Done Quote by Niccolo Machiavelli
“We have not seen great things done in our time except by those who have been considered mean; the rest have failed.”
About This Quote
Great achievements often come from those deemed ruthless; conventional virtues may lead to failure.
In simple terms: Mean people sometimes achieve more than kind ones.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the role of strategic ruthlessness in success.
Themes
leadership
ethics
power
success
strategy
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
philosophical
strategic
When to use this quote
- business negotiations
- political campaigns
- competitive sports
Key Concepts
Machiavellianism
realpolitik
ambition
Questions to Reflect On
- When is ruthless behavior justified?
- How to balance ethics and ambition?
A Different Perspective
Ruthlessness can erode trust and morale.
![“I think that the important thing to know is, which is great about this country [the USA], when it comes to domestic issues, we all battle it out and fight it between the parties and all those kind of things to get things done, but when it comes to foreign issues, overseas kind of things, then we…” quote by Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/eae/arnold-schwarzenegger-657_battle_i-think-that-the-important-thing-to-know_201684.jpg)
![“I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests with ZERO-G [a charter-flight service in Arlington, Va., that uses modified Boeing 727s to simulate weightlessness], which went great.” quote by Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aa1/richard-branson-256_adventure_i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-repl_903.jpg)
