--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man can stand a lot as long as he can…" description: "\"A man can stand a lot as long as he can stand himself. He can live without hope, without friends, without books, even without music, as long as he can ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66d/axel-munthe-34177_books_a-man-can-stand-a-lot-as-long-as-he-can_2305729.jpg" --- # A man can stand a lot as long as he can stand himself. He… ![“A man can stand a lot as long as he can stand himself. He can live without hope, without friends, without books, even without music, as long as he can listen to his own thoughts.” quote by Axel Munthe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66d/axel-munthe-34177_books_a-man-can-stand-a-lot-as-long-as-he-can_2305729.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66d/axel-munthe-34177_books_a-man-can-stand-a-lot-as-long-as-he-can_2305729.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66d/axel-munthe-34177_books_a-man-can-stand-a-lot-as-long-as-he-can_2305729.jpg) > “A man can stand a lot as long as he can stand himself. He can live without hope, without friends, without books, even without music, as long as he can listen to his own thoughts.” [Axel Munthe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/axel-munthe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑reliance is the deepest source of comfort; inner dialogue sustains us even when external comforts vanish. **In simple terms:** Being comfortable with yourself is essential. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner listening. Themes self‑reliance inner peace solitude Mood contemplative calm Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - loneliness - creative work - personal crisis - meditation - journaling Key Concepts existentialism psychology mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What thoughts do you hear when alone? - How can you strengthen self‑acceptance? A Different Perspective External comforts cannot replace inner stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Without hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/without-hope/) ## Related quotes > [A man can stand a lot as long as he can stand himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/axel-munthe/a-man-can-stand-a-lot-as-long-as-he-can-stand-himself/) [Axel Munthe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/axel-munthe/) > [ME Without YOU!! It's Like Facebook Without Friends, Youtube Without Video movie without Music And Google With No Results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhatsprincess/me-without-you-it-s-like-facebook-without-friends-youtube-without-2/) ZhatsPrincess > [ME Widout U?…???????? It's Like A Facebook Without Friends, Youtube Without Music Google With No search Results Computer Without Internet Night Without Stars Day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ab/me-widout-u-it-s-like-a-facebook-without-friends-youtube-without/) AB > [Eart Touching SMS for Girlfriend: ME Widout U? It's Like A Facebook Without Friends, Youtube Without Music Google With No search Results Computer Without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butterfly-kisses/eart-touching-sms-for-girlfriend-me-widout-u-it-s-like-a-facebook/) Butterfly\_Kisses > [ME Without YOU!! It's Like Facebook Without Friends, Youtube Without Video movie without Music And](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhatsprincess/me-without-you-it-s-like-facebook-without-friends-youtube-without/) ZhatsPrincess > [ME Without YOU!! Its Like Facebook Without Friends, Youtube Without Videos Movies without Music And Google With No Results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-without-you-its-like-facebook-without-friends-youtube-without/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Christmas will always be as long as we stand heart to heart and hand in hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/christmas-will-always-be-as-long-as-we-stand-heart-to-heart-and-hand/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [As long as you stand up, it's not over. So, things never end unless you give up on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince/as-long-as-you-stand-up-it-s-not-over-so-things-never-end-unless-you/) [Vince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince/) > [Stand-up is live, so I'm used to being live for most of my career. It's interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/stand-up-is-live-so-i-m-used-to-being-live-for-most-of-my-career-it-s/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [“Take a stand: live for love, truth, beauty!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/take-a-stand-live-for-love-truth-beauty/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I'm very much looking forward to getting back on the road - there really is nothing like performing stand-up in front of a live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/i-m-very-much-looking-forward-to-getting-back-on-the-road-there/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [“You’re stuck with yourself, so you might as well try and be someone you can stand to live with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-trollope/you-re-stuck-with-yourself-so-you-might-as-well-try-and-be-someone/) [Joanna Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-trollope/) > [I am alive again, now that I can no longer stand to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-am-alive-again-now-that-i-can-no-longer-stand-to-live/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“People don't want to listen to their thoughts, so they fill the world with noise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-entrada-kelly/people-don-t-want-to-listen-to-their-thoughts-so-they-fill-the-world/) [Erin Entrada Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-entrada-kelly/) > [There are times it's the only thing I want and I wonder how I'll ever go back to the world of noise and distraction.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-lange/there-are-times-it-s-the-only-thing-i-want-and-i-wonder-how-i-ll-ever/) [Eric Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-lange/) ## More by Axel Munthe > [I want my house open to sun and wind and the voice of the sea, like a Greek temple, and light, light, light everywhere!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/axel-munthe/i-want-my-house-open-to-sun-and-wind-and-the-voice-of-the-sea-like-a/) [Axel Munthe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/axel-munthe/) > [My home shall be open for the sun and the wind and the voices of the sea - like a Greek temple - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/axel-munthe/my-home-shall-be-open-for-the-sun-and-the-wind-and-the-voices-of-the/) [Axel Munthe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/axel-munthe/) > [The wild, cruel beast is not behind the bars of the cage. He is in front of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/axel-munthe/the-wild-cruel-beast-is-not-behind-the-bars-of-the-cage-he-is-in/) [Axel Munthe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/axel-munthe/) > [“What you keep to yourself you lose, what you give away, you keep forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/axel-munthe/what-you-keep-to-yourself-you-lose-what-you-give-away-you-keep-forever/) [Axel Munthe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/axel-munthe/) > [The soul needs more space than the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/axel-munthe/the-soul-needs-more-space-than-the-body/) [Axel Munthe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/axel-munthe/) > [What you keep for yourself, you lose. What you give away, you keep forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/axel-munthe/what-you-keep-for-yourself-you-lose-what-you-give-away-you-keep/) [Axel Munthe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/axel-munthe/) > [“To my amazement, I have heard that there are people who have never seen a gnome. I can’t help pitying these people. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/axel-munthe/to-my-amazement-i-have-heard-that-there-are-people-who-have-never/) [Axel Munthe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/axel-munthe/) > [Pasteur himself was absolutely fearless. Anxious to secure a sample of saliva straight from the jaws of a rabid dog, I once saw him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/axel-munthe/pasteur-himself-was-absolutely-fearless-anxious-to-secure-a-sample-of/) [Axel Munthe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/axel-munthe/) > [A dog gladly admits the superiority of his master over himself, accepts his judgment as final, but, contrary to what dog-lovers believe, he does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/axel-munthe/a-dog-gladly-admits-the-superiority-of-his-master-over-himself/) [Axel Munthe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/axel-munthe/) > [A man can stand a lot as long as he can stand himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/axel-munthe/a-man-can-stand-a-lot-as-long-as-he-can-stand-himself/) [Axel Munthe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/axel-munthe/) > [Christ - an anarchist who succeeded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/axel-munthe/christ-an-anarchist-who-succeeded/) [Axel Munthe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/axel-munthe/) > [I was not a good doctor, my studies had been too rapid, my hospital training too short, but there is not the slightest doubt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/axel-munthe/i-was-not-a-good-doctor-my-studies-had-been-too-rapid-my-hospital/) [Axel Munthe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/axel-munthe/) [Explore all 13 Axel Munthe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/axel-munthe/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A man can stand a lot as long as he can stand himself. 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