--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If men wish to be held in esteem, they…" description: "\"If men wish to be held in esteem, they must associate with those only who are estimable.\" — Jean de la Bruyere" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_associates_if-men-wish-to-be-held-in-esteem-they-mu_2794243.png" --- # If men wish to be held in esteem, they must associate with… ![“If men wish to be held in esteem, they must associate with those only who are estimable.” quote by Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_associates_if-men-wish-to-be-held-in-esteem-they-mu_2794243.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_associates_if-men-wish-to-be-held-in-esteem-they-mu_2794243.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_associates_if-men-wish-to-be-held-in-esteem-they-mu_2794243.png) > “If men wish to be held in esteem, they must associate with those only who are estimable.” [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People gain respect by surrounding themselves with respectable individuals. **In simple terms:** Respect comes from good company. Key Takeaway Choose admirable companions. Themes esteem association character Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - networking - leadership - personal development - community building Key Concepts social influence reputation virtue Questions to Reflect On - Who in your circle exemplifies the values you admire? - How can you seek out more estimable company? A Different Perspective If you lack respectable peers, you may struggle to earn esteem. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/esteem/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [If you wish to be held in esteem, you must ssociate only with those who estimable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/if-you-wish-to-be-held-in-esteem-you-must-ssociate-only-with-those/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [I would be very proud if, one day, I'm held in the same esteem as George Best or Beckham. It's what I'm working hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiano-ronaldo/i-would-be-very-proud-if-one-day-i-m-held-in-the-same-esteem-as/) [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiano-ronaldo/) > [“they Whatever can make life truly happy is absolutely good in its own right because it cannot be warped into evil From whence then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/they-whatever-can-make-life-truly-happy-is-absolutely-good-in-its-own/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [Men who wish to know about the world must learn about it in its particular details.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/men-who-wish-to-know-about-the-world-must-learn-about-it-in-its/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [Men despise one another and flatter one another; and men wish to raise themselves above one another, and crouch before one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/men-despise-one-another-and-flatter-one-another-and-men-wish-to-raise/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Young men wish for : money,sex,and weed . One day, they'll pray for: health, love and long life when its all said and done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frenchqueen/young-men-wish-for-money-sex-and-weed-one-day-they-ll-pray-for-health/) Frenchqueen > [Here the ways of men part: if you wish to strive for peace of soul and pleasure, then believe; if you wish to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/here-the-ways-of-men-part-if-you-wish-to-strive-for-peace-of-soul-and/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Young men wish; love, money and health. One day, they'll say; health, money and love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-geraldy/young-men-wish-love-money-and-health-one-day-they-ll-say-health-money/) Paul Geraldy > [Few men desire liberty; most men wish only for a just master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sallust/few-men-desire-liberty-most-men-wish-only-for-a-just-master/) [Sallust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sallust/) > [All men wish to have truth on their side; but few to be on the side of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/all-men-wish-to-have-truth-on-their-side-but-few-to-be-on-the-side-of/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [“The gods are blind. And men see only what they wish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-gods-are-blind-and-men-see-only-what-they-wish/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [The wish to acquire is in truth very natural and common, and men always do so when they can.but when they cannot do so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/the-wish-to-acquire-is-in-truth-very-natural-and-common-and-men/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [I wish we lived in a world where how you looked or what you wore wasn't an issue for men or women, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/i-wish-we-lived-in-a-world-where-how-you-looked-or-what-you-wore-wasn/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [Men wish to be saved from the mischiefs of their vices, but not from their vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/men-wish-to-be-saved-from-the-mischiefs-of-their-vices-but-not-from/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Young men wish always to dream of what they have lost." "And old men?" "Of what they have not found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berlinski/young-men-wish-always-to-dream-of-what-they-have-lost-and-old-men-of/) [David Berlinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berlinski/) ## More by Jean de la Bruyere > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [The unfaithful woman, if she is known for such by the person concerned, is only unfaithful. If she is thought faithful, she is perfidious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-unfaithful-woman-if-she-is-known-for-such-by-the-person-concerned/) [Jean De La Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [What greater weakness can there be than not to know what is the source of one's being, of one's life, of one's senses, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/what-greater-weakness-can-there-be-than-not-to-know-what-is-the/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Some people pretend they never were in love and never wrote poetry; two weaknesses which they dare not own -- one of the heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/some-people-pretend-they-never-were-in-love-and-never-wrote-poetry/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [How much wit, good-nature, indulgences, how many good offices and civilities, are required among friends to accomplish in some years what a lovely face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/how-much-wit-good-nature-indulgences-how-many-good-offices-and/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [A man starts upon a sudden, takes Pen, Ink, and Paper, and without ever having had a thought of it before, resolves within himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-man-starts-upon-a-sudden-takes-pen-ink-and-paper-and-without-ever/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Born merely for the purpose of digestion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/born-merely-for-the-purpose-of-digestion/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [A man of variable mind is not one man, but several men in one; he multiplies himself as often as he changes his taste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-man-of-variable-mind-is-not-one-man-but-several-men-in-one-he/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [He who knows how to wait for what he desires does not feel very desperate if he fails in obtaining it; and he, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/he-who-knows-how-to-wait-for-what-he-desires-does-not-feel-very/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [The court is like a palace built of marble; I mean that it is made up of very hard but very polished people. \[Fr.