--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The things that others have always seem…" description: "\"“The things that others have always seem better than what you have,” his mother said.”\" — Brandon Sanderson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/brandon-sanderson-112_better_the-things-that-others-have-always-seem_528938.jpg" --- # The things that others have always seem better than what… ![“The things that others have always seem better than what you have,” his mother said.” quote by Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/brandon-sanderson-112_better_the-things-that-others-have-always-seem_528938.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/brandon-sanderson-112_better_the-things-that-others-have-always-seem_528938.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/brandon-sanderson-112_better_the-things-that-others-have-always-seem_528938.jpg) > ““The things that others have always seem better than what you have,” his mother said.”” [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comparing oneself to others creates perpetual dissatisfaction. **In simple terms:** Envy makes us feel lacking. Key Takeaway Focus on personal growth. Themes envy comparison selfworth Mood introspective motivational Type self-help philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - relationship counseling - goal setting Key Concepts philosophy self-development Questions to Reflect On - What does “better” truly mean? - How can we define personal success? A Different Perspective Can foster unhealthy competition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [“Your shoes, mother,” he said. He had never called her mother, not in his whole life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-minor/your-shoes-mother-he-said-he-had-never-called-her-mother-not-in-his/) [Kyle Minor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-minor/) > [“My mother said my father had a drop of dragon blood.” “Two drops. That, or a cock six feet long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/my-mother-said-my-father-had-a-drop-of-dragon-blood-two-drops-that-or/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“That one always walks around acting like a chasmfiend ate his mother,” she said with a grimace. “Or perhaps the chasmfiend was his mother.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/that-one-always-walks-around-acting-like-a-chasmfiend-ate-his-mother/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Now it’s my turn. I am going to birth myself. I am going to be a better mother to me than she ever was.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-king/now-it-s-my-turn-i-am-going-to-birth-myself-i-am-going-to-be-a-better/) [A.S. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) > [I want my daughters to see me and know me as a woman who works. I want that example set for them... I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/i-want-my-daughters-to-see-me-and-know-me-as-a-woman-who-works-i-want/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [I am a better person when I am writing, and I am probably a better mother because I can focus all that laser attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-scott/i-am-a-better-person-when-i-am-writing-and-i-am-probably-a-better/) [MacKenzie Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-scott/) > [I would much rather be a better mother or better human being than I would be a singer. Fortunately for me singing makes me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-tucker/i-would-much-rather-be-a-better-mother-or-better-human-being-than-i/) [Tanya Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-tucker/) > [I'm a much better mother at 46... than if I were like, 21 or 25.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halle-berry/i-m-a-much-better-mother-at-46-than-if-i-were-like-21-or-25/) [Halle Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halle-berry/) > [But I think half the battle is figuring out what works for you, and I am much better at being a mother than I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/but-i-think-half-the-battle-is-figuring-out-what-works-for-you-and-i/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“I could welcome someone else into my world, and it would be better than anything I'd ever had before because . . . because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/i-could-welcome-someone-else-into-my-world-and-it-would-be-better/) [Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/) > [You wanna be a better mother? Do what my mama did, make sacrifices. My mama worked her fingers to the bone for me. -Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desperate-housewives/you-wanna-be-a-better-mother-do-what-my-mama-did-make-sacrifices-my/) Desperate Housewives > [I'm a better mother if I also work. Leaving home for little spurts is actually a good thing. Things don't fall apart. It empowers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-pfeiffer/i-m-a-better-mother-if-i-also-work-leaving-home-for-little-spurts-is/) [Michelle Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-pfeiffer/) > [I think I'm a better mother because of work, because I'm happy. If I wasn't working, I would just be waiting for the kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-massenet/i-think-i-m-a-better-mother-because-of-work-because-i-m-happy-if-i/) [Natalie Massenet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-massenet/) > [“‎"There is an easy standoff between the two kinds of mother which sometimes makes it hard for us to talk to each other. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-pearson/there-is-an-easy-standoff-between-the-two-kinds-of-mother-which/) [Allison Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-pearson/) > [If I'm lucky enough to see the day when my sons are living independently, maybe with families of their own, I'll still be wondering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/if-i-m-lucky-enough-to-see-the-day-when-my-sons-are-living/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) ## More by Brandon Sanderson > [“I’ll admit, Jasnah, that I empathize with your skepticism, but I don’t agree with it. I just think you've been looking for God in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-ll-admit-jasnah-that-i-empathize-with-your-skepticism-but-i-don-t/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [They say a man doesn't know himself until he faces death for the first time. . . I don't know about that. It seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/they-say-a-man-doesn-t-know-himself-until-he-faces-death-for-the/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“I wasn’t a nerd, mind you, but I’d spent a lot of my youth studying Epics, so I’d had limited experience with social interaction.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-wasn-t-a-nerd-mind-you-but-i-d-spent-a-lot-of-my-youth-studying/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Why, Elend! That’s almost romantic—in a twisted ‘I’m going to make my wife want to kill me’ sort of way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/why-elend-that-s-almost-romantic-in-a-twisted-i-m-going-to-make-my/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“And...how much are we getting paid for achieving the impossible?