--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Greatness is the reward for genius…" description: "\"Greatness is the reward for genius... only a few can be great, the rest are plain good.\" — Siddharth Katragadda" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e85/siddharth-katragadda-16947_genius_greatness-is-the-reward-for-genius-only_2305535.jpg" --- # Greatness is the reward for genius... only a few can be… ![“Greatness is the reward for genius... only a few can be great, the rest are plain good.” quote by Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e85/siddharth-katragadda-16947_genius_greatness-is-the-reward-for-genius-only_2305535.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e85/siddharth-katragadda-16947_genius_greatness-is-the-reward-for-genius-only_2305535.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e85/siddharth-katragadda-16947_genius_greatness-is-the-reward-for-genius-only_2305535.jpg) > “Greatness is the reward for genius... only a few can be great, the rest are plain good.” [Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greatness is portrayed as a rare outcome of exceptional talent, implying most people remain merely competent. **In simple terms:** Greatness is rare, most are just good. Key Takeaway Strive beyond mediocrity. Themes excellence talent achievement rarity Mood inspirational reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - creative pursuits - education - leadership Key Concepts growth mindset self‑actualization social comparison Questions to Reflect On - Can greatness be cultivated? - How do we value ordinary contributions? A Different Perspective The view may discourage effort by suggesting only a few can be great. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Genius Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius-great-461992/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Greatness Reward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness-reward-2428372/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Reward Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reward-genius-4694358/) [Rewards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewards/) ## Related quotes > [If you would get money as a writer or lecturer, you must be popular, which is to go down perpendicularly… You are paid for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-you-would-get-money-as-a-writer-or-lecturer-you-must-be-popular/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“It does not matter what your calling is, if you can invest all your time into it, then, greatness will become your reward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/it-does-not-matter-what-your-calling-is-if-you-can-invest-all-your/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [I feel genius in great works of art. I have seen medical cures that science can't explain, some seemingly triggered by faith. The same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/i-feel-genius-in-great-works-of-art-i-have-seen-medical-cures-that/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Bernard Herrmann was a genius, a great, great composer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/bernard-herrmann-was-a-genius-a-great-great-composer/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [“Men of genius themselves were great only by bringing all their power to bear on the point on which they had decided to show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/men-of-genius-themselves-were-great-only-by-bringing-all-their-power/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [We hold that the most wonderful and splendid proof of genius is a great poem produced in a civilized age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-hold-that-the-most-wonderful-and-splendid-proof-of-genius-is-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People say to me, 'You're a genius; you're great.' I don't know if I'll ever feel that way about myself. Some things, I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poo-bear/people-say-to-me-you-re-a-genius-you-re-great-i-don-t-know-if-i-ll/) [Poo Bear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poo-bear/) > [“I’m still convinced that would’ve been genius, a great ending to a mediocre picture.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-mcneill/i-m-still-convinced-that-would-ve-been-genius-a-great-ending-to-a/) [Dustin McNeill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-mcneill/) > [“The hobgoblin of a little mind may be the genius of a great one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermester-barrington/the-hobgoblin-of-a-little-mind-may-be-the-genius-of-a-great-one/) [Hermester Barrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermester-barrington/) > [Will is the measure of power. To a great genius there must be a great will. 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Great men exist that there may be greater men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-banfield/we-feed-on-genius-great-men-exist-that-there-may-be-greater-men/) [Susan Banfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-banfield/) > [“Sertillanges seems to have been ahead of his time, arguing in The Intellectual Life, “Men of genius themselves were great only by bringing all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/sertillanges-seems-to-have-been-ahead-of-his-time-arguing-in-the/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) ## More by Siddharth Katragadda > [The purest water is formed by flowing through the muddiest mountains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/the-purest-water-is-formed-by-flowing-through-the-muddiest-mountains/) [Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/) > [The way I would live my life is: never do something in real life that I would not want to write about in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/the-way-i-would-live-my-life-is-never-do-something-in-real-life-that/) [Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/) > [When you have a big problem to solve, break it down to smaller ones first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/when-you-have-a-big-problem-to-solve-break-it-down-to-smaller-ones/) [Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/) > [A little arrogance in the hands of the capable is well earned - and in most case, deserved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/a-little-arrogance-in-the-hands-of-the-capable-is-well-earned-and-in/) [Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/) > [The God of religion exists only in our minds. The real God exists but we can never comprehend him in our minds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/the-god-of-religion-exists-only-in-our-minds-the-real-god-exists-but/) [Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/) > [“No scripture comes directly from God. They are collections of rules or values or both, that were shaped by the socio-economic conditions of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/no-scripture-comes-directly-from-god-they-are-collections-of-rules-or/) [Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/) > [Being a good human being is very easy: Be a good son, a good husband, a good parent and a good citizen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/being-a-good-human-being-is-very-easy-be-a-good-son-a-good-husband-a/) [Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/) > [Religion is the biggest influence on the intellect and the decadence of a people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/religion-is-the-biggest-influence-on-the-intellect-and-the-decadence/) [Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/) > [The case for meat-eaters - if eating meat is a sin, then why are some plants carnivorous?