--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Each of us, has inside of us, a basic…" description: "\"“Each of us, has inside of us, a basic decency and goodness. If we listen to it and act on it, we can give a great deal of what it is the world needs m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/jos-n-harris-929_communication_each-of-us-has-inside-of-us-a-basic-dece_492741.jpg" --- # Each of us, has inside of us, a basic decency and… ![“Each of us, has inside of us, a basic decency and goodness. If we listen to it and act on it, we can give a great deal of what it is the world needs most. It's not complicated but it takes courage. It takes courage to listen to our own goodness and act on it.” quote by José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/jos-n-harris-929_communication_each-of-us-has-inside-of-us-a-basic-dece_492741.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/jos-n-harris-929_communication_each-of-us-has-inside-of-us-a-basic-dece_492741.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/jos-n-harris-929_communication_each-of-us-has-inside-of-us-a-basic-dece_492741.jpg) > ““Each of us, has inside of us, a basic decency and goodness. If we listen to it and act on it, we can give a great deal of what it is the world needs most. It's not complicated but it takes courage. It takes courage to listen to our own goodness and act on it.”” [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Everyone has innate goodness; listening to it requires bravery, leading to actions that benefit humanity. **In simple terms:** Goodness needs courage to act. Key Takeaway Listen to inner goodness, act on it. Themes ethics personal growth courage humanity action Mood inspirational thoughtful Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - Volunteering - conflict resolution - personal decision‑making - community service Key Concepts Moral philosophy psychology of altruism Questions to Reflect On - What inner goodness do you ignore? - How can you cultivate courage daily? A Different Perspective Courage can be hindered by fear or social pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Courage Listen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage-listen-1927566/) [Goodness Listen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness-listen-4212223/) [Listen Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listen-goodness-4212222/) [Takes Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/takes-courage/) ## Related quotes > [It takes courage for people to listen to their own goodness and act on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-casals/it-takes-courage-for-people-to-listen-to-their-own-goodness-and-act/) [Pablo Casals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-casals/) > [“It takes courage to listen to your inner knowing … But once you hear that knowing, making a decision becomes fairly easy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-jaworski/it-takes-courage-to-listen-to-your-inner-knowing-but-once-you-hear/) [Joseph Jaworski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-jaworski/) > [“Each of us needs to develop the courage to listen with our whole heart and mind, to give love without asking for thanks in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-novogratz/each-of-us-needs-to-develop-the-courage-to-listen-with-our-whole/) [Jacqueline Novogratz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-novogratz/) > [You're always being led to your highest good, as long as you have the courage to listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-forleo/you-re-always-being-led-to-your-highest-good-as-long-as-you-have-the/) [Marie Forleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-forleo/) > [“And indeed, if we had only the courage to listen to the simplest, the nearest, most pressing voice of our conscience, and be deaf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-maeterlinck/and-indeed-if-we-had-only-the-courage-to-listen-to-the-simplest-the/) [Maurice Maeterlinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-maeterlinck/) > [If you have the strength to speak, you should have the courage to listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/if-you-have-the-strength-to-speak-you-should-have-the-courage-to/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [The arts can open the door to the imagination, pushing the envelope of how peace can be created. It takes courage to take this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-shorter/the-arts-can-open-the-door-to-the-imagination-pushing-the-envelope-of/) [Wayne Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-shorter/) > [It takes courage to pull the ball down and reverse field and do some of the crazy things that Favre and Manziel do. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gruden/it-takes-courage-to-pull-the-ball-down-and-reverse-field-and-do-some/) [Jon Gruden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gruden/) > [“But it takes courage to want things, and to pursue them. Staying numb means you can never be disappointed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarina-bowen/but-it-takes-courage-to-want-things-and-to-pursue-them-staying-numb/) [Sarina Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarina-bowen/) > [“Olive had great courage. 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It can go to the head of a coward as quickly as of a hero. Anyone has the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/fighting-can-be-like-champagne-it-can-go-to-the-head-of-a-coward-as/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) ## More by José N. Harris > [“Muchos de los ángeles de Dios no tienen alas...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/muchos-de-los-ngeles-de-dios-no-tienen-alas/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“The best teacher is experience. Not by copying the answers off the kid sitting next to you...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/the-best-teacher-is-experience-not-by-copying-the-answers-off-the-kid/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Fighting can be like champagne. It can go to the head of a coward as quickly as of a hero. Anyone has the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/fighting-can-be-like-champagne-it-can-go-to-the-head-of-a-coward-as/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Amputees suffer itches, cramps and even severe pains in a leg that is no longer there. It can be the same with love...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/amputees-suffer-itches-cramps-and-even-severe-pains-in-a-leg-that-is/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Make a wish, Open your eyes, Live your dream...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/make-a-wish-open-your-eyes-live-your-dream/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Every woman is a living poem... Most men are limericks!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/every-woman-is-a-living-poem-most-men-are-limericks/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“I AM my Brother's Keeper!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/i-am-my-brother-s-keeper/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Not all scars are visible. Regardless, they are usually painful when you first get them. But with time they might fade or they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/not-all-scars-are-visible-regardless-they-are-usually-painful-when/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“The fastest runners don't always win the race and the greatest heroes don't always win the battles. But just keep running and fighting if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/the-fastest-runners-don-t-always-win-the-race-and-the-greatest-heroes/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“With having a strong faith, no one can snuff out our hope. Shoot me in the head with a gun and my blood will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/with-having-a-strong-faith-no-one-can-snuff-out-our-hope-shoot-me-in/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“There are moments in life, when just the right words, can be as powerful as acts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/there-are-moments-in-life-when-just-the-right-words-can-be-as/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/and-the-king-will-say-i-tell-you-the-truth-when-you-did-it-to-one-of/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Do not say I didn't loved you Do not say that I didn't give you, My love, body and soul. I gave my life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/do-not-say-i-didn-t-loved-you-do-not-say-that-i-didn-t-give-you-my/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Just when you think you know everything you can about a person... surprise!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/just-when-you-think-you-know-everything-you-can-about-a-person/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“To not share a struggle or challenge you overcame is to betray it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/to-not-share-a-struggle-or-challenge-you-overcame-is-to-betray-it/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) [Explore all 321 José N. Harris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [“To engage in dialogue is to serve others via whatever is real inside you; to engage in debate is to ultimately serve the illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/to-engage-in-dialogue-is-to-serve-others-via-whatever-is-real-inside/) [Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/) > [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [In dialogue, there is opposition, yes, but no head-on collision. Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. 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