--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is hardly anybody good for…" description: "\"There is hardly anybody good for everything, and there is scarcely anybody who is absolutely good for nothing.\" — Lord Chesterfield" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/lord-chesterfield-757_quote_there-is-hardly-anybody-good-for-everyth_2158698.jpg" --- # There is hardly anybody good for everything, and there is… ![“There is hardly anybody good for everything, and there is scarcely anybody who is absolutely good for nothing.” quote by Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/lord-chesterfield-757_quote_there-is-hardly-anybody-good-for-everyth_2158698.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/lord-chesterfield-757_quote_there-is-hardly-anybody-good-for-everyth_2158698.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/lord-chesterfield-757_quote_there-is-hardly-anybody-good-for-everyth_2158698.jpg) > “There is hardly anybody good for everything, and there is scarcely anybody who is absolutely good for nothing.” [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Few excel at everything; few are completely incompetent; most fall somewhere in between. **In simple terms:** People are rarely all‑good or all‑bad. Key Takeaway Recognize nuanced abilities. Themes human nature skill balance Mood reflective pragmatic Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - Hiring - personal development - team building - education Key Concepts Virtue ethics self‑assessment competence Questions to Reflect On - Where do you see your strengths? - How can you help others improve? A Different Perspective Over‑generalizing can overlook talent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anybody Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anybody-good-330704/) [Good Scarcely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-scarcely-4571446/) [Hardly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardly/) [Hardly Anybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardly-anybody-1013366/) [Scarcely Anybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scarcely-anybody-4571445/) ## Related quotes > [Before Birdseye, hardly anybody ate frozen food because it was awful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/before-birdseye-hardly-anybody-ate-frozen-food-because-it-was-awful/) [Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) > [Hardly anybody in America pays attention to local elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/hardly-anybody-in-america-pays-attention-to-local-elections/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [“Hardly anybody is exactly normal in any way, just as one hundred tossed pennies will rarely come up exactly fifty heads and fifty tails.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-huff/hardly-anybody-is-exactly-normal-in-any-way-just-as-one-hundred/) [Darrell Huff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-huff/) > [“Half the sum of attraction, on either side, might have been enough, for he had nothing to do, and she had hardly anybody to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/half-the-sum-of-attraction-on-either-side-might-have-been-enough-for/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“There’s hardly anybody who doesn’t hate somebody now, and nobody at all whom somebody doesn’t hate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-franzen/there-s-hardly-anybody-who-doesn-t-hate-somebody-now-and-nobody-at/) [Jonathan Franzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-franzen/) > [I got noticed back in the day because hardly anybody else was consistently making covers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonita-gandhi/i-got-noticed-back-in-the-day-because-hardly-anybody-else-was/) [Jonita Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonita-gandhi/) > [Hardly anybody recognizes the most significant moments of their life at the time they happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hardly-anybody-recognizes-the-most-significant-moments-of-their-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If one sticks too rigidly to one's principles, one would hardly see anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/if-one-sticks-too-rigidly-to-one-s-principles-one-would-hardly-see/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [Anybody who is any good is different from anybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/anybody-who-is-any-good-is-different-from-anybody-else/) [Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/) > [If you get an opportunity to work with David Simon, anybody with good taste would.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/if-you-get-an-opportunity-to-work-with-david-simon-anybody-with-good/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [I don't know anybody who's any good who isn't nuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/i-don-t-know-anybody-who-s-any-good-who-isn-t-nuts/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [Anybody can be good when things are going good, but a real player steps up when things are going bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daunte-culpepper/anybody-can-be-good-when-things-are-going-good-but-a-real-player/) [Daunte Culpepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daunte-culpepper/) > [What I've learned from myself is that I don't have to be anybody else. Myself is good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/what-i-ve-learned-from-myself-is-that-i-don-t-have-to-be-anybody-else/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [“Anybody can be a believer; but anybody cannot be a good man! First, be good; then, in addition to this, be whatever you wish!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anybody-can-be-a-believer-but-anybody-cannot-be-a-good-man-first-be/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More by Lord Chesterfield > [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [No woman ever yet either reasoned or acted long together consequentially; but some little thing, some love, some resentment, somepresent momentary interest, some supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/no-woman-ever-yet-either-reasoned-or-acted-long-together/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [I am in the pitiable situation of feeling all the force of temptation without having the strength to succumb to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/i-am-in-the-pitiable-situation-of-feeling-all-the-force-of-temptation/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Mankind is made up of inconsistencies, and no man acts invariably up to his predominant character. The wisest man sometimes acts weakly, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/mankind-is-made-up-of-inconsistencies-and-no-man-acts-invariably-up/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Compliments of congratulation are always kindly taken, and cost nothing but pen, ink and paper. I consider them as draughts upon good breeding, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/compliments-of-congratulation-are-always-kindly-taken-and-cost/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [The insolent civility of a proud man is, if possible, more shocking than his rudeness could be; because he shows you, by his manner,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/the-insolent-civility-of-a-proud-man-is-if-possible-more-shocking/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [“Secret thoughts and an open countenance will take you safely the world over”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/secret-thoughts-and-an-open-countenance-will-take-you-safely-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Virtue and learning, like gold, have their intrinsic value: but if they are not polished, they certainly lose a great deal of their luster:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/virtue-and-learning-like-gold-have-their-intrinsic-value-but-if-they/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Knowledge is a comfortable and necessary retreat and shelter for us in an advanced age; and if we do not plant it while young,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/knowledge-is-a-comfortable-and-necessary-retreat-and-shelter-for-us/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Promptness is the soul of business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/promptness-is-the-soul-of-business/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Style is the dress of thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/style-is-the-dress-of-thoughts/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [It is commonly said that ridicule is the best test of truth; for that it will not stick where it is not just. