--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People who are prone to guilt tend to…" description: "\"People who are prone to guilt tend to work harder and perform better than people who are not guilt-prone, and are perceived to be more capable leaders...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e29/david-d-burns-4607_capable_people-who-are-prone-to-guilt-tend-to-wo_954376.png" --- # People who are prone to guilt tend to work harder and… ![“People who are prone to guilt tend to work harder and perform better than people who are not guilt-prone, and are perceived to be more capable leaders.” quote by David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e29/david-d-burns-4607_capable_people-who-are-prone-to-guilt-tend-to-wo_954376.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e29/david-d-burns-4607_capable_people-who-are-prone-to-guilt-tend-to-wo_954376.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e29/david-d-burns-4607_capable_people-who-are-prone-to-guilt-tend-to-wo_954376.png) > “People who are prone to guilt tend to work harder and perform better than people who are not guilt-prone, and are perceived to be more capable leaders.” [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Guilt can drive people to higher effort and better performance, making them appear more capable as leaders. **In simple terms:** Guilt may boost effort and leadership perception. Key Takeaway Channel guilt into constructive productivity. Themes guilt motivation leadership performance Mood reflective practical Type psychological motivational When to use this quote - workplace - academic pursuits - personal projects Key Concepts Psychology self-regulation Questions to Reflect On - When does guilt become harmful? - How can you balance guilt with self-compassion? A Different Perspective Excessive guilt can cause stress and burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) ## Related quotes > [A love that left people alone in their guilt would not have real people as its object. So, in vicarious responsibility for people, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/a-love-that-left-people-alone-in-their-guilt-would-not-have-real/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I think the saddest thing is how people take on guilt and blame that isn't theirs or doesn't belong to them, and how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wunmi-mosaku/i-think-the-saddest-thing-is-how-people-take-on-guilt-and-blame-that/) [Wunmi Mosaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wunmi-mosaku/) > [There's genuine pain in Eric's eyes. And I feel a stab of guilt. But you can't stay with people because of guilt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kinsella/there-s-genuine-pain-in-eric-s-eyes-and-i-feel-a-stab-of-guilt-but/) [Sophie Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kinsella/) > [We should clearly understand that only the voluntary and conscientious acceptance by a people of its guilt can ensure the healing of a nation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/we-should-clearly-understand-that-only-the-voluntary-and/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [But you can't stay with people because of guilt. Or because they can drive a speedboat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kinsella/but-you-can-t-stay-with-people-because-of-guilt-or-because-they-can/) [Sophie Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kinsella/) > [“rules that left people guilt-ridden, exhausted, and confused were not really from God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/rules-that-left-people-guilt-ridden-exhausted-and-confused-were-not/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [Guilt is not the best way to remedy your mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/guilt-is-not-the-best-way-to-remedy-your-mistakes/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [More often than not, the belief that you are bad contributes to the "bad" behavior. Change and learning occur most readily when you (a)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/more-often-than-not-the-belief-that-you-are-bad-contributes-to-the/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“If I could just get my partner to see me how she used to - to fall in love with me all over again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/if-i-could-just-get-my-partner-to-see-me-how-she-used-to-to-fall-in/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [If you want something you have to work for it. 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Dionne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-dionne/) > [We've all seen talented young players who get to a certain level but there comes a point where that talent will only take you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-gatland/we-ve-all-seen-talented-young-players-who-get-to-a-certain-level-but/) [Warren Gatland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-gatland/) > [I still have to unify my division and basically become the undefeated welterweight champion of the world. I can't lose. It is more added…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-spence-jr/i-still-have-to-unify-my-division-and-basically-become-the-undefeated/) [Errol Spence Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-spence-jr/) > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) ## More by David D. Burns > [A poor self-image is the magnifying glass that can transform a trivial mistake or an imperfection into an overwhelming symbol of personal defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/a-poor-self-image-is-the-magnifying-glass-that-can-transform-a/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Most people do surprisingly poorly when dealing with a relative who is hurting, depressed, or anxious - we get defensive and try to solve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/most-people-do-surprisingly-poorly-when-dealing-with-a-relative-who/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [The first principle of cognitive therapy is that all your moods are created by your 'cognitions,' or thoughts. A cognition refers to the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/the-first-principle-of-cognitive-therapy-is-that-all-your-moods-are/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“In one sense, depression can feel even worse than cancer, because most cancer patients feel hope as well as self-esteem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/in-one-sense-depression-can-feel-even-worse-than-cancer-because-most/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [More often than not, the belief that you are bad contributes to the "bad" behavior. Change and learning occur most readily when you (a)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/more-often-than-not-the-belief-that-you-are-bad-contributes-to-the/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Guilt is not the best way to remedy your mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/guilt-is-not-the-best-way-to-remedy-your-mistakes/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [I had the fear of heights when I was young, along with many other fears and phobias, including the fear of dogs, bees, horses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/i-had-the-fear-of-heights-when-i-was-young-along-with-many-other/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“The attitude that depression is necessary strikes me as destructive, inhuman, and victimizing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/the-attitude-that-depression-is-necessary-strikes-me-as-destructive/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“know about the brain's hardware and software. How does the firing of a nerve or a series of nerves get translated into a thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/know-about-the-brain-s-hardware-and-software-how-does-the-firing-of-a/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“There was nothing dreadfully wrong with me, I was just upsetting myself with my irrational thinking. I just couldn't admit it until I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/there-was-nothing-dreadfully-wrong-with-me-i-was-just-upsetting/) [David D. 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