--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was never one who sought to make the…" description: "\"I was never one who sought to make the small man tall by cutting off the legs of a giant. I wanted to drag no man down to my size. Only to preserve a w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/paul-harvey-9484_day_i-was-never-one-who-sought-to-make-the-s_3133912.jpg" --- # I was never one who sought to make the small man tall by… ![“I was never one who sought to make the small man tall by cutting off the legs of a giant. I wanted to drag no man down to my size. Only to preserve a way of life which might make it possible for me, one day, to elevate myself until I at least partly matched his size.” quote by Paul Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/paul-harvey-9484_day_i-was-never-one-who-sought-to-make-the-s_3133912.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/paul-harvey-9484_day_i-was-never-one-who-sought-to-make-the-s_3133912.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/paul-harvey-9484_day_i-was-never-one-who-sought-to-make-the-s_3133912.jpg) > “I was never one who sought to make the small man tall by cutting off the legs of a giant. I wanted to drag no man down to my size. Only to preserve a way of life which might make it possible for me, one day, to elevate myself until I at least partly matched his size.” [Paul Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harvey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One should not diminish others to elevate oneself; instead, preserve a way of life that eventually allows personal growth to match others. **In simple terms:** Don’t pull others down; preserve values to grow. Key Takeaway Build inclusive foundations. Themes growth equality self‑improvement Mood inspirational thoughtful Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - community building - education - personal development Key Concepts ethics social mobility Questions to Reflect On - How can you support others while advancing yourself? - What values sustain long‑term growth? A Different Perspective Focusing on others may delay immediate personal progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Giant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giant/) [Giant Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giant-wanted-5554534/) [Legs Giant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legs-giant-5554533/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Man Tall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-tall-742670/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Small man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-man/) [Tall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tall/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Way of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-of-life/) ## Related quotes > [“Better to be a small man and stay with people you like near the girl you love than a transferred giant, yes?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-dodd/better-to-be-a-small-man-and-stay-with-people-you-like-near-the-girl/) [Robert H. 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He was tall, long-faced, and his hair was mussed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn/mr-huston-directed-marilyn-in-asphalt-jungle-and-the-misfits-was-an/) [Marilyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn/) > [“I have a man, she said. And my man tall and good-looking. What have you? Nothing that I can see.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-george/i-have-a-man-she-said-and-my-man-tall-and-good-looking-what-have-you/) [Abigail George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-george/) > [Mt. Everest of Earth is 8.8 km tall; Mt. Olympus of Mars is 22 km tall. 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Don't scare them off with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-aguirre/he-cocked-his-head-listening-then-whispered-to-the-big-man-we-ve-got/) [Ann Aguirre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-aguirre/) > [A great man is hard on himself; a small man is hard on others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/a-great-man-is-hard-on-himself-a-small-man-is-hard-on-others/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [In theatres, you're kind of disconnected. Also, it's way too big for the likes of me. Unless you're Robin Williams or someone that can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/in-theatres-you-re-kind-of-disconnected-also-it-s-way-too-big-for-the/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [“Yeah, beware the small man... Always beware the small man. He'll fuck you every time. Because they never forget, do they? 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We'll manage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harvey/cut-out-the-free-feed-for-the-boss-hogs-at-the-public-trough-and-the/) [Paul Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harvey/) > [For me the breath really is the tool which allows you to understand what's happening on the mental level and what's happening on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harvey/for-me-the-breath-really-is-the-tool-which-allows-you-to-understand/) [Paul Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harvey/) > [Man — despite his artistic pretensions, his sophistication, and his many accomplishments — owes his existence to a six inch layer of topsoil and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harvey/man-despite-his-artistic-pretensions-his-sophistication-and-his-many/) [Paul Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harvey/) > [Growth is the process of responding positively to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harvey/growth-is-the-process-of-responding-positively-to-change/) [Paul Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harvey/) [Explore all 71 Paul Harvey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harvey/) ## More Day quotes > [On Sundays, that's my pig out day and I do the pizza and the beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-silvstedt/on-sundays-that-s-my-pig-out-day-and-i-do-the-pizza-and-the-beer/) [Victoria Silvstedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-silvstedt/) > [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [I had developed a relationship with one of the anti-abortion sidewalk counselors who stood in front of my facility. We talked regularly through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-johnson/i-had-developed-a-relationship-with-one-of-the-anti-abortion-sidewalk/) [Abby Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-johnson/) > [I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-loved-the-game-so-much-that-even-though-our-playing-field-was-muddy/) [Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I want to make my music and be a happy woman, a good wife, a good mom and one day hopefully have a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/i-want-to-make-my-music-and-be-a-happy-woman-a-good-wife-a-good-mom/) [LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/) > [Valentine's Day: Rubbing singles' noses in their lack of a mate and the noses of couples in their lack of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mclaughlin/valentine-s-day-rubbing-singles-noses-in-their-lack-of-a-mate-and-the/) [Emma McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mclaughlin/) > [One day I woke up and Juventus wanted me, another Manchester United and what I know is that there were approaches made. 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