--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Money and success don't change people…" description: "\"Money and success don't change people; they merely amplify what is already there.\" — Will Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/840/will-smith-1021_money_money-and-success-don-t-change-people-th_2174480.jpg" --- # Money and success don't change people; they merely amplify… ![“Money and success don't change people; they merely amplify what is already there.” quote by Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/840/will-smith-1021_money_money-and-success-don-t-change-people-th_2174480.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/840/will-smith-1021_money_money-and-success-don-t-change-people-th_2174480.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/840/will-smith-1021_money_money-and-success-don-t-change-people-th_2174480.jpg) > “Money and success don't change people; they merely amplify what is already there.” [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wealth highlights existing traits rather than creating new ones; character is amplified by success. **In simple terms:** Money shows who you are. Key Takeaway Cultivate good character. Themes wealth character influence Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - business leadership - personal finance - celebrity culture Key Concepts behavioral economics ethics Questions to Reflect On - Do you think wealth changes you? - How can you stay grounded? A Different Perspective Success can also breed hubris. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-people/) [Merely Amplify](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merely-amplify-4669864/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Money And Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money-and-success/) [Money Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money-success/) [People Merely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-merely-1173743/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [“Any discussion of money and success would be lacking if I did not state that money is neither good nor bad. In the hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/any-discussion-of-money-and-success-would-be-lacking-if-i-did-not/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [“Believe that you are the one who creates your success, that you are the one who creates your mediocrity, and that you are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker-2/believe-that-you-are-the-one-who-creates-your-success-that-you-are-2/) [T.Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker-2/) > [You have to believe that you are the one who creates your success, that you are the one who creates your mediocrity, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/you-have-to-believe-that-you-are-the-one-who-creates-your-success/) [T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/) > [Money and success haven't really changed my beliefs or opinions over the years. When I was growing up, my mum and dad split when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-bellamy/money-and-success-haven-t-really-changed-my-beliefs-or-opinions-over/) [Matt Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-bellamy/) > [There's nothing so aphrodisiacal for a woman as money and success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-smith/there-s-nothing-so-aphrodisiacal-for-a-woman-as-money-and-success/) [Wilbur Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-smith/) > [Money and success: not only changing ou life , also change everything like, our thinking, our attitude and imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/money-and-success-not-only-changing-ou-life-also-change-everything/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [You have to respect what money and success gives you, then have the responsibility that goes with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-miller/you-have-to-respect-what-money-and-success-gives-you-then-have-the/) [Gina Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-miller/) > [So many people equate money and success with happiness, especially in the music industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-jazzy-jeff/so-many-people-equate-money-and-success-with-happiness-especially-in/) [DJ Jazzy Jeff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-jazzy-jeff/) > [I do believe - and I know I shouldn't - that art transcends money and success and any of that. You can still do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandar-hemon/i-do-believe-and-i-know-i-shouldn-t-that-art-transcends-money-and/) [Aleksandar Hemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandar-hemon/) > [“If your motivation for acquiring money or success comes from a nonsupportive root such as fear, anger, or the need to “prove” yourself, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/if-your-motivation-for-acquiring-money-or-success-comes-from-a/) [T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/) > [“Instead of relishing life, people merely existed. Such was the case with my family.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kien-nguyen/instead-of-relishing-life-people-merely-existed-such-was-the-case/) [Kien Nguyen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kien-nguyen/) > [When we treat people merely as they are, they will remain as they are. When we treat them as if they were what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/when-we-treat-people-merely-as-they-are-they-will-remain-as-they-are/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [It is the tragedy of other people that they are to us merely showcases for the very perishable collections of our own mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/it-is-the-tragedy-of-other-people-that-they-are-to-us-merely/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [The idea of being a writer attracts a good many shiftless people, those who are merely burdened with poetic feelings or afflicted with sensibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/the-idea-of-being-a-writer-attracts-a-good-many-shiftless-people/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [My time is much too precious to be wasted on people who merely want to talk about being a high performance person and can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pena/my-time-is-much-too-precious-to-be-wasted-on-people-who-merely-want/) [Dan Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pena/) ## More by Will Smith > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Goofy was the word that was used most often by my sisters because I've been this tall ever since I was 12 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/goofy-was-the-word-that-was-used-most-often-by-my-sisters-because-i/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Everybody need a partner to stand right by their side. Not only down for the good times. But also down through the bad times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/everybody-need-a-partner-to-stand-right-by-their-side-not-only-down/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Thomas