--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unless one is at heart a rascal, I think…" description: "\"“Unless one is at heart a rascal, I think he becomes a little better in many ways by assuming leadership.”\" — Louis L'Amour" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e61/louis-l-amour-876_leader_unless-one-is-at-heart-a-rascal-i-think_2853537.jpg" --- # Unless one is at heart a rascal, I think he becomes a… ![“Unless one is at heart a rascal, I think he becomes a little better in many ways by assuming leadership.” quote by Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e61/louis-l-amour-876_leader_unless-one-is-at-heart-a-rascal-i-think_2853537.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e61/louis-l-amour-876_leader_unless-one-is-at-heart-a-rascal-i-think_2853537.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e61/louis-l-amour-876_leader_unless-one-is-at-heart-a-rascal-i-think_2853537.jpg) > ““Unless one is at heart a rascal, I think he becomes a little better in many ways by assuming leadership.”” [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even a mischievous person can improve by taking on leadership roles, which temper character. **In simple terms:** Leadership refines a rascal. Key Takeaway Lead to grow personally. Themes leadership character personal growth morality Mood inspirational reflective Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - team projects - community service - career advancement Key Concepts responsibility self‑improvement role modeling Questions to Reflect On - Can leadership change a person's nature? - What qualities make a good leader? A Different Perspective Leadership may not suit all personalities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assuming Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assuming-leadership-3108860/) [Heart Rascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-rascal-2710103/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Rascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rascal/) [Rascal Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rascal-think-3810911/) [Rascals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rascals/) ## Related quotes > [I do not know what the heart of a rascal may be, but I know what is in the heart of an honest man;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-de-maistre/i-do-not-know-what-the-heart-of-a-rascal-may-be-but-i-know-what-is-in/) [Joseph de Maistre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-de-maistre/) > [In order to become a great man, one must first be a great rascal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/in-order-to-become-a-great-man-one-must-first-be-a-great-rascal/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [When a man makes up his mind to become a rascal, he should examine himself closely and see if he isn't better constructed for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/when-a-man-makes-up-his-mind-to-become-a-rascal-he-should-examine/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Me, I'm still a rascal. Inside, I am still the kid I was. He guides me everyday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-kaulitz/me-i-m-still-a-rascal-inside-i-am-still-the-kid-i-was-he-guides-me/) [Tom Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-kaulitz/) > [But a rascal of a child (that age is without pity). \[Fr., Mais un pripon d'enfant (cet age est sans pitie).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/but-a-rascal-of-a-child-that-age-is-without-pity-fr-mais-un-pripon-d/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) > [Hang him, swaggering rascal!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/hang-him-swaggering-rascal/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I'm not nearly as outrageously brave as many of my rascals that I write. But I think the rascal spirit must reside in me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/i-m-not-nearly-as-outrageously-brave-as-many-of-my-rascals-that-i/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [When I hear that a man is religious, I conclude he is a rascal!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/when-i-hear-that-a-man-is-religious-i-conclude-he-is-a-rascal/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [This rascal ego must be obliterated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/this-rascal-ego-must-be-obliterated/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Every man of any education would rather be called a rascal, than accused of deficiency in the graces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/every-man-of-any-education-would-rather-be-called-a-rascal-than/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Yeah, Dizzee Rascal is a huge influence on what I'm doing. I learnt a lot from him even though he's younger than me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-brown/yeah-dizzee-rascal-is-a-huge-influence-on-what-i-m-doing-i-learnt-a/) [Danny Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-brown/) > [The first clergyman was the first rascal who met the first fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-first-clergyman-was-the-first-rascal-who-met-the-first-fool/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Every rascal is not a thief, but every thief is a rascal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/every-rascal-is-not-a-thief-but-every-thief-is-a-rascal/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Away, you cut-purse rascal! you filthy bung, away! By this wine, I'll thrust my knife in your mouldy chaps, an you play the saucy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/away-you-cut-purse-rascal-you-filthy-bung-away-by-this-wine-i-ll/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [One of the things my parents taught me, and I'll always be grateful as a gift, is to not ever let anybody else define…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-mankiller/one-of-the-things-my-parents-taught-me-and-i-ll-always-be-grateful-as/) [Wilma Mankiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-mankiller/) ## More by Louis L'Amour > [“If you play games with men,” he replied, “you’ll play by men’s rules.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/if-you-play-games-with-men-he-replied-you-ll-play-by-men-s-rules/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [He never knew when he was whipped ... So he never was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/he-never-knew-when-he-was-whipped-so-he-never-was/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“It is through wonder that we come to know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/it-is-through-wonder-that-we-come-to-know/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [We are, finally, all wanderers in search of knowledge. Most of us hold the dream of becoming something better than we are, something larger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/we-are-finally-all-wanderers-in-search-of-knowledge-most-of-us-hold/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [Much of command is the ability to take command.