--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The ability to be good is not the ability…" description: "\"“The ability to be good is not the ability to do nothing. It is not negative or passive. It is the ability to do something well--to do good work for go..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/wendell-berry-236_ability_the-ability-to-be-good-is-not-the-abilit_245145.jpg" --- # The ability to be good is not the ability to do nothing… ![“The ability to be good is not the ability to do nothing. It is not negative or passive. It is the ability to do something well--to do good work for good reasons. In order to be good you have to know how--and this knowing is vast, complex, humble and humbling; it is of the mind and of the hands, of…” quote by Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/wendell-berry-236_ability_the-ability-to-be-good-is-not-the-abilit_245145.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/wendell-berry-236_ability_the-ability-to-be-good-is-not-the-abilit_245145.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/wendell-berry-236_ability_the-ability-to-be-good-is-not-the-abilit_245145.jpg) > ““The ability to be good is not the ability to do nothing. It is not negative or passive. It is the ability to do something well--to do good work for good reasons. In order to be good you have to know how--and this knowing is vast, complex, humble and humbling; it is of the mind and of the hands, of neither alone.”” [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being good requires active, skilled effort, not passivity; it involves both mind and hands, humility, and a complex understanding. **In simple terms:** Goodness needs active skill and humility. Key Takeaway Practice purposeful, skilled action. Themes ethics skill humility mind-body complexity Mood thoughtful encouraging Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - volunteering - professional practice Key Concepts craftsmanship moral philosophy practical wisdom Questions to Reflect On - What does “doing good” look like in your daily work? - How do you balance mind and hands in skillful action? A Different Perspective Goodness can be limited by lack of resources or systemic constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Ability Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability-good-684485/) [Ability Negative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability-negative-2450229/) [Good Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-ability-1396880/) [Passive Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passive-ability-2450228/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes people tend to look your ability on the negative aspect.They criticize you in every possible way. Keep away from those who try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-people-tend-to-look-your-ability-on-the-negative-aspect/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was never really good at anything except for the ability to learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/i-was-never-really-good-at-anything-except-for-the-ability-to-learn/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [My appearance was always good and my ability to play on the piano, especially ragtime, which was then at the height of its vogue,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/my-appearance-was-always-good-and-my-ability-to-play-on-the-piano/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [Everything about Sinatra was good. He had the ability to pick great songs, and once Sinatra had sung them, that pretty much was it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-nelson/everything-about-sinatra-was-good-he-had-the-ability-to-pick-great/) [Willie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-nelson/) > [If I point to anything that makes me who I am, it's that I have a whole lot of common sense. I've got a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/if-i-point-to-anything-that-makes-me-who-i-am-it-s-that-i-have-a/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [I've been blessed with a good head on my shoulders and quite a good ability of discernment. I can see through people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/i-ve-been-blessed-with-a-good-head-on-my-shoulders-and-quite-a-good/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) > [Ideas are only as good as your ability to communicate them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adena-friedman/ideas-are-only-as-good-as-your-ability-to-communicate-them/) [Adena Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adena-friedman/) > [My dad taught me, like, no matter what, when I go out and play against these bigger players, just to be myself. I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-pulisic/my-dad-taught-me-like-no-matter-what-when-i-go-out-and-play-against/) [Christian Pulisic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-pulisic/) > [Well, any effort to maximize your potential and ability is a good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/well-any-effort-to-maximize-your-potential-and-ability-is-a-good-thing/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Every day remind yourself of your own ability, of your good mind and affirm that you can make something really good out of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/every-day-remind-yourself-of-your-own-ability-of-your-good-mind-and/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Power is the ability to do good things for others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-astor/power-is-the-ability-to-do-good-things-for-others/) [Brooke Astor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-astor/) > [In terms of confidence, whenever I go into a situation now if I'm not getting in somewhere or I'm not playing my best football,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mctominay/in-terms-of-confidence-whenever-i-go-into-a-situation-now-if-i-m-not/) [Scott McTominay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mctominay/) > [There never was a bad man that had ability for good service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/there-never-was-a-bad-man-that-had-ability-for-good-service/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Chicharito is a really good player, and his finishing ability is as good as there is anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-moyes/chicharito-is-a-really-good-player-and-his-finishing-ability-is-as/) [David Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-moyes/) > [Medicine has an immediate impact, the ability to do good. Writing is such a solitary activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uzodinma-iweala/medicine-has-an-immediate-impact-the-ability-to-do-good-writing-is/) [Uzodinma Iweala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uzodinma-iweala/) ## More by Wendell Berry > [During the last 17 years... I have been working at the restoration of a once exhausted hillside. Its scars are now healed over, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/during-the-last-17-years-i-have-been-working-at-the-restoration-of-a/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [To husband is to use with care, to keep, to save, to make last, to conserve. Old usage tells us that there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/to-husband-is-to-use-with-care-to-keep-to-save-to-make-last-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The two families, sundered in the ruin of a friendship, were united again first in new friendship and then in mariage. My grandfather made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-two-families-sundered-in-the-ruin-of-a-friendship-were-united/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The living can't quit living because the world has turned terrible and people they love and need are killed. They can't because they don't.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-living-can-t-quit-living-because-the-world-has-turned-terrible/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“I knew a man who, in the age of chain-saws, went right on cutting his wood with a handsaw and an axe. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/i-knew-a-man-who-in-the-age-of-chain-saws-went-right-on-cutting-his/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The concept of country, homeland, dwelling place becomes simplified as "the environment" -- that is, what surrounds us, we have already made a profound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-concept-of-country-homeland-dwelling-place-becomes-simplified-as/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [A community is the mental and spiritual condition of knowing that the place is shared, and that the people who share the place define…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/a-community-is-the-mental-and-spiritual-condition-of-knowing-that-the/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“That we can prescribe the terms of our own success, that we can live outside or in ignorance of the Great Economy are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/that-we-can-prescribe-the-terms-of-our-own-success-that-we-can-live/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The mind that comes to rest is tended In ways that it cannot intend: Is borne, preserved, and comprehended By what it cannot comprehend.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-mind-that-comes-to-rest-is-tended-in-ways-that-it-cannot-intend/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The mercy of the world is time. Time does not stop for love, but it does not stop for death and grief, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-mercy-of-the-world-is-time-time-does-not-stop-for-love-but-it/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The soil is the great connector of our lives, the source and destination of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-soil-is-the-great-connector-of-our-lives-the-source-and/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [I dislike the thought that some animal has been made miserable to feed me. If I am going to eat meat, I want it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/i-dislike-the-thought-that-some-animal-has-been-made-miserable-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/laughter-is-immeasurable-be-joyful/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [These are people who are capable of devotion, public devotion, to justice. They meant what they said and every day that passes, they mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/these-are-people-who-are-capable-of-devotion-public-devotion-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) [Explore all 847 Wendell Berry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The ability to be good is not the ability to do nothing. 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