--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is better to be good than to be…" description: "\"It is better to be good than to be original,\" — Ludwig Mies van der Rohe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe-7536_be-good_it-is-better-to-be-good-than-to-be-origi_1784956.jpg" --- # It is better to be good than to be original, ![“It is better to be good than to be original,” quote by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe-7536_be-good_it-is-better-to-be-good-than-to-be-origi_1784956.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe-7536_be-good_it-is-better-to-be-good-than-to-be-origi_1784956.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe-7536_be-good_it-is-better-to-be-good-than-to-be-origi_1784956.jpg) > “It is better to be good than to be original,” [Ludwig Mies van der Rohe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prioritizing moral character over novelty leads to lasting value and trust. **In simple terms:** Being good matters more than being unique. Key Takeaway Cultivate integrity before seeking originality. Themes ethics originality legacy Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - leadership - team building - personal development Key Concepts character authenticity impact Questions to Reflect On - How can you demonstrate goodness in your work? - What risks arise from avoiding originality? A Different Perspective Goodness alone may not attract attention in competitive fields. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Be good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-good/) [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Better Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-good/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good Original](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-original-1431285/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Original](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/original/) [Originals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/originals/) ## Related quotes > [Not bringing anything new to the table is fine, as long as you're good at what you're not being original with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/not-bringing-anything-new-to-the-table-is-fine-as-long-as-you-re-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Really good original ideas are very hard to come up with. Good ideas - easy. Really good, original ideas - it can take months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/really-good-original-ideas-are-very-hard-to-come-up-with-good-ideas/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Don't be evil- apparently people like it better than "Be good".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-page/don-t-be-evil-apparently-people-like-it-better-than-be-good/) [Larry Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-page/) > [“most expensive originals have cheap imitations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elfriede-jelinek/most-expensive-originals-have-cheap-imitations/) [Elfriede Jelinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elfriede-jelinek/) > [High original genius is always ridiculed on its first appearance; most of all by those who have won themselves the highest reputation in working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/high-original-genius-is-always-ridiculed-on-its-first-appearance-most/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [New writers seem to pop up from everywhere. And quite a few of them are really good and original.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-jerrman/new-writers-seem-to-pop-up-from-everywhere-and-quite-a-few-of-them/) [Toni Jerrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-jerrman/) > [I'm not a big fan of remakes. And even if they are good, they're still not as good as the original, so what's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/i-m-not-a-big-fan-of-remakes-and-even-if-they-are-good-they-re-still/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [Knowing that we were doing good work and the stories were good. They were original and charming. They weren't particularly violent or sexy or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-jacobi/knowing-that-we-were-doing-good-work-and-the-stories-were-good-they/) [Derek Jacobi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-jacobi/) > [I don't know if there's a problem with original ideas... I think a healthy film industry should have a good supply of good, original…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-firth/i-don-t-know-if-there-s-a-problem-with-original-ideas-i-think-a/) [Colin Firth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-firth/) > [Your manuscript is both good and original; but the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/your-manuscript-is-both-good-and-original-but-the-part-that-is-good/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [I definitely want to be as good and original as I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/i-definitely-want-to-be-as-good-and-original-as-i-can/) [James Acaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/) > [“Your work is both good and original but the part which is original is not good and the part which is good is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/your-work-is-both-good-and-original-but-the-part-which-is-original-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“My congratulations to you, sir. Your manuscript is both good and original; but the part that is good is not original, and the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/my-congratulations-to-you-sir-your-manuscript-is-both-good-and/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [I think that when I started Man Repeller, the Internet was still hungry for authentic content from girls that weren't actresses or supermodels and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leandra-medine/i-think-that-when-i-started-man-repeller-the-internet-was-still/) [Leandra Medine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leandra-medine/) > [He brought a sensibility and a hard-edged reasonableness to operating restaurants that had a lasting impact on me and still affects how I run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bastianich/he-brought-a-sensibility-and-a-hard-edged-reasonableness-to-operating/) [Joe Bastianich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bastianich/) ## More by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe > [Wherever technology reaches its real fulfillment, it transcends into architecture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/wherever-technology-reaches-its-real-fulfillment-it-transcends-into/) [Ludwig Mies van der Rohe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/) > [Nature, too, shall live its own life. We must beware not to disrupt it with the color of our houses and interior fittings. yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/nature-too-shall-live-its-own-life-we-must-beware-not-to-disrupt-it/) [Ludwig Mies van der Rohe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/) > [Let us guide our students over the road of discipline from materials, through function, to creative work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/let-us-guide-our-students-over-the-road-of-discipline-from-materials/) [Ludwig Mies van der Rohe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/) > [Just as we acquaint ourselves with materials, and just as we must understand functions, we must become familiar with the psychological and spiritual factors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/just-as-we-acquaint-ourselves-with-materials-and-just-as-we-must/) [Ludwig Mies van der Rohe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/) > [Simply by not owning three medium-sized castles in Tuscany I have saved enough money in the last forty years on insurance premiums alone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/simply-by-not-owning-three-medium-sized-castles-in-tuscany-i-have/) [Ludwig Mies van der Rohe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/) > [The