--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I'm feeling proud of myself, I…" description: "\"When I'm feeling proud of myself, I should remember to ask myself why I think I am of any value at all. I have done nothing that a hundred thousand oth..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/john-s-hall-22155_ashamed_when-i-m-feeling-proud-of-myself-i-shoul_25646.jpg" --- # When I'm feeling proud of myself, I should remember to ask… ![“When I'm feeling proud of myself, I should remember to ask myself why I think I am of any value at all. I have done nothing that a hundred thousand other people couldn't do, and most of them would probably do it better, and they probably wouldn't feel so self-important about it. I should always be…” quote by John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/john-s-hall-22155_ashamed_when-i-m-feeling-proud-of-myself-i-shoul_25646.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/john-s-hall-22155_ashamed_when-i-m-feeling-proud-of-myself-i-shoul_25646.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/john-s-hall-22155_ashamed_when-i-m-feeling-proud-of-myself-i-shoul_25646.jpg) > “When I'm feeling proud of myself, I should remember to ask myself why I think I am of any value at all. I have done nothing that a hundred thousand other people couldn't do, and most of them would probably do it better, and they probably wouldn't feel so self-important about it. I should always be ashamed of myself.” [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns against self‑congratulation, urging humility by recognizing that personal achievements are often ordinary and shared by many. **In simple terms:** Humility over pride Key Takeaway Self‑importance can be misleading Themes humility self‑awareness ego comparative perspective psychology Mood reflective cautious introspective Type aphoristic philosophical When to use this quote - after a personal success - during a moment of boastfulness - when seeking validation - in a competitive environment Key Concepts self‑esteem social comparison value perception Practical Applications - personal growth journaling - coaching feedback Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports my sense of worth beyond achievements? - How can I celebrate progress without inflating ego? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ashamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) [Feeling Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-proud/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [“She was with me the day I went to the paint store to pick out the color. I had a nice tan color in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/she-was-with-me-the-day-i-went-to-the-paint-store-to-pick-out-the/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“So I’m reading some poem by Louise . . . something, I forget her last name, but it’s about Hades and the underworld, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-james/so-i-m-reading-some-poem-by-louise-something-i-forget-her-last-name/) [Julie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-james/) > [“You know, some things don't matter that much, Lily. Like the color of a house. How big is that in the over-all scheme of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/you-know-some-things-don-t-matter-that-much-lily-like-the-color-of-a/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [Barton Fink is just too self-important as an artist to get much sympathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/barton-fink-is-just-too-self-important-as-an-artist-to-get-much/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) > [“Knowledge of self is one of the most important ideas in The Art of War. It is imperative that you know your own self,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-lichtman/knowledge-of-self-is-one-of-the-most-important-ideas-in-the-art-of/) [Grant Lichtman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-lichtman/) > [Friendship with ones self is all important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/friendship-with-ones-self-is-all-important-because-without-it-one/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [When I retire, the only thing that concerns me is that no one can say that I was a bad team-mate or disrespectful or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-torres/when-i-retire-the-only-thing-that-concerns-me-is-that-no-one-can-say/) [Fernando Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-torres/) > [I got a little bit pleased with myself. I didn't buy a Rolls-Royce or anything like that but I didn't see my biological family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-dennis/i-got-a-little-bit-pleased-with-myself-i-didn-t-buy-a-rolls-royce-or/) [Les Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-dennis/) > [The knowledge of self is the most important thing, because how are you going to know God if you don't know yourself? How are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rza/the-knowledge-of-self-is-the-most-important-thing-because-how-are-you/) [RZA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rza/) > [I was brought up among the sort of self-important women who had a husband as one has an alibi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-brookner/i-was-brought-up-among-the-sort-of-self-important-women-who-had-a/) [Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) > [There are a lot of self important people who make you believe they're artistes and high on the intelligence quotient and I've sat down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hamilton/there-are-a-lot-of-self-important-people-who-make-you-believe-they-re/) [George Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hamilton/) > [I never wanted to come off as self-important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/i-never-wanted-to-come-off-as-self-important/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [My character is self-important, poorly informed, well-intentioned but an idiot, ... So we said, 'Let's give him a promotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/my-character-is-self-important-poorly-informed-well-intentioned-but/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [The relationship with your self is the most important relationship you'll ever have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-orloff/the-relationship-with-your-self-is-the-most-important-relationship/) [Judith Orloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-orloff/) > [I think I have a better sense of my weaknesses - being self-important, selfish and having a big ego probably triggers all the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-d-lang/i-think-i-have-a-better-sense-of-my-weaknesses-being-self-important/) [K. D. Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-d-lang/) ## More by John S. Hall > [My father was a really great man. I'll never forget the last thing he ever said to me. Nor will I ever repeat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/my-father-was-a-really-great-man-i-ll-never-forget-the-last-thing-he/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [Many people talk as if they have all the answers, whereas I know I don't. That's probably why no one listens to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/many-people-talk-as-if-they-have-all-the-answers-whereas-i-know-i-don/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [It seems, in theory, that I should be able to control at least a few of my bad habits. The problem is that my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/it-seems-in-theory-that-i-should-be-able-to-control-at-least-a-few-of/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [Whenever the circus would come to town, I would tell Ethan all kinds of kinky clown domination stories involving the leather clown, like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/whenever-the-circus-would-come-to-town-i-would-tell-ethan-all-kinds/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [“My