--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A great man may not do great things but…" description: "\"A great man may not do great things but they do ordinary things greatly.\" — Mahatma Gandhi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ac/mahatma-gandhi-23_great-man_a-great-man-may-not-do-great-things-but_2761445.jpg" --- # A great man may not do great things but they do ordinary… ![“A great man may not do great things but they do ordinary things greatly.” quote by Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ac/mahatma-gandhi-23_great-man_a-great-man-may-not-do-great-things-but_2761445.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ac/mahatma-gandhi-23_great-man_a-great-man-may-not-do-great-things-but_2761445.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ac/mahatma-gandhi-23_great-man_a-great-man-may-not-do-great-things-but_2761445.jpg) > “A great man may not do great things but they do ordinary things greatly.” [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. States that greatness lies in performing ordinary tasks exceptionally, not just grand deeds **In simple terms:** Greatness can be ordinary actions done well Key Takeaway Focus on excellence in daily work Themes greatness ordinary excellence ethics Mood inspirational humble Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - workplace - community service - personal habits - social impact Key Concepts ordinary deeds exceptional performance Questions to Reflect On - How can ordinary actions create societal change? - What daily habits reflect greatness? A Different Perspective Neglecting larger impact may limit broader change ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Great things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Man Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-great/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary/) [Ordinary things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-things/) [Things Greatly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-greatly-3173117/) [Things Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-ordinary-295453/) ## Related quotes > [Do not forget that the value and interest of life is not so much to do conspicuous things...as to do ordinary things with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/do-not-forget-that-the-value-and-interest-of-life-is-not-so-much-to/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [The true call of a Christian is not to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-true-call-of-a-christian-is-not-to-do-extraordinary-things-but-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Do not try to do extraordinary things but do ordinary things with intensity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-carr/do-not-try-to-do-extraordinary-things-but-do-ordinary-things-with/) [Emily Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-carr/) > [“Reuven, as you grow older you will discover that the most important thing that will happen to you will often come as a result…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/reuven-as-you-grow-older-you-will-discover-that-the-most-important/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [“But why would they do that? What is to be asked? He was a man who sees into things -- very ordinary things. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-o-connor/but-why-would-they-do-that-what-is-to-be-asked-he-was-a-man-who-sees/) [Joseph O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-o-connor/) > [The main goal in my life is to make extraordinary things out of the ordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vittorio-grigolo/the-main-goal-in-my-life-is-to-make-extraordinary-things-out-of-the/) [Vittorio Grigolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vittorio-grigolo/) > [“We are not called by God to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things with extraordinary love. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/we-are-not-called-by-god-to-do-extraordinary-things-but-to-do/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [The great man is not so great as folks think, and the dull man is not quite so stupid as he seems. The difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-great-man-is-not-so-great-as-folks-think-and-the-dull-man-is-not/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [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/) > [“ 'Everything has its place. Let in only those things that are greatly desired, no more and no less. That's how to make sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-pettersson/everything-has-its-place-let-in-only-those-things-that-are-greatly/) [Vicki Pettersson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicki-pettersson/) > [He is invited to do great things who receives small things greatly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassiodorus/he-is-invited-to-do-great-things-who-receives-small-things-greatly/) [Cassiodorus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassiodorus/) > [A great artist is a great man in a great child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/a-great-artist-is-a-great-man-in-a-great-child/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“The reason why one man is great and another man is living in mediocrity is simply because one understood the value of time while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-reason-why-one-man-is-great-and-another-man-is-living-in/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“Behind every great man is a great woman' but in front of every great man should be a spectacular woman”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-stern/behind-every-great-man-is-a-great-woman-but-in-front-of-every-great/) [josh stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-stern/) > [Behind every great man there's a great woman...behind every great woman there's envy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/behind-every-great-man-there-s-a-great-woman-behind-every-great-woman/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Mahatma Gandhi > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Devotion required by the Gita is no soft-hearted effusiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/devotion-required-by-the-gita-is-no-soft-hearted-effusiveness/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [So long as we fear the outside world, we must cease to think of Swaraj.