--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When one begins to think of oneself as…" description: "\"When one begins to think of oneself as growing old, one is already old.\" — Elsie de Wolfe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/840/elsie-de-wolfe-17463_age_when-one-begins-to-think-of-oneself-as-g_1794516.png" --- # When one begins to think of oneself as growing old, one is… ![“When one begins to think of oneself as growing old, one is already old.” quote by Elsie de Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/840/elsie-de-wolfe-17463_age_when-one-begins-to-think-of-oneself-as-g_1794516.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/840/elsie-de-wolfe-17463_age_when-one-begins-to-think-of-oneself-as-g_1794516.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/840/elsie-de-wolfe-17463_age_when-one-begins-to-think-of-oneself-as-g_1794516.png) > “When one begins to think of oneself as growing old, one is already old.” [Elsie de Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsie-de-wolfe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thinking about aging makes one feel old, so avoid focusing on age to stay youthful. **In simple terms:** Mindset shapes perception of age. Key Takeaway Focus on present vitality. Themes aging mindset psychology Mood encouraging reflective Type wellness philosophical When to use this quote - health coaching - personal development - elder care Key Concepts self-fulfilling prophecy well‑being Questions to Reflect On - How does mindset affect aging? - What practices keep you feeling youthful? A Different Perspective Denial can ignore real health needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Begins Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begins-think-1976963/) [Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing/) [Growing old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-old/) [Old age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-age/) [Oneself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oneself/) [Oneself Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oneself-growing-1976962/) [Think Oneself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-oneself-387964/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [How one hates to think of oneself as alone. How one avoids it. It seems to imply rejection or unpopularity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/how-one-hates-to-think-of-oneself-as-alone-how-one-avoids-it-it-seems/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [It's rather nice to think of oneself as a sailor bending over the map of one's mind and deciding where to go and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-mansfield/it-s-rather-nice-to-think-of-oneself-as-a-sailor-bending-over-the-map/) [Katherine Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-mansfield/) > [One trouble: to be a professional anything in the United States is to think of oneself as an expert and one's ideas as semisacred,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marge-piercy/one-trouble-to-be-a-professional-anything-in-the-united-states-is-to/) [Marge Piercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marge-piercy/) > [When the child begins to think and to make use of the written language to express his rudimentary thinking, he is ready for elementary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/when-the-child-begins-to-think-and-to-make-use-of-the-written/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [The soul begins to travel when the child begins to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/the-soul-begins-to-travel-when-the-child-begins-to-think/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [For when a woman is left too much alone, sooner or later she begins to think; and no man knows what then she may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-arlington-robinson/for-when-a-woman-is-left-too-much-alone-sooner-or-later-she-begins-to/) [Edwin Arlington Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-arlington-robinson/) > [“Hardly even does one think of oneself, but only how to escape from oneself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/hardly-even-does-one-think-of-oneself-but-only-how-to-escape-from/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [That is the whole trouble with being a heretic. One usually must think out everything for oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-menen/that-is-the-whole-trouble-with-being-a-heretic-one-usually-must-think/) [Aubrey Menen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-menen/) > [The first step towards madness is to think oneself wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-de-rojas/the-first-step-towards-madness-is-to-think-oneself-wise/) [Fernando de Rojas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-de-rojas/) > [“The truest way to be deceived is to think oneself more knowing than others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-truest-way-to-be-deceived-is-to-think-oneself-more-knowing-than/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [There's no better tonic for other people's bad ideas, than to think for oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-r-burch/there-s-no-better-tonic-for-other-people-s-bad-ideas-than-to-think/) [Michael R. Burch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-r-burch/) > [One would always want to think of oneself as being on the side of love, ready to recognize it and wish it well -but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/one-would-always-want-to-think-of-oneself-as-being-on-the-side-of/) [Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) > [The most important thing is not to think very much about oneself. To investigate candidly the charge; but not fussily, not very anxiously. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-most-important-thing-is-not-to-think-very-much-about-oneself-to/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [It is as commendable to think well of oneself when alone, as it is ridiculous to speak well of oneself among others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-as-commendable-to-think-well-of-oneself-when-alone-as-it-is/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“This is who she is. She is this movement here, these steps, this turn, this raising of this arm. It's a waste of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-howrey/this-is-who-she-is-she-is-this-movement-here-these-steps-this-turn/) [Meg Howrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-howrey/) ## More by Elsie de Wolfe > [You will express yourself in your house whether you want to or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsie-de-wolfe/you-will-express-yourself-in-your-house-whether-you-want-to-or-not/) [Elsie de Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsie-de-wolfe/) > [I was not ugly. I might never be anything for men to lose their heads about, but I need never again be ugly. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsie-de-wolfe/i-was-not-ugly-i-might-never-be-anything-for-men-to-lose-their-heads/) [Elsie de Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsie-de-wolfe/) > [don't make each room a different color in a small apartment or you'll make yourself nervous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsie-de-wolfe/don-t-make-each-room-a-different-color-in-a-small-apartment-or-you-ll/) [Elsie de Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsie-de-wolfe/) > [My business is to preach to you the beauty of suitability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsie-de-wolfe/my-business-is-to-preach-to-you-the-beauty-of-suitability/) [Elsie de Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsie-de-wolfe/) > [There never has been a house so bad that it couldn't be made over into something worthwhile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsie-de-wolfe/there-never-has-been-a-house-so-bad-that-it-couldn-t-be-made-over/) [Elsie de Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsie-de-wolfe/) > [I was born with the courage to live. Only those are unwise who have never dared to be fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsie-de-wolfe/i-was-born-with-the-courage-to-live-only-those-are-unwise-who-have/) [Elsie de Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsie-de-wolfe/) > [You can't take it with you. There are no pockets in a shroud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsie-de-wolfe/you-can-t-take-it-with-you-there-are-no-pockets-in-a-shroud/) [Elsie de Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsie-de-wolfe/) > [ \[At first sight of the Acropolis:\] It's beige! My color! ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsie-de-wolfe/at-first-sight-of-the-acropolis-it-s-beige-my-color/) [Elsie de Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsie-de-wolfe/) > [I am going to make everything around me beautiful - that will be my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsie-de-wolfe/i-am-going-to-make-everything-around-me-beautiful-that-will-be-my-life/) [Elsie de Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsie-de-wolfe/) > [What is the goal? A house that is like the life that goes with it, a house that gives us beauty as we understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsie-de-wolfe/what-is-the-goal-a-house-that-is-like-the-life-that-goes-with-it-a/) [Elsie de Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsie-de-wolfe/) > [I am going in now for interior decoration. By that I mean supplying objets d'art and giving advice regarding the decoration of their houses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsie-de-wolfe/i-am-going-in-now-for-interior-decoration-by-that-i-mean-supplying/) [Elsie de Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsie-de-wolfe/) > [It is not chic to be too chic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsie-de-wolfe/it-is-not-chic-to-be-too-chic/) [Elsie de Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsie-de-wolfe/) > [Good dressing is largely a question of detail and accessories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsie-de-wolfe/good-dressing-is-largely-a-question-of-detail-and-accessories/) [Elsie de Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsie-de-wolfe/) > [It is the personality of the mistress that the home expresses. Men are forever guests in our homes, no matter how much happiness they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsie-de-wolfe/it-is-the-personality-of-the-mistress-that-the-home-expresses-men-are/) [Elsie de Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsie-de-wolfe/) > [A house should be a synthesis of comfort, practicality, and tradition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsie-de-wolfe/a-house-should-be-a-synthesis-of-comfort-practicality-and-tradition/) [Elsie de Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsie-de-wolfe/) [Explore all 37 Elsie de Wolfe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsie-de-wolfe/) ## More Age quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? 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That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/) [Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/) [Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When one begins to think of oneself as growing old, one is already old.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elsie de Wolfe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsie-de-wolfe/when-one-begins-to-think-of-oneself-as-growing-old-one-is-already-old/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Age" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsie-de-wolfe/when-one-begins-to-think-of-oneself-as-growing-old-one-is-already-old/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/840/elsie-de-wolfe-17463_age_when-one-begins-to-think-of-oneself-as-g_1794516.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/840/elsie-de-wolfe-17463_age_when-one-begins-to-think-of-oneself-as-g_1794516.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/840/elsie-de-wolfe-17463_age_when-one-begins-to-think-of-oneself-as-g_1794516.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When one begins to think of oneself as growing old, one is already old.” — Elsie de Wolfe", "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": "Elsie de Wolfe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsie-de-wolfe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When one begins to think of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsie-de-wolfe/when-one-begins-to-think-of-oneself-as-growing-old-one-is-already-old/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsie-de-wolfe/when-one-begins-to-think-of-oneself-as-growing-old-one-is-already-old/#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 } } ] } ```