--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Mastery is often taken for egotism." description: "\"Mastery is often taken for egotism.\" — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e07/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_egotism_mastery-is-often-taken-for-egotism-76676_766762.jpg" --- # Mastery is often taken for egotism. ![“Mastery is often taken for egotism.” quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e07/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_egotism_mastery-is-often-taken-for-egotism-76676_766762.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e07/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_egotism_mastery-is-often-taken-for-egotism-76676_766762.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e07/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_egotism_mastery-is-often-taken-for-egotism-76676_766762.jpg) > “Mastery is often taken for egotism.” [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mastery can be misinterpreted as arrogance, warning against ego. **In simple terms:** Skill may look like ego. Key Takeaway Stay humble while mastering. Themes humility skill perception Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - professional development - creative pursuits - leadership training Key Concepts ego self-awareness Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate confidence from ego? - When does mastery become arrogance? A Different Perspective Some view confidence as arrogance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Egotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egotism/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masters/) [Mastery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mastery/) [Mastery Taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mastery-taken-5936098/) [Taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taken/) [Taken Egotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taken-egotism-5936097/) ## Related quotes > [Mastery passes often for egotism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/mastery-passes-often-for-egotism/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The miller believes that all the wheat grows so that his mill keeps running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-miller-believes-that-all-the-wheat-grows-so-that-his-mill-keeps/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [It is natural to man to regard himself as the object of the creation, and to think of all things in relation to himself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/it-is-natural-to-man-to-regard-himself-as-the-object-of-the-creation/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Whatever liberates our spirit, without also giving us mastery over ourselves, is destructive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/whatever-liberates-our-spirit-without-also-giving-us-mastery-over/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Courage is not the absence of fear, but the mastery of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/courage-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-mastery-of-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Play is your route to mastery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-genn/play-is-your-route-to-mastery/) [Sara Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-genn/) > [Mastery is the rudder, Mystery is the sail and Magic the wind to move you in your chosen direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-white/mastery-is-the-rudder-mystery-is-the-sail-and-magic-the-wind-to-move/) [Jack White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-white/) > [“Masters today, were Starters Yesterday, so begin now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-kelvin-clive/masters-today-were-starters-yesterday-so-begin-now/) [Bernard Kelvin Clive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-kelvin-clive/) > [“The master in us all lives behind the masks and roles and wounds and beliefs. It calls us to live deep, full, radical lives.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-nordby/the-master-in-us-all-lives-behind-the-masks-and-roles-and-wounds-and/) [Jacob Nordby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-nordby/) > [Self-Control is the very essence of character. To be able to look a man straight in the eye, calmly and deliberately, without the slightest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/self-control-is-the-very-essence-of-character-to-be-able-to-look-a/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [Success is a label that the world confers on you, but mastery is an ever-onward 'almost.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lewis/success-is-a-label-that-the-world-confers-on-you-but-mastery-is-an/) [Sarah Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lewis/) > [Mastery is the art of setting your foot on the path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-leonard/mastery-is-the-art-of-setting-your-foot-on-the-path/) [George Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-leonard/) > [“Personal mastery begins by increasing our awareness about who we truly are, our strengths, limitations... Personal mastery can be achieved not only by being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assegid-habtewold/personal-mastery-begins-by-increasing-our-awareness-about-who-we/) [Assegid Habtewold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assegid-habtewold/) > [Devote yourself to learning something new about your field of mastery every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/devote-yourself-to-learning-something-new-about-your-field-of-mastery/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) ## More by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [All lyrical work must, as a whole, be perfectly intelligible, but in some particulars a little unintelligible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/all-lyrical-work-must-as-a-whole-be-perfectly-intelligible-but-in/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [It is easier to perceive error than to find truth, for the former lies on the surface and is easily seen, while the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/it-is-easier-to-perceive-error-than-to-find-truth-for-the-former-lies/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [There is no patriotic art and no patriotic science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/there-is-no-patriotic-art-and-no-patriotic-science/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The connoisseur of art must be able to appreciate what is simply beautiful, but the common run of people is satisfied with ornament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-connoisseur-of-art-must-be-able-to-appreciate-what-is-simply/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Nothing is worse than active ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/nothing-is-worse-than-active-ignorance/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Let us not dream that reason can ever be popular. Passions, emotions, may be made popular; but reason remains ever the property of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/let-us-not-dream-that-reason-can-ever-be-popular-passions-emotions/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Our foibles are really what make us