--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If a man brings a good mind to what he…" description: "\"“If a man brings a good mind to what he reads he may become, as it were, the spiritual descendant to some extent of great men, and this link, this spir..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/rudyard-kipling-527_balls_if-a-man-brings-a-good-mind-to-what-he-r_1501191.png" --- # If a man brings a good mind to what he reads he may… ![“If a man brings a good mind to what he reads he may become, as it were, the spiritual descendant to some extent of great men, and this link, this spiritual hereditary tie, may help to just kick the beam in the right direction at a vital crisis; or may keep him from drifting through the long slack…” quote by Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/rudyard-kipling-527_balls_if-a-man-brings-a-good-mind-to-what-he-r_1501191.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/rudyard-kipling-527_balls_if-a-man-brings-a-good-mind-to-what-he-r_1501191.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/rudyard-kipling-527_balls_if-a-man-brings-a-good-mind-to-what-he-r_1501191.png) > ““If a man brings a good mind to what he reads he may become, as it were, the spiritual descendant to some extent of great men, and this link, this spiritual hereditary tie, may help to just kick the beam in the right direction at a vital crisis; or may keep him from drifting through the long slack times when, so to speak, we are only fielding and no balls are coming our way.”” [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading with a good mind connects you to the wisdom of great thinkers, guiding you during crises and preventing aimlessness. **In simple terms:** Reading wisely links you to great minds for guidance. Key Takeaway Cultivate thoughtful reading habits. Themes knowledge guidance heritage Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - crisis decision making - career planning - personal growth - academic study - creative projects Key Concepts literature intellectual lineage critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - What modern ideas complement historic wisdom? - How do you balance tradition with innovation? A Different Perspective Relying on past thinkers may limit original thought. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Kicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kicks/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Right direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-direction/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Ties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ties/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [A good mind should tell the difference between noise and music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilaiyaraaja/a-good-mind-should-tell-the-difference-between-noise-and-music/) [Ilaiyaraaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilaiyaraaja/) > [The danger in trying to do good is that the mind comes to confuse the intent of goodness with the act of doing things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/the-danger-in-trying-to-do-good-is-that-the-mind-comes-to-confuse-the/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [I said to my doctor at the beginning, 'I'm no good; I can't do anything. I'm dumb.' He suggested I try educating myself by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/i-said-to-my-doctor-at-the-beginning-i-m-no-good-i-can-t-do-anything/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [Its not enough to have a good mind the main thing is to use it well :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/its-not-enough-to-have-a-good-mind-the-main-thing-is-to-use-it-well/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [Beauty is not just having a beautiful face, it is having a good mind, a good heart and good will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/beauty-is-not-just-having-a-beautiful-face-it-is-having-a-good-mind-a/) [Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/) > [“A good mind is sharper than a bad sword.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/a-good-mind-is-sharper-than-a-bad-sword/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [A good mind possesses a kingdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/a-good-mind-possesses-a-kingdom/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [A source of cheerfulness to a good mind is the consideration of that Being on whom we have our dependence, and in whom, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/a-source-of-cheerfulness-to-a-good-mind-is-the-consideration-of-that/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [If I point to anything that makes me who I am, it's that I have a whole lot of common sense. I've got a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/if-i-point-to-anything-that-makes-me-who-i-am-it-s-that-i-have-a/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [A bad war is fought with a good mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/a-bad-war-is-fought-with-a-good-mind/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [It is the property of a great and good mind to covet, not the fruit of good deeds, but good deeds themselves, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/it-is-the-property-of-a-great-and-good-mind-to-covet-not-the-fruit-of/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [“Where there is to be creative action, it is quite beside the point to discuss what we should or should not do in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/where-there-is-to-be-creative-action-it-is-quite-beside-the-point-to/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [Where'er ye sojourn, and whatever names Ye are or shall be called; fairies, or sylphs, Nymphs of the wood or mountain, flood or field:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hartley-coleridge/where-er-ye-sojourn-and-whatever-names-ye-are-or-shall-be-called/) [Hartley Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hartley-coleridge/) > [Indolence is the dry rot of even a good mind and a good character; the practical uselessness of both. It is the waste of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/indolence-is-the-dry-rot-of-even-a-good-mind-and-a-good-character-the/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [“It takes a good mind to resist education.