--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The profound paradox is that the great…" description: "\"“The profound paradox is that the great man became more confident in his approach to others, including the man of his own Cabinet, but he recognized th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/elton-trueblood-18687_confidence_the-profound-paradox-is-that-the-great-m_2444929.jpg" --- # The profound paradox is that the great man became more… ![“The profound paradox is that the great man became more confident in his approach to others, including the man of his own Cabinet, but he recognized that his major confidence was not himself but in Another.” quote by Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/elton-trueblood-18687_confidence_the-profound-paradox-is-that-the-great-m_2444929.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/elton-trueblood-18687_confidence_the-profound-paradox-is-that-the-great-m_2444929.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/elton-trueblood-18687_confidence_the-profound-paradox-is-that-the-great-m_2444929.jpg) > ““The profound paradox is that the great man became more confident in his approach to others, including the man of his own Cabinet, but he recognized that his major confidence was not himself but in Another.”” [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great leaders gain confidence from others, yet recognize their true confidence lies elsewhere. **In simple terms:** Confidence often comes from external validation, not self. Key Takeaway Acknowledge sources of confidence. Themes leadership self-awareness paradox Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - politics - business - personal development - team management Key Concepts confidence sources political dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Who truly fuels your confidence? - How can you cultivate internal confidence? A Different Perspective Relying on others may create dependency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Paradox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradox/) [Self reliance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-reliance/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/) ## Related quotes > [This thing about getting rid of a man in the Cabinet is all right, but there is one bad feature to it that few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/this-thing-about-getting-rid-of-a-man-in-the-cabinet-is-all-right-but/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [A story once went the rounds of Israel to the effect that Ben-Gurion described me as 'the only man' in his cabinet. What amused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/golda-meir/a-story-once-went-the-rounds-of-israel-to-the-effect-that-ben-gurion/) [Golda Meir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/golda-meir/) > [I think the sexiest thing about a man is that he's confident. Sure, sometimes you meet someone and you see his appearance first, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-scherzinger/i-think-the-sexiest-thing-about-a-man-is-that-he-s-confident-sure/) [Nicole Scherzinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-scherzinger/) > [At welterweight, man, I'm confident in myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-sanchez/at-welterweight-man-i-m-confident-in-myself/) [Diego Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-sanchez/) > [The Ed Hardy man is confident with a strong sense of personal style. He is not afraid to be seen and take risks. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-audigier/the-ed-hardy-man-is-confident-with-a-strong-sense-of-personal-style/) [Christian Audigier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-audigier/) > [“Nothing is as irritating to a shy man as a confident girl.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/nothing-is-as-irritating-to-a-shy-man-as-a-confident-girl/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“You wonder what it must be like to be a man, to be so confident that the final say is yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-jenkins-reid/you-wonder-what-it-must-be-like-to-be-a-man-to-be-so-confident-that/) [Taylor Jenkins Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-jenkins-reid/) > [There can be so many people responsible for your success, but only you are responsible for your failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/there-can-be-so-many-people-responsible-for-your-success-but-only-you/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Self motivation is inner power which empowers you to strengthen your confidence, mental toughness, achieve greater height in life, best performance through positive attitude,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anil-sinha/self-motivation-is-inner-power-which-empowers-you-to-strengthen-your/) [Anil Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anil-sinha/) > [There is nothing in this world that you will need that you can't give yourself physically, mentally,emotionally, financially etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gebru-villars/there-is-nothing-in-this-world-that-you-will-need-that-you-can-t-give/) [Gebru Villars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gebru-villars/) > [Baseball gives a growing boy self poise and self reliance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-spalding/baseball-gives-a-growing-boy-self-poise-and-self-reliance/) Al Spalding > [“The vision teller tells the vision to unguarded minds' of prey. The programmed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-f-hodge/the-vision-teller-tells-the-vision-to-unguarded-minds-of-prey-the/) [T.F. Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-f-hodge/) > [“. Self-reliance means you're in control. Don't ever think you need a man for happiness. Besides,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/self-reliance-means-you-re-in-control-don-t-ever-think-you-need-a-man/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [Most happy is he, who is entirely self-reliant, and who centres all his requirements in himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/most-happy-is-he-who-is-entirely-self-reliant-and-who-centres-all-his/) Senoraroy > [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/) ## More by Elton Trueblood > [“We are in the monsoons and we must weather it out - the way of wisdom is, instead of pining for calmer days, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/we-are-in-the-monsoons-and-we-must-weather-it-out-the-way-of-wisdom/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“In the Church he (Lincoln) saw people who, though they hated war as much as the editors did, saw with clarity what the moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/in-the-church-he-lincoln-saw-people-who-though-they-hated-war-as-much/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“It is most remarkable that Lincoln, when he saw so much that was vulnerable in the leadership of the Church, did not move to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/it-is-most-remarkable-that-lincoln-when-he-saw-so-much-that-was/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“He (Lincoln) differed from fanatical moralists primarily in that he was always perplexed. No sooner did he believe he was doing God's will that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/he-lincoln-differed-from-fanatical-moralists-primarily-in-that-he-was/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“Contradiction is the perfect evidence, he (Lincoln) thought, of human fallibility.