---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's no better way to become a…"
description: "\"There's no better way to become a disintegrated character than to be your own authority.\" — Henry Cloud"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/henry-cloud-1322_authority_there-s-no-better-way-to-become-a-disint_1602504.png"
---

#  There's no better way to become a disintegrated character…

![“There's no better way to become a disintegrated character than to be your own authority.” quote by Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/henry-cloud-1322_authority_there-s-no-better-way-to-become-a-disint_1602504.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/henry-cloud-1322_authority_there-s-no-better-way-to-become-a-disint_1602504.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/henry-cloud-1322_authority_there-s-no-better-way-to-become-a-disint_1602504.png)

> “There's no better way to become a disintegrated character than to be your own authority.”

[Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/)

## About This Quote

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

Self‑authority leads to personal disintegration if not balanced.

**In simple terms:** Being your own boss can break you down.

Key Takeaway

Balance self‑leadership with external guidance.

Themes

self‑leadership authority integrity

Mood

reflective cautious

Type

self‑help psychological

When to use this quote

- career development
- therapy
- leadership training
- spiritual practice

Key Concepts

psychology personal growth

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you check your own biases?
- When should you seek external counsel?

A Different Perspective

Risk of isolation and echo chambers.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Better way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-way/) [Better ways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-ways/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-authority-6096831/) [Disintegrated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disintegrated-292209/) [Disintegrated Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disintegrated-character-6096830/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/)

## Related quotes

> [If you really know how to live, what better way to start the day than with a smile?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/if-you-really-know-how-to-live-what-better-way-to-start-the-day-than/)

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

> [ Innovation is not a big breakthrough invention every time. Innovation is a constant thing. But if you don't have an innovative company \[team\], coming… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/innovation-is-not-a-big-breakthrough-invention-every-time-innovation/)

[Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/)

> [“If there can be a better way for the real world to include the one of images, it will require an ecology not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/if-there-can-be-a-better-way-for-the-real-world-to-include-the-one-of/)

[Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/)

> [Social is a better way to interact with digital world. It is better than search. Implications for... everything. Total change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-milner/social-is-a-better-way-to-interact-with-digital-world-it-is-better/)

[Yuri Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-milner/)

> [I don't think I picked up the guitar in the first place as a way of getting women. There are probably better ways of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-blunt/i-don-t-think-i-picked-up-the-guitar-in-the-first-place-as-a-way-of/)

[James Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-blunt/)

> [For the children and the flowers are my sisters and my brothers, come and stand beside me, we can find a better way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/for-the-children-and-the-flowers-are-my-sisters-and-my-brothers-come/)

[John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/)

> [Progress comes from finding better ways to do things. Don't be afraid of innovation. Don't be afraid of ideas that are not your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crockford/progress-comes-from-finding-better-ways-to-do-things-don-t-be-afraid/)

[Douglas Crockford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crockford/)

> [Punishment by definition isn't going to help. So what you need to do is to help people to change and recover is to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/punishment-by-definition-isn-t-going-to-help-so-what-you-need-to-do/)

[Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/)

> [“Few better ways exist to ensure problems will arise in a given task than by making plans for afterward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-lallo/few-better-ways-exist-to-ensure-problems-will-arise-in-a-given-task/)

[Joseph R. Lallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-lallo/)

> [It was only after I had been out of the art school that I actually copied a small Seurat, and I copied it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-riley/it-was-only-after-i-had-been-out-of-the-art-school-that-i-actually/)

[Bridget Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-riley/)

> [It's a truly disgusting idea that the creator of the universe - capable of inventing the laws of physics and designing the evolutionary process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/it-s-a-truly-disgusting-idea-that-the-creator-of-the-universe-capable/)

[Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/)

> [There never was a tonic that would cure more social ailments than a healthy, happy home. There never was a greater source of social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/there-never-was-a-tonic-that-would-cure-more-social-ailments-than-a/)

[Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/)

> [The answer lies in preventing these failures, not in looking for better ways to fix the people who are failing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/the-answer-lies-in-preventing-these-failures-not-in-looking-for/)

[William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/)

> [I explain at the parties that I believe knitting is a transformative and intriguing act that can change the life and brain of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-pearl-mcphee/i-explain-at-the-parties-that-i-believe-knitting-is-a-transformative/)

[Stephanie Pearl-McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-pearl-mcphee/)

> [Let the Democrates go on making its case for more government control over every aspect of our lives. More taxes to pay. More debt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/let-the-democrates-go-on-making-its-case-for-more-government-control/)

[Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/)

## More by Henry Cloud

> [The amount of truth a relationship can handle is proportional to the amount of perceived love that's present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/the-amount-of-truth-a-relationship-can-handle-is-proportional-to-the/)

[Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/)

> [“Are we paying attention to what is important, inhibiting the things that will not help or will hurt us, and keeping current?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/are-we-paying-attention-to-what-is-important-inhibiting-the-things/)

[Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/)

> [“Neglecting them leads to spiritual and emotional problems; having them met, however, frees us to meet the needs of others cheerfully and without resentment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/neglecting-them-leads-to-spiritual-and-emotional-problems-having-them/)

[Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/)

> [“we need people to whom we can talk and who will understand without invalidating our feelings by saying the following: You shouldn’t feel that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/we-need-people-to-whom-we-can-talk-and-who-will-understand-without/)

[Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/)

> [Leadership is not taken, it is given. People give leadership to those that they trust. They allow people that they trust to have influence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/leadership-is-not-taken-it-is-given-people-give-leadership-to-those/)

[Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/)

> [“What appear to be dangerous and even bad periods in some lives can actually bring them closer to the Lord, because these individuals honestly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/what-appear-to-be-dangerous-and-even-bad-periods-in-some-lives-can/)

[Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/)

> [“We are drawn to Jesus because “he learned obedience from what he suffered” (Heb. 5:8). People who are growing up are also drawn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/we-are-drawn-to-jesus-because-he-learned-obedience-from-what-he/)

[Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/)

> [If you want to become healthy, you have to surround yourself with a group of people that are getting healthy, and you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/if-you-want-to-become-healthy-you-have-to-surround-yourself-with-a/)

[Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/)

> [Dont use all-or-nothing thinking. Take each day as its own day, and dont worry about it if you mess up one day. The most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/dont-use-all-or-nothing-thinking-take-each-day-as-its-own-day-and/)

[Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/)

> [Faith goes beyond reason. It goes beyond what you can see. But it is as real as anything you can touch or feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/faith-goes-beyond-reason-it-goes-beyond-what-you-can-see-but-it-is-as/)

[Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/)

> [Boundaries are basically about providing structure, and structure is essential in building anything that thrives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/boundaries-are-basically-about-providing-structure-and-structure-is/)

[Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/)

> [“Forgiveness and opening up to more abuse are not the same thing. Forgiveness has to do with the past. Reconciliation and boundaries have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/forgiveness-and-opening-up-to-more-abuse-are-not-the-same-thing/)

[Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/)

> [“The old saying, “Don’t get mad. Just get even” isn’t accurate. It’s far better to say, “Don’t get mad. Set a limit!” Myth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/the-old-saying-don-t-get-mad-just-get-even-isn-t-accurate-it-s-far/)

[Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/)

> [“When we fail to express our needs, we remain islands unto ourselves—detached, alone, arrogant, and proud. But when we expose our needs, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/when-we-fail-to-express-our-needs-we-remain-islands-unto-ourselves/)

[Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/)

> [“Receiving forgiveness when we know we’ve truly blown it is a humbling and growth-producing experience. It’s the only thing better than forgiving someone else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/receiving-forgiveness-when-we-know-we-ve-truly-blown-it-is-a-humbling/)

[Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/)

[Explore all 251 Henry Cloud quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/)

## More Authority quotes

> [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/)

[Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/)

> [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/)

[Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/)

> [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/)

[Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/)

> [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/)

[Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/)

> [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/)

[Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/)

> [“I'm of the age and immaturity level that I cannot give you my respect solely because you are older or ranked higher on an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-goros/i-m-of-the-age-and-immaturity-level-that-i-cannot-give-you-my-respect/)

[Erica Goros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-goros/)

> [In the end theologians are jealous of science, for they are aware that it has greater authority than do their own ways of finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/in-the-end-theologians-are-jealous-of-science-for-they-are-aware-that/)

[Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/)

> [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/)

[Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/)

> [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/)

[Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/)

> [The execution was set for the 29th of March, at nine in the morning. This delay was due to a desire on the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-execution-was-set-for-the-29th-of-march-at-nine-in-the-morning/)

[Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/)

> [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/)

[Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/)

> [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/)

[Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/)

> [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. If you would be free, then, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-at-the-mercy-of-whoever-wields-authority-over-the-things-we/)

[Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/)

> [Sometimes it's easier for people who are in authority to be authoritarian, because people know where you stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/sometimes-it-s-easier-for-people-who-are-in-authority-to-be/)

[Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/)

> [The victory of Hamas is not only based on the corruption of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas has a vision and a program, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-haniyeh/the-victory-of-hamas-is-not-only-based-on-the-corruption-of-the/)

[Ismail Haniyeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-haniyeh/)

[Browse all 4,003 Authority quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "There's no better way to become a disintegrated character than to be your own authority.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Henry Cloud"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/there-s-no-better-way-to-become-a-disintegrated-character-than-to-be/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Authority"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/there-s-no-better-way-to-become-a-disintegrated-character-than-to-be/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/henry-cloud-1322_authority_there-s-no-better-way-to-become-a-disint_1602504.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/henry-cloud-1322_authority_there-s-no-better-way-to-become-a-disint_1602504.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/henry-cloud-1322_authority_there-s-no-better-way-to-become-a-disint_1602504.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There's no better way to become a disintegrated character than to be your own authority.” — Henry Cloud",
                "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": "Henry Cloud",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "There's no better way to become...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/there-s-no-better-way-to-become-a-disintegrated-character-than-to-be/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/there-s-no-better-way-to-become-a-disintegrated-character-than-to-be/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
