--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man who is not a good friend to himself…" description: "\"A man who is not a good friend to himself cannot be so to any one else.\" — John Lubbock" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52b/john-lubbock-8094_friend_a-man-who-is-not-a-good-friend-to-himsel_1786301.jpg" --- # A man who is not a good friend to himself cannot be so to… ![“A man who is not a good friend to himself cannot be so to any one else.” quote by John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52b/john-lubbock-8094_friend_a-man-who-is-not-a-good-friend-to-himsel_1786301.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52b/john-lubbock-8094_friend_a-man-who-is-not-a-good-friend-to-himsel_1786301.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52b/john-lubbock-8094_friend_a-man-who-is-not-a-good-friend-to-himsel_1786301.jpg) > “A man who is not a good friend to himself cannot be so to any one else.” [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑care is prerequisite for caring for others; neglecting oneself limits empathy. **In simple terms:** Take care of yourself first. Key Takeaway Prioritize self‑care. Themes self‑care relationships empathy Mood thoughtful serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - friendship counseling - personal therapy - team leadership Key Concepts psychology ethical responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What self‑care habits improve your relationships? - How do you balance self‑interest and altruism? A Different Perspective Self‑care can become selfish if misapplied. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-friend/) [Man Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-good/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [At first I didn't take football too seriously and then I realised what I wanted to do. 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If someone is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/it-s-been-my-experience-that-people-who-make-proclamations-about/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [People say Find Good friends, and leave bad ones But I say find good in your friends and leave the bad with them.Remember no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-say-find-good-friends-and-leave-bad-ones-but-i-say-find-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I feel like I've made good friends with people I've worked with, but in terms of lasting inspiration, it is probably Matthew Vaughn who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taron-egerton/i-feel-like-i-ve-made-good-friends-with-people-i-ve-worked-with-but/) [Taron Egerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taron-egerton/) > [I'm working at trying to be a Christian, and that's serious business. It's like trying to be a good Jew, a good Muslim, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-m-working-at-trying-to-be-a-christian-and-that-s-serious-business/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I keep seeing in the papers that I am good friends with Samantha Cameron. I've never met her in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-taylor-johnson/i-keep-seeing-in-the-papers-that-i-am-good-friends-with-samantha/) [Sam Taylor-Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-taylor-johnson/) > [I tell people all the time: one of the cool things with Brock is you never have to wonder where you stand with him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelton-benjamin/i-tell-people-all-the-time-one-of-the-cool-things-with-brock-is-you/) [Shelton Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelton-benjamin/) > [I definitely paid my dues, and I'm grateful for everything and for my good friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-janney/i-definitely-paid-my-dues-and-i-m-grateful-for-everything-and-for-my/) [Allison Janney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-janney/) > [“He is a good man, but even a good man can fall for a glamorous woman. That is well known.” “That is very well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/he-is-a-good-man-but-even-a-good-man-can-fall-for-a-glamorous-woman/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [Every ten years a man should give himself a good kick in the pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-steichen/every-ten-years-a-man-should-give-himself-a-good-kick-in-the-pants/) [Edward Steichen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-steichen/) > [One man is as good as another until he has written a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-jowett/one-man-is-as-good-as-another-until-he-has-written-a-book/) [Benjamin Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-jowett/) > [Good works do not make a good man, but a good man does good works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/good-works-do-not-make-a-good-man-but-a-good-man-does-good-works/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [A good cigar is as great a comfort to a man as a good cry to a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-good-cigar-is-as-great-a-comfort-to-a-man-as-a-good-cry-to-a-woman/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I hope through 'The Family Man,' I get some good offers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyamani/i-hope-through-the-family-man-i-get-some-good-offers/) [Priyamani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyamani/) ## More by John Lubbock > [Many of the greatest men have owed their success to industry rather than to cleverness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/many-of-the-greatest-men-have-owed-their-success-to-industry-rather/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [Savages have often been likened to children, and the comparison is not only correct but also highly instructive. Many naturalists consider that the early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/savages-have-often-been-likened-to-children-and-the-comparison-is-not/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [There can be no merit in believing something which you can neither explain nor understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/there-can-be-no-merit-in-believing-something-which-you-can-neither/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [Many savage nations worship trees, and I really think my first feeling would be one of delight and interest rather than of