--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A human being's first responsibility is…" description: "\"A human being's first responsibility is to shake hands with himself.\" — Henry Winkler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d43/henry-winkler-9210_hands_a-human-being-s-first-responsibility-is_1847245.jpg" --- # A human being's first responsibility is to shake hands… ![“A human being's first responsibility is to shake hands with himself.” quote by Henry Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d43/henry-winkler-9210_hands_a-human-being-s-first-responsibility-is_1847245.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d43/henry-winkler-9210_hands_a-human-being-s-first-responsibility-is_1847245.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d43/henry-winkler-9210_hands_a-human-being-s-first-responsibility-is_1847245.jpg) > “A human being's first responsibility is to shake hands with himself.” [Henry Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-winkler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One must first accept oneself before engaging with others. **In simple terms:** Shake hands with yourself first. Key Takeaway Practice self‑acceptance. Themes self‑growth relationships responsibility Mood introspective encouraging Type self‑help philosophical When to use this quote - therapy sessions - team building - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology mindfulness personal development Questions to Reflect On - What does self‑acceptance look like for you? - How can you model it for others? A Different Perspective Self‑acceptance can be fleeting. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Responsibility Shake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility-shake-2398762/) [Shake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shake/) [Shake Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shake-hands/) ## Related quotes > [“The first way not to shake hands is executed by receiving someone’s hand in yours and proceeding to squeeze it tightly, hurting the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/weston-locher/the-first-way-not-to-shake-hands-is-executed-by-receiving-someone-s/) [Weston Locher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/weston-locher/) > [People are always backing up when I'm just going to shake their hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-caan/people-are-always-backing-up-when-i-m-just-going-to-shake-their-hands/) [James Caan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-caan/) > [I shake hands very gladly politically. I don't think you could be a politician if you didn't shake hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-shake-hands-very-gladly-politically-i-don-t-think-you-could-be-a/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“Never shake hands with a scorpion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beau-johnston/never-shake-hands-with-a-scorpion/) [Beau Johnston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beau-johnston/) > [We are all the same person trying to shake hands with our self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wavy-gravy/we-are-all-the-same-person-trying-to-shake-hands-with-our-self/) [Wavy Gravy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wavy-gravy/) > [I shake hands on the first date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nargis-fakhri/i-shake-hands-on-the-first-date/) [Nargis Fakhri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nargis-fakhri/) > [You should not shirk from tough tackles during a training session, but after that you shake hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-de-boer/you-should-not-shirk-from-tough-tackles-during-a-training-session-but/) [Frank de Boer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-de-boer/) > [“None of us offered to shake hands. There was no advantage to letting somebody get hold of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/none-of-us-offered-to-shake-hands-there-was-no-advantage-to-letting/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [I was hesitant to go around and shake hands, just go up and stick my hand out to strangers. Then I learned to stick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-edgar/i-was-hesitant-to-go-around-and-shake-hands-just-go-up-and-stick-my/) [Jim Edgar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-edgar/) > [I'm not extra sensitive to handshakes. 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It is to insist that the human entity remains the primary asset in overall development; thus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/writers-and-intellectuals-have-a-duty-to-humanity-it-is-to-insist/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [During a campaign, the trick is to spend no more than 15 to 30 seconds with anyone and to keep moving so that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/during-a-campaign-the-trick-is-to-spend-no-more-than-15-to-30-seconds/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [Brothers don't shake hands, brothers gotta HUG!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-farley/brothers-don-t-shake-hands-brothers-gotta-hug/) [Chris Farley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-farley/) ## More by Henry Winkler > [In school, I was an underachiever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-winkler/in-school-i-was-an-underachiever/) [Henry Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-winkler/) > [If you clear your mind, you can fill it with your character. If it is cluttered, if it is anxious, if you're thinking about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-winkler/if-you-clear-your-mind-you-can-fill-it-with-your-character-if-it-is/) [Henry Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-winkler/) > [ Somebody said, 'Hey, there is a lull in your career. Why don't you write books about your \[dyslexia\]?' We are currently writing our 34th… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-winkler/somebody-said-hey-there-is-a-lull-in-your-career-why-don-t-you-write/) [Henry Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-winkler/) > [Wes Craven is a wonderful friend, and we had a really good time together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-winkler/wes-craven-is-a-wonderful-friend-and-we-had-a-really-good-time/) [Henry Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-winkler/) > [“Your mind knows only somethings. Your inner voice, your instinct, knows everything. 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Couldn't do math, spell, or tell left from right - left was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-winkler/i-was-dyslexic-and-didn-t-know-it-until-i-was-31-couldn-t-do-math/) [Henry Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-winkler/) [Explore all 74 Henry Winkler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-winkler/) ## More Hands quotes > [When I passed the Chancellor he arose, waved his hand at me, and I waved back at him. I think the writers showed bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/when-i-passed-the-chancellor-he-arose-waved-his-hand-at-me-and-i/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. 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Sometimes you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-davis/i-always-step-on-the-plane-with-my-right-foot-and-touch-the-outside/) [Hope Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-davis/) > [If one truly has lost hope, one would not be on hand to say so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bentley/if-one-truly-has-lost-hope-one-would-not-be-on-hand-to-say-so/) [Eric Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bentley/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. 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