problem of architecture has always been the same throughout time. Its authentic quality is reached through its proportions, and the proportions cost nothing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/the-problem-of-architecture-has-always-been-the-same-throughout-time/) [Ludwig Mies van der Rohe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/) > [The long path from material through function to creative work has only one goal: to create order out of the desperate confusion of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/the-long-path-from-material-through-function-to-creative-work-has/) [Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/) > [Architecture begins when you place two bricks carefully together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/architecture-begins-when-you-place-two-bricks-carefully-together/) [Ludwig Mies van der Rohe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/) > [Reinforced concrete buildings are by nature skeletal buildings. No noodles nor armoured turrets. A construction of girders that carry the weight, and walls that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/reinforced-concrete-buildings-are-by-nature-skeletal-buildings-no/) [Ludwig Mies van der Rohe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/) > [Generally, I think my work has so much influence because of its reasonableness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/generally-i-think-my-work-has-so-much-influence-because-of-its/) [Ludwig Mies van der Rohe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/) > [ \[In art\], less is more. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/in-art-less-is-more/) [Ludwig Mies van der Rohe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/) > [You can use up all the slums for new development. In all the cities of the world, there are large areas of these. Also,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/you-can-use-up-all-the-slums-for-new-development-in-all-the-cities-of/) [Ludwig Mies van der Rohe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/) > [The individual is losing significance; his destiny is no longer what interests us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/the-individual-is-losing-significance-his-destiny-is-no-longer-what/) [Ludwig Mies van der Rohe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/) > [The building art is man's spatial dialogue with his environment and demonstrates how he asserts himself therein and how he masters it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/the-building-art-is-man-s-spatial-dialogue-with-his-environment-and/) [Ludwig Mies van der Rohe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/) > [You can teach students how to work; you can teach them technique - how to use reason; you can even give them a sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/you-can-teach-students-how-to-work-you-can-teach-them-technique-how/) [Ludwig Mies van der Rohe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/) [Explore all 89 Ludwig Mies van der Rohe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/) ## More Be good quotes > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Peace is the result of love, and if love were easy we'd all be good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colman-mccarthy/peace-is-the-result-of-love-and-if-love-were-easy-we-d-all-be-good-at/) [Colman McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colman-mccarthy/) > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Most of us want to live in harmony and peace and be good to others. Right now, however, the world is in a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hany-abu-assad/most-of-us-want-to-live-in-harmony-and-peace-and-be-good-to-others/) [Hany Abu-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hany-abu-assad/) > [I've never had any desire to be good. I don't like goodness particularly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-ve-never-had-any-desire-to-be-good-i-don-t-like-goodness/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [To become a classical ballerina, you have to move to New York when you're 12 or 11 and that becomes your life. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-garner/to-become-a-classical-ballerina-you-have-to-move-to-new-york-when-you/) [Jennifer Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-garner/) > [The producers felt that 24 would be good for the audience, to really get to know who these 12 and 12 are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-abdul/the-producers-felt-that-24-would-be-good-for-the-audience-to-really/) [Paula Abdul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-abdul/) > [All will concede that in order to have good neighbors, we must also be good neighbors. That applies in every field of human endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/all-will-concede-that-in-order-to-have-good-neighbors-we-must-also-be/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Everybody wants to be good, but not many are prepared to make the sacrifices it takes to be great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-arden/everybody-wants-to-be-good-but-not-many-are-prepared-to-make-the/) [Paul Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-arden/) > [There's such cultural rot taking place, such a disintegration throughout our culture. Values, morality, you name it. Standards have been relaxed, and people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-s-such-cultural-rot-taking-place-such-a-disintegration/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The difference in being good at some thing and being great at something is usually found in the little things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-anderson/the-difference-in-being-good-at-some-thing-and-being-great-at/) [Randy Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-anderson/) > [It doesn't matter if your lead character is good or bad. He just has to be interesting, and he has to be good at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chase/it-doesn-t-matter-if-your-lead-character-is-good-or-bad-he-just-has/) [David Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chase/) > [What's good for the very rich might not be good for anybody but them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/what-s-good-for-the-very-rich-might-not-be-good-for-anybody-but-them/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [“Living in the middle of beauty like this, we've no call to have puny ideas about God. Why do you suppose His world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/living-in-the-middle-of-beauty-like-this-we-ve-no-call-to-have-puny/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) [Browse all 1,747 Be good quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-good/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is better to be good than to be original,", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ludwig Mies van der Rohe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/it-is-better-to-be-good-than-to-be-original/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Be good" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/it-is-better-to-be-good-than-to-be-original/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe-7536_be-good_it-is-better-to-be-good-than-to-be-origi_1784956.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe-7536_be-good_it-is-better-to-be-good-than-to-be-origi_1784956.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe-7536_be-good_it-is-better-to-be-good-than-to-be-origi_1784956.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is better to be good than to be original,” — Ludwig Mies van der Rohe", "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": "Ludwig Mies van der Rohe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is better to be good...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/it-is-better-to-be-good-than-to-be-original/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/it-is-better-to-be-good-than-to-be-original/#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 } } ] } ```