--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nothing is so easy as to deceive oneself…" description: "\"Nothing is so easy as to deceive oneself; for what we wish, we readily believe.\" — Demosthenes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66b/demosthenes-11463_believe_nothing-is-so-easy-as-to-deceive-oneself_77041.jpg" --- # Nothing is so easy as to deceive oneself; for what we… ![“Nothing is so easy as to deceive oneself; for what we wish, we readily believe.” quote by Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66b/demosthenes-11463_believe_nothing-is-so-easy-as-to-deceive-oneself_77041.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66b/demosthenes-11463_believe_nothing-is-so-easy-as-to-deceive-oneself_77041.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66b/demosthenes-11463_believe_nothing-is-so-easy-as-to-deceive-oneself_77041.jpg) > “Nothing is so easy as to deceive oneself; for what we wish, we readily believe.” [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self-deception occurs when desires shape belief, making falsehoods readily accepted. **In simple terms:** Desire biases perception. Key Takeaway Wishes cloud truth. Themes self-deception cognitive bias psychology philosophy motivation Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - making decisions under pressure - evaluating personal goals - reflecting on past choices Key Concepts confirmation bias motivated reasoning Practical Applications - critical self‑assessment - mindfulness practices Questions to Reflect On - How do your desires influence your judgments? - What steps can you take to test your assumptions? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [What we wish, that we readily believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/what-we-wish-that-we-readily-believe/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [Nothing is more easy than to deceive one's self, as our affections are subtle persuaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/nothing-is-more-easy-than-to-deceive-one-s-self-as-our-affections-are/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [Nothing is so easy as to deceive one's self; for what we wish, that we readily believe; but such expectations are often inconsistent with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/nothing-is-so-easy-as-to-deceive-one-s-self-for-what-we-wish-that-we/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [A country that does not know how to read and write is easy to deceive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/a-country-that-does-not-know-how-to-read-and-write-is-easy-to-deceive/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [It is as easy to deceive one's self without perceiving it, as it is difficult to deceive others without their finding out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-as-easy-to-deceive-one-s-self-without-perceiving-it-as-it-is/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [It is in the ability to deceive oneself that the greatest talent is shown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/it-is-in-the-ability-to-deceive-oneself-that-the-greatest-talent-is/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [“He believed me, and I was overwhelmed by bitterness when I saw that he did. My tears stopped; I told myself that it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-de-duras/he-believed-me-and-i-was-overwhelmed-by-bitterness-when-i-saw-that-he/) Claire de Duras > [In matters of religion, it is very easy to deceive a man and very hard to undeceive him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-bayle/in-matters-of-religion-it-is-very-easy-to-deceive-a-man-and-very-hard/) [Pierre Bayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-bayle/) > [“the easiest thing of all is to deceive oneself, for what a man wishes, he generally believes to be true!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-jerome-dickey/the-easiest-thing-of-all-is-to-deceive-oneself-for-what-a-man-wishes/) [Eric Jerome Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-jerome-dickey/) > [What we wish, we readily believe, and what we ourselves think, we imagine others think also.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/what-we-wish-we-readily-believe-and-what-we-ourselves-think-we/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [People readily believe what they want to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/people-readily-believe-what-they-want-to-believe/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [“His question reminded me of how easy he had been to deceive, so easy that he seemed to me almost a conniver at his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/his-question-reminded-me-of-how-easy-he-had-been-to-deceive-so-easy/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [“The worry simply means: you are clinging with something which is no more and you are avoiding that which is. That is worry. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/the-worry-simply-means-you-are-clinging-with-something-which-is-no/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [One does not deceive oneself about the consequences of one's acts; one deceives oneself about the ease with which one can live with those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-does-not-deceive-oneself-about-the-consequences-of-one-s-acts-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“To deceive oneself is worse than to deceive others." These harsh words pierced me to the core.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinichi-suzuki/to-deceive-oneself-is-worse-than-to-deceive-others-these-harsh-words/) [Shinichi Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinichi-suzuki/) ## More by Demosthenes > [As a vessel is known by the sound, whether it be cracked or not; so men are proved, by their speeches, whether they be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/as-a-vessel-is-known-by-the-sound-whether-it-be-cracked-or-not-so-men/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and security to all, but especially to democracies as against despots.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/there-is-one-safeguard-known-generally-to-the-wise-which-is-an/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [You cannot have a proud and chivalrous spirit if your conduct is mean and paltry; for whatever a man's actions are, such must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/you-cannot-have-a-proud-and-chivalrous-spirit-if-your-conduct-is-mean/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [Every advantage in the past is judged in the light of the final issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/every-advantage-in-the-past-is-judged-in-the-light-of-the-final-issue/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [By persistent labor man may attain to all excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/by-persistent-labor-man-may-attain-to-all-excellence/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [He who confers a favor should at once forget it, if he is not to show a sordid ungenerous spirit. 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For what each me wishes, that he also believes is true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/nothing-is-easier-than-self-deceit-for-what-each-me-wishes-that-he/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [Success has a great tendency to conceal and throw a veil over the evil deeds of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/success-has-a-great-tendency-to-conceal-and-throw-a-veil-over-the/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [I decline to buy repentance at the cost of ten thousand drachmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/i-decline-to-buy-repentance-at-the-cost-of-ten-thousand-drachmas/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [“Was man wünscht, das glaubt auch jeder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/was-man-w-nscht-das-glaubt-auch-jeder/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [It is impossible for men engaged in low and groveling pursuits to have noble and generous sentiments. 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He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? 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