--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not great at taking compliments…" description: "\"I'm not great at taking compliments because I always find the thing I could do better.\" — Deborah Meaden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/deborah-meaden-5916_always_i-m-not-great-at-taking-compliments-beca_1778622.png" --- # I'm not great at taking compliments because I always find… ![“I'm not great at taking compliments because I always find the thing I could do better.” quote by Deborah Meaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/deborah-meaden-5916_always_i-m-not-great-at-taking-compliments-beca_1778622.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/deborah-meaden-5916_always_i-m-not-great-at-taking-compliments-beca_1778622.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/deborah-meaden-5916_always_i-m-not-great-at-taking-compliments-beca_1778622.png) > “I'm not great at taking compliments because I always find the thing I could do better.” [Deborah Meaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meaden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Compliments are hard to accept because they highlight areas for improvement, turning praise into a self‑critical lens. **In simple terms:** Compliments trigger self‑critique. Key Takeaway Accept praise without over‑analysis. Themes self‑esteem growth humility Mood thoughtful professional Type self‑help business When to use this quote - performance reviews - team feedback - personal development Key Concepts Self‑evaluation bias perfectionism Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance humility and confidence? - What steps help you own compliments? A Different Perspective Over‑analysis can diminish confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Compliments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compliments/) [Compliments Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compliments-thing-1842727/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Find](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/find/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Taking Compliments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-compliments-879252/) [Thing Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-better/) ## Related quotes > [Every single time someone compliments me the first thing that comes into my mind is that they're being sarcastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-single-time-someone-compliments-me-the-first-thing-that-comes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am very bad at taking compliments. Even in school, when people told me that I look good, I could just manage an awkward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barun-sobti/i-am-very-bad-at-taking-compliments-even-in-school-when-people-told/) [Barun Sobti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barun-sobti/) > [I'm really bad at taking compliments, but whenever I get them, I tell myself, 'Way to go, girl' and move on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/i-m-really-bad-at-taking-compliments-but-whenever-i-get-them-i-tell/) [Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) > [I'm not very good at taking compliments. It's better than getting slapped in the face, I suppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-renner/i-m-not-very-good-at-taking-compliments-it-s-better-than-getting/) [Jeremy Renner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-renner/) > [Women have to embrace ambition if they want to. I had a lot of trouble taking compliments in the beginning, and it's really important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tory-burch/women-have-to-embrace-ambition-if-they-want-to-i-had-a-lot-of-trouble/) [Tory Burch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tory-burch/) > [“The lesson to be learned from this is that it is often undesirable to go for the right thing first. It is better to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-gabriel/the-lesson-to-be-learned-from-this-is-that-it-is-often-undesirable-to/) [Richard P. Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-gabriel/) > [The only thing better than living on a mac, is living at Hogwarts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bing-gordon/the-only-thing-better-than-living-on-a-mac-is-living-at-hogwarts/) [Bing Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bing-gordon/) > [Failure is a gift and it becomes a bridge to the next thing, a better thing, the thing that works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendra-scott/failure-is-a-gift-and-it-becomes-a-bridge-to-the-next-thing-a-better/) [Kendra Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendra-scott/) > [I can improve everything. If you think I'm good at one thing, I can always get better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erling-haaland/i-can-improve-everything-if-you-think-i-m-good-at-one-thing-i-can/) [Erling Haaland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erling-haaland/) > [The only thing better than being with you is telling people about you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazz/the-only-thing-better-than-being-with-you-is-telling-people-about-you/) [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazz/) > [This whole graduating college thing better pay off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-whole-graduating-college-thing-better-pay-off/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The thing you can do better than anyone else is love your children, because they're your children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-rudolph/the-thing-you-can-do-better-than-anyone-else-is-love-your-children/) [Maya Rudolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-rudolph/) > [There is one thing we can do better than anyone else: we can be ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/there-is-one-thing-we-can-do-better-than-anyone-else-we-can-be/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [It seems as if when you try to do just one thing and nothing but, you can't do it at all. You do everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-hale/it-seems-as-if-when-you-try-to-do-just-one-thing-and-nothing-but-you/) [Nancy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-hale/) > [When you see the right thing to do, you'd better do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/when-you-see-the-right-thing-to-do-you-d-better-do-it/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) ## More by Deborah Meaden > [If you're looking for investment you've got to think about what the investor gets from being involved with your business. A lot of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/if-you-re-looking-for-investment-you-ve-got-to-think-about-what-the/) [Deborah Meaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meaden/) > [I have no problem paying taxes. It doesn't bother me, because I want to live in a society that's happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/i-have-no-problem-paying-taxes-it-doesn-t-bother-me-because-i-want-to/) [Deborah Meaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meaden/) > [I'm not particularly tactile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/i-m-not-particularly-tactile/) [Deborah Meaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meaden/) > [Loving something doesn't make it a good investment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/loving-something-doesn-t-make-it-a-good-investment/) [Deborah Meaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meaden/) > [People think I am a workaholic but I just love business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/people-think-i-am-a-workaholic-but-i-just-love-business/) [Deborah Meaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meaden/) > [Nearly everybody, when they first meet me, seems to have this sense of trepidation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/nearly-everybody-when-they-first-meet-me-seems-to-have-this-sense-of/) [Deborah Meaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meaden/) > [Business doesn't cut you any slack because of your gender. You're either good at what you do or you're not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/business-doesn-t-cut-you-any-slack-because-of-your-gender-you-re/) [Deborah Meaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meaden/) > [I hate getting things wrong and I hate failing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/i-hate-getting-things-wrong-and-i-hate-failing/) [Deborah Meaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meaden/) > [I started off in the leisure industry and now I find myself as the DIY queen - I'm not quite sure how that happened!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/i-started-off-in-the-leisure-industry-and-now-i-find-myself-as-the/) [Deborah Meaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meaden/) > [It can be difficult to find investment for a new business, particularly one which is highly innovative or breaks new ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/it-can-be-difficult-to-find-investment-for-a-new-business/) [Deborah Meaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meaden/) > [I've got a lot of laughter lines. You don't get laughter lines on your face without having a lot of fun in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/i-ve-got-a-lot-of-laughter-lines-you-don-t-get-laughter-lines-on-your/) [Deborah Meaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meaden/) > [I won't get involved in businesses that I think cut across any kind of animal welfare issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/i-won-t-get-involved-in-businesses-that-i-think-cut-across-any-kind/) [Deborah Meaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meaden/) > [Money is not the ultimate point, but it remains the actual measure of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/money-is-not-the-ultimate-point-but-it-remains-the-actual-measure-of/) [Deborah Meaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meaden/) > [People who buy your product or use your service don't care how tall or short you are, or what gender you are, or your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/people-who-buy-your-product-or-use-your-service-don-t-care-how-tall/) [Deborah Meaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meaden/) > [I feel like the luckiest person alive. I spend my life doing the stuff I love. I'm surrounded by inventive people who are full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/i-feel-like-the-luckiest-person-alive-i-spend-my-life-doing-the-stuff/) [Deborah Meaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meaden/) [Explore all 100 Deborah Meaden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meaden/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm not great at taking compliments because I always find the thing I could do better.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Deborah Meaden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/i-m-not-great-at-taking-compliments-because-i-always-find-the-thing-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/i-m-not-great-at-taking-compliments-because-i-always-find-the-thing-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/deborah-meaden-5916_always_i-m-not-great-at-taking-compliments-beca_1778622.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/deborah-meaden-5916_always_i-m-not-great-at-taking-compliments-beca_1778622.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/deborah-meaden-5916_always_i-m-not-great-at-taking-compliments-beca_1778622.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm not great at taking compliments because I always find the thing I could do better.” — Deborah Meaden", "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": "Deborah Meaden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meaden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm not great at taking compliments...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/i-m-not-great-at-taking-compliments-because-i-always-find-the-thing-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/i-m-not-great-at-taking-compliments-because-i-always-find-the-thing-i/#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 } } ] } ```