--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Two other patients were waiting for their…" description: "\"“Two other patients were waiting for their doctors, which only added to my sense of indignity and embarrassment at finding myself with the roles revers..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c09/kay-redfield-jamison-1826_character-building_two-other-patients-were-waiting-for-thei_877607.jpg" --- # Two other patients were waiting for their doctors, which… ![“Two other patients were waiting for their doctors, which only added to my sense of indignity and embarrassment at finding myself with the roles reversed--character building, no doubt, but I was beginning to tire or all the opportunities to build character at the expense of peace, predictability…” quote by Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c09/kay-redfield-jamison-1826_character-building_two-other-patients-were-waiting-for-thei_877607.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c09/kay-redfield-jamison-1826_character-building_two-other-patients-were-waiting-for-thei_877607.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c09/kay-redfield-jamison-1826_character-building_two-other-patients-were-waiting-for-thei_877607.jpg) > ““Two other patients were waiting for their doctors, which only added to my sense of indignity and embarrassment at finding myself with the roles reversed--character building, no doubt, but I was beginning to tire or all the opportunities to build character at the expense of peace, predictability, and a normal life.”” [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Feeling trapped by endless self‑improvement demands, losing peace and normalcy in the process. **In simple terms:** Too much focus on growth erodes peace. Key Takeaway Balance growth with stability. Themes mental health self‑growth stress identity balance Mood reflective somber Type psychological autobiographical When to use this quote - therapy - personal journaling - career development Key Concepts psychology self‑care life planning Questions to Reflect On - How do you know when self‑improvement is harmful? - What practices restore predictability? A Different Perspective Growth can become a source of anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-building/) [Doctors Added](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctors-added-1018536/) [Finding myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding-myself/) [Indignity Embarrassment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indignity-embarrassment-1018537/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) [Normal life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normal-life/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patience/) [Patients Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patients-waiting-1018535/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Roles Reversed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roles-reversed-1018533/) [Waiting Doctors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting-doctors-1018534/) ## Related quotes > [I want to relax for a while, maybe go back to my medical practice. I got a lot of old patients waiting for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/i-want-to-relax-for-a-while-maybe-go-back-to-my-medical-practice-i/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [The oppressed always learned from and copied the oppressor. When the tables were turned, the stage was set for another round of revenge and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/the-oppressed-always-learned-from-and-copied-the-oppressor-when-the/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [ Now the roles have been reversed, because the Hillary \[Clinton\] campaign is livid that they lost, and they think they lost because \[Donald\] Trump… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/now-the-roles-have-been-reversed-because-the-hillary-clinton-campaign/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [If these were my last moments on earth, I’d spend them fighting to save him with everything I had. If our roles were reversed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/if-these-were-my-last-moments-on-earth-i-d-spend-them-fighting-to/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [“The old men send the young to die in war, But if the roles were reversed, what then the score?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cook/the-old-men-send-the-young-to-die-in-war-but-if-the-roles-were/) [Alan Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cook/) > [There were certain young actors I had trained with at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art who had always got the big parts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-warner/there-were-certain-young-actors-i-had-trained-with-at-the-royal/) [David Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-warner/) > [We have a problem now with parents stealing their kids' CDs, so the roles have been reversed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-have-a-problem-now-with-parents-stealing-their-kids-cds-so-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [True Justice: is when the same conclusion is drawn from re-evaluating a scenario with the roles reversed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stewart/true-justice-is-when-the-same-conclusion-is-drawn-from-re-evaluating/) [Peter Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stewart/) > [If the roles were reversed, I would be saying the same thing. As a competitor, you're tired of the same guy winning. I guess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/if-the-roles-were-reversed-i-would-be-saying-the-same-thing-as-a/) [Jimmie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-johnson/) > [I'm proud of what I am and who I am, and I'm just going to be myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/i-m-proud-of-what-i-am-and-who-i-am-and-i-m-just-going-to-be-myself/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [Homeopathy - an invention of the Father of Lies! I have tried it and found it wanting. I would swallow their whole doles' medicine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-welsh-carlyle/homeopathy-an-invention-of-the-father-of-lies-i-have-tried-it-and/) [Jane Welsh Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-welsh-carlyle/) > [The sign that I don't like the book I'm reading is finding myself watching reruns of 'Come Dine With Me.