--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since we think about ourselves so much of…" description: "\"Since we think about ourselves so much of the time, it is comforting to assume ... that we really know the score… [But] this is not an easy assignment...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3b/gordon-allport-29384_assignments_since-we-think-about-ourselves-so-much-o_1110919.jpg" --- # Since we think about ourselves so much of the time, it is… ![“Since we think about ourselves so much of the time, it is comforting to assume ... that we really know the score… [But] this is not an easy assignment. [As] Santayana wrote, 'Nothing requires a rarer intellectual heroism than willingness to see one's equation written out.'” quote by Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3b/gordon-allport-29384_assignments_since-we-think-about-ourselves-so-much-o_1110919.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3b/gordon-allport-29384_assignments_since-we-think-about-ourselves-so-much-o_1110919.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3b/gordon-allport-29384_assignments_since-we-think-about-ourselves-so-much-o_1110919.jpg) > “Since we think about ourselves so much of the time, it is comforting to assume ... that we really know the score… \[But\] this is not an easy assignment. \[As\] Santayana wrote, 'Nothing requires a rarer intellectual heroism than willingness to see one's equation written out.'” [Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-allport/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑knowledge is difficult; true intellectual courage lies in confronting one’s own biases and assumptions. **In simple terms:** Knowing yourself is hard but brave. Key Takeaway Pursue honest self‑examination. Themes self‑awareness intellectual humility philosophy psychology Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - academic research - leadership development Key Concepts critical self‑reflection epistemic courage personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What biases are you willing to confront? - How does humility affect learning? A Different Perspective Self‑analysis can be uncomfortable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comforting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comforting/) [Heroism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroism/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Willingness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willingness/) ## Related quotes > [“The United States, the Spanish-American writer George Santayana wrote, ‘has always thought itself in an eminent sense the land of freedom, even when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-mishra/the-united-states-the-spanish-american-writer-george-santayana-wrote/) [Pankaj Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-mishra/) > [They told me I didn't understand the assignment, I told them they didn't understand life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/they-told-me-i-didn-t-understand-the-assignment-i-told-them-they-didn/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [My paintings are about light, about the way things look in their environment and especially about how things look painted. Form, colour and space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-goings/my-paintings-are-about-light-about-the-way-things-look-in-their/) Ralph Goings > [I remember when I was in art classes, I hated following the assignments. And I would get in trouble for doing something totally different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chang-rae-lee/i-remember-when-i-was-in-art-classes-i-hated-following-the/) [Chang-Rae Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chang-rae-lee/) > [For some time I have been disturbed by the way the CIA has been diverted from its original assignment. It has become an operational…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/for-some-time-i-have-been-disturbed-by-the-way-the-cia-has-been/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Even with an assignment, I take over, I find a freedom and make the idea my own, and that's where you get the sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-d-ambrosio/even-with-an-assignment-i-take-over-i-find-a-freedom-and-make-the/) [Charles D'Ambrosio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-d-ambrosio/) > [I've always been creative verbally, had a flair, my teachers said - wrote great expository essays in elementary school, scribbled little poems, embraced all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/i-ve-always-been-creative-verbally-had-a-flair-my-teachers-said-wrote/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [Just how we fit into the plans of the Great Architect and how much he has assigned us to do we do not know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-andrews-millikan/just-how-we-fit-into-the-plans-of-the-great-architect-and-how-much-he/) [Robert Andrews Millikan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-andrews-millikan/) > [We were called, male and female, to do great works with separate approaches and separate assignments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-faust/we-were-called-male-and-female-to-do-great-works-with-separate/) [James E. Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-faust/) > [From the beginning, we failed to overcome Europe's division. The Berlin Wall fell, but invisible walls were moved to the East of Europe. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/from-the-beginning-we-failed-to-overcome-europe-s-division-the-berlin/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Because God wants to take you in ever-increasing measures to know Him. And the only way you can know Him is by experiencing Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-blackaby/because-god-wants-to-take-you-in-ever-increasing-measures-to-know-him/) [Henry Blackaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-blackaby/) > [Are you on the eve of change? Embrace it. Accept it. Don't resist it. Change is not only a part of life, change is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/are-you-on-the-eve-of-change-embrace-it-accept-it-don-t-resist-it/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [Do not delegate an assignment and then attempt to manage it yourself - you will make an enemy of the overruled subordinate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wess-roberts/do-not-delegate-an-assignment-and-then-attempt-to-manage-it-yourself/) [Wess Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wess-roberts/) > [Men often joke about this assignment (I Peter 3:7): 'Who can understand a woman?' God has answered the question loud and clear. You can.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stu-weber/men-often-joke-about-this-assignment-i-peter-3-7-who-can-understand-a/) [Stu Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stu-weber/) > [Listen, I have a great affection and respect for Joe Biden. I think he's been a great vice president. He's taken on a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/listen-i-have-a-great-affection-and-respect-for-joe-biden-i-think-he/) [David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/) ## More by Gordon Allport > [The specific goals we set for ourselves are almost always subsidiary to our long range intentions. A good parent, a good neighbour, a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-allport/the-specific-goals-we-set-for-ourselves-are-almost-always-subsidiary/) [Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-allport/) > [The mature religious sentiment is ordinarily fashioned in the workshop of doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-allport/the-mature-religious-sentiment-is-ordinarily-fashioned-in-the/) [Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-allport/) > [The theist is persuaded that while nothing that contradicts science is likely to be true, still nothing that stops with science can be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-allport/the-theist-is-persuaded-that-while-nothing-that-contradicts-science/) [Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-allport/) > [Life is too short so we must generalize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-allport/life-is-too-short-so-we-must-generalize/) [Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-allport/) > [Personality is and does something...It is what lies