--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being put in our place by something…" description: "\"“Being put in our place by something larger, older, greater than ourselves is not a humiliation; it should be accepted as a relief from our insanely ho..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/alain-de-botton-221_ambitions_being-put-in-our-place-by-something-larg_2436526.jpg" --- # Being put in our place by something larger, older, greater… ![“Being put in our place by something larger, older, greater than ourselves is not a humiliation; it should be accepted as a relief from our insanely hopeful ambitions for our lives.” quote by Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/alain-de-botton-221_ambitions_being-put-in-our-place-by-something-larg_2436526.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/alain-de-botton-221_ambitions_being-put-in-our-place-by-something-larg_2436526.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/alain-de-botton-221_ambitions_being-put-in-our-place-by-something-larg_2436526.jpg) > ““Being put in our place by something larger, older, greater than ourselves is not a humiliation; it should be accepted as a relief from our insanely hopeful ambitions for our lives.”” [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being humbled by something greater relieves us from unrealistic ambitions, offering perspective and peace **In simple terms:** Accepting larger forces eases our excessive hopes Key Takeaway Embrace humility as relief from overreaching goals Themes humility philosophy self-awareness Mood contemplative calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - spiritual practice Key Concepts existential humility psychological relief Questions to Reflect On - When does humility become a barrier to growth? - How can we balance ambition with acceptance? A Different Perspective May discourage healthy ambition or personal drive ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accepted Relief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepted-relief-347133/) [Ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitions/) [Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopes/) [Humiliation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humiliation/) [Humiliation Accepted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humiliation-accepted-347136/) [Larger Older](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/larger-older-347134/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Older Greater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/older-greater-347135/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Place Larger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/place-larger-347132/) [Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/) ## Related quotes > [Television should be kept in its proper place-beside us, before us, but never between us and the larger life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fraser/television-should-be-kept-in-its-proper-place-beside-us-before-us-but/) [Robert Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fraser/) > [The older I get, the greater power I seem to have to help the world; I am like a snowball - the further I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/the-older-i-get-the-greater-power-i-seem-to-have-to-help-the-world-i/) [Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/) > [A simple problem of arithmetic: there are far more ambitions than there are grand destinies available.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/a-simple-problem-of-arithmetic-there-are-far-more-ambitions-than/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Let's make sure our ideas of success are our own, that we are truly the authors of our own ambitions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/let-s-make-sure-our-ideas-of-success-are-our-own-that-we-are-truly/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Envy: a confused, tangled guide to one's own ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/envy-a-confused-tangled-guide-to-one-s-own-ambitions/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Some players have ambitions, and therefore, they leave and want to experience something new, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-emerick-aubameyang/some-players-have-ambitions-and-therefore-they-leave-and-want-to/) [Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-emerick-aubameyang/) > [I have no screen ambitions whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-princess-of-hanover/i-have-no-screen-ambitions-whatsoever/) [Caroline, Princess of Hanover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-princess-of-hanover/) > [Success needs to be measured according to the ambitions and the resources of each designer. And many aren't interested in being a megabrand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-gunn/success-needs-to-be-measured-according-to-the-ambitions-and-the/) [Tim Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-gunn/) > [There are a lot of goals and ambitions that I have in life, things I want to accomplish. Who knows? I mean - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-tebow/there-are-a-lot-of-goals-and-ambitions-that-i-have-in-life-things-i/) [Tim Tebow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-tebow/) > [I hope I can fulfill all my ambitions at Everton. But you never know in this game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-moyes/i-hope-i-can-fulfill-all-my-ambitions-at-everton-but-you-never-know/) [David Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-moyes/) > [It's interesting when you wind up distilling all your ambitions and your goals and dreams into one single person. It's giving that person a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/it-s-interesting-when-you-wind-up-distilling-all-your-ambitions-and/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [I don't know what my ambitions are until they turn up really but I'd love to work with Shane Meadows, I know that much!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kaye/i-don-t-know-what-my-ambitions-are-until-they-turn-up-really-but-i-d/) [Paul Kaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kaye/) > [“Why should some foul word-slinging curb my ambitions?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronika-carnaby/why-should-some-foul-word-slinging-curb-my-ambitions/) [Veronika Carnaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronika-carnaby/) > [Coaching Netherlands remains one of my ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-koeman/coaching-netherlands-remains-one-of-my-ambitions/) [Ronald Koeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-koeman/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Alain de Botton > [“To be mature is, we're told, to move beyond possessiveness. Jealousy is for babies. The mature person knows that no one owns anyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/to-be-mature-is-we-re-told-to-move-beyond-possessiveness-jealousy-is/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“He feared that by leaving her he would ruin her life - so he stayed, and did just that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/he-feared-that-by-leaving-her-he-would-ruin-her-life-so-he-stayed-and/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [You have to be quite heavily invested in someone to do them the honour of telling them you're annoyed with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/you-have-to-be-quite-heavily-invested-in-someone-to-do-them-the/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“The Anxiety of Sunday afternoon: your unlived lives and infinite possibility pressing upon the constraints of reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/the-anxiety-of-sunday-afternoon-your-unlived-lives-and-infinite/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Those who divorce aren't necessarily the most unhappy, just those neatly able to believe their misery is caused by one other person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/those-who-divorce-aren-t-necessarily-the-most-unhappy-just-those/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“We could not be fulfilled if we weren't inauthentic some of the time—inauthentic, that is, in relation to such things as our passing desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/we-could-not-be-fulfilled-if-we-weren-t-inauthentic-some-of-the-time/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Insofar