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/and-how-much-are-we-getting-paid-for-achieving-the-impossible/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Elantris was the one place where she could remember feeling unconditional acceptance. She had not been a princess, she had been something far better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/elantris-was-the-one-place-where-she-could-remember-feeling/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Elend smiled. "Oh, come on. You have to admit that you're unusual, Vin. You're like some strange mixture of a noblewoman, a street urchin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/elend-smiled-oh-come-on-you-have-to-admit-that-you-re-unusual-vin-you/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“That is always how it is, though, isn't it?” Shuden asked. “Those who can least afford extravagance seem to be the ones most determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/that-is-always-how-it-is-though-isn-t-it-shuden-asked-those-who-can/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“He says he’s letting the Stormfather judge you,” Moash added. “Jezerezeh, king of Heralds. He says that if you deserve to live, you will….”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/he-says-he-s-letting-the-stormfather-judge-you-moash-added-jezerezeh/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“The stories say the Nightwatcher might be capable of that. . . . Powerful spren. Vast spren.’ ‘Is he calling me vast?’ Syl said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/the-stories-say-the-nightwatcher-might-be-capable-of-that-powerful/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“But the mark of a great man is one who knows when to set aside the important things in order to accomplish the vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/but-the-mark-of-a-great-man-is-one-who-knows-when-to-set-aside-the/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“My life to yours. My breath beecome yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/my-life-to-yours-my-breath-beecome-yours/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“If you're always on time, it implies that you never have anything better you should be doing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/if-you-re-always-on-time-it-implies-that-you-never-have-anything/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [You are inexperienced. So was I, once. So is every man. The measure of a person is not how much they have lived. .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/you-are-inexperienced-so-was-i-once-so-is-every-man-the-measure-of-a/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“So I should not hate Adolin Kholin for wielding a corpse!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/so-i-should-not-hate-adolin-kholin-for-wielding-a-corpse/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) [Explore all 1,238 Brandon Sanderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) ## More Better quotes > [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/) > [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. I would get to my choir class,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fonsi/everybody-has-their-cliques-and-i-was-very-shy-i-m-still-very-shy/) [Luis Fonsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fonsi/) > [You can't force people to feel in a certain way, and the sooner you understand that,the better. I feel everything has its way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidharth-malhotra/you-can-t-force-people-to-feel-in-a-certain-way-and-the-sooner-you/) [Sidharth Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidharth-malhotra/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [The Little you Give !! The Better it Gets !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-stanyer/the-little-you-give-the-better-it-gets/) [Mario Stanyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-stanyer/) > [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [In my first 100 days as Ontario's Minister of Transportation, I found a willing municipal partner in the City of Toronto that shares our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-mulroney/in-my-first-100-days-as-ontario-s-minister-of-transportation-i-found/) [Caroline Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-mulroney/) > [It hasn't been a conscious thing, like, 'I don't want to listen to a bunch of dudes,' but I genuinely like music by women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soccer-mommy/it-hasn-t-been-a-conscious-thing-like-i-don-t-want-to-listen-to-a/) [Soccer Mommy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soccer-mommy/) > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [I like to collaborate with other people for studio recordings because I believe collaboration, in any form, makes music better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-like-to-collaborate-with-other-people-for-studio-recordings-because/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [Not having drops and not taking plays off, if I do that it will make everyone around me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/not-having-drops-and-not-taking-plays-off-if-i-do-that-it-will-make/) [Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/) > [Cara Delevingne and I took an eyebrow selfie. We both have prominent eyebrows, but hers are much better than mine. Maybe we should do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/cara-delevingne-and-i-took-an-eyebrow-selfie-we-both-have-prominent/) [Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/) > [I never really look at it past one year. I look at last year and my whole goal is to be a better player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-never-really-look-at-it-past-one-year-i-look-at-last-year-and-my/) [Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/) Browse all 17,085 Better quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The things that others have always seem better than what you have,” his mother said.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brandon Sanderson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/the-things-that-others-have-always-seem-better-than-what-you-have-his/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/the-things-that-others-have-always-seem-better-than-what-you-have-his/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/brandon-sanderson-112_better_the-things-that-others-have-always-seem_528938.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/brandon-sanderson-112_better_the-things-that-others-have-always-seem_528938.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/brandon-sanderson-112_better_the-things-that-others-have-always-seem_528938.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The things that others have always seem better than what you have,” his mother said.” — Brandon Sanderson", "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": "Brandon Sanderson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The things that others have always...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/the-things-that-others-have-always-seem-better-than-what-you-have-his/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/the-things-that-others-have-always-seem-better-than-what-you-have-his/#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 } } ] } ```