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/it-is-commonly-said-that-ridicule-is-the-best-test-of-truth-for-that/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [There is hardly any place or any company where you may not gain knowledge, if you please; almost everybody knows some one thing, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/there-is-hardly-any-place-or-any-company-where-you-may-not-gain/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Assurance and intrepidity, under the white banner of seeming modesty, clear the way for merit, that would otherwise be discouraged by difficulties...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/assurance-and-intrepidity-under-the-white-banner-of-seeming-modesty/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [“Many a man would rather you heard his story than grant his request.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/many-a-man-would-rather-you-heard-his-story-than-grant-his-request/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) [Explore all 378 Lord Chesterfield quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) ## More Hardly quotes > [Those who have not been stung will hardly fear a bee the same as those who have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/those-who-have-not-been-stung-will-hardly-fear-a-bee-the-same-as/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Judge not; speak hardly at all; love and act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliphas-levi/judge-not-speak-hardly-at-all-love-and-act/) [Eliphas Levi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliphas-levi/) > [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I'm not in the movie business anymore, and hardly any 70 year olds are. I always ask the producers: 'Are there no 70-year old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-dennehy/i-m-not-in-the-movie-business-anymore-and-hardly-any-70-year-olds-are/) [Brian Dennehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-dennehy/) > [“CHORUS What, never? CAPTAIN No, never! CHORUS What, never? CAPTAIN Well, hardly ever!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert-2/chorus-what-never-captain-no-never-chorus-what-never-captain-well/) [W.S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert-2/) > [Hardly nobody gets to live two genders in their life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlyn-jenner/hardly-nobody-gets-to-live-two-genders-in-their-life/) [Caitlyn Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlyn-jenner/) > [“You should, I need hardly say, live in such a way that there is nothing which you could not as easily tell your enemy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/you-should-i-need-hardly-say-live-in-such-a-way-that-there-is-nothing/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [It's American Alternative radio stations that bug me. We're considered Alternative, but don't expect us to be played next to Blink 182 and Offspring.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurston-moore/it-s-american-alternative-radio-stations-that-bug-me-we-re-considered/) [Thurston Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurston-moore/) > [It's hardly news that the Obama administration is intensely and, in many respects, unprecedentedly hostile toward the news-gathering process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-hardly-news-that-the-obama-administration-is-intensely-and-in/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [Barly Sleep, Hardly Eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indigo-vanity/barly-sleep-hardly-eat/) [Indigo Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indigo-vanity/) > [Most of us know nothing about constitutional law, so it's hardly surprising that we take sides in the Obamacare debate the way we root…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/most-of-us-know-nothing-about-constitutional-law-so-it-s-hardly/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [If you tell your husband or boyfriend for his whole life that he needn't worry about his clothes, that he couldn't possibly understand them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-smith/if-you-tell-your-husband-or-boyfriend-for-his-whole-life-that-he/) [Russell Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-smith/) > [So far, I haven't met anyone, and with an average fifteen-hour workday schedule, I hardly think it's probable... For the sake of my making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-burr/so-far-i-haven-t-met-anyone-and-with-an-average-fifteen-hour-workday/) [Raymond Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-burr/) > [Because hardly anyone has seen 'Aaranya Kaandam,' it's like a mystical Yeti.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiagarajan-kumararaja/because-hardly-anyone-has-seen-aaranya-kaandam-it-s-like-a-mystical/) [Thiagarajan Kumararaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiagarajan-kumararaja/) > [You can hardly do anything that won't seem stupid later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lehenbauer/you-can-hardly-do-anything-that-won-t-seem-stupid-later/) [Karl Lehenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lehenbauer/) [Browse all 315 Hardly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardly/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is hardly anybody good for everything, and there is scarcely anybody who is absolutely good for nothing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lord Chesterfield" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/there-is-hardly-anybody-good-for-everything-and-there-is-scarcely/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hardly" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/there-is-hardly-anybody-good-for-everything-and-there-is-scarcely/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/lord-chesterfield-757_quote_there-is-hardly-anybody-good-for-everyth_2158698.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/lord-chesterfield-757_quote_there-is-hardly-anybody-good-for-everyth_2158698.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/lord-chesterfield-757_quote_there-is-hardly-anybody-good-for-everyth_2158698.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is hardly anybody good for everything, and there is scarcely anybody who is absolutely good for nothing.” — Lord Chesterfield", "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": "Lord Chesterfield", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is hardly anybody good for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/there-is-hardly-anybody-good-for-everything-and-there-is-scarcely/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/there-is-hardly-anybody-good-for-everything-and-there-is-scarcely/#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 } } ] } ```