--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have to be able to laugh at yourself…" description: "\"You have to be able to laugh at yourself. Attitude is almost more important than what happens to you.\" — Dick Van Dyke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/143/dick-van-dyke-2430_able_you-have-to-be-able-to-laugh-at-yourself_1916767.jpg" --- # You have to be able to laugh at yourself. Attitude is… ![“You have to be able to laugh at yourself. Attitude is almost more important than what happens to you.” quote by Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/143/dick-van-dyke-2430_able_you-have-to-be-able-to-laugh-at-yourself_1916767.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/143/dick-van-dyke-2430_able_you-have-to-be-able-to-laugh-at-yourself_1916767.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/143/dick-van-dyke-2430_able_you-have-to-be-able-to-laugh-at-yourself_1916767.jpg) > “You have to be able to laugh at yourself. Attitude is almost more important than what happens to you.” [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humor and attitude matter more than external events; laughing at yourself builds resilience. **In simple terms:** Laugh at yourself, stay resilient. Key Takeaway Cultivate a light‑hearted outlook. Themes resilience humor attitude Mood lighthearted reflective Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - stressful work - personal setbacks - social interactions - creative endeavors Key Concepts self‑deprecation mindset emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - When can humor be counterproductive? - How do you maintain balance between humor and seriousness? A Different Perspective Humor alone may not solve serious problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Laugh at yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh-at-yourself/) [Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter/) ## Related quotes > [I think it's important to have a sense of humor. You have to be able to laugh at yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/engelbert-humperdinck/i-think-it-s-important-to-have-a-sense-of-humor-you-have-to-be-able/) [Engelbert Humperdinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/engelbert-humperdinck/) > [I did standup for a lot of years, too, but when you come out as a standup, you get the feeling from a crowd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-stiles/i-did-standup-for-a-lot-of-years-too-but-when-you-come-out-as-a/) [Ryan Stiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-stiles/) > [Be able to laugh at yourself sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/km-ii/be-able-to-laugh-at-yourself-sometimes/) [KM II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/km-ii/) > [No matter how you feel, you've got to be able to laugh at yourself. If you can laugh at Donald Trump, then you better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-che/no-matter-how-you-feel-you-ve-got-to-be-able-to-laugh-at-yourself-if/) [Michael Che](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-che/) > [Don't be afraid to make mistakes and be able to laugh at yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-rodgers/don-t-be-afraid-to-make-mistakes-and-be-able-to-laugh-at-yourself/) [Brendan Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-rodgers/) > [It's good to be able to laugh at yourself and the problems you face in life. Sense of humor can save you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/it-s-good-to-be-able-to-laugh-at-yourself-and-the-problems-you-face/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [It is very important as a human being to be able to laugh at yourself and circumstances and particularly as a Christian. We have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvette-nicole-brown/it-is-very-important-as-a-human-being-to-be-able-to-laugh-at-yourself/) [Yvette Nicole Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvette-nicole-brown/) > [In New Zealand I think we often take ourselves too seriously, and being able to laugh at yourself is necessary in life without being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-mexted/in-new-zealand-i-think-we-often-take-ourselves-too-seriously-and/) [Murray Mexted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-mexted/) > [“It takes maturity to be able to laugh like a child again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moffat-machingura/it-takes-maturity-to-be-able-to-laugh-like-a-child-again/) [Moffat Machingura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moffat-machingura/) > [With my talent, I can make people laugh and give them another attitude about life. What a blessing that is for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-roberts/with-my-talent-i-can-make-people-laugh-and-give-them-another-attitude/) [Doris Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-roberts/) > [“In future, you'll laugh at yourself on some things you do now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/in-future-you-ll-laugh-at-yourself-on-some-things-you-do-now/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [If you can laugh at yourself, you are going to be fine. If you allow others to laugh with you, you will be great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-niemoller/if-you-can-laugh-at-yourself-you-are-going-to-be-fine-if-you-allow/) [Martin Niemoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-niemoller/) > [Laugh at yourself for man is most comical when he takes himself too seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/laugh-at-yourself-for-man-is-most-comical-when-he-takes-himself-too/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Look in the mirror, and laugh at yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-glassman/look-in-the-mirror-and-laugh-at-yourself/) [Bernie Glassman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-glassman/) > [The two things that I require for anyone who's around me: you need to love food, and you need to be able to laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamron-hall/the-two-things-that-i-require-for-anyone-who-s-around-me-you-need-to/) [Tamron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamron-hall/) ## More by Dick Van Dyke > [Today, with the subject matter that's around politically, and internationally and everything, I think Carl Reiner would have a ball. I think the format…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/today-with-the-subject-matter-that-s-around-politically-and/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [We used to get 27, 28 minutes to do a story in, and now they're lucky if they get 18 or 20 minutes. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/we-used-to-get-27-28-minutes-to-do-a-story-in-and-now-they-re-lucky/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I did a 'Golden Girls' once, which shot in front of an audience, and that went well. I had a good time. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-did-a-golden-girls-once-which-shot-in-front-of-an-audience-and-that/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [A lot of the guilt didn't help my drinking at that point. I never expected a divorce to happen in my life particularly, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/a-lot-of-the-guilt-didn-t-help-my-drinking-at-that-point-i-never/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [No, no, it was the relationships. That was that group. People believed that Rob and Laura were really married in real life. You know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/no-no-it-was-the-relationships-that-was-that-group-people-believed/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [They did ask me to do 'Dancing With The Stars;' I said I can do one show, but on that show you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/they-did-ask-me-to-do-dancing-with-the-stars-i-said-i-can-do-one-show/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I've never been what you'd call a great singer, but I loved to sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-ve-never-been-what-you-d-call-a-great-singer-but-i-loved-to-sing/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I found doing that kind of comedy without an audience is just... for me, it's almost impossible. You need the audience to do their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-found-doing-that-kind-of-comedy-without-an-audience-is-just-for-me/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I learned everything that I know about comedy and about show business and a lot about life from Carl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-learned-everything-that-i-know-about-comedy-and-about-show-business/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I've had a lot of writers, in particular, who said they got into writing because of the 'Van Dyke Show.' They said it looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-ve-had-a-lot-of-writers-in-particular-who-said-they-got-into/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I cannot tell you what it means when children recognize. This is about the third generation for me. And when kids that small recognize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-cannot-tell-you-what-it-means-when-children-recognize-this-is-about/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [So as my kids will tell you, they had a pretty normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/so-as-my-kids-will-tell-you-they-had-a-pretty-normal-life/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I think, the 'Van Dyke Show' and 'Mary Poppins' are two of the best periods of my life. I had so much fun, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-think-the-van-dyke-show-and-mary-poppins-are-two-of-the-best/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I think it's being thrown at the wolves, we call it in our business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-think-it-s-being-thrown-at-the-wolves-we-call-it-in-our-business/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [My favorite unknown movie is 'The Comic.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/my-favorite-unknown-movie-is-the-comic/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) [Explore all 166 Dick Van Dyke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) ## More Able 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/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You have to be able to laugh at yourself. 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