--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's good to be successful but it's great…" description: "\"It's good to be successful but it's great to be significant\" — Lou Holtz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12c/lou-holtz-1584_being-successful_it-s-good-to-be-successful-but-it-s-grea_600277.png" --- # It's good to be successful but it's great to be significant ![“It's good to be successful but it's great to be significant” quote by Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12c/lou-holtz-1584_being-successful_it-s-good-to-be-successful-but-it-s-grea_600277.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12c/lou-holtz-1584_being-successful_it-s-good-to-be-successful-but-it-s-grea_600277.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12c/lou-holtz-1584_being-successful_it-s-good-to-be-successful-but-it-s-grea_600277.png) > “It's good to be successful but it's great to be significant” [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success is admirable, but leaving a lasting, meaningful impact is greater. **In simple terms:** Being significant outweighs mere success. Key Takeaway Strive for lasting influence, not just achievement. Themes leadership legacy significance Mood motivational serious Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - career mentoring - community service - teaching Key Concepts impact purpose long‑term vision Questions to Reflect On - What legacy do you want to leave? - How can you shift focus from success to significance? A Different Perspective Significance can be harder to quantify. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) ## Related quotes > [I believe there's a strong difference between something being good and something being successful. The successful thing is something we have no control over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-warchus/i-believe-there-s-a-strong-difference-between-something-being-good/) Matthew Warchus > [When people push back on you and don't think you can do it, and you struggle a little bit and wonder if they're right,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-jackson/when-people-push-back-on-you-and-don-t-think-you-can-do-it-and-you/) [Reggie Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-jackson/) > [I feel like I have just been really, really lucky to meet some of the most successful and great actors alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troye-sivan/i-feel-like-i-have-just-been-really-really-lucky-to-meet-some-of-the/) [Troye Sivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troye-sivan/) > [With the Stone Roses, I always thought we'd be successful because we had some great songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-brown/with-the-stone-roses-i-always-thought-we-d-be-successful-because-we/) [Ian Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-brown/) > [I do not think I am successful just because I have money. I'm successful because I love who I am and I have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/i-do-not-think-i-am-successful-just-because-i-have-money-i-m/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [If you can allow yourself to do more good with your creativity by being successful, then that's a great thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-droga/if-you-can-allow-yourself-to-do-more-good-with-your-creativity-by/) [David Droga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-droga/) > [I think there is a big and significant difference between being a leader and being a manager-leaders lead from the heart. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-jung/i-think-there-is-a-big-and-significant-difference-between-being-a/) [Andrea Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-jung/) > [I just wish all these young black kids would realize how significant it is to stop acting a fool out there, killing each other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-just-wish-all-these-young-black-kids-would-realize-how-significant/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [ When 'Humsafar' did well, every single person associated with it shined. Its DoP \[Director of Photography\], Shehzad Kashmiri, went on to become a huge… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahira-khan/when-humsafar-did-well-every-single-person-associated-with-it-shined/) [Mahira Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahira-khan/) > [Things become easier and people show more confidence in you with bigger, larger projects. A good successful film always does that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-khan/things-become-easier-and-people-show-more-confidence-in-you-with/) [Kabir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-khan/) > [It's good to be successful and have financial status but if you're only gonna live for the money, you're only gonna reach a certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/it-s-good-to-be-successful-and-have-financial-status-but-if-you-re/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [I would love to do a rom-com, but they are not good - good and successful doesn't equate to the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baker/i-would-love-to-do-a-rom-com-but-they-are-not-good-good-and/) [Simon Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baker/) > [There are simply two kinds of music, good music and the other kind ... the only yardstick by which the result should be judged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-ellington/there-are-simply-two-kinds-of-music-good-music-and-the-other-kind-the/) [Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/) > [Sometimes you do things that are fundamentally built to touch the world, and you feel good when you're successful doing it, and you're disappeared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mcginty-nichol/sometimes-you-do-things-that-are-fundamentally-built-to-touch-the/) [Joseph McGinty Nichol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mcginty-nichol/) > [If you tell people what you are going to do, and you suggest it's going to be successful, you need to be successful. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lehane/if-you-tell-people-what-you-are-going-to-do-and-you-suggest-it-s/) Chris Lehane ## More by Lou Holtz > [You will never be indecisive if you know your purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/you-will-never-be-indecisive-if-you-know-your-purpose/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [The answers to these questions will determine your success or failure. 1) Can people trust me to do what's right? 2) Am I committed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/the-answers-to-these-questions-will-determine-your-success-or-failure/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [If what you did yesterday seems big, you haven't done anything today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/if-what-you-did-yesterday-seems-big-you-haven-t-done-anything-today/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [You always have to prepare for the obstacles that are going to come. Consequently, when they do come, it doesn't affect you mentally near…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/you-always-have-to-prepare-for-the-obstacles-that-are-going-to-come/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [Remember this. Bear Bryant retired at age 69, and he died 28 days after he stopped coaching. If you don't have something, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/remember-this-bear-bryant-retired-at-age-69-and-he-died-28-days-after/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [The freedom to do your own thing ends when you have obligations and responsibilities. If you want to fail yourself - you can -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/the-freedom-to-do-your-own-thing-ends-when-you-have-obligations-and/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [People eyeing you as a potential leader tend to ask three questions: Are you committed? Do you care about me? Can I trust you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/people-eyeing-you-as-a-potential-leader-tend-to-ask-three-questions/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [“never tell your problems to any1...20% donot care and 80% are glad to have them...