--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm still a researcher. The best way to…" description: "\"I'm still a researcher. The best way to explain it is that I trusted myself deeply as a professional, but I did not have a lot of self-trust personally..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e25/bren-brown-280_belonging_i-m-still-a-researcher-the-best-way-to-e_3154311.jpg" --- # I'm still a researcher. The best way to explain it is that… ![“I'm still a researcher. The best way to explain it is that I trusted myself deeply as a professional, but I did not have a lot of self-trust personally. When I started learning all of these things about the value and the importance of belonging, vulnerability, connection, self-kindness and…” quote by Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e25/bren-brown-280_belonging_i-m-still-a-researcher-the-best-way-to-e_3154311.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e25/bren-brown-280_belonging_i-m-still-a-researcher-the-best-way-to-e_3154311.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e25/bren-brown-280_belonging_i-m-still-a-researcher-the-best-way-to-e_3154311.jpg) > “I'm still a researcher. The best way to explain it is that I trusted myself deeply as a professional, but I did not have a lot of self-trust personally. When I started learning all of these things about the value and the importance of belonging, vulnerability, connection, self-kindness and self-compassion, I trusted what I was learning - again, I know I'm a good researcher. When those things and wholeheartedness started to emerge with all these different properties, I knew I had to listen. I'd heard these messages before personally but I didn't trust myself there.” [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker contrasts professional self‑confidence with personal self‑doubt, noting that learning about vulnerability and self‑compassion helped restore personal trust. **In simple terms:** Professional confidence can coexist with personal insecurity; learning vulnerability rebuilds self‑trust. Key Takeaway Cultivate vulnerability to strengthen personal self‑trust. Themes vulnerability self‑compassion confidence growth trust Mood hopeful introspective encouraging Type reflective motivational When to use this quote - academic work - therapy sessions - team leadership - personal reflection Key Concepts psychology personal development research integrity Questions to Reflect On - What practices help align personal and professional self‑trust? - How does vulnerability impact work performance? A Different Perspective Self‑trust may fluctuate despite external success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belonging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belonging/) [Best way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-way/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Messages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messages/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-compassion/) [Self trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-trust/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) [Trust myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust-myself/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Vulnerability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulnerability/) [Wholeheartedness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wholeheartedness/) ## Related quotes > [“Spiritual connection and engagement is not built on compliance, it’s the product of love, belonging, and vulnerability.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/spiritual-connection-and-engagement-is-not-built-on-compliance-it-s/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [There's a question of building trust, and I think that President Barack Obama offers trust. Personally, I think he is a transparent individual with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-correa/there-s-a-question-of-building-trust-and-i-think-that-president/) [Rafael Correa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-correa/) > [Our capacity for wholeheartednes s can never be greater than our willingness to be broken-hearted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/our-capacity-for-wholeheartednes-s-can-never-be-greater-than-our/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“Get Going: From taking turns being thankful during grace to more creative projects like creating a jar to keep gratitude notes in, we’re making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/get-going-from-taking-turns-being-thankful-during-grace-to-more/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Here's what is truly at the heart of wholeheartedness: Worthy now, not if, not when, we're worthy of love and belonging now. Right this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/here-s-what-is-truly-at-the-heart-of-wholeheartedness-worthy-now-not/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Spirituality emerged as a fundamental guidepost in Wholeheartedness. Not religiosity but the deeply held belief that we are inextricably connected to one another by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/spirituality-emerged-as-a-fundamental-guidepost-in-wholeheartedness/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Wholeheartedness. There are many tenets of Wholeheartedness, but at its very core is vulnerability and worthiness; facing uncertainty, exposure, and emotional risks, and knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/wholeheartedness-there-are-many-tenets-of-wholeheartedness-but-at-its/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [A good designer has a lot in common with a good researcher. Both hunt for excellence and perfection. And you have to really focus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-britt-moser/a-good-designer-has-a-lot-in-common-with-a-good-researcher-both-hunt/) [May-Britt Moser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-britt-moser/) > [“Doctor Donald Tashkin is a very good researcher at UCLA. He is a pulmonologist. His research demonstrated that the incidence of lung cancer in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/you-are-being-lied-to-about-series/doctor-donald-tashkin-is-a-very-good-researcher-at-ucla-he-is-a/) You Are Being Lied To About Series > [Reading papers and memorizing them doesn't make you a good researcher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasuku-honjo/reading-papers-and-memorizing-them-doesn-t-make-you-a-good-researcher/) [Tasuku Honjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasuku-honjo/) > [“I've always been a pretty good researcher," said Bronwyn modestly. Oh, so that we share, thought Myfanwy, but you didn't inherit the power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-o-malley/i-ve-always-been-a-pretty-good-researcher-said-bronwyn-modestly-oh-so/) [Daniel O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-o-malley/) > [This is the power of art: The power to transcend our own self-interest, our solipsistic zoom-lens on life, and relate to the world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-popova/this-is-the-power-of-art-the-power-to-transcend-our-own-self-interest/) [Maria Popova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-popova/) > [The antidote to exhaustion isn't rest. It's wholeheartedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-whyte/the-antidote-to-exhaustion-isn-t-rest-it-s-wholeheartedness/) [David Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-whyte/) > [Living well has something to do with the spirituality of wholeheartedness, of seeing life more as a grace than as a penance, as time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/living-well-has-something-to-do-with-the-spirituality-of/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [If you're really mind-full, and if you underline that aspect of fullness, wholeness, or wholeheartedness, it reveals the gift character of everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/if-you-re-really-mind-full-and-if-you-underline-that-aspect-of/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) ## More by Brené Brown > [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“always put off writing by reorganizing my entire house and spending way too much time and money buying office supplies and organizing systems. