--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The man who knows his limitations, has…" description: "\"The man who knows his limitations, has none.\" — David Foster Wallace" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/david-foster-wallace-161_knows_the-man-who-knows-his-limitations-has-no_697090.jpg" --- # The man who knows his limitations, has none. ![“The man who knows his limitations, has none.” quote by David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/david-foster-wallace-161_knows_the-man-who-knows-his-limitations-has-no_697090.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/david-foster-wallace-161_knows_the-man-who-knows-his-limitations-has-no_697090.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/david-foster-wallace-161_knows_the-man-who-knows-his-limitations-has-no_697090.jpg) > “The man who knows his limitations, has none.” [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing one's limits frees one from self‑imposed constraints, allowing growth. **In simple terms:** Know limits, gain freedom. Key Takeaway Embrace self‑awareness. Themes self‑knowledge freedom growth Mood reflective inspirational Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - personal development - leadership - creative work - education Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What limits have you accepted? - How can you expand them? A Different Perspective Denial of limits can also protect self‑esteem. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Limitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limitation/) [Limitations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limitations/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [A man who knows not his limitations is of no use to anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/a-man-who-knows-not-his-limitations-is-of-no-use-to-anyone/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [A good man always knows his limitations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/a-good-man-always-knows-his-limitations/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [The happy man is he who knows his limitations, yet bows to no false gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-w-service/the-happy-man-is-he-who-knows-his-limitations-yet-bows-to-no-false/) [Robert W. Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-w-service/) > [“A wise man knows his limitations.’ And a bold one seizes opportunities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/a-wise-man-knows-his-limitations-and-a-bold-one-seizes-opportunities/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [He knows my limitations and where I'm a good wife and a good mom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/he-knows-my-limitations-and-where-i-m-a-good-wife-and-a-good-mom/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [True knowledge is when one knows the limitations of one's knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/true-knowledge-is-when-one-knows-the-limitations-of-one-s-knowledge/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [With respect to the outlines of what's in the Army Field Manual, there's no doubt in my mind about the limitations it places not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/with-respect-to-the-outlines-of-what-s-in-the-army-field-manual-there/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [I don't really have any limitations for what I want to do, as an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-momoa/i-don-t-really-have-any-limitations-for-what-i-want-to-do-as-an-actor/) [Jason Momoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-momoa/) > [We are limited but we can push back the borders of our limitations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/we-are-limited-but-we-can-push-back-the-borders-of-our-limitations/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [The greatest limitations you will ever face will be those you place on yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/the-greatest-limitations-you-will-ever-face-will-be-those-you-place/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [We are infinitely more than our limitations and afflictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/we-are-infinitely-more-than-our-limitations-and-afflictions/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Style is based on limitations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hartford/style-is-based-on-limitations/) [John Hartford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hartford/) > [It's fun to see people blow through their own perceived limitations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-collins/it-s-fun-to-see-people-blow-through-their-own-perceived-limitations/) [Misha Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-collins/) > [The new limitations are the human ones of perception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-babbitt/the-new-limitations-are-the-human-ones-of-perception/) Milton Babbitt > [Everything in this life have limitations, so in order for you to succeed in life you need to know the limitation of everything you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-emmanuel/everything-in-this-life-have-limitations-so-in-order-for-you-to/) Bernard Emmanuel ## More by David Foster Wallace > [“I felt more solidly composed, now that I was horizontal. I was impossible to knock down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/i-felt-more-solidly-composed-now-that-i-was-horizontal-i-was/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“We all have our little solipsistic delusions, ghastly intuitions of utter singularity: that we are the only one in the house who ever fills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/we-all-have-our-little-solipsistic-delusions-ghastly-intuitions-of/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“It's no accident that in a bureaucracy getting fired is called 'termination,' as in ontological erasure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/it-s-no-accident-that-in-a-bureaucracy-getting-fired-is-called/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [Footnote: 79) The anchor is gigantic and must weigh a hundred tons, and -- delightfully -- it really is anchor-shaped, i.e. the same shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/footnote-79-the-anchor-is-gigantic-and-must-weigh-a-hundred-tons-and/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“The paradoxical intercourse of audience and celebrity. The suppressed awareness that the whole reason ordinary people found celebrity fascinating was that they were not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/the-paradoxical-intercourse-of-audience-and-celebrity-the-suppressed/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“I am coming to see that the sensation of the worst nightmares, a sensation that can be felt asleep or awake, is identical to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/i-am-coming-to-see-that-the-sensation-of-the-worst-nightmares-a/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“He cranks the condo’s AC way down at night and still most mornings wakes up soaked, fetally curled, entombed in that kind of psychic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/he-cranks-the-condo-s-ac-way-down-at-night-and-still-most-mornings/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“To me, at least in retrospect, the really interesting question is why dullness proves to be such a powerful impediment to attention. Why we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/to-me-at-least-in-retrospect-the-really-interesting-question-is-why/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“If you’re subjected to enough great salesmen and salespitches and marketing concepts for long enough—like from your earliest Saturday-morning cartoons, let’s say—it is only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/if-you-re-subjected-to-enough-great-salesmen-and-salespitches-and/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“Why is the truth usually not just un- but anti-interesting?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/why-is-the-truth-usually-not-just-un-but-anti-interesting/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“She almost reminds the engineer of certain types in high school whom everyone adored because you sensed it made no difference to them whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/she-almost-reminds-the-engineer-of-certain-types-in-high-school-whom/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [To be, in a word, unborable… It is the key to modern life. If you are immune to boredom, there is literally nothing you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/to-be-in-a-word-unborable-it-is-the-key-to-modern-life-if-you-are/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“It is within your power to experience a crowded, loud, slow, consumer-hell-type situation as not only meaningful but sacred, on fire with the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/it-is-within-your-power-to-experience-a-crowded-loud-slow-consumer/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“The happy pleasure of the person alone, yes?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/the-happy-pleasure-of-the-person-alone-yes/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [There is such a thing as raw, unalloyed, agendaless kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/there-is-such-a-thing-as-raw-unalloyed-agendaless-kindness/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) [Explore all 999 David Foster Wallace quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) ## More Knows quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. 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I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [the appetite for thinking must be regulated, as all sensible people know, for it may stifle one's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/the-appetite-for-thinking-must-be-regulated-as-all-sensible-people/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) > [He who knows does not speak. He who speaks does not know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-who-knows-does-not-speak-he-who-speaks-does-not-know/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) Browse all 53,133 Knows quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The man who knows his limitations, has none.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Foster Wallace" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/the-man-who-knows-his-limitations-has-none/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Knows" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/the-man-who-knows-his-limitations-has-none/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/david-foster-wallace-161_knows_the-man-who-knows-his-limitations-has-no_697090.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/david-foster-wallace-161_knows_the-man-who-knows-his-limitations-has-no_697090.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/david-foster-wallace-161_knows_the-man-who-knows-his-limitations-has-no_697090.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The man who knows his limitations, has none.” — David Foster Wallace", "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": "David Foster Wallace", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The man who knows his limitations,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/the-man-who-knows-his-limitations-has-none/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/the-man-who-knows-his-limitations-has-none/#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 } } ] } ```