--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greatest disappointment is when you…" description: "\"The greatest disappointment is when you let yourself down.\" — Jenny Holzer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c3/jenny-holzer-3328_disappointment_the-greatest-disappointment-is-when-you_1265528.png" --- # The greatest disappointment is when you let yourself down. ![“The greatest disappointment is when you let yourself down.” quote by Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c3/jenny-holzer-3328_disappointment_the-greatest-disappointment-is-when-you_1265528.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c3/jenny-holzer-3328_disappointment_the-greatest-disappointment-is-when-you_1265528.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c3/jenny-holzer-3328_disappointment_the-greatest-disappointment-is-when-you_1265528.png) > “The greatest disappointment is when you let yourself down.” [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑disappointment arises when you fail to meet your own expectations. **In simple terms:** Letting yourself down hurts. Key Takeaway Hold yourself accountable and set realistic goals. Themes self‑esteem failure accountability Mood thoughtful encouraging Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career setbacks - academic performance - relationship expectations - health goals Key Concepts psychology personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What standards do you set for yourself? - How can you recover after a personal let‑down? A Different Perspective Self‑criticism can become paralyzing if not balanced with self‑compassion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) ## Related quotes > [Enlightenment is your ego's greatest disappointment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/enlightenment-is-your-ego-s-greatest-disappointment/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [My greatest disappointment is that I believe that those of us who went through the war and tried to write about it, about their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/my-greatest-disappointment-is-that-i-believe-that-those-of-us-who/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [ \[Not achieving a nuclear test ban\] would have to be classed as the greatest disappointment of any administration of any decade, of any time… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/not-achieving-a-nuclear-test-ban-would-have-to-be-classed-as-the/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [I would probably confess that I was the greatest disappointment of my mother's life, but my father only admired his son's moxie, drive, hustle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-heyman/i-would-probably-confess-that-i-was-the-greatest-disappointment-of-my/) [Paul Heyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-heyman/) > [“Your greatest disappointment will often lead you to your greatest appointment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-burkmenn/your-greatest-disappointment-will-often-lead-you-to-your-greatest/) [Chris Burkmenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-burkmenn/) > [In all disappointments sympathy is a great balm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/in-all-disappointments-sympathy-is-a-great-balm/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [There are still many more days of failure ahead, whole seasons of failure, things will go terribly wrong, you will have huge disappointments ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/there-are-still-many-more-days-of-failure-ahead-whole-seasons-of/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [Though there may be people in your life that support you and encourage you we have to realize that people are only human, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/though-there-may-be-people-in-your-life-that-support-you-and/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [In trying not to disappoint others; we disappoint ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-vermaak/in-trying-not-to-disappoint-others-we-disappoint-ourselves/) [Geraldine Vermaak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-vermaak/) > [The fear of not being good enough, the fear of disappointing other people and the fear of failure can really hurt one's personality and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/the-fear-of-not-being-good-enough-the-fear-of-disappointing-other/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-compensations-of-calamity-are-made-apparent-to-the-understanding/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“My earthly body has been a terrible disappointment to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/my-earthly-body-has-been-a-terrible-disappointment-to-me/) [Frédéric Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [Disappointment contains an appointment for doing much better. High expectations mean your higher capacity and belief in abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/disappointment-contains-an-appointment-for-doing-much-better-high/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) ## More by Jenny Holzer > [How do you resign yourself to something that will never be? You stop wanting just that thing. You go numb. Or you kill the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/how-do-you-resign-yourself-to-something-that-will-never-be-you-stop/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [“Alienation produces eccentrics or revolutionary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/alienation-produces-eccentrics-or-revolutionary/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [“MORE THAN ONCE I'VE AWAKENED WITH TEARS RUNNING DOWN MY CHEEKS. I HAVE HAD TO THINK WHETHER I WAS CRYING OR WHETHER IT IS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/more-than-once-i-ve-awakened-with-tears-running-down-my-cheeks-i-have/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [Going with the flow is soothing but risky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/going-with-the-flow-is-soothing-but-risky/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [Abuse of power comes as no surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/abuse-of-power-comes-as-no-surprise/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [Killing is unavoidable but is nothing to be proud of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/killing-is-unavoidable-but-is-nothing-to-be-proud-of/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [“Food won't go down when you know your mother didn't want you, never liked to feed you, always hated you in her rooms. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/food-won-t-go-down-when-you-know-your-mother-didn-t-want-you-never/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [SPIT ALL OVER SOMEONE WITH A MOUTHFUL OF MILK IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR PERSONALITY FAST.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/spit-all-over-someone-with-a-mouthful-of-milk-if-you-want-to-find-out/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [Faithfulness is a social not a biological law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/faithfulness-is-a-social-not-a-biological-law/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [Use what is dominant in a culture to change it quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/use-what-is-dominant-in-a-culture-to-change-it-quickly/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [I seldom have my stuff up unless I'm testing it. 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THEY DON'T…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/it-s-no-fun-watching-people-wound-themselves-so-that-they-can-hole-up/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [I wasn't sure I was an artist, so I thought maybe I just was throwing ideas out for people to consider.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/i-wasn-t-sure-i-was-an-artist-so-i-thought-maybe-i-just-was-throwing/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) [Explore all 133 Jenny Holzer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) ## More Disappointment quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. 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High expectations mean your higher capacity and belief in abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/disappointment-contains-an-appointment-for-doing-much-better-high/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [“My earthly body has been a terrible disappointment to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/my-earthly-body-has-been-a-terrible-disappointment-to-me/) [Frédéric Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. 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That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/it-is-sometimes-said-that-because-of-our-past-we-as-a-people-expect/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [I'm talking to anyone who has been dumped - have not gotten the job you really wanted or have received those horrible rejection letters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/i-m-talking-to-anyone-who-has-been-dumped-have-not-gotten-the-job-you/) [Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/) > [Think of your mind, your emotions, and your spirit as the ultimate garden. The way to ensure a bountiful, nourishing harvest is to plant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/think-of-your-mind-your-emotions-and-your-spirit-as-the-ultimate/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Stop blaming others, whatever happens to you is nobody's fault if you get hurt because of disappointment is not the end of your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/stop-blaming-others-whatever-happens-to-you-is-nobody-s-fault-if-you/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [When disappointments knock you down, get back up and go again because out of our greatest rejection comes our greatest direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-disappointments-knock-you-down-get-back-up-and-go-again-because/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 2,467 Disappointment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The greatest disappointment is when you let yourself down.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jenny Holzer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/the-greatest-disappointment-is-when-you-let-yourself-down/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disappointment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/the-greatest-disappointment-is-when-you-let-yourself-down/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c3/jenny-holzer-3328_disappointment_the-greatest-disappointment-is-when-you_1265528.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c3/jenny-holzer-3328_disappointment_the-greatest-disappointment-is-when-you_1265528.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c3/jenny-holzer-3328_disappointment_the-greatest-disappointment-is-when-you_1265528.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The greatest disappointment is when you let yourself down.” — Jenny Holzer", "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": "Jenny Holzer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The greatest disappointment is when you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/the-greatest-disappointment-is-when-you-let-yourself-down/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/the-greatest-disappointment-is-when-you-let-yourself-down/#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 } } ] } ```