--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A great man stands on God. A small man on…" description: "\"A great man stands on God. A small man on a great man.\" — Ralph Waldo Emerson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b6/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_god_a-great-man-stands-on-god-a-small-man-on_1684349.png" --- # A great man stands on God. A small man on a great man. ![“A great man stands on God. A small man on a great man.” quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b6/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_god_a-great-man-stands-on-god-a-small-man-on_1684349.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b6/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_god_a-great-man-stands-on-god-a-small-man-on_1684349.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b6/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_god_a-great-man-stands-on-god-a-small-man-on_1684349.png) > “A great man stands on God. A small man on a great man.” [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greatness depends on self‑trust; lesser men rely on others’ reputations. **In simple terms:** Great men trust themselves; small men lean on others. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner confidence. Themes individualism leadership dependence ego Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career advancement - team leadership - personal development - public speaking Key Concepts self‑reliance social hierarchy Questions to Reflect On - Do you trust your own judgment? - When is seeking guidance wise? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on self can ignore valuable mentorship. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-small-401265/) [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Man Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-great/) [Man Stands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-stands-465060/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Small man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-man/) [Stands God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stands-god-245223/) ## Related quotes > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [As long as a man stands in his own way, everything seems to be in his way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/as-long-as-a-man-stands-in-his-own-way-everything-seems-to-be-in-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“And even as each one of you stands alone in God's knowledge, so must each one of you be alone in his knowledge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/and-even-as-each-one-of-you-stands-alone-in-god-s-knowledge-so-must/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [The ground of all religion, that which makes it possible, is the relation in which the human soul stands to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-campbell-shairp/the-ground-of-all-religion-that-which-makes-it-possible-is-the/) [John Campbell Shairp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-campbell-shairp/) > [He who falls, falls by his own will, and he who stands, stands by God's will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-who-falls-falls-by-his-own-will-and-he-who-stands-stands-by-god-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“While you were busy trying to prove God stands behind you, God was before me lighting the trail, so he could lead us both.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/while-you-were-busy-trying-to-prove-god-stands-behind-you-god-was/) [Shannon L. 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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/) > [“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/) ## More by Ralph Waldo Emerson > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. 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Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Coal lay in ledges under the ground since the Flood, until a laborer with pick and windlass brings it to the surface. We may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/coal-lay-in-ledges-under-the-ground-since-the-flood-until-a-laborer/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I am; therefore, I had nothing better to do than to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-am-therefore-i-had-nothing-better-to-do-than-to-think/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In a library we are surrounded by many hundreds of dear friends, but they are imprisoned by an enchanter in these paper and leathern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/in-a-library-we-are-surrounded-by-many-hundreds-of-dear-friends-but/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. 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