--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A really great man has always an idea of…" description: "\"A really great man has always an idea of something greater than himself.\" — William Hazlitt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/william-hazlitt-326_dignity_a-really-great-man-has-always-an-idea-of_1199291.png" --- # A really great man has always an idea of something greater… ![“A really great man has always an idea of something greater than himself.” quote by William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/william-hazlitt-326_dignity_a-really-great-man-has-always-an-idea-of_1199291.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/william-hazlitt-326_dignity_a-really-great-man-has-always-an-idea-of_1199291.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/william-hazlitt-326_dignity_a-really-great-man-has-always-an-idea-of_1199291.png) > “A really great man has always an idea of something greater than himself.” [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A truly great person sees a purpose beyond personal ambition. **In simple terms:** Great men aim higher than themselves. Key Takeaway Cultivate a purpose beyond self. Themes purpose humility leadership Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - community service - mentorship - public speaking Key Concepts self-transcendence vision legacy Questions to Reflect On - What larger purpose drives you? - How do you balance personal goals with broader impact? A Different Perspective Greatness can be misinterpreted as self‑sacrifice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dignity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity/) [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [My father was a really great man. I'll never forget the last thing he ever said to me. Nor will I ever repeat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/my-father-was-a-really-great-man-i-ll-never-forget-the-last-thing-he/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [The world sees only the reflection of merit; therefore when you come to know a really great man intimately, you may as often find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-world-sees-only-the-reflection-of-merit-therefore-when-you-come/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Great occasions rouse even the lowest of human beings to some kind of greatness, but he alone is the really great man whose character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/great-occasions-rouse-even-the-lowest-of-human-beings-to-some-kind-of/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [A great man la an abstraction of some one excellence; but whoever fancies himself an abstraction of excellence, so far from being great, may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/a-great-man-la-an-abstraction-of-some-one-excellence-but-whoever/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [One single idea may have greater weight than all the men, animals, and machines for a century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/one-single-idea-may-have-greater-weight-than-all-the-men-animals-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [An idea is a greater monument than a cathedral. And the advance of man's knowledge is more of a miracle than any sticks turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-lawrence/an-idea-is-a-greater-monument-than-a-cathedral-and-the-advance-of-man-2/) [Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) > [An idea is a greater monument than a cathedral. And the advance of man's knowledge is a greater miracle than all the sticks turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-lawrence/an-idea-is-a-greater-monument-than-a-cathedral-and-the-advance-of-man/) [Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) > [An idea can be greater than the Sun, because with an intelligent idea, man can discover the way to create another sun! Idea is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/an-idea-can-be-greater-than-the-sun-because-with-an-intelligent-idea/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [An idea is a greater monument than a cathedral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/an-idea-is-a-greater-monument-than-a-cathedral/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [I like the idea of something greater than us. We destroy things with our curiosity. We shatter with our best intentions. We are no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-destefano/i-like-the-idea-of-something-greater-than-us-we-destroy-things-with/) [Lauren DeStefano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-destefano/) > ["Without faith it is impossible to please God," and without faith it is impossible for you to become great. The distinguishing characteristic of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-d-wattles/without-faith-it-is-impossible-to-please-god-and-without-faith-it-is/) [Wallace D. Wattles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-d-wattles/) > [A strong sense of identity gives man an idea he can do no wrong; too little accomplishes the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djuna-barnes/a-strong-sense-of-identity-gives-man-an-idea-he-can-do-no-wrong-too/) [Djuna Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djuna-barnes/) > [“Man is an idea, and a precious small idea, once he turns his back on love. And that's my point; we, mankind, have lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camus-albert/man-is-an-idea-and-a-precious-small-idea-once-he-turns-his-back-on/) [Camus, Albert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camus-albert/) > [That's what being a front man is all about - the idea of having something supple underneath you, that machine that roars and can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/that-s-what-being-a-front-man-is-all-about-the-idea-of-having/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [Man never had an idea - man will never have an idea, except those supplied to him by his surroundings. Every idea in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/man-never-had-an-idea-man-will-never-have-an-idea-except-those/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) ## More by William Hazlitt > [First impressions are often the truest, as we find (not infrequently) to our cost, when we have been wheedled out of them by plausible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/first-impressions-are-often-the-truest-as-we-find-not-infrequently-to/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The art of life is to know how to enjoy a little and to endure very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-art-of-life-is-to-know-how-to-enjoy-a-little-and-to-endure-very/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We are thankful for good-will rather than for services, for the motive than the quantum of favor received.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-are-thankful-for-good-will-rather-than-for-services-for-the-motive/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The discussing the characters and foibles of common friends is a great sweetness and cement of friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-discussing-the-characters-and-foibles-of-common-friends-is-a/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Want of principle is power. Truth and honesty set a limit to our efforts, which impudence and hypocrisy easily overleap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/want-of-principle-is-power-truth-and-honesty-set-a-limit-to-our/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Repose is as necessary in conversation as in a picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/repose-is-as-necessary-in-conversation-as-in-a-picture/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [No act terminating in itself constitutes greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/no-act-terminating-in-itself-constitutes-greatness/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Vice is man's nature: virtue is a habit--or a mask.