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/so-long-as-we-fear-the-outside-world-we-must-cease-to-think-of-swaraj/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I do not want a kingdom, or heaven; what I want is to remove the trouble of the oppressed, the poor, and the needy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-a-kingdom-or-heaven-what-i-want-is-to-remove-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Religions are not for separating men from one another, they are meant to bind them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/religions-are-not-for-separating-men-from-one-another-they-are-meant/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I hold flesh-food to be unsuited to our species. We err in copying the lower animal world if we are superior to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-hold-flesh-food-to-be-unsuited-to-our-species-we-err-in-copying-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was only in South Africa that I got over this shyness, though I never completely overcame it. It was impossible for me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-was-only-in-south-africa-that-i-got-over-this-shyness-though-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Where there is life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/where-there-is-life/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [If it was wrong to seek God in a stone, how was it right to seek Him in a book called the Gita, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/if-it-was-wrong-to-seek-god-in-a-stone-how-was-it-right-to-seek-him/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The spirit of democracy cannot be established in the midst of terrorism, whether governmental or popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-spirit-of-democracy-cannot-be-established-in-the-midst-of/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Champions are made from something they have deep inside of them-a desire, a dream, a vison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/champions-are-made-from-something-they-have-deep-inside-of-them-a/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [My motto is "Unite now, today if you can; fight if you must. But in every case avoid British intervention."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-motto-is-unite-now-today-if-you-can-fight-if-you-must-but-in-every/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I have no disciples, being myself an aspirant after discipleship and in search of a guru.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-have-no-disciples-being-myself-an-aspirant-after-discipleship-and/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Man becomes not the lord and master of all creation but he is its servant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/man-becomes-not-the-lord-and-master-of-all-creation-but-he-is-its/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) [Explore all 3,284 Mahatma Gandhi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) ## More Great man quotes > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [Football is a team sport. I'm proud of what I achieved in my career, but I also know that I wouldn't have achieved any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schmeichel/football-is-a-team-sport-i-m-proud-of-what-i-achieved-in-my-career/) [Peter Schmeichel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schmeichel/) > [My father was a really great man. I'll never forget the last thing he ever said to me. Nor will I ever repeat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/my-father-was-a-really-great-man-i-ll-never-forget-the-last-thing-he/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [To vilify a great man is the readiest way in which a little man can himself attain greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/to-vilify-a-great-man-is-the-readiest-way-in-which-a-little-man-can/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [There are a great many colored people who are ashamed of the cake-walk, but I think they ought to be proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/there-are-a-great-many-colored-people-who-are-ashamed-of-the-cake/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [“The effects of the division of labour, in the general business of society, will be more easily understood by considering in what manner it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/the-effects-of-the-division-of-labour-in-the-general-business-of/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [Greatness by nature includes a power, but not a will to power. ... The great man, whether we comprehend him in the most intense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-buber/greatness-by-nature-includes-a-power-but-not-a-will-to-power-the/) [Martin Buber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-buber/) > [A great man isn't the one who can show all his greatness, but great man is the one who can show his Humility upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-great-man-isn-t-the-one-who-can-show-all-his-greatness-but-great/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“But the mark of a great man is one who knows when to set aside the important things in order to accomplish the vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/but-the-mark-of-a-great-man-is-one-who-knows-when-to-set-aside-the/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [It's awfully hard to be the son of a great man and also of a half-crazy woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-steele-commager/it-s-awfully-hard-to-be-the-son-of-a-great-man-and-also-of-a-half/) [Henry Steele Commager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-steele-commager/) > [“...a great man who is vicious will only be a great doer of evil, and a rich man who is not liberal will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cervantes/a-great-man-who-is-vicious-will-only-be-a-great-doer-of-evil-and-a/) [Miguel Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cervantes/) > [We expect a great man to be a good reader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/we-expect-a-great-man-to-be-a-good-reader/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Nature never sends a great man into the planet, without confiding the secret to another soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/nature-never-sends-a-great-man-into-the-planet-without-confiding-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“We’re not the greatest thing in the universe, certainly not the smartest. Seems logical there’d be a great many things in it we can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-neuvel/we-re-not-the-greatest-thing-in-the-universe-certainly-not-the/) [Sylvain Neuvel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-neuvel/) > [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) [Browse all 1,429 Great man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A great man may not do great things but they do ordinary things greatly.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mahatma Gandhi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-great-man-may-not-do-great-things-but-they-do-ordinary-things/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Great man" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-great-man-may-not-do-great-things-but-they-do-ordinary-things/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ac/mahatma-gandhi-23_great-man_a-great-man-may-not-do-great-things-but_2761445.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ac/mahatma-gandhi-23_great-man_a-great-man-may-not-do-great-things-but_2761445.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ac/mahatma-gandhi-23_great-man_a-great-man-may-not-do-great-things-but_2761445.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A great man may not do great things but they do ordinary things greatly.” — Mahatma Gandhi", "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": "Mahatma Gandhi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A great man may not do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-great-man-may-not-do-great-things-but-they-do-ordinary-things/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-great-man-may-not-do-great-things-but-they-do-ordinary-things/#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 } } ] } ```