--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You're only good if you can do bad and…" description: "\"You're only good if you can do bad and decide not to.\" — Richard Ford" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/richard-ford-2097_decide_you-re-only-good-if-you-can-do-bad-and-d_719614.png" --- # You're only good if you can do bad and decide not to. ![“You're only good if you can do bad and decide not to.” quote by Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/richard-ford-2097_decide_you-re-only-good-if-you-can-do-bad-and-d_719614.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/richard-ford-2097_decide_you-re-only-good-if-you-can-do-bad-and-d_719614.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/richard-ford-2097_decide_you-re-only-good-if-you-can-do-bad-and-d_719614.png) > “You're only good if you can do bad and decide not to.” [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests moral strength lies in resisting wrongdoing despite having the ability to commit it. **In simple terms:** Goodness is choosing not to do bad. Key Takeaway Resist temptation when capable. Themes morality self‑control choice Mood reflective serious Type aphilosophical ethical When to use this quote - personal dilemmas - legal decisions - leadership choices Key Concepts ethical decision‑making virtue ethics Questions to Reflect On - What temptations test your integrity? - How can you strengthen resolve against easy wrongdoing? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad Decide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-decide-5659523/) [Decide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decide/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-bad/) ## Related quotes > [“We are all crazy. 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Bad is not good and good is not bad. Bad and good go together. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-manson/we-re-told-everybody-that-all-things-are-bad-bad-is-not-good-and-good/) [Charles Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-manson/) > [I'm not as good as I seem nor as bad as many think I am...I'm just myself, so accept it or leave me be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-gonzalez/i-m-not-as-good-as-i-seem-nor-as-bad-as-many-think-i-am-i-m-just/) [Joaquin Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-gonzalez/) > [Every thing,, good or bad will walk for my good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charis/every-thing-good-or-bad-will-walk-for-my-good/) [Charis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charis/) > [“Oh, don’t get me wrong, girl. I’m jus’ sayin’, there’s a little good in most bad, and the other way ’round too. This country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-vandyke/oh-don-t-get-me-wrong-girl-i-m-jus-sayin-there-s-a-little-good-in/) [David VanDyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-vandyke/) > [I think it's common to want to label things as all good or all bad and what I'm finding is that every situation, person,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-fosse/i-think-it-s-common-to-want-to-label-things-as-all-good-or-all-bad/) [Nicole Fosse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-fosse/) > [The meaning of good and bad, of better and worse, is simply helping or hurting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-meaning-of-good-and-bad-of-better-and-worse-is-simply-helping-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I may be good for nothing, but I'm never bad for nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-biddle-barrows/i-may-be-good-for-nothing-but-i-m-never-bad-for-nothing/) [Sydney Biddle Barrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-biddle-barrows/) > [Knowing that you are bad is less painful than being unsure whether you are good or bad!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/knowing-that-you-are-bad-is-less-painful-than-being-unsure-whether/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [In every good there's a some bad and in every bad there's a some good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriella-s/in-every-good-there-s-a-some-bad-and-in-every-bad-there-s-a-some-good/) [Gabriella S](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriella-s/) > [When you love someone you have to take the good with the bad. Sometimes the bad out numbers the good, but it is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/when-you-love-someone-you-have-to-take-the-good-with-the-bad/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [The difference between a bad artist and a good one is: the bad artist seems to copy a great deal; the good one really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-difference-between-a-bad-artist-and-a-good-one-is-the-bad-artist/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) ## More by Richard Ford > [Something will be there when the flood recedes. We know that. It will be those people now standing in the water, and on those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/something-will-be-there-when-the-flood-recedes-we-know-that-it-will/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [If you lose all hope, you can always find it again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/if-you-lose-all-hope-you-can-always-find-it-again/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [I started reading literature at 17 or 18, and I felt this extra beat to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/i-started-reading-literature-at-17-or-18-and-i-felt-this-extra-beat/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [I don't hate children. My wife and I just didn't think we would be good parents, and also by the time we got married…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/i-don-t-hate-children-my-wife-and-i-just-didn-t-think-we-would-be/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [Writing never came naturally and I still have to force my hand to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/writing-never-came-naturally-and-i-still-have-to-force-my-hand-to-do/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [“Conversations with adults other than a person's parents had more of an outcome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/conversations-with-adults-other-than-a-person-s-parents-had-more-of/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [Some people want to be bank presidents. Other people want to rob banks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/some-people-want-to-be-bank-presidents-other-people-want-to-rob-banks/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [In order to write novels for a living - it's not pathological, but I do think and worry and brood and fidget about stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/in-order-to-write-novels-for-a-living-it-s-not-pathological-but-i-do/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [There are more people in America that love guns and want guns for themselves and everyone else than there are not. It is