behind specific acts and within the individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-allport/personality-is-and-does-something-it-is-what-lies-behind-specific/) [Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-allport/) > [ The dog \[in Pavlov's experiments\] does not continue to salivate whenever it hears a bell unless sometimes at least an edible offering accompanies the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-allport/the-dog-in-pavlov-s-experiments-does-not-continue-to-salivate/) [Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-allport/) > [The scientist, by the very nature of his commitment, creates more and more questions, never fewer. Indeed the measure of our intellectual maturity, one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-allport/the-scientist-by-the-very-nature-of-his-commitment-creates-more-and/) [Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-allport/) > [People who are aware of, and ashamed of, their prejudices are well on the road to eliminating them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-allport/people-who-are-aware-of-and-ashamed-of-their-prejudices-are-well-on/) [Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-allport/) > [If a person is capable of rectifying his erroneous judgments in the light of new evidence he is not prejudiced. Prejudgments become prejudices only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-allport/if-a-person-is-capable-of-rectifying-his-erroneous-judgments-in-the/) [Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-allport/) > [Love received and love given comprise the best form of therapy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-allport/love-received-and-love-given-comprise-the-best-form-of-therapy/) [Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-allport/) > [If there is a purpose in life at all, there must be a purpose in suffering and in dying. But no man can tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-allport/if-there-is-a-purpose-in-life-at-all-there-must-be-a-purpose-in/) [Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-allport/) > [Reason adapts impulses and beliefs into the real world; rationalization, on the other hand, adapts the concept of reality to the impulses and beliefs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-allport/reason-adapts-impulses-and-beliefs-into-the-real-world/) [Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-allport/) > [Many studies have discovered a close link between prejudice and "patriotism" . . . Extreme bigots are almost always super-patriots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-allport/many-studies-have-discovered-a-close-link-between-prejudice-and/) [Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-allport/) > [There is a story of an Oxford student who once remarked, "I despise all Americans, but have never met one I didn't like."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-allport/there-is-a-story-of-an-oxford-student-who-once-remarked-i-despise-all/) [Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-allport/) > [Prejudgments become prejudices only if they are not reversible when exposed to new knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-allport/prejudgments-become-prejudices-only-if-they-are-not-reversible-when/) [Gordon Allport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-allport/) [Explore all 18 Gordon Allport quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-allport/) ## More Assignments quotes > [Listen, I have a great affection and respect for Joe Biden. I think he's been a great vice president. He's taken on a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/listen-i-have-a-great-affection-and-respect-for-joe-biden-i-think-he/) [David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/) > [Men often joke about this assignment (I Peter 3:7): 'Who can understand a woman?' God has answered the question loud and clear. You can.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stu-weber/men-often-joke-about-this-assignment-i-peter-3-7-who-can-understand-a/) [Stu Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stu-weber/) > [Do not delegate an assignment and then attempt to manage it yourself - you will make an enemy of the overruled subordinate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wess-roberts/do-not-delegate-an-assignment-and-then-attempt-to-manage-it-yourself/) [Wess Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wess-roberts/) > [Are you on the eve of change? Embrace it. Accept it. Don't resist it. Change is not only a part of life, change is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/are-you-on-the-eve-of-change-embrace-it-accept-it-don-t-resist-it/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [Because God wants to take you in ever-increasing measures to know Him. And the only way you can know Him is by experiencing Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-blackaby/because-god-wants-to-take-you-in-ever-increasing-measures-to-know-him/) [Henry Blackaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-blackaby/) > [From the beginning, we failed to overcome Europe's division. The Berlin Wall fell, but invisible walls were moved to the East of Europe. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/from-the-beginning-we-failed-to-overcome-europe-s-division-the-berlin/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [We were called, male and female, to do great works with separate approaches and separate assignments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-faust/we-were-called-male-and-female-to-do-great-works-with-separate/) [James E. Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-faust/) > [Just how we fit into the plans of the Great Architect and how much he has assigned us to do we do not know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-andrews-millikan/just-how-we-fit-into-the-plans-of-the-great-architect-and-how-much-he/) [Robert Andrews Millikan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-andrews-millikan/) > [I've always been creative verbally, had a flair, my teachers said - wrote great expository essays in elementary school, scribbled little poems, embraced all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/i-ve-always-been-creative-verbally-had-a-flair-my-teachers-said-wrote/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [Even with an assignment, I take over, I find a freedom and make the idea my own, and that's where you get the sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-d-ambrosio/even-with-an-assignment-i-take-over-i-find-a-freedom-and-make-the/) [Charles D'Ambrosio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-d-ambrosio/) > [For some time I have been disturbed by the way the CIA has been diverted from its original assignment. It has become an operational…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/for-some-time-i-have-been-disturbed-by-the-way-the-cia-has-been/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [I remember when I was in art classes, I hated following the assignments. And I would get in trouble for doing something totally different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chang-rae-lee/i-remember-when-i-was-in-art-classes-i-hated-following-the/) [Chang-Rae Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chang-rae-lee/) > [My paintings are about light, about the way things look in their environment and especially about how things look painted. Form, colour and space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-goings/my-paintings-are-about-light-about-the-way-things-look-in-their/) Ralph Goings > [They told me I didn't understand the assignment, I told them they didn't understand life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/they-told-me-i-didn-t-understand-the-assignment-i-told-them-they-didn/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I don't read for amusement, I read for enlightenment. I do a lot of reviewing, so I have a steady assignment of reading. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-don-t-read-for-amusement-i-read-for-enlightenment-i-do-a-lot-of/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) Browse all 278 Assignments quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Since we think about ourselves so much of the time, it is comforting to assume ... that we really know the score… [But] this is not an easy assignment. 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