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/vice-is-man-s-nature-virtue-is-a-habit-or-a-mask/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We never do anything well till we cease to think about the manner doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-never-do-anything-well-till-we-cease-to-think-about-the-manner/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/man-is-the-only-animal-that-laughs-and-weeps-for-he-is-the-only/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Those who have had none of the cares of this life to harass and disturb them, have been obliged to have recourse to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/those-who-have-had-none-of-the-cares-of-this-life-to-harass-and/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Poverty, when it is voluntary, is never despicable, but takes an heroical aspect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/poverty-when-it-is-voluntary-is-never-despicable-but-takes-an/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We are not satisfied to be right, unless we can prove others to be quite wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-are-not-satisfied-to-be-right-unless-we-can-prove-others-to-be/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The world judge of men by their ability in their profession, and we judge of ourselves by the same test: for it is on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-world-judge-of-men-by-their-ability-in-their-profession-and-we/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The best part of our lives we pass in counting on what is to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-best-part-of-our-lives-we-pass-in-counting-on-what-is-to-come/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) [Explore all 671 William Hazlitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) ## More Dignity quotes > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [I take the responsibility of playing another ethnicity very, very seriously, and I promise myself and those people that I will represent them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-curtis/i-take-the-responsibility-of-playing-another-ethnicity-very-very/) [Cliff Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-curtis/) > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera > [I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-speak-not-for-myself-but-so-those-without-a-voice-can-be-heard/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [Use every man according to his desert and who should 'scape whipping? Use them after your own honor and dignity, the less they deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/use-every-man-according-to-his-desert-and-who-should-scape-whipping/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The dignity of man is in free choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-frisch/the-dignity-of-man-is-in-free-choice/) [Max Frisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-frisch/) > [One of the things I love about Africa is the amount of dignity and respect and humility you see all the time. You don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-scott/one-of-the-things-i-love-about-africa-is-the-amount-of-dignity-and/) [Jill Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-scott/) > [It is well for a man when he has learned to endure what he cannot change, and to give up with dignity what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/it-is-well-for-a-man-when-he-has-learned-to-endure-what-he-cannot/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [Daily contact with some teachers is itself all-sided ethical education for the child without a spoken precept. Here, too, the real advantage of male…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-stanley-hall/daily-contact-with-some-teachers-is-itself-all-sided-ethical/) [G. Stanley Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-stanley-hall/) > [A man, as a man, could arrive at all the dignity that a man was capable of obtaining or receiving; but it needed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor/a-man-as-a-man-could-arrive-at-all-the-dignity-that-a-man-was-capable/) [John Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor/) > [There is something to be said for anyone who sits alone with dignity and silently begs for God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/there-is-something-to-be-said-for-anyone-who-sits-alone-with-dignity/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [I just remember that disturbing feeling of walking into that prison, the complete loss of privacy, the complete loss of stimulation, dignity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/i-just-remember-that-disturbing-feeling-of-walking-into-that-prison/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [Henry Kissinger may have wished I had presented him as a combination of Charles DeGaulle and Disraeli, but I didn't…out of respect for DeGaulle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oriana-fallaci/henry-kissinger-may-have-wished-i-had-presented-him-as-a-combination/) [Oriana Fallaci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oriana-fallaci/) > [The dignity of a woman's life is infinite, her status immeasurable, her capacity unbounded, her role divine...In the fast changing world of today her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/the-dignity-of-a-woman-s-life-is-infinite-her-status-immeasurable-her/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) [Browse all 3,116 Dignity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A really great man has always an idea of something greater than himself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Hazlitt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/a-really-great-man-has-always-an-idea-of-something-greater-than/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dignity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/a-really-great-man-has-always-an-idea-of-something-greater-than/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/william-hazlitt-326_dignity_a-really-great-man-has-always-an-idea-of_1199291.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/william-hazlitt-326_dignity_a-really-great-man-has-always-an-idea-of_1199291.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/william-hazlitt-326_dignity_a-really-great-man-has-always-an-idea-of_1199291.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A really great man has always an idea of something greater than himself.” — William Hazlitt", "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": "William Hazlitt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A really great man has always...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/a-really-great-man-has-always-an-idea-of-something-greater-than/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/a-really-great-man-has-always-an-idea-of-something-greater-than/#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 } } ] } ```