father was a very great man. I will never forget the last thing he ever said to me. Nor will I ever repeat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/my-father-was-a-very-great-man-i-will-never-forget-the-last-thing-he/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [I want to be different. Just like all the other different people I want to be like. I want to be just like all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/i-want-to-be-different-just-like-all-the-other-different-people-i/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [I'm a vegetarian now, but I'm willing to make an exception in the event I'm presented with people. Because I've always been fairly standoffish;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/i-m-a-vegetarian-now-but-i-m-willing-to-make-an-exception-in-the/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [I have tried very hard to find meaning in what I do, but I have found instead a vast and limitless nothingness. I tried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/i-have-tried-very-hard-to-find-meaning-in-what-i-do-but-i-have-found/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [“Today, I will try to remember to regret the past. I will think of how many mistakes I have made throughout my life. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/today-i-will-try-to-remember-to-regret-the-past-i-will-think-of-how/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [The fact that many people overindulge, and lose themselves in excess, and make fools of themselves and act like idiots, is no reason for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/the-fact-that-many-people-overindulge-and-lose-themselves-in-excess/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [“When I am tired, it is easy to believe that my exhaustion is the reason I am depressed and lonely and uninspired. But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/when-i-am-tired-it-is-easy-to-believe-that-my-exhaustion-is-the/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [I've done bad things with relish, and good things with pickles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/i-ve-done-bad-things-with-relish-and-good-things-with-pickles/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [There will always be people who have power over me, who can destroy my spirit and drain my soul. My best defense is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/there-will-always-be-people-who-have-power-over-me-who-can-destroy-my/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [“If you think things can't get any worse, you have no imagination and no sense of history.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/if-you-think-things-can-t-get-any-worse-you-have-no-imagination-and/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [I feel that true freedom lies within, where I shall never find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/i-feel-that-true-freedom-lies-within-where-i-shall-never-find-it/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) [Explore all 28 John S. Hall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) ## More Ashamed quotes > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I know what you're thinking... and you oughtta be ashamed of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-preston/i-know-what-you-re-thinking-and-you-oughtta-be-ashamed-of-yourself/) Robert Preston > [You never meet the writer when you're making a TV movie in America - they're too ashamed to show up and see how their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-don-baker/you-never-meet-the-writer-when-you-re-making-a-tv-movie-in-america/) [Joe Don Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-don-baker/) > [I'm not ashamed of the things I believe and why I believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/i-m-not-ashamed-of-the-things-i-believe-and-why-i-believe-them/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“with her own life. And I was ashamed.” Humiliated. Broken. Miserable. If Wilcher had stood by Jaymee, if her father hadn’t berated her, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-green/with-her-own-life-and-i-was-ashamed-humiliated-broken-miserable-if/) Stacy Green > [You should avoid hedging, at least that's what I think. You should be ashamed to die until you've made some contribution to mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-johns/you-should-avoid-hedging-at-least-that-s-what-i-think-you-should-be/) Vernon Johns > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [“When all are undressed, one is somehow not ashamed, but when one's the only one undressed and everybody is looking, it's degrading,' he kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/when-all-are-undressed-one-is-somehow-not-ashamed-but-when-one-s-the/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [There are a great many colored people who are ashamed of the cake-walk, but I think they ought to be proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/there-are-a-great-many-colored-people-who-are-ashamed-of-the-cake/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [I love him who is ashamed when the dice fall in his favour, and who then asketh: "Am I a dishonest player?" - for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-love-him-who-is-ashamed-when-the-dice-fall-in-his-favour-and-who/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/whoever-is-ashamed-of-me-and-my-words-the-son-of-man-will-be-ashamed/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [You were never created to live depressed, defeated, guilty, condemned, ashamed or unworthy. You were created to be victorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-were-never-created-to-live-depressed-defeated-guilty-condemned/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-never-wonder-to-see-men-wicked-but-i-often-wonder-to-see-them-not/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [“To survive during the Khmer Rouge, you had to steal, cheat, lie, point fingers at others, even kill. And now you are ashamed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-brinkley/to-survive-during-the-khmer-rouge-you-had-to-steal-cheat-lie-point/) [Joel Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-brinkley/) [Browse all 1,607 Ashamed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I'm feeling proud of myself, I should remember to ask myself why I think I am of any value at all. I have done nothing that a hundred thousand other people couldn't do, and most of them would probably do it better, and they probably wouldn't feel so self-important about it. I should always be ashamed of myself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John S. Hall" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/when-i-m-feeling-proud-of-myself-i-should-remember-to-ask-myself-why/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ashamed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/when-i-m-feeling-proud-of-myself-i-should-remember-to-ask-myself-why/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/john-s-hall-22155_ashamed_when-i-m-feeling-proud-of-myself-i-shoul_25646.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/john-s-hall-22155_ashamed_when-i-m-feeling-proud-of-myself-i-shoul_25646.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/john-s-hall-22155_ashamed_when-i-m-feeling-proud-of-myself-i-shoul_25646.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I'm feeling proud of myself, I should remember to ask myself why I think I am of any value at all. I…” — John S. Hall", "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 S. Hall", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I'm feeling proud of myself,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/when-i-m-feeling-proud-of-myself-i-should-remember-to-ask-myself-why/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/when-i-m-feeling-proud-of-myself-i-should-remember-to-ask-myself-why/#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 } } ] } ```