--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maturity: the confidence to have no…" description: "\"Maturity: the confidence to have no opinions on many things.\" — Alain de Botton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/alain-de-botton-221_aging_maturity-the-confidence-to-have-no-opini_361651.jpg" --- # Maturity: the confidence to have no opinions on many things. ![“Maturity: the confidence to have no opinions on many things.” quote by Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/alain-de-botton-221_aging_maturity-the-confidence-to-have-no-opini_361651.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/alain-de-botton-221_aging_maturity-the-confidence-to-have-no-opini_361651.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/alain-de-botton-221_aging_maturity-the-confidence-to-have-no-opini_361651.jpg) > “Maturity: the confidence to have no opinions on many things.” [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. Maturity involves recognizing the limits of one's knowledge and refraining from forming opinions on many matters. **In simple terms:** Wise people stay neutral on many topics. Key Takeaway Cultivate intellectual humility. Themes wisdom humility critical thinking Mood thoughtful calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - debate participation - reading diverse perspectives - mindfulness practice Key Concepts epistemic humility open-mindedness self-awareness Questions to Reflect On - When is it appropriate to form an opinion? - How does uncertainty affect confidence? A Different Perspective Being overly neutral may hinder decisive action when needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aging/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Confidence Opinions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence-opinions-3320474/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [Maturity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maturity/) [Maturity Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maturity-confidence-3320473/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Opinions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinions/) [Opinions Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinions-things-1627975/) ## Related quotes > [People with maturity and confidence, take blame of wrong decision and this is reflected in their commitment and courage to set right the wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anil-kumar-sinha/people-with-maturity-and-confidence-take-blame-of-wrong-decision-and/) [Anil Kumar Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anil-kumar-sinha/) > [Why should we worry about what others think of us, do we have more confidence in their opinions than we do our own?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/why-should-we-worry-about-what-others-think-of-us-do-we-have-more/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) > [Most of us now have opinions on such things as road tolling, the U.S. position on climate change, and the correct colour of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/most-of-us-now-have-opinions-on-such-things-as-road-tolling-the-u-s/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [It is not things in themselves which trouble us, but our opinions of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/it-is-not-things-in-themselves-which-trouble-us-but-our-opinions-of/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Not things, but opinions about things, trouble men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/not-things-but-opinions-about-things-trouble-men/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [We are in a culture where it's so easy to just turn things off that you don't like. And I think that doesn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-moore/we-are-in-a-culture-where-it-s-so-easy-to-just-turn-things-off-that/) [Mandy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-moore/) > [Never do human beings speculate more, or have more opinions, than about things which they do not understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/never-do-human-beings-speculate-more-or-have-more-opinions-than-about/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [Don't hold strong opinions about things you don't understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-hold-strong-opinions-about-things-you-don-t-understand/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's not that I don't have opinions about these things. I just don't feel they're in any way special. Sure, I follow the news.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/it-s-not-that-i-don-t-have-opinions-about-these-things-i-just-don-t/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Don't hold strong opinions about things you don't truly understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-cudi/don-t-hold-strong-opinions-about-things-you-don-t-truly-understand/) [Kid Cudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-cudi/) > [Men are tormented by the opinions they have of things, and not the things themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/men-are-tormented-by-the-opinions-they-have-of-things-and-not-the/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [It is not things, but opinions about things that have absolutely no existence, which have so deranged mankind!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-is-not-things-but-opinions-about-things-that-have-absolutely-no/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [One thing I learned about people is that they love to give their opinions about things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-mcphee/one-thing-i-learned-about-people-is-that-they-love-to-give-their/) [Katharine McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-mcphee/) > [I certainly have opinions about things, but we're a service organization. Our job is to try and realize the director's vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-certainly-have-opinions-about-things-but-we-re-a-service/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [I like to come to the set with very strong ideas and strong opinions about how to do things. And I like also dealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/i-like-to-come-to-the-set-with-very-strong-ideas-and-strong-opinions/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) ## 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? 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Finally, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-more-i-produce-the-less-i-am-certain-on-the-road-along-which-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [So often do you see collegians enter life with high resolve and lofty purpose and then watch them shrink and shrink to sordid, selfish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/so-often-do-you-see-collegians-enter-life-with-high-resolve-and-lofty/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [All the dangers in our world are like a blessed wake up call. They tell us to live life NOW... not tomorrow, not when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/all-the-dangers-in-our-world-are-like-a-blessed-wake-up-call-they/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [“You could see the signs of female aging as diseased, especially if you had a vested interest in making women too see them your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/you-could-see-the-signs-of-female-aging-as-diseased-especially-if-you/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) > [“It takes maturity to be able to laugh like a child again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moffat-machingura/it-takes-maturity-to-be-able-to-laugh-like-a-child-again/) [Moffat Machingura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moffat-machingura/) > [Seek ye counsel of the aged for their eyes have looked on the faces of the years and their ears have hardened to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/seek-ye-counsel-of-the-aged-for-their-eyes-have-looked-on-the-faces/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Growing old-it's not nice, but it's interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/growing-old-it-s-not-nice-but-it-s-interesting/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [Anything is possible in the life of a man if he lives long enough. Even maturity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howell-raines/anything-is-possible-in-the-life-of-a-man-if-he-lives-long-enough/) [Howell Raines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howell-raines/) > [I just want to be Patty McCormack. I want to spend every year aging the way she has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/i-just-want-to-be-patty-mccormack-i-want-to-spend-every-year-aging/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [Maturity is reached the day we don't need to be lied to about anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-yerby/maturity-is-reached-the-day-we-don-t-need-to-be-lied-to-about-anything/) [Frank Yerby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-yerby/) [Browse all 2,792 Aging quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aging/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Maturity: the confidence to have no opinions on many things.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alain de Botton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/maturity-the-confidence-to-have-no-opinions-on-many-things/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aging" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/maturity-the-confidence-to-have-no-opinions-on-many-things/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/alain-de-botton-221_aging_maturity-the-confidence-to-have-no-opini_361651.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/alain-de-botton-221_aging_maturity-the-confidence-to-have-no-opini_361651.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/alain-de-botton-221_aging_maturity-the-confidence-to-have-no-opini_361651.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Maturity: the confidence to have no opinions on many things.” — 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": "Maturity: the confidence to have no...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/maturity-the-confidence-to-have-no-opinions-on-many-things/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/maturity-the-confidence-to-have-no-opinions-on-many-things/#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 } } ] } ```