--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greatest harm can result from the…" description: "\"“The greatest harm can result from the best intentions - Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander”\" — Terry Goodkind" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/terry-goodkind-924_quote_the-greatest-harm-can-result-from-the-be_249806.jpg" --- # The greatest harm can result from the best intentions… ![“The greatest harm can result from the best intentions - Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander” quote by Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/terry-goodkind-924_quote_the-greatest-harm-can-result-from-the-be_249806.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/terry-goodkind-924_quote_the-greatest-harm-can-result-from-the-be_249806.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/terry-goodkind-924_quote_the-greatest-harm-can-result-from-the-be_249806.jpg) > ““The greatest harm can result from the best intentions - Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander”” [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even well‑meaning actions can cause unintended damage, reminding us to consider consequences beyond intentions. **In simple terms:** Good intentions can still cause harm. Key Takeaway Think before acting. Themes ethics consequences intentionality Mood cautionary thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - leadership decisions - personal relationships - policy making Key Concepts moral philosophy risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - How do you evaluate potential fallout of good deeds? - When should you prioritize caution over intent? A Different Perspective Sometimes intentions are unclear, complicating judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best intentions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-intentions/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) ## Related quotes > [“The greatest harm can result from the best intentions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/the-greatest-harm-can-result-from-the-best-intentions/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [The Second Rule is that the greatest harm can result from the best intentions. 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Truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-dotta/i-have-found-that-those-who-try-to-shield-us-from-the-truth/) Jessica Dotta > [The two men who have done the greatest harm to the world are Christ and Columbus. Christ taught us guilt and sacrifice, to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/the-two-men-who-have-done-the-greatest-harm-to-the-world-are-christ/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Do you know that I am afraid that good people do a great deal of harm in this world? Certainly the greatest harm they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/do-you-know-that-i-am-afraid-that-good-people-do-a-great-deal-of-harm/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The greatest harm that you can do unto the envious, is to do well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lyly/the-greatest-harm-that-you-can-do-unto-the-envious-is-to-do-well/) [John Lyly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lyly/) > [I look upon an increase in the power of the State with the greatest fear because, although while apparently doing good by minimizing exploitation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-look-upon-an-increase-in-the-power-of-the-state-with-the-greatest/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“I have noted that those who desire to do the most good often work the greatest harm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-rider-haggard/i-have-noted-that-those-who-desire-to-do-the-most-good-often-work-the/) [H. Rider Haggard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-rider-haggard/) > [It seems to me it's always the evil we refuse to see that does us the greatest harm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-baer/it-seems-to-me-it-s-always-the-evil-we-refuse-to-see-that-does-us-the/) [Robert Baer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-baer/) ## More by Terry Goodkind > [Sometimes, it is necessary to step beyond what you have known and to reach for something more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/sometimes-it-is-necessary-to-step-beyond-what-you-have-known-and-to/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“It should hurt, shouldn’t it? Shouldn’t it hurt to be ripped in half? But it didn’t. It didn’t hurt the least little bit. Cold.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/it-should-hurt-shouldn-t-it-shouldn-t-it-hurt-to-be-ripped-in-half/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Dancing with death meant being committed to killing, committed with your heart and soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/dancing-with-death-meant-being-committed-to-killing-committed-with/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Only a fool walks into the future backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/only-a-fool-walks-into-the-future-backwards/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“Sometimes it's more important to seize the chance and do what you can even knowing that it won't likely account for everything, that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/sometimes-it-s-more-important-to-seize-the-chance-and-do-what-you-can/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“While it was understandable to be afraid, and no one would expect you not to be, the worst thing you could do was to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/while-it-was-understandable-to-be-afraid-and-no-one-would-expect-you/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“Leadership is a nurturing of those under your command.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/leadership-is-a-nurturing-of-those-under-your-command/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“To question me once is a simple mistake, Lieutenant. Twice is treason. We execute traitors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/to-question-me-once-is-a-simple-mistake-lieutenant-twice-is-treason/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Fate does not seek our consent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/fate-does-not-seek-our-consent/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Wizard's Third Rule Passion rules reason, For better or for worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/wizard-s-third-rule-passion-rules-reason-for-better-or-for-worse/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“Nicci looked up at Kahlan. “Knives are not my talent.” “It’s not hard,” Kahlan said as she pressed the handle into Nicci’s hand. “When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/nicci-looked-up-at-kahlan-knives-are-not-my-talent-it-s-not-hard/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“This was why he couldn’t let Richard