as we appreciate order, it is when we perceive it as being accompanied by complexity, when we feel that a variety of elements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/insofar-as-we-appreciate-order-it-is-when-we-perceive-it-as-being/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [I like the values associated with a medical family - common sense, being practical but also thoughtful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/i-like-the-values-associated-with-a-medical-family-common-sense-being/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Anyone who urgently needs us deserves, in the true book of love, to be our friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/anyone-who-urgently-needs-us-deserves-in-the-true-book-of-love-to-be/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“We can then recognize that we invented religions to serve two central needs which continue to this day and which secular society has not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/we-can-then-recognize-that-we-invented-religions-to-serve-two-central/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Half the ingratitude and complacency in the world down to how slowly and imperceptibly most good and bad things unfold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/half-the-ingratitude-and-complacency-in-the-world-down-to-how-slowly/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [It is perhaps when our lives are at their most problematic that we are likely to be most receptive to beautiful things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/it-is-perhaps-when-our-lives-are-at-their-most-problematic-that-we/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Does what is praised becomes better? Does an emerald become worse if it isn't praised? And what a gold, ivory, a flower or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/does-what-is-praised-becomes-better-does-an-emerald-become-worse-if/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [The bourgeois thinkers of the eighteenth century thus turned Aristotle's formula on its head: satisfactions which the Greek philosopher had identified with leisure were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/the-bourgeois-thinkers-of-the-eighteenth-century-thus-turned/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Reputation matters so much only because people so seldom think for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/reputation-matters-so-much-only-because-people-so-seldom-think-for/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) [Explore all 850 Alain de Botton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) ## More Ambitions quotes > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Coaching Netherlands remains one of my ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-koeman/coaching-netherlands-remains-one-of-my-ambitions/) [Ronald Koeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-koeman/) > [“Why should some foul word-slinging curb my ambitions?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronika-carnaby/why-should-some-foul-word-slinging-curb-my-ambitions/) [Veronika Carnaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronika-carnaby/) > [I don't know what my ambitions are until they turn up really but I'd love to work with Shane Meadows, I know that much!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kaye/i-don-t-know-what-my-ambitions-are-until-they-turn-up-really-but-i-d/) [Paul Kaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kaye/) > [It's interesting when you wind up distilling all your ambitions and your goals and dreams into one single person. It's giving that person a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/it-s-interesting-when-you-wind-up-distilling-all-your-ambitions-and/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [I hope I can fulfill all my ambitions at Everton. But you never know in this game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-moyes/i-hope-i-can-fulfill-all-my-ambitions-at-everton-but-you-never-know/) [David Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-moyes/) > [There are a lot of goals and ambitions that I have in life, things I want to accomplish. Who knows? I mean - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-tebow/there-are-a-lot-of-goals-and-ambitions-that-i-have-in-life-things-i/) [Tim Tebow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-tebow/) > [Success needs to be measured according to the ambitions and the resources of each designer. And many aren't interested in being a megabrand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-gunn/success-needs-to-be-measured-according-to-the-ambitions-and-the/) [Tim Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-gunn/) > [I have no screen ambitions whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-princess-of-hanover/i-have-no-screen-ambitions-whatsoever/) [Caroline, Princess of Hanover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-princess-of-hanover/) > [Some players have ambitions, and therefore, they leave and want to experience something new, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-emerick-aubameyang/some-players-have-ambitions-and-therefore-they-leave-and-want-to/) [Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-emerick-aubameyang/) > [When you've accomplished a certain amount in your career, you're not so focused on your ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-douglas/when-you-ve-accomplished-a-certain-amount-in-your-career-you-re-not/) [Michael Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-douglas/) > [“Beware of those who steer you away from your heart’s true happiness. It would make them happy to see you steer yourself right next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/beware-of-those-who-steer-you-away-from-your-heart-s-true-happiness/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [My ambitions have ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/behdad-sami/my-ambitions-have-ambitions/) [Behdad Sami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/behdad-sami/) > [Do what in your heart you know is right. It is easy to get caught up in your ambitions, but no job is worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irene-rosenfeld/do-what-in-your-heart-you-know-is-right-it-is-easy-to-get-caught-up/) [Irene Rosenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irene-rosenfeld/) > [There are points in your life, especially if you have creative ambitions, where selfishness is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kristofferson/there-are-points-in-your-life-especially-if-you-have-creative/) [Kris Kristofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kristofferson/) [Browse all 312 Ambitions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Being put in our place by something larger, older, greater than ourselves is not a humiliation; it should be accepted as a relief from our insanely hopeful ambitions for our lives.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alain de Botton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/being-put-in-our-place-by-something-larger-older-greater-than/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambitions" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/being-put-in-our-place-by-something-larger-older-greater-than/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/alain-de-botton-221_ambitions_being-put-in-our-place-by-something-larg_2436526.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/alain-de-botton-221_ambitions_being-put-in-our-place-by-something-larg_2436526.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/alain-de-botton-221_ambitions_being-put-in-our-place-by-something-larg_2436526.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Being put in our place by something larger, older, greater than ourselves is not a humiliation; it should be…” — Alain de Botton", "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": "Alain de Botton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Being put in our place by...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/being-put-in-our-place-by-something-larger-older-greater-than/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/being-put-in-our-place-by-something-larger-older-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 } } ] } ```