---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When friends and acquaintances are…"
description: "\"When friends and acquaintances are telling you that you are a genius, before you accept their opinion, take a moment to remember what you always though..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/180/carl-icahn-17975_accepting_when-friends-and-acquaintances-are-telli_1769545.png"
---

#  When friends and acquaintances are telling you that you…

![“When friends and acquaintances are telling you that you are a genius, before you accept their opinion, take a moment to remember what you always thought of their opinions in the past.” quote by Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/180/carl-icahn-17975_accepting_when-friends-and-acquaintances-are-telli_1769545.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/180/carl-icahn-17975_accepting_when-friends-and-acquaintances-are-telli_1769545.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/180/carl-icahn-17975_accepting_when-friends-and-acquaintances-are-telli_1769545.png)

> “When friends and acquaintances are telling you that you are a genius, before you accept their opinion, take a moment to remember what you always thought of their opinions in the past.”

[Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Before embracing praise, recall how you previously judged similar compliments to gauge their reliability.

**In simple terms:** Question praise by recalling past judgments of similar compliments.

Key Takeaway

Reflect before accepting flattery.

Themes

humility self‑awareness critical thinking

Mood

cautious analytical

Type

advice reflective

When to use this quote

- career evaluation
- personal relationships
- public speaking
- networking

Key Concepts

cognitive bias social proof self‑esteem

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you treat all compliments equally?
- How have past opinions shaped your self‑view?

A Different Perspective

Flattery can be manipulative and may cloud objective self‑assessment.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Acquaintance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquaintance/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [The greatest responsibility you will ever have is to yourself. So free yourself from restrictions others try to place upon you, accept their opinion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-greatest-responsibility-you-will-ever-have-is-to-yourself-so-free/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

> [For me to accept others, you must first accept my opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hqlinestumblr/for-me-to-accept-others-you-must-first-accept-my-opinion/)

HQLinesTumblr

> [When I was a girl, I would make up songs for fun. Then I realized, after making them up, that I could remember how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-saw/when-i-was-a-girl-i-would-make-up-songs-for-fun-then-i-realized-after/)

[Lady Saw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-saw/)

> [Can you remember? when we thought the poets taught how to live?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/can-you-remember-when-we-thought-the-poets-taught-how-to-live/)

[Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/)

> [To remember love after long sleep; to turn again to poetry after a year in the market place, or to youth after resignation to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-stewart/to-remember-love-after-long-sleep-to-turn-again-to-poetry-after-a/)

[Mary Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-stewart/)

> [“He couldn't remember where he was. The thought made him smile”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/he-couldn-t-remember-where-he-was-the-thought-made-him-smile/)

[Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/)

> [Remember that thought is speech before God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/remember-that-thought-is-speech-before-god/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [“Babe, you are all I’ve thought about for so long, I can’t remember what I thought about before you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-foster/babe-you-are-all-i-ve-thought-about-for-so-long-i-can-t-remember-what/)

[Melissa Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-foster/)

> [Later on, when I tried to imagine how I might have ruined things, that would occur to me - that I'd so rarely resisted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/later-on-when-i-tried-to-imagine-how-i-might-have-ruined-things-that/)

[Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/)

> [“the audience will not remember the vast majority of what you say. But they will remember what they thought about what you said. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coughter/the-audience-will-not-remember-the-vast-majority-of-what-you-say-but/)

[Peter Coughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coughter/)

> [I thought a thought I thought she thought but she thought I thought that thought . But he thought that thought before I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-mcswain/i-thought-a-thought-i-thought-she-thought-but-she-thought-i-thought/)

Trinity McSwain

> [It is important to remember that a thought is harmless unless we believe them and act on them. As the subject, since thoughts are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-thornton/it-is-important-to-remember-that-a-thought-is-harmless-unless-we/)

[Elizabeth Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-thornton/)

> [Catching myself in the moment. Then I remember facts are just facts, circumstances are merely circumstances. Whenever I can catch myself having a negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-shiels/catching-myself-in-the-moment-then-i-remember-facts-are-just-facts/)

[Graham Shiels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-shiels/)

> [“He shot the rest of the roll for her, twenty portraits, twenty different expressions, a catalog of someone she will say she once knew.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-backhaus/he-shot-the-rest-of-the-roll-for-her-twenty-portraits-twenty/)

[Jeff Backhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-backhaus/)

