--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being honest is what counts. To make the…" description: "\"Being honest is what counts. To make the ordinary extraordinary is so much better than starting with the extraordinary.\" — Ricky Gervais" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34e/ricky-gervais-851_being-honest_being-honest-is-what-counts-to-make-the_2569331.png" --- # Being honest is what counts. To make the ordinary… ![“Being honest is what counts. To make the ordinary extraordinary is so much better than starting with the extraordinary.” quote by Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34e/ricky-gervais-851_being-honest_being-honest-is-what-counts-to-make-the_2569331.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34e/ricky-gervais-851_being-honest_being-honest-is-what-counts-to-make-the_2569331.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34e/ricky-gervais-851_being-honest_being-honest-is-what-counts-to-make-the_2569331.png) > “Being honest is what counts. To make the ordinary extraordinary is so much better than starting with the extraordinary.” [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Value ordinary actions over grand gestures; small consistency creates impact. **In simple terms:** Ordinary effort matters more than flashy starts. Key Takeaway Focus on daily excellence. Themes humility excellence mindset growth Mood encouraging thoughtful Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - daily routines - teaching - customer service - creative projects Key Concepts philosophy psychology productivity Questions to Reflect On - What everyday habit can you improve? - How does modesty shape success? A Different Perspective Extraordinary goals can be overwhelming without basics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-honest/) [Extraordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extraordinary/) [Extraordinary Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extraordinary-better-1245406/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Make Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-ordinary-1221508/) [Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary/) [Ordinary extraordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-extraordinary/) [Starting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting/) [Starting Extraordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting-extraordinary-1676708/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [When we trust God, He can make the ordinary extraordinary!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/when-we-trust-god-he-can-make-the-ordinary-extraordinary/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [“A little creativity can make something ordinary, extraordinary, and something extraordinary that much more so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stabile/a-little-creativity-can-make-something-ordinary-extraordinary-and/) [Scott Stabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stabile/) > [I love really creative thinking that can make the ordinary extraordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clarke/i-love-really-creative-thinking-that-can-make-the-ordinary/) [George Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clarke/) > [“When a culture’s standard of success is to “be extraordinary,” it then becomes better to be at the extreme low end of the bell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/when-a-culture-s-standard-of-success-is-to-be-extraordinary-it-then/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [Extraordinary: it is the extra that make us more than ordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/extraordinary-it-is-the-extra-that-make-us-more-than-ordinary/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Take a little time to make ordinary things extraordinary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilie-barnes/take-a-little-time-to-make-ordinary-things-extraordinary/) [Emilie Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilie-barnes/) > [The good life (for your kids) is where you make the ordinary extraordinary, where you make the natural miraculous. It's where you make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shmuley-boteach/the-good-life-for-your-kids-is-where-you-make-the-ordinary/) [Shmuley Boteach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shmuley-boteach/) > [“Why be ordinary when you can be extraordinary?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-mason/why-be-ordinary-when-you-can-be-extraordinary/) [Debbie Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-mason/) > [The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-johnson/the-difference-between-ordinary-and-extraordinary-is-that-little-extra/) [Jimmy Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-johnson/) > [“In the middle of all the ordinary--something extraordinary shows up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karianne-wood/in-the-middle-of-all-the-ordinary-something-extraordinary-shows-up/) [KariAnne Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karianne-wood/) > [When we use this word fun, it sort of bangs up the ordinary and the extraordinary altogether.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/when-we-use-this-word-fun-it-sort-of-bangs-up-the-ordinary-and-the/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [“ordinary when extraordinary things began to happen. The first of these came as a terrible shock and, like anything that changes you forever, split…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ransom-riggs/ordinary-when-extraordinary-things-began-to-happen-the-first-of-these/) [Ransom Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ransom-riggs/) > [Drop the idea of being Extraordinary! It's keeping you mediocre. To be Ordinary is the most extraordinary thing in the world. The Ordinary person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/drop-the-idea-of-being-extraordinary-it-s-keeping-you-mediocre-to-be/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [For me, the difference between an ‘ordinary’ and an ‘extraordinary’ person is not the title that person might have, but what they do to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-williams/for-me-the-difference-between-an-ordinary-and-an-extraordinary-person/) [Jody Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-williams/) > [“The Ordinary is Extraordinary ..." my motto for life as a writer/Mom/woman”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-barr/the-ordinary-is-extraordinary-my-motto-for-life-as-a-writer-mom-woman/) [Lisa Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-barr/) ## More by Ricky Gervais > [I was David Bowie-thin up to about 28, and then I discovered food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-was-david-bowie-thin-up-to-about-28-and-then-i-discovered-food/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [I don't like it when I see a racist comedian go up and say, 'What are we gonna do about all these immigrants?' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-don-t-like-it-when-i-see-a-racist-comedian-go-up-and-say-what-are/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [The truth doesn't hurt. Whatever it is, it doesn't hurt. It's better to know the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/the-truth-doesn-t-hurt-whatever-it-is-it-doesn-t-hurt-it-s-better-to/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [If all the Atheists & Agnostics left America, they'd lose 93% of The National Academy of Sciences & less than 1% of the prison population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/if-all-the-atheists-agnostics-left-america-they-d-lose-93-of-the/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [There are so many films now where you know the story is a supporting role to the visual effects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/there-are-so-many-films-now-where-you-know-the-story-is-a-supporting/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [When I was about to be famous, I feared it on a few levels. I feared it because I didn't want people to lump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/when-i-was-about-to-be-famous-i-feared-it-on-a-few-levels-i-feared-it/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [It will be great to play a short, fat sweaty loser for a change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/it-will-be-great-to-play-a-short-fat-sweaty-loser-for-a-change/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [I went to university with no money. I can't understand a society that wouldn't give a poor person the same opportunity as a rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-went-to-university-with-no-money-i-can-t-understand-a-society-that/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [I'm a failed pop star. I always sneak a song into everything I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-m-a-failed-pop-star-i-always-sneak-a-song-into-everything-i-do/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [The grass isn't always greener on the other side!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/the-grass-isn-t-always-greener-on-the-other-side/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [I am myself sometimes, and I do state my opinions, but not in a comedy routine and not in my character. There always has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-am-myself-sometimes-and-i-do-state-my-opinions-but-not-in-a-comedy/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [Wearing cosmetics that were tested on animals makes you ugly on the inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/wearing-cosmetics-that-were-tested-on-animals-makes-you-ugly-on-the/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [There's a difference between a job and a career - if you're the boss you don't stop at six o'clock, you have to worry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/there-s-a-difference-between-a-job-and-a-career-if-you-re-the-boss/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [Stupidity without malice isn't horrible; some people can't help it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/stupidity-without-malice-isn-t-horrible-some-people-can-t-help-it/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [It's interesting that music in this country... we sort of sold something to America with The Beatles and they sold something back. And we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/it-s-interesting-that-music-in-this-country-we-sort-of-sold-something/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) [Explore all 351 Ricky Gervais quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) ## More Being honest quotes > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [I have often spoken of integrity as the most important of these values, realizing that integrity – and personal integrity, at that – is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verghese-kurien/i-have-often-spoken-of-integrity-as-the-most-important-of-these/) [Verghese Kurien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verghese-kurien/) > [I had never done anything with blue screen before, or prosthetics, or anything like that. Lord of the Rings was like stepping into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-had-never-done-anything-with-blue-screen-before-or-prosthetics-or/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [Let's be honest, if the Democrats didn't support ignoring our nation's immigration laws, there is no way they could win the presidency or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/let-s-be-honest-if-the-democrats-didn-t-support-ignoring-our-nation-s/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [I think what saved me is me being honest. I think I somewhow had the courage to do something and say something that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-think-what-saved-me-is-me-being-honest-i-think-i-somewhow-had-the/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [An actor has to evaluate his own abilities and be honest with himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/an-actor-has-to-evaluate-his-own-abilities-and-be-honest-with-himself/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [The cultural integration of psychedelics won't happen overnight, and the question of young people is perhaps the most difficult involved. The first step is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-doblin/the-cultural-integration-of-psychedelics-won-t-happen-overnight-and/) [Rick Doblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-doblin/) > [I'm a person of change and I must be honest to my artistry and my creativity. That's part of the word 'jazz'... it's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-ferguson/i-m-a-person-of-change-and-i-must-be-honest-to-my-artistry-and-my/) [Maynard Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-ferguson/) > [I'm going to be honest, I would love for Flava Flav to be president. It would bring a lot of excitement to the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-khaled/i-m-going-to-be-honest-i-would-love-for-flava-flav-to-be-president-it/) [DJ Khaled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-khaled/) > [The buildings that were in question, they said in the same report, which was - actually, it wasn't even a bad story, to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-buildings-that-were-in-question-they-said-in-the-same-report/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I guess it has to be healthy, you have to be honest with yourself and I think that's when ego is okay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/i-guess-it-has-to-be-healthy-you-have-to-be-honest-with-yourself-and/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [ The opening for solid waste is very small \[in the space ship\]. It's not toilet-bowl size. And aim is critical. To be honest with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mullane/the-opening-for-solid-waste-is-very-small-in-the-space-ship-it-s-not/) [Mike Mullane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mullane/) > [We had 90 percent rates, but nobody paid them. And so you had all these exemptions, exclusions, shelters, all this kind of stuff. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-had-90-percent-rates-but-nobody-paid-them-and-so-you-had-all-these/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [I think, as a filmmaker, it's important to be honest with yourself at all times in terms of what's working and what's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-wingard/i-think-as-a-filmmaker-it-s-important-to-be-honest-with-yourself-at/) [Adam Wingard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-wingard/) > [We live in a world in which the only utopian visions arrive in commercial breaks: magical visions of an impossibly hospitable world, peopled by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/we-live-in-a-world-in-which-the-only-utopian-visions-arrive-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Browse all 1,333 Being honest quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-honest/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being honest is what counts. 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