--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have to believe in yourself despite…" description: "\"You have to believe in yourself despite the evidence.\" — Kent Haruf" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc1/kent-haruf-18766_believe_you-have-to-believe-in-yourself-despite_1478094.jpg" --- # You have to believe in yourself despite the evidence. ![“You have to believe in yourself despite the evidence.” quote by Kent Haruf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc1/kent-haruf-18766_believe_you-have-to-believe-in-yourself-despite_1478094.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc1/kent-haruf-18766_believe_you-have-to-believe-in-yourself-despite_1478094.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc1/kent-haruf-18766_believe_you-have-to-believe-in-yourself-despite_1478094.jpg) > “You have to believe in yourself despite the evidence.” [Kent Haruf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑belief must persist even when facts seem to contradict it, urging inner confidence over external proof. **In simple terms:** Believe in yourself despite contrary evidence. Key Takeaway Trust your inner voice. Themes self‑confidence resilience inner strength Mood determined reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - personal setbacks - career challenges - health crises - relationship doubts Key Concepts psychology motivation cognitive dissonance Questions to Reflect On - When have you doubted yourself despite clear signs? - How can you balance evidence with self‑trust? A Different Perspective Evidence can be misinterpreted; over‑reliance on data may ignore intuition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Despite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-despite-1088867/) [Believe in you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-in-you/) [Believe in yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-in-yourself/) [Despite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despite/) [Despite Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despite-evidence-1088869/) [Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) ## Related quotes > [“I want to believe that, despite all the evidence to the contrary, there is reason to hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cohn-david-levithan-3/i-want-to-believe-that-despite-all-the-evidence-to-the-contrary-there/) [Rachel Cohn, David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cohn-david-levithan-3/) > [“Prayer or not, I want to believe that, despite all evidence to the contrary, it is possible for anyone to find that one special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cohn/prayer-or-not-i-want-to-believe-that-despite-all-evidence-to-the-2/) [Rachel Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cohn/) > [Among modern occupations, only cult leaders and TV weathermen rival the technological visionary's ability to retain credibility despite all evidence to the contrary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/among-modern-occupations-only-cult-leaders-and-tv-weathermen-rival/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [I don't know what it is I'm doing. But it's not that. Despite all evidence to the contrary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gorey/i-don-t-know-what-it-is-i-m-doing-but-it-s-not-that-despite-all/) [Edward Gorey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gorey/) > [“Against all odds and despite all evidence to the contrary, still we trust that there will be a light at the end of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-schoemperlen/against-all-odds-and-despite-all-evidence-to-the-contrary-still-we/) [Diane Schoemperlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-schoemperlen/) > [Beliefs: Those things we hold to be true despite evidence to the contrary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-o-connor/beliefs-those-things-we-hold-to-be-true-despite-evidence-to-the/) [Joseph O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-o-connor/) > [I know friends of mine who have never changed their mind about anything in their lives, despite evidence from all directions. And I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-know-friends-of-mine-who-have-never-changed-their-mind-about/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [This is a moral universe, which means that, despite all the evidence that seems to be to the contrary, there is no way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/this-is-a-moral-universe-which-means-that-despite-all-the-evidence-2/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [This is a moral universe, which means that despite all the evidence that seems to be to the contrary, there is no way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/this-is-a-moral-universe-which-means-that-despite-all-the-evidence/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [“Reality doesn't give a shit what you believe; it is what it is…despite what you believe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-ball-phd/reality-doesn-t-give-a-shit-what-you-believe-it-is-what-it-is-despite/) [Martin Ball Phd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-ball-phd/) > [“I want to believe that, despite all evidence to the contrary, it is possible for anyone to find that one special person. That person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cohn/i-want-to-believe-that-despite-all-evidence-to-the-contrary-it-is/) [Rachel Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cohn/) > [“I believe despite my doubts, belief gives me power reason takes away”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/i-believe-despite-my-doubts-belief-gives-me-power-reason-takes-away/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [A delusion is something that people believe in despite a total lack of evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/a-delusion-is-something-that-people-believe-in-despite-a-total-lack/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Prayer or not, I want to believe that, despite all evidence to the contrary, it is possible for anyone to find that one special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cohn/prayer-or-not-i-want-to-believe-that-despite-all-evidence-to-the/) [Rachel Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cohn/) > [... it is because one can build a compelling set of arguments - informed by science and thoroughly compatible with it - that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massimo-pigliucci/it-is-because-one-can-build-a-compelling-set-of-arguments-informed-by/) [Massimo Pigliucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-pigliucci/) ## More by Kent Haruf > [I began writing seriously in my mid-20s and didn't publish my first book until I was 41.