--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Among people I have met, the few whom I…" description: "\"Among people I have met, the few whom I would term “great” all share a kind of unquestioned, fierce dedication; an utter lack of doubt about the value ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/stephen-jay-gould-885_activity_among-people-i-have-met-the-few-whom-i-w_1743710.png" --- # Among people I have met, the few whom I would term “great”… ![“Among people I have met, the few whom I would term “great” all share a kind of unquestioned, fierce dedication; an utter lack of doubt about the value of their activities (or at least an internal impulse that drives through any such angst); and above all, a capacity to work (or at least to be…” quote by Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/stephen-jay-gould-885_activity_among-people-i-have-met-the-few-whom-i-w_1743710.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/stephen-jay-gould-885_activity_among-people-i-have-met-the-few-whom-i-w_1743710.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/stephen-jay-gould-885_activity_among-people-i-have-met-the-few-whom-i-w_1743710.png) > “Among people I have met, the few whom I would term “great” all share a kind of unquestioned, fierce dedication; an utter lack of doubt about the value of their activities (or at least an internal impulse that drives through any such angst); and above all, a capacity to work (or at least to be mentally alert for unexpected insights) at every available moment of every day of their lives.” [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great individuals share unwavering dedication, confidence in their work’s value, and constant mental alertness for new insights, driving persistent effort. **In simple terms:** Dedication, confidence, and alertness define greatness. Key Takeaway Cultivate relentless focus and confidence. Themes dedication confidence focus mental alertness greatness Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - research - creative projects - learning new skills - problem solving Key Concepts Motivation psychology achievement Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance relentless work with self‑care? - What habits sustain long‑term alertness? A Different Perspective Such intensity can cause burnout or neglect of rest. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) [Angst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angst/) [Angst Capacity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angst-capacity-1542797/) [Available](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/available/) [Capacity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capacity/) [Dedication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dedication/) [Dedication Utter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dedication-utter-1542796/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Fierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fierce/) [Fierce Dedication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fierce-dedication-1542794/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Impulse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impulse/) [Insight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insight/) [Internals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internals/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Lack Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lack-doubt-1542795/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mets/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Share](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/share/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Unexpected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unexpected/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Mentally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-mentally-980286/) ## Related quotes > [My father has a way of persuading people without charm that has always confused me. He states his opinions as if they’re facts, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/my-father-has-a-way-of-persuading-people-without-charm-that-has/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“O, lack and doubt and fear can only come Because of plenty, confidence, and love! They are the shadow-forms about their feet, Because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/o-lack-and-doubt-and-fear-can-only-come-because-of-plenty-confidence/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [If you look at why people become wack as they get older, it's because they stop doing the things they did that were formative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-abloh/if-you-look-at-why-people-become-wack-as-they-get-older-it-s-because/) [Virgil Abloh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-abloh/) > [“I have to work mentally, skirting hard truths, because the fact is I live in the shadows of shame. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-flood/i-have-to-work-mentally-skirting-hard-truths-because-the-fact-is-i/) [Danielle Flood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-flood/) > [We work at being mentally and physically tough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-tucker/we-work-at-being-mentally-and-physically-tough/) [Justin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-tucker/) > [One of the great perks of being a writer is that you can work when you're mentally capable of it, not when someone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/one-of-the-great-perks-of-being-a-writer-is-that-you-can-work-when/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“No. This would be better as a team." She dragged her top drawer open, rooted out her aspirin. "I should have fired her weeks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/no-this-would-be-better-as-a-team-she-dragged-her-top-drawer-open/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [I'm still secretly a bit of a punk. Love The Clash and a bit of the Pistols. I guess as I've got older I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iwan-rheon/i-m-still-secretly-a-bit-of-a-punk-love-the-clash-and-a-bit-of-the/) [Iwan Rheon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iwan-rheon/) > [“She personified her name in everything she did. Even when we would row, her words were deftly chosen and spoken rather like an intricate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-cagliola-green/she-personified-her-name-in-everything-she-did-even-when-we-would-row/) [Lauren Cagliola Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-cagliola-green/) > [“What I needed was to lose myself in a good book, one with tons of sex and angst, complete with an unbelievable happily-ever-after that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-lynn/what-i-needed-was-to-lose-myself-in-a-good-book-one-with-tons-of-sex/) [J. Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-lynn/) > [You look out into the audience and you see so much joy on people's faces. You make eye contact with people who are almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-mcvie/you-look-out-into-the-audience-and-you-see-so-much-joy-on-people-s/) [Christine McVie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-mcvie/) > [“When you’ve tired of me,” she said softly, precisely, “Apollo will still be my brother. Will still be there for me.” “I’ll never tire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hoyt/when-you-ve-tired-of-me-she-said-softly-precisely-apollo-will-still/) [Elizabeth Hoyt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hoyt/) > [Once we got over the origin story, we could really delve deeper into their lives and characters and angst. So this movie actually has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avi-arad/once-we-got-over-the-origin-story-we-could-really-delve-deeper-into/) [Avi Arad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avi-arad/) > [“Go with yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/go-with-yourself/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [“Once upon a time, there was a naïve and innocent girl who thought she could tame the beast and live happily ever after. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-na-ve-and-innocent-girl-who-thought-she/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) ## More by Stephen Jay Gould > [I strongly reject any conceptual scheme that places our options on a line, and holds that the only alternative to a pair of extreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-strongly-reject-any-conceptual-scheme-that-places-our-options-on-a/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [History employs evolution to structure biological events in time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/history-employs-evolution-to-structure-biological-events-in-time/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [In his anti-Darwinian book... (and eponymously named The Neck of the Giraffe ), Francis Hitching tells the story... "The need to survive by reaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/in-his-anti-darwinian-book-and-eponymously-named-the-neck-of-the/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [... many folks take them seriously because they just 'know' that evolution can never be seen in the immediate here and now. In fact,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/many-folks-take-them-seriously-because-they-just-know-that-evolution/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Charles Darwin viewed the fossil record more as an embarrassment than as an aid to his theory ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/charles-darwin-viewed-the-fossil-record-more-as-an-embarrassment-than/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Zoocentrism is the primary fallacy of human sociobiology, for this view of human behavior rests on the argument that if the actions of "lower"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/zoocentrism-is-the-primary-fallacy-of-human-sociobiology-for-this/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [The world, unfortunately, rarely matches our hopes and consistently refuses to behave in a reasonable manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-world-unfortunately-rarely-matches-our-hopes-and-consistently/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [The true beauty of nature is her amplitude; she exists neither for nor because of us, and possesses a staying power that all our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-true-beauty-of-nature-is-her-amplitude-she-exists-neither-for-nor/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [With copious evidence ranging from Plato's haughtiness to Beethoven's tirades, we may conclude that the most brilliant people of history tend to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/with-copious-evidence-ranging-from-plato-s-haughtiness-to-beethoven-s/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [When scientists need to explain difficult points of theory, illustration by hypothetical example - rather than by total abstraction - works well (perhaps indispensably)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/when-scientists-need-to-explain-difficult-points-of-theory/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [The truly awesome intellectuals in our history have not merely made discoveries; they have woven variegated, but firm, tapestries of comprehensive coverage. The tapestries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-truly-awesome-intellectuals-in-our-history-have-not-merely-made/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [I believe that we can still have a genre of scientific books suitable for and accessible alike to professionals and interested laypeople. The concepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-believe-that-we-can-still-have-a-genre-of-scientific-books-suitable/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Science simply cannot adjudicate the issue of God's possible superintendence of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/science-simply-cannot-adjudicate-the-issue-of-god-s-possible/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [But if we laugh with derision, we will never understand. Human intellectual capacity has not altered for thousands of years so far as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/but-if-we-laugh-with-derision-we-will-never-understand-human/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [We debase the richness of both nature and our own minds if we view the great pageant of our intellectual history as a compendium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/we-debase-the-richness-of-both-nature-and-our-own-minds-if-we-view/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) [Explore all 341 Stephen Jay Gould quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) ## More Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [For the longest time, neuroscientists were forced to be passive observers of brain activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gero-miesenbock/for-the-longest-time-neuroscientists-were-forced-to-be-passive/) [Gero Miesenbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gero-miesenbock/) > [Enjoyment is not a goal, it is a feeling that accompanies important ongoing activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/enjoyment-is-not-a-goal-it-is-a-feeling-that-accompanies-important/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [“Fun is not an activity, it is a state of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fun-is-not-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have to consider everything I eat; I consider every activity I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kimball/i-have-to-consider-everything-i-eat-i-consider-every-activity-i-do/) [Charlie Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kimball/) > [Almost all good businesses engage in 'pain today, gain tomorrow' activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/almost-all-good-businesses-engage-in-pain-today-gain-tomorrow/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 3,263 Activity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Among people I have met, the few whom I would term “great” all share a kind of unquestioned, fierce dedication; an utter lack of doubt about the value of their activities (or at least an internal impulse that drives through any such angst); and above all, a capacity to work (or at least to be mentally alert for unexpected insights) at every available moment of every day of their lives.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Jay Gould" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/among-people-i-have-met-the-few-whom-i-would-term-great-all-share-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Activity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/among-people-i-have-met-the-few-whom-i-would-term-great-all-share-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/stephen-jay-gould-885_activity_among-people-i-have-met-the-few-whom-i-w_1743710.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/stephen-jay-gould-885_activity_among-people-i-have-met-the-few-whom-i-w_1743710.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/stephen-jay-gould-885_activity_among-people-i-have-met-the-few-whom-i-w_1743710.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Among people I have met, the few whom I would term “great” all share a kind of unquestioned, fierce…” — Stephen Jay Gould", "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": "Stephen Jay Gould", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Among people I have met, the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/among-people-i-have-met-the-few-whom-i-would-term-great-all-share-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/among-people-i-have-met-the-few-whom-i-would-term-great-all-share-a/#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 } } ] } ```