> [U were in college working part time waiting tables Left a small town, neva looked back I was a flight risk wid a fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cookie/u-were-in-college-working-part-time-waiting-tables-left-a-small-town/)

[Cookie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cookie/)

## More by Carl Icahn

> [I can tell you how bad our boards are... I don't have to watch Saturday Night Live anymore; I just go to the board…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/i-can-tell-you-how-bad-our-boards-are-i-don-t-have-to-watch-saturday/)

[Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/)

> [CEOs are paid for doing a terrible job. If the system wasn't so messed up, guys like me wouldn't make this kind of money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/ceos-are-paid-for-doing-a-terrible-job-if-the-system-wasn-t-so-messed/)

[Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/)

> [In life and business, there are two cardinal sins. The first is to act precipitously without thought and the second is to not act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/in-life-and-business-there-are-two-cardinal-sins-the-first-is-to-act/)

[Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/)

> [Had a nice conversation with Tim Cook today. Discussed my opinion that a larger buyback should be done now. We plan to speak again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/had-a-nice-conversation-with-tim-cook-today-discussed-my-opinion-that/)

[Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/)

> [Reuters was completely accurate that I am concerned about the level of the market. But I also made it clear on the conference call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/reuters-was-completely-accurate-that-i-am-concerned-about-the-level/)

[Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/)

> [You learn in this business: It you want a friend, get a dog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/you-learn-in-this-business-it-you-want-a-friend-get-a-dog/)

[Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/)

> [When most investors, including the pros, all agree on something, they're usually wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/when-most-investors-including-the-pros-all-agree-on-something-they-re/)

[Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/)

> [And I'm convinced, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you can work with the unions because the unions want to survive. If they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/and-i-m-convinced-beyond-a-shadow-of-a-doubt-that-you-can-work-with/)

[Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/)

> [I like winning. There's also a certain joy in it. I feel fulfilled by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/i-like-winning-there-s-also-a-certain-joy-in-it-i-feel-fulfilled-by-it/)

[Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/)

> [In 2008, people who invested in hedge funds needed capital badly, but many of the funds would not return their money. However, I gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/in-2008-people-who-invested-in-hedge-funds-needed-capital-badly-but/)

[Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/)

> [You learn in this business.. If you want a friend, get a dog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/you-learn-in-this-business-if-you-want-a-friend-get-a-dog/)

[Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/)

> [My wife watches me like a hawk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/my-wife-watches-me-like-a-hawk/)

[Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/)

> [When you have no one to answer to, vendetta as investment strategy is as legitimate as anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/when-you-have-no-one-to-answer-to-vendetta-as-investment-strategy-is/)

[Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/)

> [We're not about liquidating companies, but if you do that, why is that terrible? We're not blowing up the factories. The person who buys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/we-re-not-about-liquidating-companies-but-if-you-do-that-why-is-that/)

[Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/)

> [With some exceptions, the wrong people are running U.S. companies. It's been that way for years, and it hasn't gotten much better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/with-some-exceptions-the-wrong-people-are-running-u-s-companies-it-s/)

[Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/)

[Explore all 36 Carl Icahn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/)

## More Accepting quotes

> [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/)

[Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/)

> [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/)

[Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/)

> [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/)

[Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/)

> [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/)

[Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/)

> [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/)

[Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/)

> [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/)

[Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/)

> [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/)

[Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/)

> [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/)

[Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/)

> [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/)

[Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/)

> [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/)

[John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/)

> [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/)

[Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/)

Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When friends and acquaintances are telling you that you are a genius, before you accept their opinion, take a moment to remember what you always thought of their opinions in the past.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Carl Icahn"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/when-friends-and-acquaintances-are-telling-you-that-you-are-a-genius/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Accepting"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/when-friends-and-acquaintances-are-telling-you-that-you-are-a-genius/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/180/carl-icahn-17975_accepting_when-friends-and-acquaintances-are-telli_1769545.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/180/carl-icahn-17975_accepting_when-friends-and-acquaintances-are-telli_1769545.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/180/carl-icahn-17975_accepting_when-friends-and-acquaintances-are-telli_1769545.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When friends and acquaintances are telling you that you are a genius, before you accept their opinion, take…” — Carl Icahn",
                "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": "Carl Icahn",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When friends and acquaintances are telling...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/when-friends-and-acquaintances-are-telling-you-that-you-are-a-genius/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/when-friends-and-acquaintances-are-telling-you-that-you-are-a-genius/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
