--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If lack of self-regulation is the…" description: "\"“If lack of self-regulation is the essential characteristic of organisms that are destructive, it is the presence of self-regulatory capacity that is c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b1/edwin-h-friedman-2-28965_biology_if-lack-of-self-regulation-is-the-essent_2197205.png" --- # If lack of self-regulation is the essential characteristic… ![“If lack of self-regulation is the essential characteristic of organisms that are destructive, it is the presence of self-regulatory capacity that is critical to the health, survival, and evolution of an organism or an organization.” quote by Edwin H Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b1/edwin-h-friedman-2-28965_biology_if-lack-of-self-regulation-is-the-essent_2197205.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b1/edwin-h-friedman-2-28965_biology_if-lack-of-self-regulation-is-the-essent_2197205.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b1/edwin-h-friedman-2-28965_biology_if-lack-of-self-regulation-is-the-essent_2197205.png) > ““If lack of self-regulation is the essential characteristic of organisms that are destructive, it is the presence of self-regulatory capacity that is critical to the health, survival, and evolution of an organism or an organization.”” [Edwin H Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-h-friedman-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑regulation distinguishes constructive from destructive entities; its presence is vital for health, survival, and evolution. **In simple terms:** Self‑control is key to thriving. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑regulatory habits. Themes self‑regulation health survival evolution Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - leadership development - personal growth - team management - crisis response Key Concepts psychology systems theory organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - How can you strengthen self‑regulation in daily routines? - What systems support or hinder self‑control? A Different Perspective Self‑regulation alone cannot fix structural flaws. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Self regulation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-regulation/) ## Related quotes > [“shifting from ‘I’ to your own name — can have really powerful self-regulatory effects.” This shift can help you step outside of your internal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-j-scott/shifting-from-i-to-your-own-name-can-have-really-powerful-self/) [S.J. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-j-scott/) > [I don't think individual media outlets will regulate. 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It is, therefore, not a thing but a set of interacting forces.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-low/a-company-is-a-multidimensional-system-capable-of-growth-expansion/) [Albert Low](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-low/) > [“Sometimes, humanity surprises me with all its lack of control over the primordial urges. These innate urges are the biological traits that make us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/sometimes-humanity-surprises-me-with-all-its-lack-of-control-over-the/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) ## More by Edwin H Friedman > [“the major relational problem for our species is not getting together; protoplasm loves to join. The problem is preserving self in a close relationship.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-h-friedman-2/the-major-relational-problem-for-our-species-is-not-getting-together/) [Edwin H Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-h-friedman-2/) > [“the key to survival is the ability of the “host” to recognize and limit the invasiveness of its viral or malignant components.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-h-friedman-2/the-key-to-survival-is-the-ability-of-the-host-to-recognize-and-limit/) [Edwin H Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-h-friedman-2/) > [The function of a leader within any institution: to provide that regulation through his or her non-anxious, self-defined presence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-h-friedman-2/the-function-of-a-leader-within-any-institution-to-provide-that/) [Edwin H Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-h-friedman-2/) > [“while the modern, human animal is capable of deep thought and, like its mammalian forebears, can nurture and play, it also is capable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-h-friedman-2/while-the-modern-human-animal-is-capable-of-deep-thought-and-like-its/) [Edwin H Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-h-friedman-2/) > [“no one has ever gone from slavery to freedom with the slaveholders cheering them on,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-h-friedman-2/no-one-has-ever-gone-from-slavery-to-freedom-with-the-slaveholders/) [Edwin H Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-h-friedman-2/) > [Communication does not depend on syntax, or eloquence, or rhetoric, or articulation but on the emotional context in which the message is being heard.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-h-friedman-2/communication-does-not-depend-on-syntax-or-eloquence-or-rhetoric-or/) [Edwin H Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-h-friedman-2/) > [“The three criteria of reptilian functioning that leaders of any family or institution can always rely on to judge madness (of others or their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-h-friedman-2/the-three-criteria-of-reptilian-functioning-that-leaders-of-any/) [Edwin H Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-h-friedman-2/) > [“any community or family discussion, those who are the first to introduce concern for empathy feel powerless, and are trying to use the togetherness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-h-friedman-2/any-community-or-family-discussion-those-who-are-the-first-to/) [Edwin H Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-h-friedman-2/) > [“A “new world” view of the brain suggests instead that communication is itself an emotional phenomenon that depends on three interrelational rather than “mental”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-h-friedman-2/a-new-world-view-of-the-brain-suggests-instead-that-communication-is/) [Edwin H Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-h-friedman-2/) > [A major criterion for judging the anxiety level of any society is the loss of its capacity to be playful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-h-friedman-2/a-major-criterion-for-judging-the-anxiety-level-of-any-society-is-the/) [Edwin H Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-h-friedman-2/) > [Attitudes are the real figures of speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-h-friedman-2/attitudes-are-the-real-figures-of-speech/) [Edwin H Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-h-friedman-2/) > [“the “old world” view separates data from emotional process and focuses leaders on the “talking heads” of others, while the “new world” view focuses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-h-friedman-2/the-old-world-view-separates-data-from-emotional-process-and-focuses/) [Edwin H Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-h-friedman-2/) > [Leadership can be thought of as a capacity to define oneself to others in a way that clarifies and expands a vision of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-h-friedman-2/leadership-can-be-thought-of-as-a-capacity-to-define-oneself-to/) [Edwin H Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-h-friedman-2/) > [“when one individual in a marriage stands up to another, while the other will not like it at first, he or she generally will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-h-friedman-2/when-one-individual-in-a-marriage-stands-up-to-another-while-the/) [Edwin H Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-h-friedman-2/) > [“There are always three factors involved in survival, no matter how toxic the environment. 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