Jefferson was a real poet. He was slick with that 'pursuit' of happiness because the 'pursuit' puts it back on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/thomas-jefferson-was-a-real-poet-he-was-slick-with-that-pursuit-of/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I have fun. I enjoy my life. And I was hardwired for a deep connection between service, God, and happiness. You kind of need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/i-have-fun-i-enjoy-my-life-and-i-was-hardwired-for-a-deep-connection/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Believing in yourself is the first step to accomplishing any goal. If you think you're going to fail, you probably will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/believing-in-yourself-is-the-first-step-to-accomplishing-any-goal-if/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [ You might be \[outshining me in many ways\]. But if we get on a treadmill, there are two things: you're getting off first or… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/you-might-be-outshining-me-in-many-ways-but-if-we-get-on-a-treadmill/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Black people playing tennis, next white people will be tap dancing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/black-people-playing-tennis-next-white-people-will-be-tap-dancing/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Anything can go away. There's no such thing as safety and security. You can do things that give you the illusion of safety and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/anything-can-go-away-there-s-no-such-thing-as-safety-and-security-you/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [You be as truthful as you can to a specific situation, and it will become universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/you-be-as-truthful-as-you-can-to-a-specific-situation-and-it-will/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Listen to these words, they are very inspirational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/listen-to-these-words-they-are-very-inspirational/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Life is lived on the edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/life-is-lived-on-the-edge/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [You dont try to build a well, you dont set out to build a wall, you dont say I am going to build the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/you-dont-try-to-build-a-well-you-dont-set-out-to-build-a-wall-you/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [While the other guy's sleeping? I'm working. While the other guy's eatin'? I'm working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/while-the-other-guy-s-sleeping-i-m-working-while-the-other-guy-s/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [“Too many people are buying things they can't afford, with money that they don't have... to impress people that they don't like!" Nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/too-many-people-are-buying-things-they-can-t-afford-with-money-that/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) [Explore all 305 Will Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) ## More Money quotes > [You've got to tell your money what to do or it will leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/you-ve-got-to-tell-your-money-what-to-do-or-it-will-leave/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth. It is open markets, it is capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/don-t-let-s-lose-sight-of-what-creates-wealth-it-is-open-markets-it/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Money is the kind of instrument which is very speedily produced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/money-is-the-kind-of-instrument-which-is-very-speedily-produced/) [Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/) > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Maybe you can,t buy a big house.. A new car.. A huge diamond ring.. But if you have just one true friend who loves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy/maybe-you-can-t-buy-a-big-house-a-new-car-a-huge-diamond-ring-but-if/) [Cathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy/) > [“Don't allow money to become the yardstick by which you measure the worth of the world around you!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-james-pritchard/don-t-allow-money-to-become-the-yardstick-by-which-you-measure-the/) [Andrew James Pritchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-james-pritchard/) > [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [I doubt that we Americans can come to terms with our money neuroses without understanding the more florid pathology of the very rich for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-slater/i-doubt-that-we-americans-can-come-to-terms-with-our-money-neuroses/) [Philip Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-slater/) > [“The writer must earn money in order to be able to live and to write, but he must by no means live and write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/the-writer-must-earn-money-in-order-to-be-able-to-live-and-to-write/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [The man who works for the gold in the job rather than for the money in the pay envelope, is the fellow who gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-french-johnson/the-man-who-works-for-the-gold-in-the-job-rather-than-for-the-money/) [Joseph French Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-french-johnson/) [Browse all 45,172 Money quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Money and success don't change people; they merely amplify what is already there.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Will Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/money-and-success-don-t-change-people-they-merely-amplify-what-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Money" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/money-and-success-don-t-change-people-they-merely-amplify-what-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/840/will-smith-1021_money_money-and-success-don-t-change-people-th_2174480.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/840/will-smith-1021_money_money-and-success-don-t-change-people-th_2174480.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/840/will-smith-1021_money_money-and-success-don-t-change-people-th_2174480.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Money and success don't change people; they merely amplify what is already there.” — Will Smith", "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": "Will Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Money and success don't change people;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/money-and-success-don-t-change-people-they-merely-amplify-what-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/money-and-success-don-t-change-people-they-merely-amplify-what-is/#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 } } ] } ```