--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: True greatness is measured by how much…" description: "\"True greatness is measured by how much freedom you give to others, not by how much you can coerce others to do what you want.\" — Larry Wall" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/larry-wall-1576_freedom_true-greatness-is-measured-by-how-much-f_1436161.png" --- # True greatness is measured by how much freedom you give to… ![“True greatness is measured by how much freedom you give to others, not by how much you can coerce others to do what you want.” quote by Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/larry-wall-1576_freedom_true-greatness-is-measured-by-how-much-f_1436161.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/larry-wall-1576_freedom_true-greatness-is-measured-by-how-much-f_1436161.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/larry-wall-1576_freedom_true-greatness-is-measured-by-how-much-f_1436161.png) > “True greatness is measured by how much freedom you give to others, not by how much you can coerce others to do what you want.” [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greatness is shown by granting freedom to others rather than forcing compliance. **In simple terms:** True greatness is giving freedom, not imposing will. Key Takeaway Empower others. Themes leadership freedom ethics Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - team management - open source - education - mentership Key Concepts autonomy empowerment Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure freedom doesn’t become anarchy? - What boundaries are necessary when empowering others? A Different Perspective People may misuse granted freedom, causing chaos. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [True greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-greatness/) [What you want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-you-want/) ## Related quotes > [True greatness is not measured by the headlines a person commands or the wealth he or she accumulates. The inner character of a person-the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/true-greatness-is-not-measured-by-the-headlines-a-person-commands-or/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“True greatness is measured by whether or not a man fulfils his purpose on earth. True greatness is not about money or fame. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-ogedegbe/true-greatness-is-measured-by-whether-or-not-a-man-fulfils-his/) [CLEMENT OGEDEGBE](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-ogedegbe/) > [A wholesome regard for the memory of the great men of long ago is the best assurance to a people of a continuation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/a-wholesome-regard-for-the-memory-of-the-great-men-of-long-ago-is-the/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [“Greatness is measured by how much you believe”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myron-stenzel/greatness-is-measured-by-how-much-you-believe/) Myron Stenzel > [It has been said that a country’s greatness can be measured by what it does for its unfortunates. By that criterion Canada certainly does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-douglas/it-has-been-said-that-a-country-s-greatness-can-be-measured-by-what/) [Tommy Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-douglas/) > [Your greatness is measured by your kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-h-boetcker/your-greatness-is-measured-by-your-kindness/) [William J. H. Boetcker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-h-boetcker/) > [A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-nation-s-greatness-is-measured-by-how-it-treats-its-weakest-members/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the opposition he or she has overcome to reach his goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-height/greatness-is-not-measured-by-what-a-man-or-woman-accomplishes-but-by/) [Dorothy Height](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-height/) > [“Greatness is measured not in your achievements but in the things you have overcome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-michaels/greatness-is-measured-not-in-your-achievements-but-in-the-things-you/) Kevin Michaels > [A nation's greatness is measured not just by its gross national product or military power, but by the strength of its devotion to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/a-nation-s-greatness-is-measured-not-just-by-its-gross-national/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“Greatness must be measured by the transfer of success to future generations”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mlungisi-simelane/greatness-must-be-measured-by-the-transfer-of-success-to-future/) [Mlungisi Simelane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mlungisi-simelane/) > [“Greatness is measured by those who like to think. Success is measured by those who like to receive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-george-smithers/greatness-is-measured-by-those-who-like-to-think-success-is-measured/) Christopher George Smithers > [The character of greatness must be measured in two ways, else the measurement is flawed. First, and by far most popular of all, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-finley/the-character-of-greatness-must-be-measured-in-two-ways-else-the/) [Guy Finley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-finley/) > [America's greatness rests on far more than the power of our arms. Our greatness is also measured by our goodness, it's in the capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/america-s-greatness-rests-on-far-more-than-the-power-of-our-arms-our/) [Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/) > [Your greatness is measured by your horizons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/your-greatness-is-measured-by-your-horizons/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) ## More by Larry Wall > [Not that I have anything much against redundancy. But I said that already.