomplish_it-is-not-easy-to-be-crafty-and-winsome_1535091.jpg) > “It is not easy to be crafty and winsome at the same time, and few accomplish it after the age of six.” [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing charm and cleverness is difficult, especially after childhood, and few succeed in both. **In simple terms:** Being both clever and likable is rare after age six. Key Takeaway Cultivate either skill, but accept limits. Themes personality skill age balance Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice observational When to use this quote - career networking - social events - leadership training Key Concepts social intelligence self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - Can you be both witty and sincere? - Which trait serves you better now? A Different Perspective People may value one trait over the other, limiting dual mastery. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accomplish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplish/) [Accomplish Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplish-age-5704896/) [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Crafty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafty/) [Crafty Winsome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafty-winsome-5704895/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Easy Crafty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy-crafty-5704898/) [Six](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/six/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Winsome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winsome/) [Winsome Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winsome-time-5704897/) ## Related quotes > [Writing well isn't just a question of winsome expression, but of having found something big and true to say and having found the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gopnik/writing-well-isn-t-just-a-question-of-winsome-expression-but-of/) [Adam Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gopnik/) > [We carry adolescence around in our bodies all our lives. We get through the Car Crash Age alive and cruise through our early twenties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/we-carry-adolescence-around-in-our-bodies-all-our-lives-we-get/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [There is to the poetical sense a ravishing prophecy and winsome intimation in flowers that now and then, from the influence of mood of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-theodore-tuckerman/there-is-to-the-poetical-sense-a-ravishing-prophecy-and-winsome/) [Henry Theodore Tuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-theodore-tuckerman/) > [The blessed and inviting truth is that God is the most winsome of all beings and in our worship of Him we should find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-blessed-and-inviting-truth-is-that-god-is-the-most-winsome-of-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [God has ordained that our preaching become deeper and more winsome as we are broken, humbled, and made low and desperately dependent on grace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/god-has-ordained-that-our-preaching-become-deeper-and-more-winsome-as/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Dastardly devious, cleverly conceived, and just a whole lot of fun to read, DEATH PERCEPTION is Lee Allen Howard on fire and at his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnzen/dastardly-devious-cleverly-conceived-and-just-a-whole-lot-of-fun-to/) [Michael Arnzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arnzen/) > [Let your life yield a sweet, winsome melody that this old world needs so desperately. Yes you can if you will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/let-your-life-yield-a-sweet-winsome-melody-that-this-old-world-needs/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [Mark it down: God loves you with an unearthly love. You can't win it by being winsome. You can't lose it by being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/mark-it-down-god-loves-you-with-an-unearthly-love-you-can-t-win-it-by/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [If you want to win some, you have to be winsome - be nice, be friendly and then appropriately apply the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-laurie/if-you-want-to-win-some-you-have-to-be-winsome-be-nice-be-friendly/) [Greg Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-laurie/) > [She is a winsome wee thing, She is a handsome wee thing, She is a bonny wee thing, This sweet wee wife o' mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/she-is-a-winsome-wee-thing-she-is-a-handsome-wee-thing-she-is-a-bonny/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [A big 'thank you' to George Demetrion for helping readers see that the center does hold. A wise and winsome work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-fackre/a-big-thank-you-to-george-demetrion-for-helping-readers-see-that-the/) [Gabriel Fackre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-fackre/) > [In the Bible there are three distinctive meanings of grace; It means the mercy and active love of God; It means the winsome attractiveness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-l-allen/in-the-bible-there-are-three-distinctive-meanings-of-grace-it-means/) [Charles L. Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-l-allen/) > [when the German propaganda tries to be winsome it is like a clown with homicidal mania - ludicrous and terrifying both at once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-townsend-warner/when-the-german-propaganda-tries-to-be-winsome-it-is-like-a-clown/) [Sylvia Townsend Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-townsend-warner/) > [History, as I recall, was never this winsome, and especially not this clean, but the real thing would never sell: most people prefer a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/history-as-i-recall-was-never-this-winsome-and-especially-not-this/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [A lot of times when songwriters get together and write a song... somebody will come in with a hook and a lot of times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-jackson/a-lot-of-times-when-songwriters-get-together-and-write-a-song/) [Alan Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-jackson/) ## More by John W. 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Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [Some people have greatness thrust upon them. Few have excellence thrust upon them ... They achieve it. They do not achieve it unwittingly by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/some-people-have-greatness-thrust-upon-them-few-have-excellence/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [Leaders come in many forms, with many styles and diverse qualities. There are quiet leaders and leaders one can hear in the next county.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/leaders-come-in-many-forms-with-many-styles-and-diverse-qualities/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [The ultimate goal of the educational system is to shift to the individual the burden of pursuing his education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/the-ultimate-goal-of-the-educational-system-is-to-shift-to-the/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [The first and last task of aleader is to keep hope alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/the-first-and-last-task-of-aleader-is-to-keep-hope-alive/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [An excellent plumber is infinitely more admirable than an incompetent philosopher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/an-excellent-plumber-is-infinitely-more-admirable-than-an-incompetent/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [There is no learning without some difficulty and fumbling. If you want to keep on learning, you must keep on risking failure-all your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/there-is-no-learning-without-some-difficulty-and-fumbling-if-you-want/) [John W. 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