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Credit Quote by Edsger Dijkstra

“... as a slow-witted human being I have a very small head and I had better learn to live with it and to respect my limitations and give them full credit, rather than to try to ignore them, for the latter vain effort will be punished by failure.” quote by Edsger Dijkstra
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“... as a slow-witted human being I have a very small head and I had better learn to live with it and to respect my limitations and give them full credit, rather than to try to ignore them, for the latter vain effort will be punished by failure.”

Edsger Dijkstra

About This Quote

Source Book: "A Discipline of Programming", 1976

He advises accepting personal limitations and giving them credit, warning that ignoring them leads to failure.

In simple terms: Accept your limits and respect them.

Key Takeaway

Embrace self‑acceptance for success.

Themes

self‑acceptance humility failure

Mood

reflective cautious

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

  • career planning
  • skill development
  • team collaboration

Key Concepts

philosophy personal growth

Questions to Reflect On

  • What limitations do you need to acknowledge?
  • How can you leverage them constructively?
A Different Perspective

Ignoring limits can cause repeated mistakes.

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