---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Remember always that you have not only…"
description: "\"“Remember always that you have not only the right to be an individual; you have an obligation to be one. You cannot make any useful contribution in lif..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db4/eleanor-roosevelt-381_eleanor-roosevelt_remember-always-that-you-have-not-only-t_2911537.jpg"
---

#  Remember always that you have not only the right to be an…

![“Remember always that you have not only the right to be an individual; you have an obligation to be one. You cannot make any useful contribution in life unless you do this.” quote by Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db4/eleanor-roosevelt-381_eleanor-roosevelt_remember-always-that-you-have-not-only-t_2911537.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db4/eleanor-roosevelt-381_eleanor-roosevelt_remember-always-that-you-have-not-only-t_2911537.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db4/eleanor-roosevelt-381_eleanor-roosevelt_remember-always-that-you-have-not-only-t_2911537.jpg)

> ““Remember always that you have not only the right to be an individual; you have an obligation to be one. You cannot make any useful contribution in life unless you do this.””

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Individual rights come with a responsibility to act as a contributing member of society.

**In simple terms:** Being unique also means being accountable.

Key Takeaway

Live responsibly as an individual.

Themes

rights responsibility individuality

Mood

inspirational thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- community service
- political participation
- personal development

Key Concepts

civic engagement ethical duty

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance personal desires with communal obligations?
- What does being a responsible individual mean to you?

A Different Perspective

Balancing personal freedom with societal duties can be complex.

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[Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation/)

## Related quotes

> [Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/remember-always-that-you-not-only-have-the-right-to-be-an-individual/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [“If you want a world ruled by law and not by force you must build up, from the very grassroots, a respect for law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/if-you-want-a-world-ruled-by-law-and-not-by-force-you-must-build-up/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [Remember always that you have not only the right to be an individual; you have an obligation to be one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/remember-always-that-you-have-not-only-the-right-to-be-an-individual/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [“I do not mind riding in day coaches...Please do not put yourself or the railroad to extra expense.--First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-peyser/i-do-not-mind-riding-in-day-coaches-please-do-not-put-yourself-or-the/)

Marc Peyser

> [“most practitioners take the view that an obligation to use best efforts includes the obligation to make every possible effort, and to use all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-fox/most-practitioners-take-the-view-that-an-obligation-to-use-best/)

[Charles M. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-fox/)

> [We have a moral obligation to make sure the people who are being required to work have the opportunity to work. We must make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-have-a-moral-obligation-to-make-sure-the-people-who-are-being/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [My life is a gift not an obligation and I Get To make the most of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/my-life-is-a-gift-not-an-obligation-and-i-get-to-make-the-most-of-it/)

[Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/)

> [A life without impact and contribution is a very empty life, so use your life to make the world better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/a-life-without-impact-and-contribution-is-a-very-empty-life-so-use/)

[Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/)

> [I do have an obligation to make sure that I am following some of the rules. I can't simply ignore laws that are out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-do-have-an-obligation-to-make-sure-that-i-am-following-some-of-the/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Music is my contribution to life. I have my heart in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/music-is-my-contribution-to-life-i-have-my-heart-in-it/)

[Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/)

> [We have no obligation to make history. We have no obligation to make art. We have no obligation to make a statement. Our obligation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-simpson/we-have-no-obligation-to-make-history-we-have-no-obligation-to-make-2/)

Don Simpson

> [“I’m under absolutely no obligation to make sense to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-jenkins-reid/i-m-under-absolutely-no-obligation-to-make-sense-to-you/)

[Taylor Jenkins Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-jenkins-reid/)

> [It is through accomplishment that man makes his contribution and contribution is life's greatest reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-through-accomplishment-that-man-makes-his-contribution-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [What a thrill to be able to say that you had a contribution in the life of someone - a young person, perhaps, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-weihenmayer/what-a-thrill-to-be-able-to-say-that-you-had-a-contribution-in-the/)

[Erik Weihenmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-weihenmayer/)

> [If you are reading this, it means that your work, your contribution to life, to others, is incomplete. You must continue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-moody/if-you-are-reading-this-it-means-that-your-work-your-contribution-to/)

[Germaine Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-moody/)

## More by Eleanor Roosevelt

> [My experience has been that work is almost the best way to pull oneself out of the depths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/my-experience-has-been-that-work-is-almost-the-best-way-to-pull/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [experience should teach us that it is always the unexpected that does occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/experience-should-teach-us-that-it-is-always-the-unexpected-that-does/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [To be mature you have to realize what you value most... Not to arrive at a clear understanding of one's own values is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/to-be-mature-you-have-to-realize-what-you-value-most-not-to-arrive-at/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [I'm enormously interested in freedom and retaining the right to have whatever economy we want and to shape it as we want and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/i-m-enormously-interested-in-freedom-and-retaining-the-right-to-have/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [When you look fear in the face, you are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/when-you-look-fear-in-the-face-you-are-able-to-say-to-yourself-i/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [The destiny of human rights is in the hands of all our citizens in all our communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/the-destiny-of-human-rights-is-in-the-hands-of-all-our-citizens-in/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [You can never really live anyone else's life, not even your child's. The influence you exert is through your own life, and what you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/you-can-never-really-live-anyone-else-s-life-not-even-your-child-s/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [“One of the things I believe most intensely is that every child’s why should be answered with care—and with respect. If you do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/one-of-the-things-i-believe-most-intensely-is-that-every-child-s-why/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [What we must learn to do is to create unbreakable bonds between the sciences and the humanities. We cannot procrastinate. The world of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/what-we-must-learn-to-do-is-to-create-unbreakable-bonds-between-the/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [Never allow a person to tell you no who doesn't have the power to say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/never-allow-a-person-to-tell-you-no-who-doesn-t-have-the-power-to-say/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively; unless you can choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/do-not-stop-thinking-of-life-as-an-adventure-you-have-no-security/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [We stand today at the threshold of a great event both in the life of the United Nations and in the life of mankind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/we-stand-today-at-the-threshold-of-a-great-event-both-in-the-life-of/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [All of us ... should remember that no amount of flag-waving, pledging allegiance, or fervent singing of the national anthem is evidence that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/all-of-us-should-remember-that-no-amount-of-flag-waving-pledging/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [Some friends leave footprints in your heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/some-friends-leave-footprints-in-your-heart/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [If we want a free and peaceful world, if we want to make the deserts bloom and man grow to greater dignity as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/if-we-want-a-free-and-peaceful-world-if-we-want-to-make-the-deserts/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

[Explore all 612 Eleanor Roosevelt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

## More Eleanor-roosevelt quotes

> [“If you want a world ruled by law and not by force you must build up, from the very grassroots, a respect for law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/if-you-want-a-world-ruled-by-law-and-not-by-force-you-must-build-up/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [“I do not mind riding in day coaches...Please do not put yourself or the railroad to extra expense.--First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-peyser/i-do-not-mind-riding-in-day-coaches-please-do-not-put-yourself-or-the/)

Marc Peyser

Browse all 3 Eleanor-roosevelt quotes

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