--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: True greatness consists in the use of a…" description: "\"True greatness consists in the use of a powerful understanding to enlighten oneself and others.\" — Voltaire" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/voltaire-173_enlightening_true-greatness-consists-in-the-use-of-a_2270206.png" --- # True greatness consists in the use of a powerful… ![“True greatness consists in the use of a powerful understanding to enlighten oneself and others.” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/voltaire-173_enlightening_true-greatness-consists-in-the-use-of-a_2270206.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/voltaire-173_enlightening_true-greatness-consists-in-the-use-of-a_2270206.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/voltaire-173_enlightening_true-greatness-consists-in-the-use-of-a_2270206.png) > “True greatness consists in the use of a powerful understanding to enlighten oneself and others.” [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## 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 using deep insight to enlighten self and others. **In simple terms:** Wisdom shared is true greatness. Key Takeaway Seek and share understanding. Themes knowledge greatness enlightenment Mood inquisitive hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - teaching - public speaking - mentoring Key Concepts philosophy education Questions to Reflect On - What insight can you share today? - How does learning change you? A Different Perspective Intellectual humility may limit sharing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enlighten Oneself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlighten-oneself-5258337/) [Enlightening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightening/) [Enlightenment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightenment/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Greatness Consists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness-consists-551638/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Oneself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oneself/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Powerful Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful-understanding-2122170/) [True greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-greatness/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) ## Related quotes > [True greatness consists in being great in little things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-simmons/true-greatness-consists-in-being-great-in-little-things/) [Charles Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-simmons/) > [Life is made up of little things. It is very rarely that an occasion is offered for doing a great deal at once. True…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-simmons/life-is-made-up-of-little-things-it-is-very-rarely-that-an-occasion/) [Charles Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-simmons/) > [I think data is incredibly powerful for understanding what people are thinking and for allocating resources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-think-data-is-incredibly-powerful-for-understanding-what-people-are/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [True greatness, true leadership, is achieved not by reducing men to one's service but in giving oneself in selfless service to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-greatness-true-leadership-is-achieved-not-by-reducing-men-to-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Mary's greatness consists in the fact that she wants to magnify God, not herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/mary-s-greatness-consists-in-the-fact-that-she-wants-to-magnify-god/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Greatness consists in deciding only what is necessary for the welfare of the country and making straight for the goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mustafa-kemal-ataturk/greatness-consists-in-deciding-only-what-is-necessary-for-the-welfare/) [Mustafa Kemal Ataturk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mustafa-kemal-ataturk/) > [Greatness consists not in the holding of some future office, but really consists in doing great deeds with little means and the accomplishment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-conwell/greatness-consists-not-in-the-holding-of-some-future-office-but-2/) [Russell Conwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-conwell/) > [Man's greatness consists in his ability to do and the proper application of his powers to things needed to be done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/man-s-greatness-consists-in-his-ability-to-do-and-the-proper/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [The world's idea of greatness is to rule, but Christian greatness consists in serving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/the-world-s-idea-of-greatness-is-to-rule-but-christian-greatness/) [J. 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Oswald Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-oswald-sanders/) > [My personal interest in ordinary people is unlimited, but I am fascinated by the challenge of portraying true greatness adequately with my camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousuf-karsh/my-personal-interest-in-ordinary-people-is-unlimited-but-i-am/) [Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) > [A wholesome regard for the memory of the great men of long ago is the best assurance to a people of a continuation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/a-wholesome-regard-for-the-memory-of-the-great-men-of-long-ago-is-the/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) ## More by Voltaire > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Fanaticism, to which men are so much inclined, has always served not only to render them more brutalized but more wicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/fanaticism-to-which-men-are-so-much-inclined-has-always-served-not/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [History is the study of the world's crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/history-is-the-study-of-the-world-s-crime/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [We’re neither pure, nor wise, nor good; we do the best we know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/we-re-neither-pure-nor-wise-nor-good-we-do-the-best-we-know/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part, the rest are lost in the multitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-with-books-as-with-men-a-very-small-number-play-a-great-part/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Meslier was the most singular phenomenon ever seen among all the meteors fatal to the Christian religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/meslier-was-the-most-singular-phenomenon-ever-seen-among-all-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." 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Books, the oldest and the best, stand naturally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/books-are-the-treasured-wealth-of-the-world-and-the-fit-inheritance/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I try to do what I call the three E's - educate, entertain, and enlighten. If you don't entertain, no one will show up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/i-try-to-do-what-i-call-the-three-e-s-educate-entertain-and-enlighten/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [Some find Lebanese poet Kahlil Gibran’s poetry preachy and moralizing, but I find it plenty enlightening—it’s hard to object to the melodic, cosmic of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil/some-find-lebanese-poet-kahlil-gibran-s-poetry-preachy-and-moralizing/) [Khalil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil/) > [It's Twitter's combination of simplicity and complexity that is astonishing in the same way that minimalist sculpture was inspiring and enlightening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/it-s-twitter-s-combination-of-simplicity-and-complexity-that-is/) [Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/) > [We must work on our souls, enlarging and expanding them. 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Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/education-n-the-bringing-up-as-of-a-child-instruction-formation-of/) [Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/) > [Arya Maloney updates the basis and practice of transpersonal psychology by using the spiritual principles of India's masters and the transformational alchemy inherent in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-mindell/arya-maloney-updates-the-basis-and-practice-of-transpersonal/) [Arnold Mindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-mindell/) > [Creating records and writing music with people I admire and respect is a very spiritual and enlightening thing for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-ragan/creating-records-and-writing-music-with-people-i-admire-and-respect/) [Chuck Ragan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-ragan/) > [“revelation noun rev·e·la·tion \\ˌre-və-ˈlā-shən\\ A pleasant, often enlightening surprise.  ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-kennedy/revelation-noun-rev-e-la-tion-re-v-l-sh-n-a-pleasant-often/) [Sloane Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-kennedy/) > [It's nice to know that if you've worked really hard at something, it gets recognised with a tick in the success column - however…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-fraser/it-s-nice-to-know-that-if-you-ve-worked-really-hard-at-something-it/) [Brendan Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-fraser/) > [Getting photographs is not the most important thing. For me it's the act of photographing. 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