--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What we know matters, but who we are…" description: "\"“What we know matters, but who we are matters more. Being rather than knowing requires showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”\" — Brené Brown" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/bren-brown-280_knowing_what-we-know-matters-but-who-we-are-matt_2311066.jpg" --- # What we know matters, but who we are matters more. Being… ![“What we know matters, but who we are matters more. Being rather than knowing requires showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” quote by Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/bren-brown-280_knowing_what-we-know-matters-but-who-we-are-matt_2311066.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/bren-brown-280_knowing_what-we-know-matters-but-who-we-are-matt_2311066.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/bren-brown-280_knowing_what-we-know-matters-but-who-we-are-matt_2311066.jpg) > ““What we know matters, but who we are matters more. Being rather than knowing requires showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”” [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. Knowledge is important, but authentic being—showing up and being seen—matters more. **In simple terms:** Being authentic outweighs mere knowledge. Key Takeaway Show up authentically to matter. Themes authenticity identity leadership self-awareness Mood empowering reflective Type leadership psychological When to use this quote - leadership training - personal development - coaching sessions Key Concepts vulnerability psychology of self Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance knowledge and authenticity? - When is it safe to be fully seen? A Different Perspective Authenticity can be risky in hostile environments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [What we know matters, but who we are matters more. Being rather than knowing requires showing up and letting ourselves be seen. It requires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/what-we-know-matters-but-who-we-are-matters-more-being-rather-than/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [What we know matters but who we are matters more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/what-we-know-matters-but-who-we-are-matters-more/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Once you become aware of what means the most to you, you're less likely to put off something that's really valuable for something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-browne/once-you-become-aware-of-what-means-the-most-to-you-you-re-less/) [Joy Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-browne/) > [“Oh, believe me, you want to know. Why it matters is because someday when Princess is screaming at three in the morning with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-sheridan/oh-believe-me-you-want-to-know-why-it-matters-is-because-someday-when/) [Mia Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-sheridan/) > [Names don't matter, CVs don't matter, previous publications don't matter at all, because, in a certain way, the ideal is for someone to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorin-stein/names-don-t-matter-cvs-don-t-matter-previous-publications-don-t/) [Lorin Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorin-stein/) > [It's not who you know, but who you are that matters most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keariene-muizz/it-s-not-who-you-know-but-who-you-are-that-matters-most/) [Keariene Muizz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keariene-muizz/) > [“When you know as much as we do, nothing matters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/when-you-know-as-much-as-we-do-nothing-matters/) [Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/) > [The whole problem with people is they don't know what matters and what doesn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/the-whole-problem-with-people-is-they-don-t-know-what-matters-and/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“You know, some things don't matter that much, Lily. Like the color of a house. How big is that in the overall scheme of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd-the-secret-life-of-bees/you-know-some-things-don-t-matter-that-much-lily-like-the-color-of-a-2/) Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees > [“You know, some things don't matter that much, Lily. Like the color of a house. How big is that in the over-all scheme of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/you-know-some-things-don-t-matter-that-much-lily-like-the-color-of-a/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [some things don't matter much. Like the color of a house. How big is that in the overall scheme of life? But lifting a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/some-things-don-t-matter-much-like-the-color-of-a-house-how-big-is/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [I know who I am. People who know me know who I am. That's all that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lonzo-ball/i-know-who-i-am-people-who-know-me-know-who-i-am-that-s-all-that/) [Lonzo Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lonzo-ball/) > [Its not what you know that matters , its how to communicate what you know that matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surgeo-bell/its-not-what-you-know-that-matters-its-how-to-communicate-what-you/) [Surgeo Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surgeo-bell/) > [I know how big Liverpool are - and it means everything to me - but I know what is important; I know it's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickie-lambert/i-know-how-big-liverpool-are-and-it-means-everything-to-me-but-i-know/) [Rickie Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickie-lambert/) > [It doesn't matter how much we know, it matters how clearly others can understand what we know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/it-doesn-t-matter-how-much-we-know-it-matters-how-clearly-others-can/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) ## 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 Knowing quotes > [I certainly do care for you Jeff Campbell less than you are always thinking and much more than you are ever knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-certainly-do-care-for-you-jeff-campbell-less-than-you-are-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [Therefore, brethren, pray until God gives us revelation so that "knowing this" in our spirit we may truly confess "that our old man has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/watchman-nee/therefore-brethren-pray-until-god-gives-us-revelation-so-that-knowing/) [Watchman Nee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/watchman-nee/) > [The path I choose through the maze makes me what I am. I am not only a thing, but also a way of being--one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-keyes/the-path-i-choose-through-the-maze-makes-me-what-i-am-i-am-not-only-a/) [Daniel Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-keyes/) > [Knowing does not always allow us to prevent, but at least the things that we know, we hold them, if not in our hands,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/knowing-does-not-always-allow-us-to-prevent-but-at-least-the-things/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [Life and death were so unpredictable. So close to each other. We existed moment to moment, never knowing who would be the next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/life-and-death-were-so-unpredictable-so-close-to-each-other-we/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [If you don't plan to live the Christian life totally committed to knowing your God and to walking in obedience to Him, then don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-arthur/if-you-don-t-plan-to-live-the-christian-life-totally-committed-to/) [Kay Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-arthur/) > [The individual, by means of the discipline imposed on him by sport, not only plays and finds relaxation from the various compulsions to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/the-individual-by-means-of-the-discipline-imposed-on-him-by-sport-not/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [I love feeling loved. I don't love knowing that I will always come in second place. I love the fact that at least sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-love-feeling-loved-i-don-t-love-knowing-that-i-will-always-come-in/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [The happy ending is hardly important, though we may be glad its there. The real joy is knowing that if you felt the trouble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-barry/the-happy-ending-is-hardly-important-though-we-may-be-glad-its-there/) [Lynda Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-barry/) > [They have no right to complain! If women were cool with knowing their man is cheating on them then they have no right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-williams/they-have-no-right-to-complain-if-women-were-cool-with-knowing-their/) [Eric Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-williams/) > [Those who are the most happy appear to know it the least; happiness is something that for the most part seems to mainly consist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-brothers/those-who-are-the-most-happy-appear-to-know-it-the-least-happiness-is/) [Joyce Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-brothers/) > [So few men are really worth knowing, that it seems a shameful waste to let an anthropoid prejudice stand in the way of free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/so-few-men-are-really-worth-knowing-that-it-seems-a-shameful-waste-to/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Trying to find this industry's tendency to celebrate the physical is a waste of time. So I'm happy to play the game. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/trying-to-find-this-industry-s-tendency-to-celebrate-the-physical-is/) [Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/) > [Without the way, there is no going; without the truth, there is no knowing; without the life, there is no living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/without-the-way-there-is-no-going-without-the-truth-there-is-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 7,350 Knowing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What we know matters, but who we are matters more. 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