--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He tried to avoid these thoughts. He had…" description: "\"“He tried to avoid these thoughts. He had to stand on guard against his own feeling—as if some part of him had become a stranger that had to be kept nu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44a/ayn-rand-59_philosophy-of-mind_he-tried-to-avoid-these-thoughts-he-had_1136721.jpg" --- # He tried to avoid these thoughts. He had to stand on guard… ![“He tried to avoid these thoughts. He had to stand on guard against his own feeling—as if some part of him had become a stranger that had to be kept numb, and his will had to be its constant, watchful anesthetic. That part was an unknown of which he knew only that he must never see its root and…” quote by Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44a/ayn-rand-59_philosophy-of-mind_he-tried-to-avoid-these-thoughts-he-had_1136721.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44a/ayn-rand-59_philosophy-of-mind_he-tried-to-avoid-these-thoughts-he-had_1136721.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44a/ayn-rand-59_philosophy-of-mind_he-tried-to-avoid-these-thoughts-he-had_1136721.jpg) > ““He tried to avoid these thoughts. He had to stand on guard against his own feeling—as if some part of him had become a stranger that had to be kept numb, and his will had to be its constant, watchful anesthetic. That part was an unknown of which he knew only that he must never see its root and never give it voice. He had lived through one dangerous moment which he could not allow to return.”” [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He suppresses a part of himself, fearing its truth, and uses willpower to keep it numb, avoiding confronting its origin. **In simple terms:** He hides a painful inner part with willpower. Key Takeaway Recognize and face hidden emotions instead of numbing them. Themes self‑suppression psychology willpower identity Mood anxious reflective Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - personal crisis - therapy - self‑reflection - emotional healing Key Concepts repression self‑awareness inner conflict Questions to Reflect On - What part of yourself are you avoiding? - How might confronting it change you? A Different Perspective Numbing emotions can lead to deeper psychological issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) ## Related quotes > [Worry is when you choose from millions of possible thoughts, only the few which deal with a potential misfortune or problem. Once you accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zelig-pliskin/worry-is-when-you-choose-from-millions-of-possible-thoughts-only-the/) [Zelig Pliskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zelig-pliskin/) > [Forgotten thought is the ultimate entropy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-lintern/forgotten-thought-is-the-ultimate-entropy/) Neil Lintern > [“It means, first, that everything that appears in public can be seen and heard by everybody and has the widest possible publicity. 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