Everyone has a right to be interested in himself, and I am…
“Everyone has a right to be interested in himself, and I am confident that God wants us to be interested in ourselves first; that is, the first soul that anyone should bring to God should be his own soul. We cannot do very much for anyone else until we have first done something for ourselves. That is, it is pretty difficult to give someone else an education unless we have some education ourselves. It is pretty hard to get someone else to think unless we ourselves are thinkers.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Self‑knowledge and personal development are prerequisites for helping others effectively.
In simple terms: Know yourself before you try to help others.
Cultivate your own growth first.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- teaching
- mentoring
- personal counseling
- community leadership
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What personal growth steps will enable you to serve others better?
- How do you balance self‑care with caring for others?
Self‑focus can become selfish if not balanced with compassion.