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pascal/it-takes-a-good-mind-to-resist-education/) John Pascal ## More by Rudyard Kipling > [Borrow trouble for yourself, if that's your nature, but don't lend it to your neighbours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/borrow-trouble-for-yourself-if-that-s-your-nature-but-don-t-lend-it/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“I follow the Law—the Most Excellent Law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/i-follow-the-law-the-most-excellent-law/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/brothers-and-sisters-i-bid-you-beware-of-giving-your-heart-to-a-dog/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [O it's Tommy this, and Tommy that, and Tommy 'ow's your soul/But it's thin red line of heroes when the drums begin to roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/o-it-s-tommy-this-and-tommy-that-and-tommy-ow-s-your-soul-but-it-s/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Believe the best of everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/believe-the-best-of-everybody/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees That half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees, So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/oh-adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-a-proper/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Adam was a gardener, and God, who made him, sees that half of all good gardening is done upon the knees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-of-all-good/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Call a truce, then, to our labors - let us feast with friends and neighbors, and be merry as the custom of our caste;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/call-a-truce-then-to-our-labors-let-us-feast-with-friends-and/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [No one accuses the gunner of maudlin affection for anything except his beasts and his weapons. He serves as least three jealous gods-his horse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/no-one-accuses-the-gunner-of-maudlin-affection-for-anything-except/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“One of these days, Strickland is going to write a little book on his experiences. That book will be worth buying; and even more,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/one-of-these-days-strickland-is-going-to-write-a-little-book-on-his/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Good work does not matter, because a man is judged by his worst output and another man takes all the credit of his best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/good-work-does-not-matter-because-a-man-is-judged-by-his-worst-output/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Those who kill snakes get killed by snakes, said Chuchundra, more sorrowfully than ever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/those-who-kill-snakes-get-killed-by-snakes-said-chuchundra-more/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Like everything else in the world, it is one man's work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/like-everything-else-in-the-world-it-is-one-man-s-work/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Father Wolf looked on amazed. He had almost forgotten the days when he won Mother Wolf in fair fight from five other wolves, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/father-wolf-looked-on-amazed-he-had-almost-forgotten-the-days-when-he/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [If you want something and don't get it, there are only two reasons. You either really didn't want it, or you tried to bargain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/if-you-want-something-and-don-t-get-it-there-are-only-two-reasons-you/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) [Explore all 491 Rudyard Kipling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) ## More Balls quotes > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [Play small ball. Get back to basics. I would say that you need to be a conservative, but you need to maintain your independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/play-small-ball-get-back-to-basics-i-would-say-that-you-need-to-be-a/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Maybe bring in sponge balls to learn the technique and gain that experience of actually challenging for a header.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-mason/maybe-bring-in-sponge-balls-to-learn-the-technique-and-gain-that/) [Ryan Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-mason/) > [I like René Descartes' theory about a ball of wax. You can change its form from solid to liquid, but it's still the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-rossum/i-like-ren-descartes-theory-about-a-ball-of-wax-you-can-change-its/) [Emmy Rossum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-rossum/) > [It wasn't really touching to be young; it was touching not to be young, because you had less of life left. Touching to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/it-wasn-t-really-touching-to-be-young-it-was-touching-not-to-be-young/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Common sense is the guy who tells you that you ought to have had your brakes relined last week before you smashed a front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/common-sense-is-the-guy-who-tells-you-that-you-ought-to-have-had-your/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [Throwing a ball is not natural, whether it's overhand or underhand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-finch/throwing-a-ball-is-not-natural-whether-it-s-overhand-or-underhand/) [Jennie Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie-finch/) > [I don't feel like I have to live up to anything because I've proven that I can play. Give me the ball and let's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-portis/i-don-t-feel-like-i-have-to-live-up-to-anything-because-i-ve-proven/) [Clinton Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-portis/) > [And if we seem nutty to you and if we seem like an odd ball to you, just remember one thing. The mighty oak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-turner/and-if-we-seem-nutty-to-you-and-if-we-seem-like-an-odd-ball-to-you/) [Glenn Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-turner/) > [You run the football for toughness. You run the ball to tell your opponent that you're as tough as they are. But you throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-glanville/you-run-the-football-for-toughness-you-run-the-ball-to-tell-your/) Jerry Glanville Browse all 3,005 Balls quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If a man brings a good mind to what he reads he may become, as it were, the spiritual descendant to some extent of great men, and this link, this spiritual hereditary tie, may help to just kick the beam in the right direction at a vital crisis; or may keep him from drifting through the long slack times when, so to speak, we are only fielding and no balls are coming our way.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rudyard Kipling" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/if-a-man-brings-a-good-mind-to-what-he-reads-he-may-become-as-it-were/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Balls" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/if-a-man-brings-a-good-mind-to-what-he-reads-he-may-become-as-it-were/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/rudyard-kipling-527_balls_if-a-man-brings-a-good-mind-to-what-he-r_1501191.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/rudyard-kipling-527_balls_if-a-man-brings-a-good-mind-to-what-he-r_1501191.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/rudyard-kipling-527_balls_if-a-man-brings-a-good-mind-to-what-he-r_1501191.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If a man brings a good mind to what he reads he may become, as it were, the spiritual descendant to some…” — Rudyard Kipling", "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": "Rudyard Kipling", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If a man brings a good...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/if-a-man-brings-a-good-mind-to-what-he-reads-he-may-become-as-it-were/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/if-a-man-brings-a-good-mind-to-what-he-reads-he-may-become-as-it-were/#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 } } ] } ```