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/not-that-i-have-anything-much-against-redundancy-but-i-said-that/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Perhaps you should compile your Perl with long doubles one of these megaseconds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/perhaps-you-should-compile-your-perl-with-long-doubles-one-of-these/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Take Lisp, you know its the most beautiful language in the world -- at least up until Haskell came along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/take-lisp-you-know-its-the-most-beautiful-language-in-the-world-at/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [I'm reminded of the day my daughter came in, looked over my shoulder at some Perl 4 code, and said, 'What is that, swearing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/i-m-reminded-of-the-day-my-daughter-came-in-looked-over-my-shoulder/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Yes, but I did manage to increase the amount of virginity in the world by that method.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/yes-but-i-did-manage-to-increase-the-amount-of-virginity-in-the-world/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [I won't mention any names, because I don't want to get sun4's into trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/i-won-t-mention-any-names-because-i-don-t-want-to-get-sun4-s-into/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [And besides, if Perl really takes off in the Windows space, I think the rest of us would just as soon have a double-agent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/and-besides-if-perl-really-takes-off-in-the-windows-space-i-think-the/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [In general, they do what you want, unless you want consistency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/in-general-they-do-what-you-want-unless-you-want-consistency/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [I suppose you could switch grammars once you've seen 'use strict subs'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/i-suppose-you-could-switch-grammars-once-you-ve-seen-use-strict-subs/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [While I have historically been a late worker, you know, sometimes I even like to get up early and see what's happened in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/while-i-have-historically-been-a-late-worker-you-know-sometimes-i/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [All language designers are arrogant. Goes with the territory...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/all-language-designers-are-arrogant-goes-with-the-territory/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Perl has a long tradition of working around compilers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/perl-has-a-long-tradition-of-working-around-compilers/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Part of language design is perturbing the proposed feature in various directions to see how it might generalize in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/part-of-language-design-is-perturbing-the-proposed-feature-in-various/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [We can debug relationships, but it's always good policy to consider the people themselves to be features. People get annoyed when you try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/we-can-debug-relationships-but-it-s-always-good-policy-to-consider/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [The whole intent of Perl 5's module system was to encourage the growth of Perl culture rather than the Perl core.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/the-whole-intent-of-perl-5-s-module-system-was-to-encourage-the/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) [Explore all 226 Larry Wall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) ## More Freedom quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“No one was more surprised than I to realize that my newfound freedom had been purchased by giving up on eternity and settling for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jessop/no-one-was-more-surprised-than-i-to-realize-that-my-newfound-freedom/) [Carolyn Jessop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jessop/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“In any case, white people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-any-case-white-people-who-had-robbed-black-people-of-their-liberty/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [“It breaks my heart. Better than your words, your eye tells me all your peril. You are not yet free, you still search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-breaks-my-heart-better-than-your-words-your-eye-tells-me-all-your/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) [Browse all 30,110 Freedom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "True greatness is measured by how much freedom you give to others, not by how much you can coerce others to do what you want.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Larry Wall" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/true-greatness-is-measured-by-how-much-freedom-you-give-to-others-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Freedom" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/true-greatness-is-measured-by-how-much-freedom-you-give-to-others-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/larry-wall-1576_freedom_true-greatness-is-measured-by-how-much-f_1436161.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/larry-wall-1576_freedom_true-greatness-is-measured-by-how-much-f_1436161.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/larry-wall-1576_freedom_true-greatness-is-measured-by-how-much-f_1436161.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“True greatness is measured by how much freedom you give to others, not by how much you can coerce others to…” — Larry Wall", "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": "Larry Wall", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "True greatness is measured by how...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/true-greatness-is-measured-by-how-much-freedom-you-give-to-others-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/true-greatness-is-measured-by-how-much-freedom-you-give-to-others-not/#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 } } ] } ```