--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One can write, think and pray exclusively…" description: "\"One can write, think and pray exclusively of others; dreams are all egocentric.\" — Evelyn Waugh" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/186/evelyn-waugh-850_dream_one-can-write-think-and-pray-exclusively_9258.png" --- # One can write, think and pray exclusively of others… ![“One can write, think and pray exclusively of others; dreams are all egocentric.” quote by Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/186/evelyn-waugh-850_dream_one-can-write-think-and-pray-exclusively_9258.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/186/evelyn-waugh-850_dream_one-can-write-think-and-pray-exclusively_9258.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/186/evelyn-waugh-850_dream_one-can-write-think-and-pray-exclusively_9258.png) > “One can write, think and pray exclusively of others; dreams are all egocentric.” [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts self‑centered dreaming with altruistic thought, suggesting that true service lies in focusing on others rather than personal fantasies. **In simple terms:** Selfless action vs. egoistic dreaming. Key Takeaway Prioritize others over personal fantasies. Themes Altruism Self‑reflection Dreams Purpose Humility Mood inspirational thoughtful humble Type maxim aphor philosophical When to use this quote - volunteering - counseling - teaching - caregiving - team leadership Key Concepts Ego vs. service Spiritual practice Human connection Practical Applications - Designing community programs - Writing empathetic narratives Questions to Reflect On - How does focusing on others reshape your goals? - What dreams might you abandon for greater service? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [This miracle of me is mine to own and keep, and mine to guard, and mine to use, and mine to kneel before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/this-miracle-of-me-is-mine-to-own-and-keep-and-mine-to-guard-and-mine/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Of course I believe in aliens. I think it's very egocentric to think that there's nothing else with intelligence in the whole universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-brochere/of-course-i-believe-in-aliens-i-think-it-s-very-egocentric-to-think/) [Lizzie Brochere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-brochere/) > [The egocentric is always frustrated, simply because the condition of self-perfection is self-surrender. There must be a willingness to die to the lower part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-egocentric-is-always-frustrated-simply-because-the-condition-of/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [An egocentric pessimist is a person who thinks he hasn't changed, but that other people are behaving worse than before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/an-egocentric-pessimist-is-a-person-who-thinks-he-hasn-t-changed-but/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [Consequences of acting in Donald Trump's usual egocentric, "I make the rules," way can be quite dangerous for all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-davidson/consequences-of-acting-in-donald-trump-s-usual-egocentric-i-make-the/) [Lawrence Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-davidson/) > [In other words, the real problem is not exterior. The real problem is interior. 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Dominator types…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/our-culture-difinitely-takes-an-egocentric-dominator-view-the-fear-of/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [If we fail to appreciate the soul that Easternism gives us, then what we have is a disconnected, Greco-Roman, Western, egocentric, compartmentalized, reductionist, fragmented,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-salatin/if-we-fail-to-appreciate-the-soul-that-easternism-gives-us-then-what/) [Joel Salatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-salatin/) > [“In the egocentric prism the helpless victim is walled in by the very light which he refracts. 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In Limbo one has natural happiness without the beatific vision; no harps; no communal order; but wine and conversation and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/limbo-is-the-place-in-limbo-one-has-natural-happiness-without-the/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [“What is adolescence without trash?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/what-is-adolescence-without-trash/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [Perhaps host and guest is really the happiest relation for father and son.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/perhaps-host-and-guest-is-really-the-happiest-relation-for-father-and/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [...its a rather pleasant change when all your life you've had people looking after you, to have someone to look after yourself. 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Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. 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Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Browse all 26,527 Dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One can write, think and pray exclusively of others; dreams are all egocentric.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Evelyn Waugh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/one-can-write-think-and-pray-exclusively-of-others-dreams-are-all/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dream" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/one-can-write-think-and-pray-exclusively-of-others-dreams-are-all/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/186/evelyn-waugh-850_dream_one-can-write-think-and-pray-exclusively_9258.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/186/evelyn-waugh-850_dream_one-can-write-think-and-pray-exclusively_9258.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/186/evelyn-waugh-850_dream_one-can-write-think-and-pray-exclusively_9258.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One can write, think and pray exclusively of others; dreams are all egocentric.” — Evelyn Waugh", "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": "Evelyn Waugh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One can write, think and pray...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/one-can-write-think-and-pray-exclusively-of-others-dreams-are-all/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/one-can-write-think-and-pray-exclusively-of-others-dreams-are-all/#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 } } ] } ```