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/never-tell-your-problems-to-any1-20-donot-care-and-80-are-glad-to/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [Our cellar home had a kitchen and a combination bedroom and half bath, which meant we had a sink next to the bed. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/our-cellar-home-had-a-kitchen-and-a-combination-bedroom-and-half-bath/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [I was raised a Catholic on both sides of the family. I went to a Catholic grade school and thought everybody in the country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/i-was-raised-a-catholic-on-both-sides-of-the-family-i-went-to-a/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [Everyone wants to win on Saturday afternoon when the game is played. It’s what you do the other six days that decides the outcome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/everyone-wants-to-win-on-saturday-afternoon-when-the-game-is-played/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [At age nine, I got a paper route. Sixty-six papers had to be delivered to sixty-six families every day. I also had to collect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/at-age-nine-i-got-a-paper-route-sixty-six-papers-had-to-be-delivered/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [What you are capable of achieving is determined by your talent and ability. What you attempt to do is determined by your motivation. How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/what-you-are-capable-of-achieving-is-determined-by-your-talent-and/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [God answers prayers, but he doesn't always answer it your way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/god-answers-prayers-but-he-doesn-t-always-answer-it-your-way/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [If you burn your neighbors house down, it doesn't make your house look any better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/if-you-burn-your-neighbors-house-down-it-doesn-t-make-your-house-look/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) [Explore all 226 Lou Holtz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) ## More Being successful quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) > [Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/) Chris Kirubi > [You cannot be successful without passion. If you don't love what you're doing, if you don't have passion for it - forget it. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-cannot-be-successful-without-passion-if-you-don-t-love-what-you/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [You can't not be a little different from others and be successful for three decades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/you-can-t-not-be-a-little-different-from-others-and-be-successful-for/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [Everyone has a breaking point, turning point, stress point, the game is permeated with it. The fans don't see it because we make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everyone-has-a-breaking-point-turning-point-stress-point-the-game-is/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [If you increase the number of rockets you build and you buy, then it's the scale of the economy, the price is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/if-you-increase-the-number-of-rockets-you-build-and-you-buy-then-it-s/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [Hockey is a unique sport in the sense that you need each and every guy helping each other and pulling in the same direction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/hockey-is-a-unique-sport-in-the-sense-that-you-need-each-and-every/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [There has always been a display of wealth and always will be, until the depression comes, which it always does. And let me tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/there-has-always-been-a-display-of-wealth-and-always-will-be-until/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I think there is a big and significant difference between being a leader and being a manager-leaders lead from the heart. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-jung/i-think-there-is-a-big-and-significant-difference-between-being-a/) [Andrea Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-jung/) > [There's nobody that wants the president to be successful more than I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-r-clapper/there-s-nobody-that-wants-the-president-to-be-successful-more-than-i/) [James R. Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-r-clapper/) > [Don't worry about your individual numbers. Worry about the team. If the team is successful, each of you will be successful, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-rickey/don-t-worry-about-your-individual-numbers-worry-about-the-team-if-the/) [Branch Rickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-rickey/) > [We have to be successful at the cutting-edge industries of the future like Twitter. But we also have always been a country that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-have-to-be-successful-at-the-cutting-edge-industries-of-the-future/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Also, it's not the mathematical skill that's critical to winning, it's the discipline of being able to stick to the system. There are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blair-hull/also-it-s-not-the-mathematical-skill-that-s-critical-to-winning-it-s/) Blair Hull [Browse all 1,002 Being successful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's good to be successful but it's great to be significant", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lou Holtz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/it-s-good-to-be-successful-but-it-s-great-to-be-significant/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being successful" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/it-s-good-to-be-successful-but-it-s-great-to-be-significant/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12c/lou-holtz-1584_being-successful_it-s-good-to-be-successful-but-it-s-grea_600277.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12c/lou-holtz-1584_being-successful_it-s-good-to-be-successful-but-it-s-grea_600277.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12c/lou-holtz-1584_being-successful_it-s-good-to-be-successful-but-it-s-grea_600277.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's good to be successful but it's great to be significant” — Lou Holtz", "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": "Lou Holtz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's good to be successful but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/it-s-good-to-be-successful-but-it-s-great-to-be-significant/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/it-s-good-to-be-successful-but-it-s-great-to-be-significant/#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 } } ] } ```