---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know what’s wrong with me; and knowing…"
description: "\"“I know what’s wrong with me; and knowing your own flaws is the beginning of wisdom.”\" — Gardner R. Dozois"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/393/gardner-r-dozois-52645_wisdom_i-know-what-s-wrong-with-me-and-knowing_2000710.jpg"
---

#  I know what’s wrong with me; and knowing your own flaws is…

![“I know what’s wrong with me; and knowing your own flaws is the beginning of wisdom.” quote by Gardner R. Dozois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/393/gardner-r-dozois-52645_wisdom_i-know-what-s-wrong-with-me-and-knowing_2000710.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/393/gardner-r-dozois-52645_wisdom_i-know-what-s-wrong-with-me-and-knowing_2000710.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/393/gardner-r-dozois-52645_wisdom_i-know-what-s-wrong-with-me-and-knowing_2000710.jpg)

> ““I know what’s wrong with me; and knowing your own flaws is the beginning of wisdom.””

[Gardner R. Dozois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gardner-r-dozois/)

## About This Quote

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

Recognizing personal flaws is the first step toward gaining wisdom.

**In simple terms:** Knowing your flaws begins wisdom.

Key Takeaway

Identify and learn from your weaknesses.

Themes

self‑awareness wisdom growth

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

philosophical educational

When to use this quote

- personal development
- leadership
- conflict resolution
- mental health

Key Concepts

introspection humility learning

Questions to Reflect On

- What flaw have you ignored?
- How can you turn a flaw into a strength?

A Different Perspective

Denial can prevent growth.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/)

## Related quotes

> [I rather know that you are doing me wrong and do something about it, Than not knowing and wonder..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-rather-know-that-you-are-doing-me-wrong-and-do-something-about-it/)

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

> [There's nothing wrong with knowing what you want and going after it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-knowing-what-you-want-and-going-after-it/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [But knowing that you had gone wrong, and knowing how you had gone wrong, were not the same thing as knowing how to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lanchester/but-knowing-that-you-had-gone-wrong-and-knowing-how-you-had-gone/)

[John Lanchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lanchester/)

> [Fear can indeed be the beginning of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ward-baroness-jackson-of-lodsworth/fear-can-indeed-be-the-beginning-of-wisdom/)

[Barbara Ward, Baroness Jackson of Lodsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ward-baroness-jackson-of-lodsworth/)

> [The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon/the-fear-of-the-lord-is-the-beginning-of-wisdom/)

[Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon/)

> [“fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;         all those who practice it have  f a good understanding.         His  g praise endures forever!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fear-of-the-lord-is-the-beginning-of-wisdom-all-those-who-practice-it/)

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

> [The beginning of wisdom is the definition of terms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-beginning-of-wisdom-is-the-definition-of-terms/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [“Perhaps the exhaustion of the passions is the beginning of wisdom, if you care to alter the proverb.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hilton/perhaps-the-exhaustion-of-the-passions-is-the-beginning-of-wisdom-if/)

[James Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hilton/)

> [The beginning of wisdom is a definition of terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-beginning-of-wisdom-is-a-definition-of-terms/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [It's not that there aren't a million other things to learn about God, but He says you've got to start with the fear of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/it-s-not-that-there-aren-t-a-million-other-things-to-learn-about-god/)

[Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/)

> [A wholesome oblivion of one's neighbours is the beginning of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-le-gallienne/a-wholesome-oblivion-of-one-s-neighbours-is-the-beginning-of-wisdom/)

[Richard Le Gallienne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-le-gallienne/)

> [“The beginning of all wisdom is to understand that you don't know. To know is the enemy of all learning. To be sure is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-villasenor/the-beginning-of-all-wisdom-is-to-understand-that-you-don-t-know-to/)

[Victor Villasenor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-villasenor/)

> [That is the first thing to learn — not to seek. When you seek you are really only window-shopping. The question of whether or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/that-is-the-first-thing-to-learn-not-to-seek-when-you-seek-you-are/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [“Forgetfulness is the beginning of happiness as fear is the beginning of wisdom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forgetfulness-is-the-beginning-of-happiness-as-fear-is-the-beginning/)

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

> [“You have your own stories, the dramatic and more ordinary moments where what has gone wrong becomes an opening to more of yourself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krista-tippett/you-have-your-own-stories-the-dramatic-and-more-ordinary-moments/)

[Krista Tippett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krista-tippett/)

