---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greatest illiterate is the inability…"
description: "\"The greatest illiterate is the inability to learn the great things of life from small things around.\" — Matthew Ashimolowo"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/matthew-ashimolowo-28139_great-things_the-greatest-illiterate-is-the-inability_443133.jpg"
---

#  The greatest illiterate is the inability to learn the…

![“The greatest illiterate is the inability to learn the great things of life from small things around.” quote by Matthew Ashimolowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/matthew-ashimolowo-28139_great-things_the-greatest-illiterate-is-the-inability_443133.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/matthew-ashimolowo-28139_great-things_the-greatest-illiterate-is-the-inability_443133.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/matthew-ashimolowo-28139_great-things_the-greatest-illiterate-is-the-inability_443133.jpg)

> “The greatest illiterate is the inability to learn the great things of life from small things around.”

[Matthew Ashimolowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

True wisdom comes from noticing and learning from everyday small details.

**In simple terms:** Learn from small things.

Key Takeaway

Observe daily.

Themes

wisdom learning humility

Mood

reflective inspirational

Type

spiritual motivational

When to use this quote

- parenting
- education
- personal development

Key Concepts

observation mindfulness growth

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you train yourself to notice small signs?
- What small detail taught you a big lesson?

A Different Perspective

Focusing only on big events can miss subtle lessons.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Great things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/) [Greatest Illiterate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-illiterate-3881862/) [Illiterate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illiterate/) [Illiterate Inability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illiterate-inability-3881863/) [Inability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inability/) [Inability Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inability-learn-2976334/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Small things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-things/)

## Related quotes

> [I always think about what's the difference between being tenacious and having an inability to learn from failures. The difference between the homeless guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-burger/i-always-think-about-what-s-the-difference-between-being-tenacious/)

[Neil Burger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-burger/)

> [“Helen Keller became deaf, dumb, and blind shortly after birth. Despite her greatest misfortune, she has written her name indelibly in the pages of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/helen-keller-became-deaf-dumb-and-blind-shortly-after-birth-despite/)

[Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/)

> [I shouldn't say bad stuff about illiterate people. I should write it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-shouldn-t-say-bad-stuff-about-illiterate-people-i-should-write-it/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Having a financially illiterate society is dangerous, and we have to do something about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mellody-hobson/having-a-financially-illiterate-society-is-dangerous-and-we-have-to/)

[Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/)

> [Luckily, I'm not educated. If you act like an illiterate man, your learning will never stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arunachalam-muruganantham/luckily-i-m-not-educated-if-you-act-like-an-illiterate-man-your/)

[Arunachalam Muruganantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arunachalam-muruganantham/)

> [I admire Laura Bush because she's the only librarian who would marry an illiterate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/i-admire-laura-bush-because-she-s-the-only-librarian-who-would-marry/)

[Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/)

> [Illiterate people on the computer and I don't go well together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/illiterate-people-on-the-computer-and-i-don-t-go-well-together/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Ignorance and illiteracy are obviously not synonymous; even illiterate masses can cast their ballots with intelligence, once they are informed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-orville-douglas/ignorance-and-illiteracy-are-obviously-not-synonymous-even-illiterate/)

[William Orville Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-orville-douglas/)

> [“the illiterate of the future will not be those that cannot read or write. Rather, they will be those that cannot learn, unlearn and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-woodward/the-illiterate-of-the-future-will-not-be-those-that-cannot-read-or/)

[J.R. Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-woodward/)

> [The basic scam in the Internet age is pretty easy even for the financially illiterate to grasp. It was as if banks like Goldman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/the-basic-scam-in-the-internet-age-is-pretty-easy-even-for-the/)

[Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/)

> [“Those captivated by the cult of celebrity do not examine voting records or compare verbal claims with written and published facts and reports. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/those-captivated-by-the-cult-of-celebrity-do-not-examine-voting/)

[Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/)

> [Our legal system, including the police, is anti-Dalit and anti-poor. The death penalty laws' wrathful majesty, in blood-shot equality, deals the fatal blow on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-r-krishna-iyer/our-legal-system-including-the-police-is-anti-dalit-and-anti-poor-the/)

[V. R. Krishna Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-r-krishna-iyer/)

> [You can't have people making decisions about the future of the world who are scientifically illiterate. That's a recipe for disaster. And I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/you-can-t-have-people-making-decisions-about-the-future-of-the-world/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [It's a great lesson in modesty that you realize you're illiterate in a field that you think you're an expert in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-wenders/it-s-a-great-lesson-in-modesty-that-you-realize-you-re-illiterate-in/)

[Wim Wenders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-wenders/)

> [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/)

[Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/)

## More by Matthew Ashimolowo

> [A person with a poor mind set is always afraid to take risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/a-person-with-a-poor-mind-set-is-always-afraid-to-take-risk/)

[Matthew Ashimolowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/)

> [Your future is bigger than where you were born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/your-future-is-bigger-than-where-you-were-born/)

[Matthew Ashimolowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/)

> [No one else has an investment in your personal life as you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/no-one-else-has-an-investment-in-your-personal-life-as-you-do/)

[Matthew Ashimolowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/)

> [Prosperity is a by-product of an effective management of whatever God provides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/prosperity-is-a-by-product-of-an-effective-management-of-whatever-god/)

[Matthew Ashimolowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/)

> [Where progress is desire, change is Inevitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/where-progress-is-desire-change-is-inevitable/)

[Matthew Ashimolowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/)

