--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One’s self is the basis of everything…" description: "\"“One’s self is the basis of everything. Every action is a manifestation of the self. A person who doesn’t know himself can do nothing for others.” “Wha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/eiji-yoshikawa-7381_identity_one-s-self-is-the-basis-of-everything-ev_3200417.jpg" --- # One’s self is the basis of everything. Every action is a… ![“One’s self is the basis of everything. Every action is a manifestation of the self. A person who doesn’t know himself can do nothing for others.” “What I meant—I wasn’t acting to satisfy my own desires.” “Shut up! Don’t you see you’re barely grown? There’s nothing more frightening than a…” quote by Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/eiji-yoshikawa-7381_identity_one-s-self-is-the-basis-of-everything-ev_3200417.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/eiji-yoshikawa-7381_identity_one-s-self-is-the-basis-of-everything-ev_3200417.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/eiji-yoshikawa-7381_identity_one-s-self-is-the-basis-of-everything-ev_3200417.jpg) > ““One’s self is the basis of everything. Every action is a manifestation of the self. A person who doesn’t know himself can do nothing for others.” “What I meant—I wasn’t acting to satisfy my own desires.” “Shut up! Don’t you see you’re barely grown? There’s nothing more frightening than a half-baked do-gooder who knows nothing of the world but takes it upon himself to tell the world what’s good for it.”” [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑knowledge is the foundation for meaningful action; without it, one cannot truly help others. **In simple terms:** Know yourself before helping others. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑awareness. Themes self‑knowledge action responsibility Mood reflective philosophical instructive Type advice reflection When to use this quote - leadership - volunteering - personal development - education - community service Key Concepts philosophy psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance self‑understanding with external duties? - What limits arise when self‑knowledge is incomplete? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on self can ignore external constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) ## Related quotes > [“the supreme manifestation of all his self-perceived shortcomings”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/the-supreme-manifestation-of-all-his-self-perceived-shortcomings/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“The invitation only world is a manifestation of self-realization.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-invitation-only-world-is-a-manifestation-of-self-realization/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“The life you want is a manifestation of self-realization.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-life-you-want-is-a-manifestation-of-self-realization/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [Self... How or why a person may loose self,!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/self-how-or-why-a-person-may-loose-self/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I had lost confidence and a sense of self. Who am I? Am I a person who cowers in fear at the back of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-had-lost-confidence-and-a-sense-of-self-who-am-i-am-i-a-person-who/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [I am a completely self-made person. It's been a tough journey - I learnt on the job, worked 48 hours without sleeping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonali-bendre/i-am-a-completely-self-made-person-it-s-been-a-tough-journey-i-learnt/) [Sonali Bendre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonali-bendre/) > [As long as you think of your real self as the person you are, then of course you're going to be fearful of death.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/as-long-as-you-think-of-your-real-self-as-the-person-you-are-then-of/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Looking at your self than at the other person while video calling on Skype.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/looking-at-your-self-than-at-the-other-person-while-video-calling-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Finding your best self and being that person is the end result of getting some insight. To be or not to be is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karol-jackowski/finding-your-best-self-and-being-that-person-is-the-end-result-of/) [Karol Jackowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karol-jackowski/) > [“Self: Person, identity; your identity Defense: Protection, security”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-rock/self-person-identity-your-identity-defense-protection-security/) [Kym Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-rock/) > [“With you I understood that pleasure is not something you give or take. It's a way of giving yourself and calling forth the gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andr-gorz/with-you-i-understood-that-pleasure-is-not-something-you-give-or-take/) André Gorz > [When a person understands what sort of existence a human being is, and what exactly the "self" is, that person has been liberated forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masahisa-goi/when-a-person-understands-what-sort-of-existence-a-human-being-is-and/) [Masahisa Goi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masahisa-goi/) > [“Do you know what it's like to give your whole self to a person, and your whole heart to boot, until you've got nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/do-you-know-what-it-s-like-to-give-your-whole-self-to-a-person-and/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Another spell had been thrust upon her so long ago...She hadn't been able to see it but it was real. Otherwise why would you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/another-spell-had-been-thrust-upon-her-so-long-ago-she-hadn-t-been/) [Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/) > [I believe in God, but even if you don't, you can believe in a self, the person who is innately who you are. Once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-karr/i-believe-in-god-but-even-if-you-don-t-you-can-believe-in-a-self-the/) [Mary Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-karr/) ## More by Eiji Yoshikawa > [“How was Gengo to know, Saigyo reflected, that this unheroic existence imposed even greater torment than the icy lashings of the Nachi Falls in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/how-was-gengo-to-know-saigyo-reflected-that-this-unheroic-existence/) [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) > [The world is a stone wall ... and they have put the stones so close together that there is not a single crack through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/the-world-is-a-stone-wall-and-they-have-put-the-stones-so-close/) [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) > [“He used to say that a true rōnin did not seek fame or profit, did not curry favor with the powerful, did not attempt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/he-used-to-say-that-a-true-r-nin-did-not-seek-fame-or-profit-did-not/) [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) > [“A wanderer with no ideal, no sense of gratitude for his independence, is no more than a beggar! The difference between a beggar and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/a-wanderer-with-no-ideal-no-sense-of-gratitude-for-his-independence/) [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) > [“Lord Karasumaru considered it a grave mistake on the part of the gods to have made a man like himself a nobleman. And, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/lord-karasumaru-considered-it-a-grave-mistake-on-the-part-of-the-gods/) [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) > [“I can only bow to the will of the heaven, but not to the will of these