--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Improve on the Guru. Don’t get stuck on…" description: "\"“Improve on the Guru. Don’t get stuck on the Guru.”\" — Art Hochberg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/art-hochberg-1133_guru_improve-on-the-guru-don-t-get-stuck-on-t_517647.jpg" --- # Improve on the Guru. Don’t get stuck on the Guru. ![“Improve on the Guru. Don’t get stuck on the Guru.” quote by Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/art-hochberg-1133_guru_improve-on-the-guru-don-t-get-stuck-on-t_517647.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/art-hochberg-1133_guru_improve-on-the-guru-don-t-get-stuck-on-t_517647.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/art-hochberg-1133_guru_improve-on-the-guru-don-t-get-stuck-on-t_517647.jpg) > ““Improve on the Guru. Don’t get stuck on the Guru.”” [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages independent thinking rather than blind reliance on a teacher. **In simple terms:** Think for yourself, not just follow a guru. Key Takeaway Seek personal growth beyond any single mentor. Themes independence learning self‑reliance Mood reflective motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - education - career mentorship - spiritual practice - creative projects Key Concepts critical thinking personal development Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance respect for mentors with personal autonomy? - What risks arise from over‑reliance on a single authority? A Different Perspective Guru dependence can limit diverse perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Guru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guru/) ## Related quotes > [“Life with the Guru - there is no manual.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/life-with-the-guru-there-is-no-manual/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“You know, when you look into the Guru's eyes you're just seeing yourself. If you see the Guru, then you're missing the point of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/you-know-when-you-look-into-the-guru-s-eyes-you-re-just-seeing/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“Once you individuate from the Guru, you’re on your own Guru journey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/once-you-individuate-from-the-guru-you-re-on-your-own-guru-journey/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“There is no sense of worshipping a Guru - or anyone for that matter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/there-is-no-sense-of-worshipping-a-guru-or-anyone-for-that-matter/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“Don't try to be like the Guru - be yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/don-t-try-to-be-like-the-guru-be-yourself/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > ['Lakshmi' is a dance film, a musical that deals with the emotional bond between the guru and his sishya.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prabhu-deva/lakshmi-is-a-dance-film-a-musical-that-deals-with-the-emotional-bond/) [Prabhu Deva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prabhu-deva/) > [I was full of a hot, powerful sadness and would have loved to burst into the comfort of tears, but tried hard not to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-was-full-of-a-hot-powerful-sadness-and-would-have-loved-to-burst/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Even to the sage who's doing Sahaja Samadhi, the great guru, I'd say: "Hey buddy, you know, I like the robes and everything, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/even-to-the-sage-who-s-doing-sahaja-samadhi-the-great-guru-i-d-say/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I do not think, like people say, that I am a guru or I know everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-jhunjhunwala/i-do-not-think-like-people-say-that-i-am-a-guru-or-i-know-everything/) [Rakesh Jhunjhunwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-jhunjhunwala/) > [All worldly pursuits have but one unavoidable and inevitable end, which is sorrow; acquisitions end in dispersion; buildings in destruction; meetings in separation; births…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milarepa/all-worldly-pursuits-have-but-one-unavoidable-and-inevitable-end/) [Milarepa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milarepa/) > [I have always wanted to branch off and become a fashion guru. I want to share my artistic views with the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-mclean/i-have-always-wanted-to-branch-off-and-become-a-fashion-guru-i-want/) [A. J. McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-mclean/) > [The real guru is the pure intellect within; and the purified, deeply aspiring mind is the disciple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinmayananda-saraswati/the-real-guru-is-the-pure-intellect-within-and-the-purified-deeply/) [Chinmayananda Saraswati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinmayananda-saraswati/) > [I used to study in Guru Nanak college and there we had only seven girls out of 4,300 boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-grover/i-used-to-study-in-guru-nanak-college-and-there-we-had-only-seven/) [Sunil Grover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-grover/) > [I have no disciples, being myself an aspirant after discipleship and in search of a guru.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-have-no-disciples-being-myself-an-aspirant-after-discipleship-and/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The wisdom or the essence of Guru Tattwa is a balance. Like when you maintain a plant, if you do not give it water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/the-wisdom-or-the-essence-of-guru-tattwa-is-a-balance-like-when-you/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) ## More by Art Hochberg > [“How do the eyes see? I don’t think the scientists have a clue about that one. There is a science within science – that’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/how-do-the-eyes-see-i-don-t-think-the-scientists-have-a-clue-about/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“Join up the different aspects of yourself – sort of like a team.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/join-up-the-different-aspects-of-yourself-sort-of-like-a-team/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“The more we cling to the known, the more fearful we are of the unknown.