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/much-of-command-is-the-ability-to-take-command/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [Out here you better have a gun, and a gun in the wagon ain't good for nothin'. I believe what the old Quaker said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/out-here-you-better-have-a-gun-and-a-gun-in-the-wagon-ain-t-good-for/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“he had been so right, and she hated him for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/he-had-been-so-right-and-she-hated-him-for-it/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“I will go with you, and when you make your camp, I will cook your meat, and when you wish to sleep, I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/i-will-go-with-you-and-when-you-make-your-camp-i-will-cook-your-meat/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [Men strive for peace, but it is their enemies that give them strength, and I think if man no longer had enemies, he would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/men-strive-for-peace-but-it-is-their-enemies-that-give-them-strength/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. Yet that will be the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/there-will-come-a-time-when-you-believe-everything-is-finished-yet/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“Destarte! How musical! What does it mean?” “You can’t say it except in Mescalero. It means Morning, but that isn’t what it means, either.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/destarte-how-musical-what-does-it-mean-you-can-t-say-it-except-in/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [You can't fight the desert... you have to ride with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/you-can-t-fight-the-desert-you-have-to-ride-with-it/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“Must one seek something? I seek to be seeking, as I learn to be learning. Each book is an adventure as is each day’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/must-one-seek-something-i-seek-to-be-seeking-as-i-learn-to-be/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [A man in his life may have many teachers, some most unexpected. The question lies with the man himself: Will he learn from them?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/a-man-in-his-life-may-have-many-teachers-some-most-unexpected-the/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“Like I say, I killed a man or two but I'm no thief. My ma raised me better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/like-i-say-i-killed-a-man-or-two-but-i-m-no-thief-my-ma-raised-me/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) [Explore all 337 Louis L'Amour quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) ## More Leader quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) [Brian Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-reade/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) [Jennifer Siebel Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-siebel-newsom/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) > [“A man who saw has turned blind, A hearer deaf, A leader now leads astray!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-lichtheim/a-man-who-saw-has-turned-blind-a-hearer-deaf-a-leader-now-leads-astray/) [Miriam Lichtheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-lichtheim/) > [We're going to create factory jobs for recent immigrants, and Donald Trump is going to take care of them. That's why his numbers, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/we-re-going-to-create-factory-jobs-for-recent-immigrants-and-donald/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [I always wanted someone looking up to me and trying to understand where I'm coming from as a leader. I'm ready for that. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillon-brooks/i-always-wanted-someone-looking-up-to-me-and-trying-to-understand/) [Dillon Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillon-brooks/) > [I really don't think you need a letter on your jersey to be a leader on a hockey club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-price/i-really-don-t-think-you-need-a-letter-on-your-jersey-to-be-a-leader/) [Carey Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-price/) > [I think leading by example is important, as I know the next generation is watching us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-skolnik/i-think-leading-by-example-is-important-as-i-know-the-next-generation/) [Michael Skolnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-skolnik/) > [Leadership is made for service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-hyles/leadership-is-made-for-service/) [Jack Hyles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-hyles/) > [“All to often, on the long road up, young leaders become servants of what is rather than shapers of what might be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/all-to-often-on-the-long-road-up-young-leaders-become-servants-of/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [However, however, if the goal is to abandon America's free enterprise economy, if the goal is to convert America into a submissive member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/however-however-if-the-goal-is-to-abandon-america-s-free-enterprise/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Notoriously outspoken, his sentences always punctuated with profanities, General George S. 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They learn from trial and error, and from experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/effective-leaders-are-made-not-born-they-learn-from-trial-and-error/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) [Browse all 10,680 Leader quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Unless one is at heart a rascal, I think he becomes a little better in many ways by assuming leadership.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Louis L'Amour" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/unless-one-is-at-heart-a-rascal-i-think-he-becomes-a-little-better-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Leader" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/unless-one-is-at-heart-a-rascal-i-think-he-becomes-a-little-better-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e61/louis-l-amour-876_leader_unless-one-is-at-heart-a-rascal-i-think_2853537.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e61/louis-l-amour-876_leader_unless-one-is-at-heart-a-rascal-i-think_2853537.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e61/louis-l-amour-876_leader_unless-one-is-at-heart-a-rascal-i-think_2853537.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Unless one is at heart a rascal, I think he becomes a little better in many ways by assuming leadership.” — Louis L'Amour", "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": "Louis L'Amour", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Unless one is at heart a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/unless-one-is-at-heart-a-rascal-i-think-he-becomes-a-little-better-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/unless-one-is-at-heart-a-rascal-i-think-he-becomes-a-little-better-in/#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 } } ] } ```