lovable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/our-foibles-are-really-what-make-us-lovable/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/instruction-does-much-but-encouragement-everything/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Giving is the business of the rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/giving-is-the-business-of-the-rich/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Just begin and the mind grows heated; continue, and the task will be completed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/just-begin-and-the-mind-grows-heated-continue-and-the-task-will-be/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I look upon all four Gospels as thoroughly genuine, for there shines forth from them the reflected splendor of a sublimity proceeding from Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-look-upon-all-four-gospels-as-thoroughly-genuine-for-there-shines/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Whatever we may say against collections, which present authors in a disjointed form, they nevertheless bring about many excellent results. We are not always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/whatever-we-may-say-against-collections-which-present-authors-in-a/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) [Explore all 2,052 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## More Egotism quotes > [There's no ifs and buts or maybes, you're gonna miss, you're gonna miss my loving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-rawls/there-s-no-ifs-and-buts-or-maybes-you-re-gonna-miss-you-re-gonna-miss/) [Lou Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-rawls/) > [“... a man doesn't like to have his ego popped, especially when he prides himself on his sagacity, and then to be proved wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/a-man-doesn-t-like-to-have-his-ego-popped-especially-when-he-prides/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [Elimination of Ego requires humility. EGO-LESS is the fuel to a wise mind and a truly positive reality!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-compton/elimination-of-ego-requires-humility-ego-less-is-the-fuel-to-a-wise/) [Bobby Compton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-compton/) > [“The lower a human being descends, the more asleep and inhumane he becomes. Those beings that lack Compassion, Love, and Peace are the true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-ripstein/the-lower-a-human-being-descends-the-more-asleep-and-inhumane-he/) [Jacqueline Ripstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-ripstein/) > [We cannot be happy until we can love ourselves without egotism and our friends without tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/we-cannot-be-happy-until-we-can-love-ourselves-without-egotism-and/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [What's wrong with this egotism? If a man doesn't delight in himself and the force in him and feel that he and it are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/what-s-wrong-with-this-egotism-if-a-man-doesn-t-delight-in-himself/) [Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/) > [Liberalism makes this mistake in regard to private property and Marxism makes it in regard to socialized property... The Marxist illusion is partly derived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/liberalism-makes-this-mistake-in-regard-to-private-property-and/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [When Jerry Lewis and I were big, we used to go to parties, and everybody thought I was big-headed and stuck up, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-martin/when-jerry-lewis-and-i-were-big-we-used-to-go-to-parties-and/) [Dean Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-martin/) > [How dare you ever in ya life walk past me without acknowledging their man as God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ll-cool-j/how-dare-you-ever-in-ya-life-walk-past-me-without-acknowledging-their/) [LL Cool J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ll-cool-j/) > [Honesty, I went through terrible, terrible times where I just took myself over the coals. I thought I must be the most impure person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/honesty-i-went-through-terrible-terrible-times-where-i-just-took/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Never allow your ego to diminish your ability to listen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hopkins/never-allow-your-ego-to-diminish-your-ability-to-listen/) [Gary Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hopkins/) > [Ego erodes the inner tank of wisdom and humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola-http-wwwamoreloveforlifecom/ego-erodes-the-inner-tank-of-wisdom-and-humility/) [Kemmy Nola Http://wwwamoreloveforlifecom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola-http-wwwamoreloveforlifecom/) > [Do not feel that you are destined not to make that final liberation in this life. This is egotism in a reverse form. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/do-not-feel-that-you-are-destined-not-to-make-that-final-liberation/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Peace is only possible if men cease to place their happiness in the possession of things "which cannot be shared," and if they raise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-benda/peace-is-only-possible-if-men-cease-to-place-their-happiness-in-the/) [Julien Benda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-benda/) > [If a person loves only one other person, and is indifferent to his fellow men, his love is not love but a symbiotic attachment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/if-a-person-loves-only-one-other-person-and-is-indifferent-to-his/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) [Browse all 509 Egotism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egotism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Mastery is often taken for egotism.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Johann Wolfgang von Goethe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/mastery-is-often-taken-for-egotism/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Egotism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/mastery-is-often-taken-for-egotism/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e07/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_egotism_mastery-is-often-taken-for-egotism-76676_766762.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e07/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_egotism_mastery-is-often-taken-for-egotism-76676_766762.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e07/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_egotism_mastery-is-often-taken-for-egotism-76676_766762.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Mastery is often taken for egotism.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe", "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": "Johann Wolfgang von Goethe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Mastery is often taken for egotism.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/mastery-is-often-taken-for-egotism/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/mastery-is-often-taken-for-egotism/#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 } } ] } ```