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/the-sign-that-i-don-t-like-the-book-i-m-reading-is-finding-myself/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [Wish that I could stay forever this young. Not afraid to close my eyes. Life's a game made for everyone and love is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avicii/wish-that-i-could-stay-forever-this-young-not-afraid-to-close-my-eyes/) [Avicii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avicii/) > [“On my way to the living room, where my family was gathered, I stopped to look at the photo in the foyer. As always,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/on-my-way-to-the-living-room-where-my-family-was-gathered-i-stopped/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I didn't have the problem of finding myself at 45 on the wrong course - I always wanted to be a film director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/i-didn-t-have-the-problem-of-finding-myself-at-45-on-the-wrong-course/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) ## More by Kay Redfield Jamison > [ “...even though \[my psychiatrist\] understood mor than anyone how much I felt I was losing--in energy, vivacity, and originality--by taking medication, he never was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/even-though-my-psychiatrist-understood-mor-than-anyone-how-much-i/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [When people are suicidal, their thinking is paralyzed, their options appear spare or nonexistent, their mood is despairing, and hopelessness permeates their entire mental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/when-people-are-suicidal-their-thinking-is-paralyzed-their-options/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [It's more common than not that bipolar illness will start in the teens. One of the reasons I spend a lot of time on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/it-s-more-common-than-not-that-bipolar-illness-will-start-in-the/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [I think that for thousands of years people have made the observation that there are certain kinds of extreme depressive states that seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/i-think-that-for-thousands-of-years-people-have-made-the-observation/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [Every seventeen minutes in America, someone commits suicide. Mostly, I have been impressed by how little value our society puts on saving the lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/every-seventeen-minutes-in-america-someone-commits-suicide-mostly-i/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [Mother, who has an absolute belief that it is not the cards that one is dealt in life, it is how one plays them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/mother-who-has-an-absolute-belief-that-it-is-not-the-cards-that-one/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [“I decided early in graduate school that I needed to do something about my moods. It quickly came down to a choice between seeing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/i-decided-early-in-graduate-school-that-i-needed-to-do-something/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [When I'm talking about depression, I'm talking about the more severe forms of depression, and I think that conceptualising as a form of grief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/when-i-m-talking-about-depression-i-m-talking-about-the-more-severe/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [An ardent temperament makes one very vulnerable to dreamkillers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/an-ardent-temperament-makes-one-very-vulnerable-to-dreamkillers/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [the intensity, glory, and absolute assuredness if my mind's flight made it very difficult for me to believe once i was better, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/the-intensity-glory-and-absolute-assuredness-if-my-mind-s-flight-made/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [I wish I could explain it so someone could understand it. I'm afraid it's something I can't put into words. There's just this heavy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/i-wish-i-could-explain-it-so-someone-could-understand-it-i-m-afraid/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [Moods are such an essential part of the substance of life, of one's notion of oneself, that even psychotic extremes in mood and behavior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/moods-are-such-an-essential-part-of-the-substance-of-life-of-one-s/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [We expect well-informed treatment for cancer or heart disease; it matters no less for depression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/we-expect-well-informed-treatment-for-cancer-or-heart-disease-it/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [Manic depression distorts moods and thoughts, incites dreadful behaviors, destroys the basis of rational thought, and too often erodes the desire and will to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/manic-depression-distorts-moods-and-thoughts-incites-dreadful/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [People talk about grief as if it's kind of an unremittingly awful thing, and it is. It is painful, but it's a very, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/people-talk-about-grief-as-if-it-s-kind-of-an-unremittingly-awful/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) [Explore all 205 Kay Redfield Jamison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) ## More