--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Heroes must see to their own fame. No one…" description: "\"“Heroes must see to their own fame. No one else will.”\" — Gore Vidal" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c75/gore-vidal-466_fame_heroes-must-see-to-their-own-fame-no-one_2878678.jpg" --- # Heroes must see to their own fame. No one else will. ![“Heroes must see to their own fame. No one else will.” quote by Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c75/gore-vidal-466_fame_heroes-must-see-to-their-own-fame-no-one_2878678.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c75/gore-vidal-466_fame_heroes-must-see-to-their-own-fame-no-one_2878678.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c75/gore-vidal-466_fame_heroes-must-see-to-their-own-fame-no-one_2878678.jpg) > ““Heroes must see to their own fame. No one else will.”” [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fame is self‑generated; relying on others for recognition is futile. **In simple terms:** Seek personal validation, not external applause. Key Takeaway Cultivate internal standards of success. Themes fame self‑reliance ego Mood reflective serious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - creative work - personal branding Key Concepts self‑validation personal ambition public perception Questions to Reflect On - What internal metrics define your success? - How do you balance ambition with humility? A Different Perspective External validation can be fleeting and unreliable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Heroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroes/) [Heroes Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroes-fame-3977614/) [Self promotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-promotion/) ## Related quotes > [Virtue has her heroes too As well as Fame and Fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/virtue-has-her-heroes-too-as-well-as-fame-and-fortune/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [Don't ever make the mistake with people like me thinking we are looking for heroes. There aren't any and if there were, they would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/don-t-ever-make-the-mistake-with-people-like-me-thinking-we-are/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Don't think of your website as a self-promotion machine, think of it as a self-invention machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/don-t-think-of-your-website-as-a-self-promotion-machine-think-of-it/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Social media is much more than self-promotion. It is a two-way street, a set of tools that allow you to reach out to people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cendrine-marrouat/social-media-is-much-more-than-self-promotion-it-is-a-two-way-street/) [Cendrine Marrouat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cendrine-marrouat/) > [“The individual home page, of which there must now be millions, is an act of self-expression and self-promotion that recalls several earlier forms, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-david-bolter/the-individual-home-page-of-which-there-must-now-be-millions-is-an/) [Jay David Bolter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-david-bolter/) > [The favor of God does not bless self-promotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/the-favor-of-god-does-not-bless-self-promotion/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [“I’ve said it before, and by gosh, I’ll say it again — don’t be afraid to toot your own horn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emlyn-chand/i-ve-said-it-before-and-by-gosh-i-ll-say-it-again-don-t-be-afraid-to/) [Emlyn Chand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emlyn-chand/) > [We're so very focused on ourselves and on self-promotion. It goes on all day with Facebook and Twitter and Instagram.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-jo-sales/we-re-so-very-focused-on-ourselves-and-on-self-promotion-it-goes-on/) [Nancy Jo Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-jo-sales/) > [Leaders are not modest, and more importantly, the extensive social science research on narcissism, self-promotion, and similar constructs shows that these qualities and behaviors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/leaders-are-not-modest-and-more-importantly-the-extensive-social/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [I do retweet some of the things that people say about the things I've done, but I don't necessarily want to use it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-gordon/i-do-retweet-some-of-the-things-that-people-say-about-the-things-i-ve/) [Kim Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-gordon/) > [I've used the Internet since I was in high school - it was my tool for self-promotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffree-star/i-ve-used-the-internet-since-i-was-in-high-school-it-was-my-tool-for/) [Jeffree Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffree-star/) > [“No such private nights of ecstasy or hushed-up drinking and sex orgies ever occurred. They might have occurred if either General Dreedle or General…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-heller/no-such-private-nights-of-ecstasy-or-hushed-up-drinking-and-sex/) [Joseph Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-heller/) > [I think the paparazzi is a necessary evil...and if ya don't like it, and ya don't want to do this, go to Iowa and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-o-grady/i-think-the-paparazzi-is-a-necessary-evil-and-if-ya-don-t-like-it-and/) [Gail O'Grady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-o-grady/) > [The best self promotion is your next book. And the book after that and after that …](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-andre/the-best-self-promotion-is-your-next-book-and-the-book-after-that-and/) [Bella Andre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-andre/) > [It's funny: I spend time in the book criticizing social media, but I'm also aware that a lot of my success is because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-stolz/it-s-funny-i-spend-time-in-the-book-criticizing-social-media-but-i-m/) [Kim Stolz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-stolz/) ## More by Gore Vidal > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Many people in the United States happen to believe that United States policy is wrong in Vietnam and the Vietcong are correct in wanting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/many-people-in-the-united-states-happen-to-believe-that-united-states/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“It is curious how little interested we are in the sexual desires of those who do not