--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many live by their wits but few by their…" description: "\"Many live by their wits but few by their wit.\" — Laurence J. Peter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/874/laurence-j-peter-2798_humor_many-live-by-their-wits-but-few-by-their_2127895.png" --- # Many live by their wits but few by their wit. ![“Many live by their wits but few by their wit.” quote by Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/874/laurence-j-peter-2798_humor_many-live-by-their-wits-but-few-by-their_2127895.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/874/laurence-j-peter-2798_humor_many-live-by-their-wits-but-few-by-their_2127895.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/874/laurence-j-peter-2798_humor_many-live-by-their-wits-but-few-by-their_2127895.png) > “Many live by their wits but few by their wit.” [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) ## 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 rely on cleverness, but true wisdom comes from deeper insight, not just quick thinking. **In simple terms:** Wits vs. wit distinction. Key Takeaway Seek deeper insight over cleverness. Themes wisdom intelligence self‑awareness humility Mood thoughtful analytical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career decisions - education - problem solving - leadership Key Concepts cognition philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate wit from wisdom? - When does cleverness hinder understanding? A Different Perspective Wit can be superficial without depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live/) [Live by](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-by/) [Live Wits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-wits-4372397/) [Wit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wit/) [Wits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wits/) [Wits Wit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wits-wit-562665/) [Witty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witty/) ## Related quotes > [Many would live by their Wits, but break for want of Stock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/many-would-live-by-their-wits-but-break-for-want-of-stock/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [We were trained to live by our wits, in any circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stephenson/we-were-trained-to-live-by-our-wits-in-any-circumstance/) [William Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stephenson/) > [A man can live on his wits and his balls for only so long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/a-man-can-live-on-his-wits-and-his-balls-for-only-so-long/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [ This man \[Chesterfield\], I thought, had been a Lord among wits; but I find he is only a wit among Lords. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/this-man-chesterfield-i-thought-had-been-a-lord-among-wits-but-i-find/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Two negatives don't make a positive, any more than two half-wits make a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-kinnock/two-negatives-don-t-make-a-positive-any-more-than-two-half-wits-make/) [Neil Kinnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-kinnock/) > [Muster your wits; stand in your own defence...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/muster-your-wits-stand-in-your-own-defence/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Evidently, quality of wits is more important than quantity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudius/evidently-quality-of-wits-is-more-important-than-quantity/) [Claudius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudius/) > [What are wits for unless a man uses them?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellis-peters/what-are-wits-for-unless-a-man-uses-them/) [Ellis Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellis-peters/) > [City wits, country humorists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/city-wits-country-humorists/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [If you are going to try and change things, you had better have your wits about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/if-you-are-going-to-try-and-change-things-you-had-better-have-your/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [I assure you, you will never survive on your wits alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/i-assure-you-you-will-never-survive-on-your-wits-alone/) [LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/) > [Watch your step. Keep your wits about you; you will need them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-faber/watch-your-step-keep-your-wits-about-you-you-will-need-them/) [Michel Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-faber/) > [If we did not know all His retorts by heart, if we had not taken the sting out of them by incessant repetition in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/if-we-did-not-know-all-his-retorts-by-heart-if-we-had-not-taken-the/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [The finest wits have their sediment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-finest-wits-have-their-sediment/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [That's what cricket's all about: two batsmen pitting their wits against one another](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-trueman/that-s-what-cricket-s-all-about-two-batsmen-pitting-their-wits/) [Fred Trueman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-trueman/) ## More by Laurence J. Peter > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [It is wise to remember that you are one of those who can be fooled some of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/it-is-wise-to-remember-that-you-are-one-of-those-who-can-be-fooled/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Everyone rises to their level of incompetence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/everyone-rises-to-their-level-of-incompetence/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Give a child enough rope and he will trip you up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/give-a-child-enough-rope-and-he-will-trip-you-up/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Incompetence plus incompetence equals incompetence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/incompetence-plus-incompetence-equals-incompetence/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [He laughs best whose laugh lasts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/he-laughs-best-whose-laugh-lasts/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [The best intelligence test is what we do with our leisure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-best-intelligence-test-is-what-we-do-with-our-leisure/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [A man convinced against his will is not convinced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/a-man-convinced-against-his-will-is-not-convinced/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Bore : A fellow who can change the subject back to his topic of conversation faster than you can change it back to yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/bore-a-fellow-who-can-change-the-subject-back-to-his-topic-of/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Men now monopolize the upper levels... depriving women of their rightful share of opportunities for incompetence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/men-now-monopolize-the-upper-levels-depriving-women-of-their-rightful/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [An optimist is one who makes the best of it when he gets the worst of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/an-optimist-is-one-who-makes-the-best-of-it-when-he-gets-the-worst-of/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [The seaman tells stories of winds, the ploughman of bulls; the soldier details his wounds, the shepherd his sheep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-seaman-tells-stories-of-winds-the-ploughman-of-bulls-the-soldier/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Nobody can be perfect unless he admits his faults, but if he has faults how can he be perfect?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/nobody-can-be-perfect-unless-he-admits-his-faults-but-if-he-has/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell, and advertise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/early-to-bed-early-to-rise-work-like-hell-and-advertise/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) [Explore all 148 Laurence J. Peter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) ## More Humor quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [In my opinion, sexiness comes down to three things: chemistry, sense of humor, and treatment of waitstaff at restaurants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhoda-janzen/in-my-opinion-sexiness-comes-down-to-three-things-chemistry-sense-of/) [Rhoda Janzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhoda-janzen/) > [“...I haven't guessed where your shirt is from yet Bane, but I don't think it'll matter once it's underwater!' Tristan looked at Bane questioningly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-k-munt/i-haven-t-guessed-where-your-shirt-is-from-yet-bane-but-i-don-t-think/) [S.K. Munt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-k-munt/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [“Not wise, perhaps, to be rude to the Pope's favorite son, but my viper tongue still required a fool now and then on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/not-wise-perhaps-to-be-rude-to-the-pope-s-favorite-son-but-my-viper/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/) [Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/) > [“I only have two words to say More or Less”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timbur/i-only-have-two-words-to-say-more-or-less/) [TimBur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timbur/) > [“ “Do Southerners laugh at different things than Northerners do? Yes, I say--Northerners.” Roy Blount, Jr., Roy Blount’s Book of Southern Humor”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/do-southerners-laugh-at-different-things-than-northerners-do-yes-i/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [I love being my silly ole self! Lifes a lot better when you have a good sense of humor and you smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-being-my-silly-ole-self-lifes-a-lot-better-when-you-have-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) [Browse all 33,155 Humor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Many live by their wits but few by their wit.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Laurence J. 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