men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/i-can-only-bow-to-the-will-of-the-heaven-but-not-to-the-will-of-these/) [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) > [“People were born with two hands; why not use both of them? As it was, swordsmen fought with only one sword, and often one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/people-were-born-with-two-hands-why-not-use-both-of-them-as-it-was/) [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) > [“If the talents I was born with are the right ones, I may someday achieve my goal. If not, I may go through life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/if-the-talents-i-was-born-with-are-the-right-ones-i-may-someday/) [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) > [“kalau agama itu ajaran sehat, kita tak akan membutuhkan nabi-nabi untuk menyampaikannya kepada kita. -Takuan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/kalau-agama-itu-ajaran-sehat-kita-tak-akan-membutuhkan-nabi-nabi/) [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) > [“Fighting isn’t all there is to the Art of War. The men who think that way, and are satisfied to have food to eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/fighting-isn-t-all-there-is-to-the-art-of-war-the-men-who-think-that/) [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) > [The line between life and death is not thicker than an eyelid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/the-line-between-life-and-death-is-not-thicker-than-an-eyelid/) [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) > [“How to make his mother, whom he imagined to be the unhappiest person in the world, the happiest, was what drove him on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/how-to-make-his-mother-whom-he-imagined-to-be-the-unhappiest-person/) [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) > [“Whether people were great or not, there was not much variety in their inner life experience. Any difference lay merely in how they dealt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/whether-people-were-great-or-not-there-was-not-much-variety-in-their/) [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) > [I wouldn't say Musashi is ordinary. But he is. That's what's extraordinary about him. He is not content to rely on whatever natural gifts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/i-wouldn-t-say-musashi-is-ordinary-but-he-is-that-s-what-s/) [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) > [“Musashi wondered how many people there were who on this night could say: “I was right. I did what I should have done. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/musashi-wondered-how-many-people-there-were-who-on-this-night-could/) [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) [Explore all 80 Eiji Yoshikawa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) ## More Identity quotes > [I don't doubt that straight white men have identity issues and identity complexes and struggle with defining themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/i-don-t-doubt-that-straight-white-men-have-identity-issues-and/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [You have expressive nationalism, I mean very identity driven, which shaped each other a lot of that in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/you-have-expressive-nationalism-i-mean-very-identity-driven-which/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [Family over friends, because real friends are family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/family-over-friends-because-real-friends-are-family/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think everybody, or the great majority of human beings, have this aspiration to become other: to live a different identity, at least for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/i-think-everybody-or-the-great-majority-of-human-beings-have-this/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [The language we share is at the core of our identity as citizens, and our ticket to full participation in American political life. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-i-hayakawa/the-language-we-share-is-at-the-core-of-our-identity-as-citizens-and/) [S. I. Hayakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-i-hayakawa/) > [Tell me how much a nation knows about its own language, and I will tell you how much that nation knows about its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ciardi/tell-me-how-much-a-nation-knows-about-its-own-language-and-i-will/) [John Ciardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ciardi/) > [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-intoxication-of-the-ego-of-i-am/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“At the moment, then, of Man’s victory over Nature, we find the whole human race subjected to some individual men, and those individuals subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/at-the-moment-then-of-man-s-victory-over-nature-we-find-the-whole/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [She might be without country, without nation, but inside her there was still a being that could exist and be free, that could simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-maas/she-might-be-without-country-without-nation-but-inside-her-there-was/) [Sharon Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-maas/) > [“Self-realization or self-knowing or awakening is about knowing/ becoming conscious of our true nature and living in harmony with the universe in an ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-vazhakunnathu/self-realization-or-self-knowing-or-awakening-is-about-knowing/) [Thomas Vazhakunnathu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-vazhakunnathu/) > [“There are some things that one individual can do for another, and there are some things that one race can do for another. But,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/there-are-some-things-that-one-individual-can-do-for-another-and/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [“Why were there no words that spoke positively about being concerned about the self? Why was there only negative connotation in terms like "selfish",…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-dalton/why-were-there-no-words-that-spoke-positively-about-being-concerned/) A.J. Dalton [Browse all 11,949 Identity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“One’s self is the basis of everything. Every action is a manifestation of the self. A person who doesn’t know himself can do nothing for others.” “What I meant—I wasn’t acting to satisfy my own desires.” “Shut up! Don’t you see you’re barely grown? There’s nothing more frightening than a half-baked do-gooder who knows nothing of the world but takes it upon himself to tell the world what’s good for it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eiji Yoshikawa" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/one-s-self-is-the-basis-of-everything-every-action-is-a-manifestation/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Identity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/one-s-self-is-the-basis-of-everything-every-action-is-a-manifestation/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/eiji-yoshikawa-7381_identity_one-s-self-is-the-basis-of-everything-ev_3200417.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/eiji-yoshikawa-7381_identity_one-s-self-is-the-basis-of-everything-ev_3200417.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/eiji-yoshikawa-7381_identity_one-s-self-is-the-basis-of-everything-ev_3200417.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One’s self is the basis of everything. Every action is a manifestation of the self. A person who doesn’t…” — Eiji Yoshikawa", "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": "Eiji Yoshikawa", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“One’s self is the basis of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/one-s-self-is-the-basis-of-everything-every-action-is-a-manifestation/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/one-s-self-is-the-basis-of-everything-every-action-is-a-manifestation/#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 } } ] } ```