attract us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-little-interested-we-are-in-the-sexual-desires-of/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/style-is-knowing-who-you-are-what-you-want-to-say-and-not-giving-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The oligarchs think that the people are both dangerous and stupid. Their point is moot. But we do know that the oligarchs are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-oligarchs-think-that-the-people-are-both-dangerous-and-stupid/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [It is curious how often one prefers his enemies to his friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-often-one-prefers-his-enemies-to-his-friends/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action: you liberate a city by destroying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/as-societies-grow-decadent-the-language-grows-decadent-too-words-are/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Rome ... at its most decadent, had never thought of hiring an actor to go through the motions of being an emperor while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/rome-at-its-most-decadent-had-never-thought-of-hiring-an-actor-to-go/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [History is nothing but gossip about the past, with the hope that it might be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/history-is-nothing-but-gossip-about-the-past-with-the-hope-that-it/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The malady of civilized man is his knowledge of death. The good artist, like the wise man, addresses himself to life and invests with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-malady-of-civilized-man-is-his-knowledge-of-death-the-good-artist/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Sex is a continuum. You go through different phases along life's way... and if you don't, you've been sort of cheated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/sex-is-a-continuum-you-go-through-different-phases-along-life-s-way/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [All I want is that Americans still be able to read the alphabet in a hundred years. I am not very ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/all-i-want-is-that-americans-still-be-able-to-read-the-alphabet-in-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I do not admire 'the people,' as such. No one really does. Their folk wisdom is usually false, their instincts predatory. Even their sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-do-not-admire-the-people-as-such-no-one-really-does-their-folk/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“One of the problems of a society as tightly controlled as ours is that we get so little information about what those of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/one-of-the-problems-of-a-society-as-tightly-controlled-as-ours-is/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) [Explore all 539 Gore Vidal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## More Fame quotes > [Most celebrated men live in a condition of prostitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/most-celebrated-men-live-in-a-condition-of-prostitution/) [Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) > [Some people say that 'Drag Race' is about glory and immortalizing yourself in the Hall of Fame. For me, it's about shaking RuPaul down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trixie-mattel/some-people-say-that-drag-race-is-about-glory-and-immortalizing/) [Trixie Mattel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trixie-mattel/) > [The News of the World made me more famous than being in Atomic Kitten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/the-news-of-the-world-made-me-more-famous-than-being-in-atomic-kitten/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [Five World Series rings, 3000-plus hits, the fame, the fortune and playing for the second most historic franchise in baseball... These are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/five-world-series-rings-3000-plus-hits-the-fame-the-fortune-and/) [Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/) > [There's nothing like getting feedback that's positive and supportive. That's what I'm all about. I'm really just genuinely doing good music. I'm not looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-villarreal/there-s-nothing-like-getting-feedback-that-s-positive-and-supportive/) [Tiffany Villarreal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-villarreal/) > [Don't crave fame, do what you do and just apply. I don't think many of them here today are that interested in fashion. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-wilson/don-t-crave-fame-do-what-you-do-and-just-apply-i-don-t-think-many-of/) [Louise Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-wilson/) > [If I had never gotten famous or rich, I think I'd be equally neurotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/if-i-had-never-gotten-famous-or-rich-i-think-i-d-be-equally-neurotic/) [Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/) > [Unfortunately, celebrity is a powerful thing. It can influence people, but if it can influence people in a good way, then that's a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-furnish/unfortunately-celebrity-is-a-powerful-thing-it-can-influence-people/) [David Furnish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-furnish/) > [I think you either live a real life or you live a weird celebrity pseudolife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-michelle-gellar/i-think-you-either-live-a-real-life-or-you-live-a-weird-celebrity/) [Sarah Michelle Gellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-michelle-gellar/) > [I am uninterested in Jennifer Aniston's take on anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dillon/i-am-uninterested-in-jennifer-aniston-s-take-on-anything/) [Tim Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dillon/) > [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [I don't want to have anything to do with that: just the fame without personal respect for your privacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-till/i-don-t-want-to-have-anything-to-do-with-that-just-the-fame-without/) [Lucas Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-till/) > [I wanted to have money; I wanted to be special; I wanted people to like me; I wanted to be famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-wanted-to-have-money-i-wanted-to-be-special-i-wanted-people-to-like/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) [Browse all 6,971 Fame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Heroes must see to their own fame. 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