> [Nothing is more beautiful and romantic than when provision and purpose kiss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/nothing-is-more-beautiful-and-romantic-than-when-provision-and/)

[Matthew Ashimolowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/)

> [You can't be the head, if you are a mediocre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/you-can-t-be-the-head-if-you-are-a-mediocre/)

[Matthew Ashimolowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/)

> [If you don't pass through anything in life, you can't be anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/if-you-don-t-pass-through-anything-in-life-you-can-t-be-anything/)

[Matthew Ashimolowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/)

> [Anybody who does not value what you have does not deserve your relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/anybody-who-does-not-value-what-you-have-does-not-deserve-your/)

[Matthew Ashimolowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/)

> [God is not a respecter of persons but a respecter of principles that are in his word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/god-is-not-a-respecter-of-persons-but-a-respecter-of-principles-that/)

[Matthew Ashimolowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/)

> [You can never rise above the light you look up to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/you-can-never-rise-above-the-light-you-look-up-to/)

[Matthew Ashimolowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/)

> [Poor people have the desire to prosper but their mindset stop them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/poor-people-have-the-desire-to-prosper-but-their-mindset-stop-them/)

[Matthew Ashimolowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/)

> [The deep of your maturity determines the height of your marriage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/the-deep-of-your-maturity-determines-the-height-of-your-marriage/)

[Matthew Ashimolowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/)

> [A poor man fear for money works against him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/a-poor-man-fear-for-money-works-against-him/)

[Matthew Ashimolowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/)

> [Rush is the death of marriage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/rush-is-the-death-of-marriage/)

[Matthew Ashimolowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/)

[Explore all 19 Matthew Ashimolowo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/)

## More Great things quotes

> [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/)

[Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/)

> [No matter how many great things you say about Jacques Pepin, there's always more. Through his books and videos, he taught me the importance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-kenji-lopez-alt/no-matter-how-many-great-things-you-say-about-jacques-pepin-there-s/)

[J. Kenji Lopez-Alt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-kenji-lopez-alt/)

> [Great things that can happen when you're doing a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/great-things-that-can-happen-when-you-re-doing-a-movie/)

[James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/)

> [Who can really be faithful in great things if he has not learned to be faithful in the things of daily life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/who-can-really-be-faithful-in-great-things-if-he-has-not-learned-to/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [“Second letter from Mom: So! What if you colored the world? This still does not seem a great thing. In fact it seems very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-d-calin/second-letter-from-mom-so-what-if-you-colored-the-world-this-still/)

[Elena D. Calin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-d-calin/)

> [I have so much respect for the country, I don't like blanket indictments. There's a lot of really great things about this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cris-collinsworth/i-have-so-much-respect-for-the-country-i-don-t-like-blanket/)

[Cris Collinsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cris-collinsworth/)

> [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/)

[John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/)

> [The great thing about the arts, and especially popular music, is that it really does cut across genres and races and classes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/the-great-thing-about-the-arts-and-especially-popular-music-is-that/)

[Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/)

> [I don’t know, I don’t know that I’m missing anything. I just think too much sometimes. Sometimes I’m even happy because I’m so engaged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-buckley/i-don-t-know-i-don-t-know-that-i-m-missing-anything-i-just-think-too/)

[Jeff Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-buckley/)

> [The great thing about an independent film is that you're too busy working, and you're too busy hoping to God to get it done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-dowd/the-great-thing-about-an-independent-film-is-that-you-re-too-busy/)

[Ann Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-dowd/)

> [Every great thing starts with an idea, followed by a doubt and finally a resolve to abandon or pursue. Victory is a treacherous journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/every-great-thing-starts-with-an-idea-followed-by-a-doubt-and-finally/)

[Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/)

> [I have a large watch collection, and classic watches are especially important to me. I had a silver Rolex, and I actually gave it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/i-have-a-large-watch-collection-and-classic-watches-are-especially/)

[Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/)

> [That is one of the great things about Test cricket, the ball. Sometimes it swings conventionally, sometimes it doesn't and sometimes it reverses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/that-is-one-of-the-great-things-about-test-cricket-the-ball-sometimes/)

[Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/)

> [In the end things must be as they are and have always been--the great things remain for the great, the abysses for the profound,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/in-the-end-things-must-be-as-they-are-and-have-always-been-the-great/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [Great men undertake great things because they are great; fools, because they think them easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/great-men-undertake-great-things-because-they-are-great-fools-because/)

[Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/)

[Browse all 1,881 Great things quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The greatest illiterate is the inability to learn the great things of life from small things around.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Matthew Ashimolowo"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/the-greatest-illiterate-is-the-inability-to-learn-the-great-things-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Great things"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/the-greatest-illiterate-is-the-inability-to-learn-the-great-things-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/matthew-ashimolowo-28139_great-things_the-greatest-illiterate-is-the-inability_443133.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/matthew-ashimolowo-28139_great-things_the-greatest-illiterate-is-the-inability_443133.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/matthew-ashimolowo-28139_great-things_the-greatest-illiterate-is-the-inability_443133.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The greatest illiterate is the inability to learn the great things of life from small things around.” — Matthew Ashimolowo",
                "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": "Matthew Ashimolowo",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashimolowo/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The greatest illiterate is the inability...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/the-greatest-illiterate-is-the-inability-to-learn-the-great-things-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashimolowo/the-greatest-illiterate-is-the-inability-to-learn-the-great-things-of/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