know it was the chimes themselves that were loose. Richard would not have accepted what Zedd intended,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/this-was-why-he-couldn-t-let-richard-know-it-was-the-chimes/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“price. There is no such thing as pure good or pure evil, least of all in people. In the best of us there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/price-there-is-no-such-thing-as-pure-good-or-pure-evil-least-of-all/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [The first step to believing something is true is wanting to believe it is true... or being afraid it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/the-first-step-to-believing-something-is-true-is-wanting-to-believe/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [...you'll find that being a friend is to like a person for who they are, even the parts you don't understand. You don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/you-ll-find-that-being-a-friend-is-to-like-a-person-for-who-they-are/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) [Explore all 323 Terry Goodkind quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) ## More Best intentions quotes > [Where the sky begins, the horizon ends, despite the best intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/where-the-sky-begins-the-horizon-ends-despite-the-best-intentions/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [“Our best intentions are the most impactful when they are formed by the actual needs and desires of our community.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-docusen/our-best-intentions-are-the-most-impactful-when-they-are-formed-by/) David Docusen > [Time and distance have a way of playing tricks with your best intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/time-and-distance-have-a-way-of-playing-tricks-with-your-best/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [I can only think seriously of trying to live up to an ideal, to improve myself, if I am split in two pieces. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/i-can-only-think-seriously-of-trying-to-live-up-to-an-ideal-to/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [Even with the best intentions, growing apart might just be an inevitable part of growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/even-with-the-best-intentions-growing-apart-might-just-be-an/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [In terms of how the music developed, it was my normal process, which I would say is really a hybrid process of sketching on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-richter/in-terms-of-how-the-music-developed-it-was-my-normal-process-which-i/) [Max Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-richter/) > [Even if you have the best intentions, there may sometimes be a price or a cost or a pushback against what you're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-russo/even-if-you-have-the-best-intentions-there-may-sometimes-be-a-price/) [Anthony Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-russo/) > [“Only a foolish soul would love the stars. As beautiful as they are, they will burn you. Regardless of your best intentions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendal-rob/only-a-foolish-soul-would-love-the-stars-as-beautiful-as-they-are/) [Kendal Rob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendal-rob/) > [“Sometimes our best intentions are not enough, but always remain genuine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-michelle-carithers/sometimes-our-best-intentions-are-not-enough-but-always-remain-genuine/) M (Michelle) Carithers > [“So I found myself asking the question: what is the opposite of a mistake? And I realised there wasn’t a word, in fact, precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-boyd/so-i-found-myself-asking-the-question-what-is-the-opposite-of-a/) [William Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-boyd/) > [“I'm still of the same mind. For many years I've been ashamed, mortally ashamed, of having been, even with the best intentions, even at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-m-still-of-the-same-mind-for-many-years-i-ve-been-ashamed-mortally/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“...I feel like a traitor, a phony, a fake. But I am a hypocrite with the best intentions, and I need kissing desperately.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-j-ginger/i-feel-like-a-traitor-a-phony-a-fake-but-i-am-a-hypocrite-with-the/) Coco J. Ginger > [“Maybe you will never be able to forgive me, but I wanted you to know I had the best intentions-and I still love you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/maybe-you-will-never-be-able-to-forgive-me-but-i-wanted-you-to-know-i/) [Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/) > [“The maxim, by which we commonly conduct ourselves in our reasonings, is, that the objects, of which we have no experience, resemble those, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-maxim-by-which-we-commonly-conduct-ourselves-in-our-reasonings-is/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [You can have the best intentions in the world but if you do nothing, you are nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/you-can-have-the-best-intentions-in-the-world-but-if-you-do-nothing/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) [Browse all 158 Best intentions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-intentions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The greatest harm can result from the best intentions - Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terry Goodkind" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/the-greatest-harm-can-result-from-the-best-intentions-zeddicus-zu-l/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best intentions" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/the-greatest-harm-can-result-from-the-best-intentions-zeddicus-zu-l/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/terry-goodkind-924_quote_the-greatest-harm-can-result-from-the-be_249806.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/terry-goodkind-924_quote_the-greatest-harm-can-result-from-the-be_249806.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/terry-goodkind-924_quote_the-greatest-harm-can-result-from-the-be_249806.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The greatest harm can result from the best intentions - Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander” — Terry Goodkind", "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": "Terry Goodkind", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The greatest harm can result from...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/the-greatest-harm-can-result-from-the-best-intentions-zeddicus-zu-l/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/the-greatest-harm-can-result-from-the-best-intentions-zeddicus-zu-l/#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 } } ] } ```