--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe that a willingness to ask when…" description: "\"“I believe that a willingness to ask when they do not know is a characteristic of many great minds.”\" — T.W. Körner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/t-w-k-rner-101811_humbleness_i-believe-that-a-willingness-to-ask-when_1368823.jpg" --- # I believe that a willingness to ask when they do not know… ![“I believe that a willingness to ask when they do not know is a characteristic of many great minds.” quote by T.W. Körner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/t-w-k-rner-101811_humbleness_i-believe-that-a-willingness-to-ask-when_1368823.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/t-w-k-rner-101811_humbleness_i-believe-that-a-willingness-to-ask-when_1368823.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/t-w-k-rner-101811_humbleness_i-believe-that-a-willingness-to-ask-when_1368823.jpg) > ““I believe that a willingness to ask when they do not know is a characteristic of many great minds.”” T.W. Körner ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Asking reveals humility and curiosity, traits common among exceptional thinkers. **In simple terms:** Great minds ask when they lack knowledge. Key Takeaway Embrace asking to learn. Themes great minds humility intelligence psychology wisdom Mood reflective inspirational Type Great minds:1 Humbleness:1 Intelligence:1 Psychology:1 Willingness:1 Wisdom:1 Willingness Ask:1 Characteristic Great:0 Believe Willingness:0 When to use this quote - academic research - leadership meetings - personal development - team brainstorming Key Concepts curiosity inquiry growth mindset Questions to Reflect On - How can you normalize asking questions in your environment? - What barriers prevent you from asking? A Different Perspective Asking alone does not guarantee insight without action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great minds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-minds/) [Humbleness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humbleness/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Willingness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willingness/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [“A journalist's work depends on a willingness to ask questions of people who are better informed and more powerful than you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-pisani/a-journalist-s-work-depends-on-a-willingness-to-ask-questions-of/) [Elizabeth Pisani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-pisani/) > [Depend upon it, the first universal characteristic of all great art is Tenderness, as the second is Truth. I find this more and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/depend-upon-it-the-first-universal-characteristic-of-all-great-art-is-2/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [“Altogether it will be found that a quiet life is characteristic of great men, and that their pleasures have not been of he sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/altogether-it-will-be-found-that-a-quiet-life-is-characteristic-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [It seems to be a characteristic of all great work that it creators wear a cloak of imprecision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-hoyle/it-seems-to-be-a-characteristic-of-all-great-work-that-it-creators/) [Fred Hoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-hoyle/) > [Depend upon it, the first universal characteristic of all great art is Tenderness, as the second is Truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/depend-upon-it-the-first-universal-characteristic-of-all-great-art-is/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [“No one has ever said this better than Mike Tyson, who, reflecting on the collapse of his fortune and fame, told a reporter, “If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/no-one-has-ever-said-this-better-than-mike-tyson-who-reflecting-on/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“If you feel deserve to judge the arrogant, it's a sign that you're so far of humbleness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/if-you-feel-deserve-to-judge-the-arrogant-it-s-a-sign-that-you-re-so/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“The Lord says, if you move away from your ego, if you maintain humility (utmost humbleness), then you and I are the same. Otherwise,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-lord-says-if-you-move-away-from-your-ego-if-you-maintain-humility/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Some important ideas from the book of early Christians which is called Philokalia: From Spiritual Directions of Diadochus of Photiki The acme of faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-aleksandrovich-antonov/some-important-ideas-from-the-book-of-early-christians-which-is/) [Vladimir Aleksandrovich Antonov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-aleksandrovich-antonov/) > [JESUS,AS A KING SHOWS HIS HUMBLENESS. QUOTE BY SUNITA FLORANCE JOHN](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunita-florance-john/jesus-as-a-king-shows-his-humbleness-quote-by-sunita-florance-john/) SUNITA FLORANCE JOHN > [“Some of you need a lesson in humility. While your arrogance may give you a sense of power, it may serve you better to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-son-m-lee-2/some-of-you-need-a-lesson-in-humility-while-your-arrogance-may-give/) J 'son M. Lee > [“We are all just humble students of the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/we-are-all-just-humble-students-of-the-world/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“Nature has a relish for knowing secrets and hearing news. It wishes to appear abroad and to have sense experiences. It wishes to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/nature-has-a-relish-for-knowing-secrets-and-hearing-news-it-wishes-to/) [Thomas à Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [A true man of honor feels humbled himself when he cannot help humbling others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/a-true-man-of-honor-feels-humbled-himself-when-he-cannot-help/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [“Humbleness and enthusiasm are two great qualities for effective leadership. By aligning your 114 chakras, you can unleash your inner fire and inspire your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-amit-ray/humbleness-and-enthusiasm-are-two-great-qualities-for-effective/) Sri Amit Ray ## More by T.W. Körner > [“A man snaps his fingers every few moments. When asked why he does it he replies ‘I do it – snap – to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-w-k-rner/a-man-snaps-his-fingers-every-few-moments-when-asked-why-he-does-it/) T.W. Körner Explore all 2 T.W. Körner quotes ## More Great minds quotes > [The power of duly appreciating little things belongs to a great mind...