also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/there-are-more-people-in-america-that-love-guns-and-want-guns-for/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [That said, being dyslexic, I wasn't a great reader when I was kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/that-said-being-dyslexic-i-wasn-t-a-great-reader-when-i-was-kid/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [I'm an equal opportunity reader - although I don't much read plays. And since I was raised a Presbyterian, pretty much all pleasures are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/i-m-an-equal-opportunity-reader-although-i-don-t-much-read-plays-and/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [The pace of life feels morally dangerous to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/the-pace-of-life-feels-morally-dangerous-to-me/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [“to sit in the empty stands of a Florida ball park and hear the sounds of glove leather and chatter;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/to-sit-in-the-empty-stands-of-a-florida-ball-park-and-hear-the-sounds/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [“And what there is to learn from almost any human experience is that your own interests usually do not come first where other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/and-what-there-is-to-learn-from-almost-any-human-experience-is-that/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [“It was on such a night as this that the unhappy things came about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/it-was-on-such-a-night-as-this-that-the-unhappy-things-came-about/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) [Explore all 184 Richard Ford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) ## More Decide quotes > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/decide-v-i-to-succumb-to-the-preponderance-of-one-set-of-influences/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [We do not know which irresponsible Israeli prime minister will take office and decide to use nuclear weapons in the struggle against neighboring Arab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordechai-vanunu/we-do-not-know-which-irresponsible-israeli-prime-minister-will-take/) [Mordechai Vanunu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordechai-vanunu/) > [In New York, you are constantly faced with this very urgent decision that you have to make, about every twenty minutes...you have to decide,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/in-new-york-you-are-constantly-faced-with-this-very-urgent-decision/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) > [Nothing is more private than a woman's body; it is her physical, emotional, and moral citadel. She cannot be free at all if she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/nothing-is-more-private-than-a-woman-s-body-it-is-her-physical/) [Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/) > [LOOK before you pick,DECIDE WELL before you choose,because these two things are very important in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oluwatayo-oluwatoyosi/look-before-you-pick-decide-well-before-you-choose-because-these-two/) [Oluwatayo Oluwatoyosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oluwatayo-oluwatoyosi/) > [Decisions decide destiny, there is no action without decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/decisions-decide-destiny-there-is-no-action-without-decision/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [“Do you keep pace with those around you, or do you decide yourself just how you will live your life? The truth is...only you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/do-you-keep-pace-with-those-around-you-or-do-you-decide-yourself-just/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [All the people ought to decide, but now most states are tossed on the scrap heap and ignored](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-anderson/all-the-people-ought-to-decide-but-now-most-states-are-tossed-on-the/) [John Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-anderson/) > [Fear is going to be a player in your life, but you get to decide how much!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/fear-is-going-to-be-a-player-in-your-life-but-you-get-to-decide-how/) [Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/) > [We cant choose our lives, but we can decide what to do with the joys or griefs were given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/we-cant-choose-our-lives-but-we-can-decide-what-to-do-with-the-joys/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [It’s as easy as we choose to make it,” he murmured, pressing his forehead to mine. “At least, this decision is. Nothing’s truly easy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/it-s-as-easy-as-we-choose-to-make-it-he-murmured-pressing-his/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [What you believe in, is the life you decide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keshia-chante/what-you-believe-in-is-the-life-you-decide/) [Keshia Chante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keshia-chante/) > [Heart is decide u want in ur life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raajni/heart-is-decide-u-want-in-ur-life/) [Raajni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raajni/) > [I think hopefully we've got enough brain cells left to decide if our music is really worth something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-champion/i-think-hopefully-we-ve-got-enough-brain-cells-left-to-decide-if-our/) [Will Champion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-champion/) [Browse all 1,644 Decide quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decide/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You're only good if you can do bad and decide not to.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Ford" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/you-re-only-good-if-you-can-do-bad-and-decide-not-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Decide" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/you-re-only-good-if-you-can-do-bad-and-decide-not-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/richard-ford-2097_decide_you-re-only-good-if-you-can-do-bad-and-d_719614.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/richard-ford-2097_decide_you-re-only-good-if-you-can-do-bad-and-d_719614.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/richard-ford-2097_decide_you-re-only-good-if-you-can-do-bad-and-d_719614.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You're only good if you can do bad and decide not to.” — Richard Ford", "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": "Richard Ford", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You're only good if you can...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/you-re-only-good-if-you-can-do-bad-and-decide-not-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/you-re-only-good-if-you-can-do-bad-and-decide-not-to/#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 } } ] } ```