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/contradiction-is-the-perfect-evidence-he-lincoln-thought-of-human/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“There are many instances in history of people who allow their skepticism to cut the nerve of moral effort, and there are numerous people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/there-are-many-instances-in-history-of-people-who-allow-their/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“He (Lincoln) saw how intellectually and spiritually impoverished a person would be if he was limited to his own personal resources. The Bible, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/he-lincoln-saw-how-intellectually-and-spiritually-impoverished-a/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“Take all of this Book upon reason that you can, and the balance on faith, and you will live and die a happier man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/take-all-of-this-book-upon-reason-that-you-can-and-the-balance-on/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“From the prophets of Israel Lincoln had learned the note will idea that there can be serving people, with responsibility to the entire "family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/from-the-prophets-of-israel-lincoln-had-learned-the-note-will-idea/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“The Biblical language was so deeply embedded in the great man's mind that it became his normal way of speaking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/the-biblical-language-was-so-deeply-embedded-in-the-great-man-s-mind/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“He (Lincoln) recognized the delicate balance between immanence and transcendence, refusing to settle for either of these alone. His was a God who was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/he-lincoln-recognized-the-delicate-balance-between-immanence-and/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“Always, in Lincoln's mature theology, there is paradox. There is starting this, yet there is also tenderness; there is melancholy, yet there is also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/always-in-lincoln-s-mature-theology-there-is-paradox-there-is/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“He was too perplexed to please the conventional and too reverent. to please the infidels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/he-was-too-perplexed-to-please-the-conventional-and-too-reverent-to/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“A major element in Lincoln's greatness was the way in which he could hold a strong moral position without the usual accompaniment of self-righteousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/a-major-element-in-lincoln-s-greatness-was-the-way-in-which-he-could/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) > [“The difficulty was not that of following a moral principle at personal cost; the difficulty was that of knowing what to do when there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/the-difficulty-was-not-that-of-following-a-moral-principle-at/) [Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) [Explore all 34 Elton Trueblood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/) ## More Confidence quotes > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [I was just confident my work was good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bunny-yeager/i-was-just-confident-my-work-was-good/) [Bunny Yeager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bunny-yeager/) > [I am confident when I take the penalty otherwise I would pass for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-am-confident-when-i-take-the-penalty-otherwise-i-would-pass-for/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [Confidence comes from cutting yourself some slack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/confidence-comes-from-cutting-yourself-some-slack/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/i-would-rather-regret-the-things-that-i-have-done-than-the-things/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [Get to know yourself well enough to not only expect, but also control, your response to the unexpected challenges in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/get-to-know-yourself-well-enough-to-not-only-expect-but-also-control/) Senoraroy > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I look for someone who has confidence. Also someone whose energetic, cause I'm NOT that energetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-jonas/i-look-for-someone-who-has-confidence-also-someone-whose-energetic/) [Nick Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-jonas/) > [Why shouldn't I be confident? I'm well educated, I can deliver a line, and I have more than three expressions. That's good right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/why-shouldn-t-i-be-confident-i-m-well-educated-i-can-deliver-a-line/) [Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/) > [I was very confident on the stage, and I stood out in a red gown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-johnson/i-was-very-confident-on-the-stage-and-i-stood-out-in-a-red-gown/) [Nicole Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-johnson/) > [If you go to any nunnery and ask them what the main obstacle is, they'll always say low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-you-go-to-any-nunnery-and-ask-them-what-the-main-obstacle-is-they/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) [Browse all 11,290 Confidence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The profound paradox is that the great man became more confident in his approach to others, including the man of his own Cabinet, but he recognized that his major confidence was not himself but in Another.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elton Trueblood" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/the-profound-paradox-is-that-the-great-man-became-more-confident-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Confidence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/the-profound-paradox-is-that-the-great-man-became-more-confident-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/elton-trueblood-18687_confidence_the-profound-paradox-is-that-the-great-m_2444929.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/elton-trueblood-18687_confidence_the-profound-paradox-is-that-the-great-m_2444929.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/elton-trueblood-18687_confidence_the-profound-paradox-is-that-the-great-m_2444929.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The profound paradox is that the great man became more confident in his approach to others, including the…” — Elton Trueblood", "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": "Elton Trueblood", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-trueblood/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The profound paradox is that the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/the-profound-paradox-is-that-the-great-man-became-more-confident-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-trueblood/the-profound-paradox-is-that-the-great-man-became-more-confident-in/#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 } } ] } ```