## More by Gardner R. Dozois

> [“We primates reacted to threat with anger, so we got into fights without knowing why. Dawn”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardner-r-dozois/we-primates-reacted-to-threat-with-anger-so-we-got-into-fights/)

[Gardner R. Dozois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gardner-r-dozois/)

> [“Naturals felt best in groups of a hundred or so, and even better if only a few dozen were involved. Hunting parties had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardner-r-dozois/naturals-felt-best-in-groups-of-a-hundred-or-so-and-even-better-if/)

[Gardner R. Dozois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gardner-r-dozois/)

> [“Civilization had long maintained the appearance of such communal closeness, in small units people could manage. Societies had evolved that could stack such social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardner-r-dozois/civilization-had-long-maintained-the-appearance-of-such-communal/)

[Gardner R. Dozois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gardner-r-dozois/)

> [“She suspected that civilization had been invented to make more stories. And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardner-r-dozois/she-suspected-that-civilization-had-been-invented-to-make-more/)

[Gardner R. Dozois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gardner-r-dozois/)

> [“All this was built on the firm foundation of primate bonding patterns. If the pattern broke down at the bottom, it gave a rabble.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardner-r-dozois/all-this-was-built-on-the-firm-foundation-of-primate-bonding-patterns/)

[Gardner R. Dozois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gardner-r-dozois/)

> [“To disdain the moral pronouncements of hypocrites; to be true to my word; to always do what I promise, no more and no less.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardner-r-dozois/to-disdain-the-moral-pronouncements-of-hypocrites-to-be-true-to-my/)

[Gardner R. Dozois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gardner-r-dozois/)

[Explore all 7 Gardner R. Dozois quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gardner-r-dozois/)

## More Wisdom quotes

> [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/)

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

> [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/)

[William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/)

> [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/)

[M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/)

> [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/)

[Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/)

> [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/)

[Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/)

> [“Your mind has the intellect to lift the world, your heart has the wisdom to better the world, and your soul has the genius…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/your-mind-has-the-intellect-to-lift-the-world-your-heart-has-the/)

[Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/)

> [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/)

[Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/)

> [The world has a soul and whoever understands that soul can also understand the language of many things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-has-a-soul-and-whoever-understands-that-soul-can-also/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/)

[Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/)

> [If I meet a wise person, I think, 'Yes, tell me more about parenting, about marriage, about how to stay in love. Tell me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/min-jin-lee/if-i-meet-a-wise-person-i-think-yes-tell-me-more-about-parenting/)

[Min Jin Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/min-jin-lee/)

> [“In the same way that the picturesque designers were always careful to include some reminder of our mortality in their gardens -- a ruin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/in-the-same-way-that-the-picturesque-designers-were-always-careful-to/)

[Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/)

> [“Because I am a transvestite, people often assume that this gives me a special insight into the opposite gender. But this is rubbish: how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grayson-perry/because-i-am-a-transvestite-people-often-assume-that-this-gives-me-a/)

[Grayson Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grayson-perry/)

> [“What is cowardice in the young is wisdom in the old, but all the same one can be ashamed of wisdom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/what-is-cowardice-in-the-young-is-wisdom-in-the-old-but-all-the-same/)

[Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/)

[Browse all 24,117 Wisdom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I know what’s wrong with me; and knowing your own flaws is the beginning of wisdom.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Gardner R. Dozois"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardner-r-dozois/i-know-what-s-wrong-with-me-and-knowing-your-own-flaws-is-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Wisdom"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardner-r-dozois/i-know-what-s-wrong-with-me-and-knowing-your-own-flaws-is-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/393/gardner-r-dozois-52645_wisdom_i-know-what-s-wrong-with-me-and-knowing_2000710.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/393/gardner-r-dozois-52645_wisdom_i-know-what-s-wrong-with-me-and-knowing_2000710.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/393/gardner-r-dozois-52645_wisdom_i-know-what-s-wrong-with-me-and-knowing_2000710.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I know what’s wrong with me; and knowing your own flaws is the beginning of wisdom.” — Gardner R. Dozois",
                "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": "Gardner R. Dozois",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gardner-r-dozois/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I know what’s wrong with me;...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardner-r-dozois/i-know-what-s-wrong-with-me-and-knowing-your-own-flaws-is-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardner-r-dozois/i-know-what-s-wrong-with-me-and-knowing-your-own-flaws-is-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
