--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Conceit spoils the finest genius. There…" description: "\"Conceit spoils the finest genius. There is not much danger that real talent or goodness will be overlooked long; even if it is, the consciousness of po..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/louisa-may-alcott-318_conceit_conceit-spoils-the-finest-genius-there-i_1901432.jpg" --- # Conceit spoils the finest genius. There is not much danger… ![“Conceit spoils the finest genius. There is not much danger that real talent or goodness will be overlooked long; even if it is, the consciousness of possessing and using it well should satisfy one, and the great charm of all power is modesty.” quote by Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/louisa-may-alcott-318_conceit_conceit-spoils-the-finest-genius-there-i_1901432.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/louisa-may-alcott-318_conceit_conceit-spoils-the-finest-genius-there-i_1901432.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/louisa-may-alcott-318_conceit_conceit-spoils-the-finest-genius-there-i_1901432.jpg) > “Conceit spoils the finest genius. There is not much danger that real talent or goodness will be overlooked long; even if it is, the consciousness of possessing and using it well should satisfy one, and the great charm of all power is modesty.” [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pride blinds talent; humility ensures that true ability is recognized and valued. **In simple terms:** Pride hides true talent. Key Takeaway Cultivate modesty to let talent shine. Themes humility talent pride self-awareness Mood inspirational reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - creative projects - team collaborations Key Concepts ego self-perception authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How does humility affect recognition? - When is confidence more appropriate than modesty? A Different Perspective Excessive modesty may cause under‑promotion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conceit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conceit/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Real talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-talent/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) ## Related quotes > [You have a good many little gifts and virtues, but there is no need of parading them, for conceit spoils the finest genius. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/you-have-a-good-many-little-gifts-and-virtues-but-there-is-no-need-of/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Conceit spoils the finest genius?and the great charm of all power is modesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/conceit-spoils-the-finest-genius-and-the-great-charm-of-all-power-is/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Conceit spoils the finest genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/conceit-spoils-the-finest-genius/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“You have a good many little gifts and virtues, but there is no need of parading them, for conceit spoils the finest genius. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/you-have-a-good-many-little-gifts-and-virtues-but-there-is-no-need-of-2/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“Ignore how it feels when the only real talent you have is for hidding the truth. You have a God-given knack for commiting a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/ignore-how-it-feels-when-the-only-real-talent-you-have-is-for-hidding/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“So many people think that they are not gifted because they don’t have an obvious talent that people can recognize because it doesn’t fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/so-many-people-think-that-they-are-not-gifted-because-they-don-t-have/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Money follows art. Money wants what it can't buy. Class and talent. And remember while there's a talent for making money, it takes real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-bushnell/money-follows-art-money-wants-what-it-can-t-buy-class-and-talent-and/) [Candace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-bushnell/) > [Because you cannot keep real talent hidden for long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delhi-ganesh/because-you-cannot-keep-real-talent-hidden-for-long/) [Delhi Ganesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delhi-ganesh/) > [“I know that I can write, a couple of my stories are good, my descriptions of the 'Secret Annex' are humorous, there's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/i-know-that-i-can-write-a-couple-of-my-stories-are-good-my/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [The regular guy still relates to him and Howard is a $500 million guy now who dates a model and drives about in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artie-lange/the-regular-guy-still-relates-to-him-and-howard-is-a-500-million-guy/) [Artie Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artie-lange/) > [Mother loathed the all-black B movies Hollywood made for the "colored" audience, where the stereotypes were broader and more offensive to her, and where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-pemberton/mother-loathed-the-all-black-b-movies-hollywood-made-for-the-colored/) Gayle Pemberton > [THE NAME OF THE WIND marks the debut of a writer we would all do well to watch. Patrick Rothfuss has real talent, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/the-name-of-the-wind-marks-the-debut-of-a-writer-we-would-all-do-well/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [I like to work with really good professional people - anyone with real talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/i-like-to-work-with-really-good-professional-people-anyone-with-real/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [“If you ever try to do anything to restrict my movements again, you’ll find out I know how to hold a grudge too,” she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/if-you-ever-try-to-do-anything-to-restrict-my-movements-again-you-ll/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [Mindi Scott has a real talent for getting inside her protagonist's head. She sketches out Coley's story in grand swathes, and then paints in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-benson/mindi-scott-has-a-real-talent-for-getting-inside-her-protagonist-s/) [Amber Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-benson/) ## More by Louisa May Alcott > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“At three o'clock in the afternoon, all the fashionable world at Nice may be seen on the Promenade des Anglais—a charming place, for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/at-three-o-clock-in-the-afternoon-all-the-fashionable-world-at-nice/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“Please could I say one word?" was the question three times repeated before a rough head boobed out from the grotto of books in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/please-could-i-say-one-word-was-the-question-three-times-repeated/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Elegance has a bad effect on my constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/elegance-has-a-bad-effect-on-my-constitution/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“…the child's heart bled when it was broken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/the-child-s-heart-bled-when-it-was-broken/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“She would make a man of me. She puts strength and courage into me as no one else can. She is unlike any girl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/she-would-make-a-man-of-me-she-puts-strength-and-courage-into-me-as/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“I read somewhere that every inch of rope used in the British Navy has a strand of red in it, so that wherever a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/i-read-somewhere-that-every-inch-of-rope-used-in-the-british-navy-has/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“Chance words spoken in kindness often help amazingly; and that's what old people are here for -- else their experience is of little use.