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/i-began-writing-seriously-in-my-mid-20s-and-didn-t-publish-my-first/) [Kent Haruf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/) > [“quit trying to fix things and we settled into our long polite and quiet life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/quit-trying-to-fix-things-and-we-settled-into-our-long-polite-and/) [Kent Haruf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/) > [“You understand? If you can read you can cook. You can always feed yourselves. You remember that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/you-understand-if-you-can-read-you-can-cook-you-can-always-feed/) [Kent Haruf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/) > [“The precious ordinary. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/the-precious-ordinary-i/) [Kent Haruf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/) > [I enjoy bluegrass, folk, gospel, and classical. I don't listen to music when I write. I sometimes listen to music just before I sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/i-enjoy-bluegrass-folk-gospel-and-classical-i-don-t-listen-to-music/) [Kent Haruf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/) > [We'd do better to follow the admonition of Jesus about loving our neighbours. People in the U.S. are capable of forgiveness and willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/we-d-do-better-to-follow-the-admonition-of-jesus-about-loving-our/) [Kent Haruf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/) > [Writers who aren't from rural states in the Midwest or the West often treat such people as if they were the Waltons or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/writers-who-aren-t-from-rural-states-in-the-midwest-or-the-west-often/) [Kent Haruf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/) > [My desire is to be anonymous, isolated, quiet, peaceful, and concentrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/my-desire-is-to-be-anonymous-isolated-quiet-peaceful-and-concentrated/) [Kent Haruf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/) > [“Alene looked out toward the fading sky. There was only a little light remaining. It would turn nighttime now and soon they would return…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/alene-looked-out-toward-the-fading-sky-there-was-only-a-little-light/) [Kent Haruf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/) > [“And so we know the satisfaction of hate. We know the sweet joy of revenge. How it feels good to get even. Oh, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/and-so-we-know-the-satisfaction-of-hate-we-know-the-sweet-joy-of/) [Kent Haruf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/) > [In terms of showing their emotions and acting on them, my women characters are a lot more advanced than the men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/in-terms-of-showing-their-emotions-and-acting-on-them-my-women/) [Kent Haruf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/) > [That was on a night in August. Dad Lewis died early that morning and the young girl Alice from next door got lost in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/that-was-on-a-night-in-august-dad-lewis-died-early-that-morning-and/) [Kent Haruf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/) > [“The evening wasn’t cold yet... But the air was turning sharp, with a fall feeling of loneliness coming. Something unaccountable pending in the air.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/the-evening-wasn-t-cold-yet-but-the-air-was-turning-sharp-with-a-fall/) [Kent Haruf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/) > [After finishing the first draft, I work for as long as it takes (for two or three weeks, most often) to rework that first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/after-finishing-the-first-draft-i-work-for-as-long-as-it-takes-for/) [Kent Haruf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/) > [I write in a journal first, briefly. Then read something I've read many times before, for about half an hour, then rework what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/i-write-in-a-journal-first-briefly-then-read-something-i-ve-read-many/) [Kent Haruf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/) [Explore all 34 Kent Haruf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. 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It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You have to believe in yourself despite the evidence.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kent Haruf" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/you-have-to-believe-in-yourself-despite-the-evidence/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/you-have-to-believe-in-yourself-despite-the-evidence/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc1/kent-haruf-18766_believe_you-have-to-believe-in-yourself-despite_1478094.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc1/kent-haruf-18766_believe_you-have-to-believe-in-yourself-despite_1478094.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc1/kent-haruf-18766_believe_you-have-to-believe-in-yourself-despite_1478094.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You have to believe in yourself despite the evidence.” — Kent Haruf", "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": "Kent Haruf", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-haruf/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You have to believe in yourself...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/you-have-to-believe-in-yourself-despite-the-evidence/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-haruf/you-have-to-believe-in-yourself-despite-the-evidence/#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 } } ] } ```