--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fortunately, all you have to get rid of…" description: "\"“Fortunately, all you have to get rid of is the illusion. People think they have to get rid of the small self in order to become Self-realized, but tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/jan-esmann-107895_identity_fortunately-all-you-have-to-get-rid-of-i_1499447.jpg" --- # Fortunately, all you have to get rid of is the illusion… ![“Fortunately, all you have to get rid of is the illusion. People think they have to get rid of the small self in order to become Self-realized, but that is not so. Since they identify with the small self, they are beggars living their lives solely to get one acknowledgment of their egos. But the…” quote by Jan Esmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/jan-esmann-107895_identity_fortunately-all-you-have-to-get-rid-of-i_1499447.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/jan-esmann-107895_identity_fortunately-all-you-have-to-get-rid-of-i_1499447.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/jan-esmann-107895_identity_fortunately-all-you-have-to-get-rid-of-i_1499447.jpg) > ““Fortunately, all you have to get rid of is the illusion. People think they have to get rid of the small self in order to become Self-realized, but that is not so. Since they identify with the small self, they are beggars living their lives solely to get one acknowledgment of their egos. But the sad trap is that the more they get, the higher they think of themselves, and the more they identify with the small self.”” Jan Esmann ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Argues that clinging to egoic identity creates suffering; true self‑realization requires transcending it **In simple terms:** Letting go of ego reveals authentic self Key Takeaway Practice self‑inquiry and humility Themes identity ego spirituality self‑realization illusion Mood contemplative calm Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - meditation retreats - spiritual counseling - personal growth workshops - mindful living Key Concepts non‑dual philosophy mindfulness psychology of self Questions to Reflect On - How does ego protect you? - What steps help dissolve the small self? A Different Perspective Ego may provide a sense of safety, making release hard ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [The self of which you speak, whether it is the great self or the small self, is only a concept that does not correspond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-self-of-which-you-speak-whether-it-is-the-great-self-or-the-small/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [We can believe we are being self-reliant and independent, and yet there is still clearly an overarching destiny, a Great Maker. So when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/we-can-believe-we-are-being-self-reliant-and-independent-and-yet/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [“I will still feel some importance in altering the room, because there you were, the pastiche of some lovely distant star as I surrounded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-burkard/i-will-still-feel-some-importance-in-altering-the-room-because-there/) [Michael Burkard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-burkard/) > [Fling away your soul once for all, your own small self; if you will find it again. Count not even on immortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/fling-away-your-soul-once-for-all-your-own-small-self-if-you-will/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [To live and breathe with an exclusive focus on one's small self, disconnected from the whole, is the definition of egotism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/to-live-and-breathe-with-an-exclusive-focus-on-one-s-small-self/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [I'd like to get something small and self-generated in before Black Rock has whatever life that it has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-aselton/i-d-like-to-get-something-small-and-self-generated-in-before-black/) [Katie Aselton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-aselton/) > [“Let go of your small self and become your true self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuaki-tanahashi/let-go-of-your-small-self-and-become-your-true-self/) [Kazuaki Tanahashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuaki-tanahashi/) > [Our prayers may be an index of how small and self-centered our world is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/our-prayers-may-be-an-index-of-how-small-and-self-centered-our-world/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [God dwells in you, as you, and you don't have to 'do' anything to be God-realized or Self-realized, it is already your true and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/god-dwells-in-you-as-you-and-you-don-t-have-to-do-anything-to-be-god/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [“I’ is your own Self, only this much is to be ‘realized’!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/i-is-your-own-self-only-this-much-is-to-be-realized/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [To realize the Self involves an action, it implies that there is something to realize, that there is time, a temporal world, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/to-realize-the-self-involves-an-action-it-implies-that-there-is/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“It's improbable for me to become lost, because I am already self-realized. A blank scene is a portrait of a glass kingdom to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-suggs/it-s-improbable-for-me-to-become-lost-because-i-am-already-self/) [Lionel Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-suggs/) > [One who explores and knows all aspects of his life, is called self-realized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaggi-vasudev/one-who-explores-and-knows-all-aspects-of-his-life-is-called-self/) [Jaggi Vasudev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaggi-vasudev/) > [“Only he who is constantly aware of the mortal nature of his existence, who knows that the flesh and blood that he carries is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadhguru/only-he-who-is-constantly-aware-of-the-mortal-nature-of-his-existence/) [Sadhguru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadhguru/) > [A Self-realized person does not depend on anybody except God for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kavinder-kanwar/a-self-realized-person-does-not-depend-on-anybody-except-god-for/) [Kavinder Kanwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kavinder-kanwar/) ## More by Jan Esmann > [“No, on the contrary! In enlightenment you have freed yourself of any sense of “I”, and you certainly have not evolved into an enlightened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-esmann/no-on-the-contrary-in-enlightenment-you-have-freed-yourself-of-any/) Jan Esmann Explore all 2 Jan Esmann quotes ## More Identity quotes > [I don't doubt that straight white men have identity issues and identity complexes and struggle with defining themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/i-don-t-doubt-that-straight-white-men-have-identity-issues-and/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. 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