surprise, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/many-savage-nations-worship-trees-and-i-really-think-my-first-feeling/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [Many a blessing has been recognized too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/many-a-blessing-has-been-recognized-too-late/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [Art trains the mind through the eye, and the eye through the mind. As the sun colors flowers, so does art color life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/art-trains-the-mind-through-the-eye-and-the-eye-through-the-mind-as/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [We may sit in our library and yet be in all quarters of the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/we-may-sit-in-our-library-and-yet-be-in-all-quarters-of-the-earth/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [“In truth, people can generally make time for what they choose to do; it is not really the time but the will that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/in-truth-people-can-generally-make-time-for-what-they-choose-to-do-it/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [To render ourselves insensible to pain we must forfeit also the possibilities of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/to-render-ourselves-insensible-to-pain-we-must-forfeit-also-the/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [The idle man does not know what it is to enjoy rest, for he has not earned it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/the-idle-man-does-not-know-what-it-is-to-enjoy-rest-for-he-has-not/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [“Our great mistake in education is, as it seems to me, the worship of book-learning–the confusion of instruction and education. We strain the memory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/our-great-mistake-in-education-is-as-it-seems-to-me-the-worship-of/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [Be cautious, but not too cautious; do not be too much afraid of making a mistake; a man who never makes a mistake will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/be-cautious-but-not-too-cautious-do-not-be-too-much-afraid-of-making/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [This is a great way to become more conscious. Your intention and motives are fundamental to the results you will receive. Set high intentions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/this-is-a-great-way-to-become-more-conscious-your-intention-and/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [Exercise of the muscles keeps the body in health, and exercise of the brain brings peace of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/exercise-of-the-muscles-keeps-the-body-in-health-and-exercise-of-the/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [Though it is a great mistake to make friends of the wicked and foolish, it is unwise to make enemies of them, for they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/though-it-is-a-great-mistake-to-make-friends-of-the-wicked-and/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) [Explore all 84 John Lubbock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) ## More Friend quotes > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) [Unknwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknwon/) > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/) [Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/) [Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/) > [That FRIEND who claim they do anything for you. but yet talk behind your back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kushsoulja/that-friend-who-claim-they-do-anything-for-you-but-yet-talk-behind/) [KushSoulja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kushsoulja/) > [In life, we never lose friends we only get to know who the true ones are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-kid/in-life-we-never-lose-friends-we-only-get-to-know-who-the-true-ones/) [Ace Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-kid/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“When you get lost in a really strange place, nothing is more comforting than found your friend whom you trust and can show the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-get-lost-in-a-really-strange-place-nothing-is-more/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [I fell in love with my best friend, but I know that if it doesn't last, it will never be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-yang/i-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend-but-i-know-that-if-it-doesn-t-last/) [Shelly Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-yang/) > [A best friend isn't someone who's just always there for you.Its someone who understands you a bit more than you understand yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-best-friend-isn-t-someone-who-s-just-always-there-for-you-its/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) [Browse all 14,984 Friend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A man who is not a good friend to himself cannot be so to any one else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Lubbock" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/a-man-who-is-not-a-good-friend-to-himself-cannot-be-so-to-any-one-else/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Friend" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/a-man-who-is-not-a-good-friend-to-himself-cannot-be-so-to-any-one-else/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52b/john-lubbock-8094_friend_a-man-who-is-not-a-good-friend-to-himsel_1786301.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52b/john-lubbock-8094_friend_a-man-who-is-not-a-good-friend-to-himsel_1786301.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52b/john-lubbock-8094_friend_a-man-who-is-not-a-good-friend-to-himsel_1786301.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A man who is not a good friend to himself cannot be so to any one else.” — John Lubbock", "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": "John Lubbock", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A man who is not a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/a-man-who-is-not-a-good-friend-to-himself-cannot-be-so-to-any-one-else/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/a-man-who-is-not-a-good-friend-to-himself-cannot-be-so-to-any-one-else/#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 } } ] } ```