--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Rather than being taught to ask ourselves…" description: "\"Rather than being taught to ask ourselves who we are, we are schooled to ask others. We are, in effect, trained to listen to others’ versions of oursel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbc/julia-cameron-830_asks_rather-than-being-taught-to-ask-ourselve_3056589.png" --- # Rather than being taught to ask ourselves who we are, we… ![“Rather than being taught to ask ourselves who we are, we are schooled to ask others. We are, in effect, trained to listen to others’ versions of ourselves.” quote by Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbc/julia-cameron-830_asks_rather-than-being-taught-to-ask-ourselve_3056589.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbc/julia-cameron-830_asks_rather-than-being-taught-to-ask-ourselve_3056589.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbc/julia-cameron-830_asks_rather-than-being-taught-to-ask-ourselve_3056589.png) > “Rather than being taught to ask ourselves who we are, we are schooled to ask others. We are, in effect, trained to listen to others’ versions of ourselves.” [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We are conditioned to define ourselves through external feedback rather than internal inquiry. **In simple terms:** We learn identity from others. Key Takeaway Seek self‑knowledge before external validation. Themes identity self‑awareness education Mood introspective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - therapy - coaching - creative work Key Concepts psychology social conditioning Questions to Reflect On - How do you discover your own values? - What habits reinforce listening to others' opinions? A Different Perspective External validation can be unreliable and limit authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [If you've been trained to listen to mistakes your whole life, you forget to listen to opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucia-micarelli/if-you-ve-been-trained-to-listen-to-mistakes-your-whole-life-you/) [Lucia Micarelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucia-micarelli/) > [“...My dad, may he rest in peace, taught me many wonderful things. And one of the things he taught me was never ask a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/my-dad-may-he-rest-in-peace-taught-me-many-wonderful-things-and-one/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [“Ever since I was a little girl and could barely talk, the word 'why' has lived and grown along with me. 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We were from Kansas but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-schmidt/i-ve-been-home-schooled-since-i-was-in-the-fifth-grade-mainly-because/) [Kevin Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-schmidt/) ## More by Julia Cameron > [All too often, it is audacity and not talent that moves an artist to center stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/all-too-often-it-is-audacity-and-not-talent-that-moves-an-artist-to/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [Fatigue can make it hard to have faith. Too much busyness can make it hard to have faith. Too much of too little solitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/fatigue-can-make-it-hard-to-have-faith-too-much-busyness-can-make-it/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [We are not accustomed to thinking that God's will for us and our own inner dreams can coincide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/we-are-not-accustomed-to-thinking-that-god-s-will-for-us-and-our-own/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [What we really want to do is what we are really meant to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/what-we-really-want-to-do-is-what-we-are-really-meant-to-do/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [The need to be a great artist makes it hard to be an artist. 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Absorbed in our devices - at any age - we are absorbed in someone else's perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/technology-teaches-passivity-absorbed-in-our-devices-at-any-age-we/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [There's this mythology that parents are supposed to be parents 24/7 and are supposed to be completely fulfilled by their kids. That's not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/there-s-this-mythology-that-parents-are-supposed-to-be-parents-24-7/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [Perfectionism is not a quest for the best. It is a pursuit of the worst in ourselves, the part that tells us that nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/perfectionism-is-not-a-quest-for-the-best-it-is-a-pursuit-of-the/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [I am compassionate. I allow my heart and imagination to embrace the difficulties and concerns of others. While maintaining my own balance, I find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/i-am-compassionate-i-allow-my-heart-and-imagination-to-embrace-the/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [All change can be expansive in potential. The choice is ours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/all-change-can-be-expansive-in-potential-the-choice-is-ours/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) [Explore all 358 Julia Cameron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. 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And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. 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That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. 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