--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We gain nothing by being with such as…" description: "\"We gain nothing by being with such as ourselves. We encourage one another in mediocrity. I am always longing to be with men more excellent than myself...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/charles-lamb-1144_excellent_we-gain-nothing-by-being-with-such-as-ou_1812765.jpg" --- # We gain nothing by being with such as ourselves. We… ![“We gain nothing by being with such as ourselves. We encourage one another in mediocrity. I am always longing to be with men more excellent than myself.” quote by Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/charles-lamb-1144_excellent_we-gain-nothing-by-being-with-such-as-ou_1812765.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/charles-lamb-1144_excellent_we-gain-nothing-by-being-with-such-as-ou_1812765.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/charles-lamb-1144_excellent_we-gain-nothing-by-being-with-such-as-ou_1812765.jpg) > “We gain nothing by being with such as ourselves. We encourage one another in mediocrity. I am always longing to be with men more excellent than myself.” [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Associating with mediocrity stunts personal growth; seek excellence in companions. **In simple terms:** Avoid staying with mediocre people. Key Takeaway Pursue relationships that inspire improvement. Themes self‑improvement companionship excellence Mood reflective motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career networking - study groups - creative collaborations - mentorship - community involvement Key Concepts philosophy personal development social influence Questions to Reflect On - Who inspires you to be better? - How can you encourage excellence in others? A Different Perspective Excellence can be found in ordinary people too. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Encourage Mediocrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encourage-mediocrity-1211117/) [Excellent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellent/) [Gain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gain/) [Gain Encourage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gain-encourage-2128663/) [Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing/) [Longing Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing-men-2128665/) [Mediocrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocrity/) [Mediocrity Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocrity-longing-2128664/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [To punish failure is yet another way to encourage mediocrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eisner/to-punish-failure-is-yet-another-way-to-encourage-mediocrity/) [Michael Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eisner/) > [We encourage one another in mediocrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/we-encourage-one-another-in-mediocrity/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Keep in touch with the people who have something to gain rather than those who have nothing to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/keep-in-touch-with-the-people-who-have-something-to-gain-rather-than/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I had nothig to lose ,but something to gain :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eminem/i-had-nothig-to-lose-but-something-to-gain/) [Eminem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eminem/) > [ “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.”\[213\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/to-live-is-christ-and-to-die-is-gain-213/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“It is hard for people to understand helping someone if you having nothing to gain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-holman/it-is-hard-for-people-to-understand-helping-someone-if-you-having/) [Sarah Holman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-holman/) > [My intent was to gain experience for fiction I eventually hoped to write. But there's no question I was drawn in by the hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/my-intent-was-to-gain-experience-for-fiction-i-eventually-hoped-to/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [The harder I train every day on the track and in the gym, the more trust I gain in myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cotto/the-harder-i-train-every-day-on-the-track-and-in-the-gym-the-more/) [Miguel Cotto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cotto/) > [“Quitters don’t gain what they have started working on; waiters don’t start what they could have gained. What is common there is failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/quitters-don-t-gain-what-they-have-started-working-on-waiters-don-t/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [The world's industry must gain incentives to stop polluting and to invest in clean technologies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-tanti/the-world-s-industry-must-gain-incentives-to-stop-polluting-and-to/) [Tulsi Tanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-tanti/) > [Maybe bring in sponge balls to learn the technique and gain that experience of actually challenging for a header.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-mason/maybe-bring-in-sponge-balls-to-learn-the-technique-and-gain-that/) [Ryan Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-mason/) > [God always has a way of making you give up something so that you may gain something better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-cassie-govender/god-always-has-a-way-of-making-you-give-up-something-so-that-you-may/) [Camille Cassie Govender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-cassie-govender/) > [“I believe that our world was created with a sense of order. For every loss, there's a gain. Sometimes we're so blinded by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-macomber/i-believe-that-our-world-was-created-with-a-sense-of-order-for-every/) [Debbie Macomber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-macomber/) > [Some lose yet gain, others gain and yet lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-lose-yet-gain-others-gain-and-yet-lose/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I believe confusion is good. Worldwide market leaders gain when there is confusion in the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subhash-chandra/i-believe-confusion-is-good-worldwide-market-leaders-gain-when-there/) [Subhash Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subhash-chandra/) ## More by Charles Lamb > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [In the indications of female poverty there can be no disguise. No woman dresses below herself from caprice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/in-the-indications-of-female-poverty-there-can-be-no-disguise-no/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [To sigh, yet feel no pain; To weep, yet scarce know why; To sport an hour with Beauty's chain, Then throw it idly by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/to-sigh-yet-feel-no-pain-to-weep-yet-scarce-know-why-to-sport-an-hour/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [“I love to lose myself in other men's minds. When I am not walking, I am reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/i-love-to-lose-myself-in-other-men-s-minds-when-i-am-not-walking-i-am/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [While childhood, and while dreams, producing childhood, shall be left, imagination shall not have spread her holy wings totally to fly the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/while-childhood-and-while-dreams-producing-childhood-shall-be-left/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Man, while he loves, is never quite depraved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/man-while-he-loves-is-never-quite-depraved/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Summer, as my friend Coleridge waggishly writes, has set in with its usual severity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/summer-as-my-friend-coleridge-waggishly-writes-has-set-in-with-its/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Here cometh April again, and as far as I can see the world hath more fools in it than ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/here-cometh-april-again-and-as-far-as-i-can-see-the-world-hath-more/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [A presentation copy...is a copy of a book whoch does not sell, sent you by the author, with his foolish autograph at the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/a-presentation-copy-is-a-copy-of-a-book-whoch-does-not-sell-sent-you/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I counsel thee, shut not thy heart, nor thy library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/i-counsel-thee-shut-not-thy-heart-nor-thy-library/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Nothing to me is more distasteful than that entire complacency and satisfaction which beam in the countenances of a new married couple; in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/nothing-to-me-is-more-distasteful-than-that-entire-complacency-and/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [My theory is to enjoy life, but the practice is against it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/my-theory-is-to-enjoy-life-but-the-practice-is-against-it/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [All, all are gone, the old familiar faces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/all-all-are-gone-the-old-familiar-faces/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Those evening bells! those evening bells! How many a tale their music tells Of youth and home, and that sweet time When last I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/those-evening-bells-those-evening-bells-how-many-a-tale-their-music/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Beholding heaven, and feeling hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/beholding-heaven-and-feeling-hell/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) [Explore all 283 Charles Lamb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) ## More Excellent quotes > [Unmarried couples should get married - that's an excellent tax avoidance measure, if a bit drastic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-whiting/unmarried-couples-should-get-married-that-s-an-excellent-tax/) [John Whiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-whiting/) > [Things are going well in Germany because the economy is booming and as an export-driven nation, we are profiting from the fact that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/things-are-going-well-in-germany-because-the-economy-is-booming-and/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I would rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent than in the extent of my powers and dominion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/i-would-rather-excel-others-in-the-knowledge-of-what-is-excellent/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“I follow the Law—the Most Excellent Law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/i-follow-the-law-the-most-excellent-law/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [David Cronenberg is the most provocative, original, and consistently excellent North American director of his generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-hoberman/david-cronenberg-is-the-most-provocative-original-and-consistently/) [J. 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