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/the-case-for-meat-eaters-if-eating-meat-is-a-sin-then-why-are-some/) [Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/) > [The car has made our lives more difficult. If not for it, we would have everything we needed within walking distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/the-car-has-made-our-lives-more-difficult-if-not-for-it-we-would-have/) [Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/) > [What is gained through ignorance is bound to be lost through ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/what-is-gained-through-ignorance-is-bound-to-be-lost-through-ignorance/) [Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/) > [Couples should keep their love pure before it poisons the purest love of all - that between them and their children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/couples-should-keep-their-love-pure-before-it-poisons-the-purest-love/) [Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/) > [Arranged Marriages don't always have to be risky. Get to know your future in-laws. She's bound to be like one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/arranged-marriages-don-t-always-have-to-be-risky-get-to-know-your/) [Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/) > [First generation Indian immigrants are mass guinea pigs. When a race that subsisted on plants for centuries subsists on a meat-dominated diet, it scares…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/first-generation-indian-immigrants-are-mass-guinea-pigs-when-a-race/) [Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/) > [The greatness of a culture can be found in its festivals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/the-greatness-of-a-culture-can-be-found-in-its-festivals/) [Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/) [Explore all 38 Siddharth Katragadda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/) ## More Genius quotes > [“If people fully understand you, they will think of you as a normal, if they half understand you, will think of you as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-people-fully-understand-you-they-will-think-of-you-as-a-normal-if/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Woman, in short, has an unconscious life, man a conscious life, and the genius the most conscious life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/woman-in-short-has-an-unconscious-life-man-a-conscious-life-and-the/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The truth is I've just never had any kind of plan at all for my career, which is probably not a very flattering thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/the-truth-is-i-ve-just-never-had-any-kind-of-plan-at-all-for-my/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I have known many chess players, but among them there has been only one genius - Capablanca!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-lasker/i-have-known-many-chess-players-but-among-them-there-has-been-only/) [Emanuel Lasker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-lasker/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius; and the feminine situation has up to the present rendered this becoming practically impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/one-is-not-born-a-genius-one-becomes-a-genius-and-the-feminine/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [The beginning of genius is being scared shitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/the-beginning-of-genius-is-being-scared-shitless/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [Treason implies responsibility for something, control over something, influence upon something, knowledge of something. Treason in our time is a proof of genius. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/treason-implies-responsibility-for-something-control-over-something/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/mediocrity-knows-nothing-higher-than-itself-but-talent-instantly/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [With the proper training, I could've been an evil genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/with-the-proper-training-i-could-ve-been-an-evil-genius/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Never try to judge any one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajat-dogra/never-try-to-judge-any-one/) [Rajat Dogra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajat-dogra/) > [“genius is a path that we can all take and derive much benefit, happiness, fulfillment, and success from...not a genetic windfall or divine gift.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-patrick/genius-is-a-path-that-we-can-all-take-and-derive-much-benefit/) [Sean Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-patrick/) [Browse all 5,125 Genius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Greatness is the reward for genius... only a few can be great, the rest are plain good.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Siddharth Katragadda" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/greatness-is-the-reward-for-genius-only-a-few-can-be-great-the-rest/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Genius" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/greatness-is-the-reward-for-genius-only-a-few-can-be-great-the-rest/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e85/siddharth-katragadda-16947_genius_greatness-is-the-reward-for-genius-only_2305535.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e85/siddharth-katragadda-16947_genius_greatness-is-the-reward-for-genius-only_2305535.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e85/siddharth-katragadda-16947_genius_greatness-is-the-reward-for-genius-only_2305535.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Greatness is the reward for genius... only a few can be great, the rest are plain good.” — Siddharth Katragadda", "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": "Siddharth Katragadda", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Greatness is the reward for genius......", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/greatness-is-the-reward-for-genius-only-a-few-can-be-great-the-rest/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/greatness-is-the-reward-for-genius-only-a-few-can-be-great-the-rest/#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 } } ] } ```