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/always-put-off-writing-by-reorganizing-my-entire-house-and-spending/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [When you ask people about love, they tell you about heartbreak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/when-you-ask-people-about-love-they-tell-you-about-heartbreak/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“I can recognize shame when it’s happening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-can-recognize-shame-when-it-s-happening/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I carry a small sheet of paper in my wallet that has written on it the names of people whose opinions of me matter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-carry-a-small-sheet-of-paper-in-my-wallet-that-has-written-on-it/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/courage-starts-with-showing-up-and-letting-ourselves-be-seen/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Waking up every day and loving someone who may or may not love us back, whose safety we can't ensure, who may stay in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/waking-up-every-day-and-loving-someone-who-may-or-may-not-love-us/) [Brene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“No matter how separated we are by what we think and believe, we are part of the same spiritual story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/no-matter-how-separated-we-are-by-what-we-think-and-believe-we-are/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Perfectionism is self-destructive simply because there is no such thing as perfect. Perfection is an unattainable goal. Additionally, perfectionism is more about perception -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/perfectionism-is-self-destructive-simply-because-there-is-no-such/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Shame corrodes the very part of us that believes we are capable of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/shame-corrodes-the-very-part-of-us-that-believes-we-are-capable-of/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [If you're also in the arena and you're putting your ideas out and you're owning them and you're saying "I disagree with you about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-you-re-also-in-the-arena-and-you-re-putting-your-ideas-out-and-you/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“I found that men and women with high levels of shame resilience share these four elements: They understand shame and recognize what messages and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-found-that-men-and-women-with-high-levels-of-shame-resilience-share/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/connection-gives-purpose-and-meaning-to-our-lives/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“But here’s the tricky part about compassion and connecting: We can’t call just anyone. It’s not that simple. I have a lot of good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/but-here-s-the-tricky-part-about-compassion-and-connecting-we-can-t/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“It turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it's the bravest and most sacred place you'll stand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/it-turns-out-to-be-the-place-of-true-belonging-and-it-s-the-bravest/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) [Explore all 759 Brené Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) ## More Belonging quotes > [She might be without country, without nation, but inside her there was still a being that could exist and be free, that could simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-maas/she-might-be-without-country-without-nation-but-inside-her-there-was/) [Sharon Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-maas/) > [I always think the best way of motivating yourself is to put yourself in a situation where you feel like you're belonging to something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-jackson/i-always-think-the-best-way-of-motivating-yourself-is-to-put-yourself/) [Colin Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-jackson/) > [It is a well-settled principle of the international code that where one nation owes another a liquidated debt which it refuses or neglects to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-jackson/it-is-a-well-settled-principle-of-the-international-code-that-where/) [Andrew Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-jackson/) > [The region belonging to the pure intellect is straitened: the imagination labours to extend its territories, to give it room. She sweeps across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-region-belonging-to-the-pure-intellect-is-straitened-the/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I am convinced that human nature is basically affectionate and good. If our behavior follows our kind and loving nature, immense benefits will result,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/i-am-convinced-that-human-nature-is-basically-affectionate-and-good/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“The reason “belonging” was so potent, so attractive, so much a part of the human yearning, was that it also meant safety, and loyalty.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/the-reason-belonging-was-so-potent-so-attractive-so-much-a-part-of/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [If some student belonging to weaker section of society suffers distress, humanity says it must be addressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arun-jaitley/if-some-student-belonging-to-weaker-section-of-society-suffers/) [Arun Jaitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arun-jaitley/) > [Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/connection-gives-purpose-and-meaning-to-our-lives/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [My father was a man of great charity towards the poor, and compassion for the sick, and also for servants; so much so, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-father-was-a-man-of-great-charity-towards-the-poor-and-compassion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Maybe the problem with the world is, that people are too quick to judge. And out of desperation, the loneliness creeps in like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/maybe-the-problem-with-the-world-is-that-people-are-too-quick-to/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [“It turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it's the bravest and most sacred place you'll stand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/it-turns-out-to-be-the-place-of-true-belonging-and-it-s-the-bravest/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [The hardest thing about being at Sony was not the travel; it was being divorced from the public and private life I had in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-stringer/the-hardest-thing-about-being-at-sony-was-not-the-travel-it-was-being/) [Howard Stringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-stringer/) > [Whenever you are examining someone else's belongings, you are bound to learn many interesting things about the person of which you were not previously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whenever-you-are-examining-someone-else-s-belongings-you-are-bound-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She isn't anybody's,' Rook said darkly. 'Son. she's not yours, either," Sarah Fleet said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaida-jones/she-isn-t-anybody-s-rook-said-darkly-son-she-s-not-yours-either-sarah/) [Jaida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaida-jones/) > [We have become this very fear-based culture, especially post-9/11. Fear is the opposite of love, in my opinion. I think there would be more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-have-become-this-very-fear-based-culture-especially-post-9-11-fear/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) [Browse all 876 Belonging quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belonging/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm still a researcher. The best way to explain it is that I trusted myself deeply as a professional, but I did not have a lot of self-trust personally. 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