Character building quotes > [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [People reveal themselves completely only when they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/people-reveal-themselves-completely-only-when-they-are-thrown-out-of/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [“The only measure of judging a human being is through that person’s character, because character is not determined by race, religion, gender or social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-only-measure-of-judging-a-human-being-is-through-that-person-s/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Never miss an opportunity to be truly and deeply humiliated! The shame will carve you down to an individual of exquisite layering, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashim-shanker/never-miss-an-opportunity-to-be-truly-and-deeply-humiliated-the-shame/) [Ashim Shanker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashim-shanker/) > [Character contributes to beauty. It fortifies a woman as her youth fades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-bisset/character-contributes-to-beauty-it-fortifies-a-woman-as-her-youth/) [Jacqueline Bisset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-bisset/) > [Depth and strength of a human character are defined by its moral reserves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/depth-and-strength-of-a-human-character-are-defined-by-its-moral/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [“More than Captain America your kids need Amelia Earhart – more than Ant Man, they need Abraham Lincoln - more than Green Arrow they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/more-than-captain-america-your-kids-need-amelia-earhart-more-than-ant/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [It's been said that astronomy is a humbling and, I might add, a character-building experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-s-been-said-that-astronomy-is-a-humbling-and-i-might-add-a/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“A relationship built on lies and trickery will not last; only truthfulness can uphold a relationship”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idowu-koyenikan/a-relationship-built-on-lies-and-trickery-will-not-last-only/) [idowu koyenikan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idowu-koyenikan/) > [Poverty's potential for character building is far overrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/poverty-s-potential-for-character-building-is-far-overrated/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [Highly educated young people are tutored, taught and monitored in all aspects of their lives, except the most important, which is character building. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/highly-educated-young-people-are-tutored-taught-and-monitored-in-all/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Character building is one of my favourite things to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayvan-novak/character-building-is-one-of-my-favourite-things-to-do/) [Kayvan Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayvan-novak/) > [“The third gift is Courage. May you speak and act with confidence and use courage to follow your own path.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlene-costanzo/the-third-gift-is-courage-may-you-speak-and-act-with-confidence-and/) [Charlene Costanzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlene-costanzo/) > [“Let your children nourish their knack, for that knack shall one day provide them with the way to live with dignity and contentment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/let-your-children-nourish-their-knack-for-that-knack-shall-one-day/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“A lot can be determined by the choices we make, even if the action is initiated by self-preservation. Many ... no, most ... of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-sullivan/a-lot-can-be-determined-by-the-choices-we-make-even-if-the-action-is/) [Michael J. Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-sullivan/) [Browse all 143 Character building quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-building/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Two other patients were waiting for their doctors, which only added to my sense of indignity and embarrassment at finding myself with the roles reversed--character building, no doubt, but I was beginning to tire or all the opportunities to build character at the expense of peace, predictability, and a normal life.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kay Redfield Jamison" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/two-other-patients-were-waiting-for-their-doctors-which-only-added-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character building" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/two-other-patients-were-waiting-for-their-doctors-which-only-added-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c09/kay-redfield-jamison-1826_character-building_two-other-patients-were-waiting-for-thei_877607.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c09/kay-redfield-jamison-1826_character-building_two-other-patients-were-waiting-for-thei_877607.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c09/kay-redfield-jamison-1826_character-building_two-other-patients-were-waiting-for-thei_877607.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Two other patients were waiting for their doctors, which only added to my sense of indignity and…” — Kay Redfield Jamison", "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": "Kay Redfield Jamison", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Two other patients were waiting for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/two-other-patients-were-waiting-for-their-doctors-which-only-added-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/two-other-patients-were-waiting-for-their-doctors-which-only-added-to/#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 } } ] } ```