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/the-power-of-duly-appreciating-little-things-belongs-to-a-great-mind/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [It is thus hardly surprising that so many of the great minds in recent history have concerned themselves with economic matters. Indeed, they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-zane-pilzer/it-is-thus-hardly-surprising-that-so-many-of-the-great-minds-in/) [Paul Zane Pilzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-zane-pilzer/) > [College is such a unique time because you're learning a little bit how to be an adult. You're learning how to take care of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/college-is-such-a-unique-time-because-you-re-learning-a-little-bit/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) > [Great minds think alike because a greater Mind is thinking through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/great-minds-think-alike-because-a-greater-mind-is-thinking-through/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Remember that poise and power are inseparably associated. The calm and balanced mind is the strong and great mind; the hurried and agitated mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-d-wattles/remember-that-poise-and-power-are-inseparably-associated-the-calm-and/) [Wallace D. Wattles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-d-wattles/) > [My sense is that we're ready for another industrial revolution in this country. The great minds and innovators of Silicon Valley would come through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-huntsman-jr/my-sense-is-that-we-re-ready-for-another-industrial-revolution-in/) [Jon Huntsman, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-huntsman-jr/) > [Great minds are always feared by lesser minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/great-minds-are-always-feared-by-lesser-minds/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [The sciences of today are business enterprises run on business principles. Research in large institutes is not guided by Truth and Reason but by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feyerabend/the-sciences-of-today-are-business-enterprises-run-on-business/) [Paul Feyerabend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feyerabend/) > [If Uber wants to catch up to Google and be the leader in autonomy, we have to have the best minds. We have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-kalanick/if-uber-wants-to-catch-up-to-google-and-be-the-leader-in-autonomy-we/) [Travis Kalanick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-kalanick/) > [When you put two great minds, great things can happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-parsons/when-you-put-two-great-minds-great-things-can-happen/) [Micah Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-parsons/) > [A great mind will neither give an affront nor bear it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-home-lord-kames/a-great-mind-will-neither-give-an-affront-nor-bear-it/) [Henry Home, Lord Kames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-home-lord-kames/) > [Managing your problems can only make you good, whereas building your opportunities is the only way to become great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/managing-your-problems-can-only-make-you-good-whereas-building-your/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [Could the one whom Christians worship be merely a mythological creation, or is he real? These questions have exercised many great minds and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-clayton/could-the-one-whom-christians-worship-be-merely-a-mythological/) [John Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-clayton/) > [“Great minds talk about ideas; small minds talk about people”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/great-minds-talk-about-ideas-small-minds-talk-about-people/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [“Great bodies die but great minds don't die! Inside the tomb of great men lay dead body's but at the library of great men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/great-bodies-die-but-great-minds-don-t-die-inside-the-tomb-of-great/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) [Browse all 180 Great minds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-minds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I believe that a willingness to ask when they do not know is a characteristic of many great minds.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "T.W. Körner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-w-k-rner/i-believe-that-a-willingness-to-ask-when-they-do-not-know-is-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Great minds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-w-k-rner/i-believe-that-a-willingness-to-ask-when-they-do-not-know-is-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/t-w-k-rner-101811_humbleness_i-believe-that-a-willingness-to-ask-when_1368823.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/t-w-k-rner-101811_humbleness_i-believe-that-a-willingness-to-ask-when_1368823.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/t-w-k-rner-101811_humbleness_i-believe-that-a-willingness-to-ask-when_1368823.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I believe that a willingness to ask when they do not know is a characteristic of many great minds.” — T.W. Körner", "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": "T.W. Körner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-w-k-rner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I believe that a willingness to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-w-k-rner/i-believe-that-a-willingness-to-ask-when-they-do-not-know-is-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-w-k-rner/i-believe-that-a-willingness-to-ask-when-they-do-not-know-is-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 } } ] } ```