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/chance-words-spoken-in-kindness-often-help-amazingly-and-that-s-what/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“Tired of my own company, I suppose, now I've seen so much better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/tired-of-my-own-company-i-suppose-now-i-ve-seen-so-much-better/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Oft in the silence of the night, When the lonely moon rides high, When wintry winds are whistling, And we hear the owl's shrill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/oft-in-the-silence-of-the-night-when-the-lonely-moon-rides-high-when/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [But buds will be roses, and kittens, cats - more's the pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/but-buds-will-be-roses-and-kittens-cats-more-s-the-pity/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“I'll try and be what he loves to call me, 'a little woman' and not be rough and wild, but do my duty here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/i-ll-try-and-be-what-he-loves-to-call-me-a-little-woman-and-not-be/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“If you feel your value lies in being merely decorative, I fear that someday you might find yourself believing that’s all that you really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/if-you-feel-your-value-lies-in-being-merely-decorative-i-fear-that/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“ "I do not ask for any crown But that which all may win; Nor try to conquer any world Except the world within." ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/i-do-not-ask-for-any-crown-but-that-which-all-may-win-nor-try-to/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Some books are so familiar that reading them is like being home again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/some-books-are-so-familiar-that-reading-them-is-like-being-home-again/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) [Explore all 681 Louisa May Alcott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) ## More Conceit quotes > [“A session of boasting won't attract any real friends.  It will set you up on a pedestal, however, making you a clearer target.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/a-session-of-boasting-won-t-attract-any-real-friends-it-will-set-you/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/most-of-us-think-of-pride-as-self-centeredness-conceit-boastfulness/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [Conceit is a sure sign of insecurity; humility denotes awareness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivaya-subramuniyaswami/conceit-is-a-sure-sign-of-insecurity-humility-denotes-awareness/) [Sivaya Subramuniyaswami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivaya-subramuniyaswami/) > [Conceit is a weird disease - it makes everybody sick except the guy who has it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/conceit-is-a-weird-disease-it-makes-everybody-sick-except-the-guy-who/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [Be very slow to believe that you are wiser than all others; it is a fatal but common error. Where one has been saved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/be-very-slow-to-believe-that-you-are-wiser-than-all-others-it-is-a/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [History repeats the old conceits, the glib replies, the same defeats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/history-repeats-the-old-conceits-the-glib-replies-the-same-defeats/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Being carefree, you can fit in anywhere. If you’re not carefree you keep on bumping up against things. Your life becomes so narrow, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tsoknyi-rinpoche/being-carefree-you-can-fit-in-anywhere-if-you-re-not-carefree-you/) [Tsoknyi Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tsoknyi-rinpoche/) > [This man, who for twenty-five years has been reading and writing about art, and in all that time has never understood anything about art,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/this-man-who-for-twenty-five-years-has-been-reading-and-writing-about/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [There is nothing like a good bit of pain for taking the conceit out of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-welsh-carlyle/there-is-nothing-like-a-good-bit-of-pain-for-taking-the-conceit-out/) [Jane Welsh Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-welsh-carlyle/) > [If you want to conquer conceit, do not desire praise, laurels, nice garments, respect, favor, but like to be blamed and slandered by people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-aleksandrovich-antonov/if-you-want-to-conquer-conceit-do-not-desire-praise-laurels-nice/) [Vladimir Aleksandrovich Antonov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-aleksandrovich-antonov/) > [The smaller the mind, the greater the ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/the-smaller-the-mind-the-greater-the-ego/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [If a man thinks he is not conceited, he is very conceited indeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-a-man-thinks-he-is-not-conceited-he-is-very-conceited-indeed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is simple ignorance, which is the source of lighter offenses, and double ignorance, which is accompanied by a conceit of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/there-is-simple-ignorance-which-is-the-source-of-lighter-offenses-and/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Jesus regularly visualized the success of his efforts ... 'I always do what pleases God.' ... Was this conceit? Or was it enlightened creativity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-beth-jones/jesus-regularly-visualized-the-success-of-his-efforts-i-always-do/) [Laurie Beth Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-beth-jones/) > [“Took long enough,” she called out, not wanting to admit how the sight of him made her throat hitch, how the man was so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-mcintyre/took-long-enough-she-called-out-not-wanting-to-admit-how-the-sight-of/) [Katherine McIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-mcintyre/) [Browse all 360 Conceit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conceit/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Conceit spoils the finest genius. 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