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/the-more-we-cling-to-the-known-the-more-fearful-we-are-of-the-unknown/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“A big part of wisdom is to learn which situations to get involved in, or not get involved in – it really is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/a-big-part-of-wisdom-is-to-learn-which-situations-to-get-involved-in/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“Believe your life has value and you are here for a purpose. What that purpose is, is your life’s work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/believe-your-life-has-value-and-you-are-here-for-a-purpose-what-that/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“Sometimes it’s better to not know about something. We don’t always have to fill our head with a lot of stuff we don’t need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/sometimes-it-s-better-to-not-know-about-something-we-don-t-always/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“You know you can be as sweet as you want, or as tough as you want, or both at the same time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/you-know-you-can-be-as-sweet-as-you-want-or-as-tough-as-you-want-or/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“Contentment? Hmmmmmmmmm. That’s a really deep one. It requires diving deep into the moment and bringing up that contentment which lies deep within us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/contentment-hmmmmmmmmm-that-s-a-really-deep-one-it-requires-diving/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“Sometimes instead of creating a scene it’s better to quietly slip out of the scene, practically unseen. It saves a lot of drama, unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/sometimes-instead-of-creating-a-scene-it-s-better-to-quietly-slip-out/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“When you smell a flower, where is the smell before you smell the flower? Think about that one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/when-you-smell-a-flower-where-is-the-smell-before-you-smell-the/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“Don't try to be like the Guru - be yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/don-t-try-to-be-like-the-guru-be-yourself/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“I don’t think that God cares about what you think. It’s the actions that count. Actually He doesn’t care what you do as long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/i-don-t-think-that-god-cares-about-what-you-think-it-s-the-actions/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“When you get to a point where there’s absolutely nothing you can count on in this world, you’re home free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/when-you-get-to-a-point-where-there-s-absolutely-nothing-you-can/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“It’s easy then we’re just doing what’s in front of us – without judging the hell out of ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/it-s-easy-then-we-re-just-doing-what-s-in-front-of-us-without-judging/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“There is no sense of worshipping a Guru - or anyone for that matter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/there-is-no-sense-of-worshipping-a-guru-or-anyone-for-that-matter/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) [Explore all 285 Art Hochberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) ## More Guru quotes > [The wisdom or the essence of Guru Tattwa is a balance. Like when you maintain a plant, if you do not give it water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/the-wisdom-or-the-essence-of-guru-tattwa-is-a-balance-like-when-you/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [I have no disciples, being myself an aspirant after discipleship and in search of a guru.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-have-no-disciples-being-myself-an-aspirant-after-discipleship-and/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I used to study in Guru Nanak college and there we had only seven girls out of 4,300 boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-grover/i-used-to-study-in-guru-nanak-college-and-there-we-had-only-seven/) [Sunil Grover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-grover/) > [The real guru is the pure intellect within; and the purified, deeply aspiring mind is the disciple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinmayananda-saraswati/the-real-guru-is-the-pure-intellect-within-and-the-purified-deeply/) [Chinmayananda Saraswati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinmayananda-saraswati/) > [I have always wanted to branch off and become a fashion guru. I want to share my artistic views with the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-mclean/i-have-always-wanted-to-branch-off-and-become-a-fashion-guru-i-want/) [A. J. McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-mclean/) > [All worldly pursuits have but one unavoidable and inevitable end, which is sorrow; acquisitions end in dispersion; buildings in destruction; meetings in separation; births…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milarepa/all-worldly-pursuits-have-but-one-unavoidable-and-inevitable-end/) [Milarepa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milarepa/) > [I do not think, like people say, that I am a guru or I know everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-jhunjhunwala/i-do-not-think-like-people-say-that-i-am-a-guru-or-i-know-everything/) [Rakesh Jhunjhunwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-jhunjhunwala/) > [Even to the sage who's doing Sahaja Samadhi, the great guru, I'd say: "Hey buddy, you know, I like the robes and everything, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/even-to-the-sage-who-s-doing-sahaja-samadhi-the-great-guru-i-d-say/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I was full of a hot, powerful sadness and would have loved to burst into the comfort of tears, but tried hard not to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-was-full-of-a-hot-powerful-sadness-and-would-have-loved-to-burst/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > ['Lakshmi' is a dance film, a musical that deals with the emotional bond between the guru and his sishya.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prabhu-deva/lakshmi-is-a-dance-film-a-musical-that-deals-with-the-emotional-bond/) [Prabhu Deva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prabhu-deva/) > [I now dream of working with Ilaiyaraaja, who is considered to be A.R. Rehman's guru.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonu-kakkar/i-now-dream-of-working-with-ilaiyaraaja-who-is-considered-to-be-a-r/) [Sonu Kakkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonu-kakkar/) > [I'm not a military general, a business guru, not a philosopher or author. It's only me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vin-scully/i-m-not-a-military-general-a-business-guru-not-a-philosopher-or/) [Vin Scully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vin-scully/) > [Keep growing. Stay awake. Beware of gurus. Keep a low overhead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-larkin/keep-growing-stay-awake-beware-of-gurus-keep-a-low-overhead/) [Joan Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-larkin/) > [In spiritual life, one must conduct one's whole life under the guidance of the guru. Only one who executes his spiritual life under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-bhaktivedanta-swami-prabhupada/in-spiritual-life-one-must-conduct-one-s-whole-life-under-the/) [A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-bhaktivedanta-swami-prabhupada/) > [Phony gurus make themselves objects of adoration and worship. Real spiritual teachers aren't interested in adoration and worship. They like respect only because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/phony-gurus-make-themselves-objects-of-adoration-and-worship-real/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) [Browse all 505 Guru quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guru/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Improve on the Guru. 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