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-court-is-like-a-palace-built-of-marble-i-mean-that-it-is-made-up/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Grief that is dazed and speechless is out of fashion: the modern woman mourns her husband loudly and tells you the whole story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/grief-that-is-dazed-and-speechless-is-out-of-fashion-the-modern-woman/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Every hour in itself, as it respects us in particular, is the only one we can call our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/every-hour-in-itself-as-it-respects-us-in-particular-is-the-only-one/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [To express truth is to write naturally, forcibly, and delicately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/to-express-truth-is-to-write-naturally-forcibly-and-delicately/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [We perceive wen love begins and wen it declines by our embarrassment when alone together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/we-perceive-wen-love-begins-and-wen-it-declines-by-our-embarrassment/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [I call those men worldly, earthly, or coarse, whose hearts and minds are wholly fixed on this earth, that small part of the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-call-those-men-worldly-earthly-or-coarse-whose-hearts-and-minds-are/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) [Explore all 464 Jean de la Bruyere quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) ## More Associates quotes > [ The young man \[Turgot\] destined for an ecclesiastical career was placed within walls carefully designed to keep out all currents of new thought; his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dickson-white/the-young-man-turgot-destined-for-an-ecclesiastical-career-was-placed/) [Andrew Dickson White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dickson-white/) > [A free society depends upon a high degree of mutual trust. The public will not give that trust to officials who are not seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/a-free-society-depends-upon-a-high-degree-of-mutual-trust-the-public/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) > [Deliver me from all evildoers that talk nothing but sickness and failure. Grant me the companionship of men who think success and men who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/deliver-me-from-all-evildoers-that-talk-nothing-but-sickness-and/) [William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/) > [I wanted to be a painter and an artist. And it's interesting that in some of my later musical works, I refer so often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunther-schuller/i-wanted-to-be-a-painter-and-an-artist-and-it-s-interesting-that-in/) [Gunther Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gunther-schuller/) > [I don't wear makeup. I don't wash my hair every day. It's not something that I associate with myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mila-kunis/i-don-t-wear-makeup-i-don-t-wash-my-hair-every-day-it-s-not-something/) [Mila Kunis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mila-kunis/) > [You can't really come into a concept record objectively, because you immediately associate it with Yes, stuff from the 1970s that punk rock kicked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-meloy/you-can-t-really-come-into-a-concept-record-objectively-because-you/) [Colin Meloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-meloy/) > [“Some of our friends are our friends only because we used to be friends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-of-our-friends-are-our-friends-only-because-we-used-to-be-friends/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [In social networks, you gain and bestow status through those you associate with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/in-social-networks-you-gain-and-bestow-status-through-those-you/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [Men take on the nature and the habits and the power of thought of those with whom they associate in a spirit of sympathy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/men-take-on-the-nature-and-the-habits-and-the-power-of-thought-of/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-less-you-associate-with-some-people-the-more-your-life-will/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [No adversity is in kind or degree peculiar to us; but if we survey the conditions of other men (of our brethren everywhere, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-barrow/no-adversity-is-in-kind-or-degree-peculiar-to-us-but-if-we-survey-the/) [Isaac Barrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-barrow/) > [Tantra is not sexual yoga. 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But even more profitable is the privilege of taking the golden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-d-brandeis/the-goose-that-lays-golden-eggs-has-been-considered-a-most-valuable/) [Louis D. Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-d-brandeis/) Browse all 471 Associates quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If men wish to be held in esteem, they must associate with those only who are estimable.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean de la Bruyere" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/if-men-wish-to-be-held-in-esteem-they-must-associate-with-those-only/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Associates" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/if-men-wish-to-be-held-in-esteem-they-must-associate-with-those-only/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_associates_if-men-wish-to-be-held-in-esteem-they-mu_2794243.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_associates_if-men-wish-to-be-held-in-esteem-they-mu_2794243.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/jean-de-la-bruyere-575_associates_if-men-wish-to-be-held-in-esteem-they-mu_2794243.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If men wish to be held in esteem, they must associate with those only who are estimable.” — Jean de la Bruyere", "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": "Jean de la Bruyere", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If men wish to be held...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/if-men-wish-to-be-held-in-esteem-they-must-associate-with-those-only/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/if-men-wish-to-be-held-in-esteem-they-must-associate-with-those-only/#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 } } ] } ```