--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: By not claiming to be first in the world…" description: "\"By not claiming to be first in the world one can rule.\" — Laozi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe1/laozi-147_claiming_by-not-claiming-to-be-first-in-the-world_3151203.jpg" --- # By not claiming to be first in the world one can rule. ![“By not claiming to be first in the world one can rule.” quote by Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe1/laozi-147_claiming_by-not-claiming-to-be-first-in-the-world_3151203.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe1/laozi-147_claiming_by-not-claiming-to-be-first-in-the-world_3151203.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe1/laozi-147_claiming_by-not-claiming-to-be-first-in-the-world_3151203.jpg) > “By not claiming to be first in the world one can rule.” [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humility in not seeking fame allows true influence without competition. **In simple terms:** Avoid claiming first to lead better. Key Takeaway Lead by example, not by titles. Themes humility leadership influence competition wisdom Mood reflective calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - team projects - community organizing - academic collaborations - political movements Key Concepts Taoism self‑effacement power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - When is claiming credit justified? - How does humility affect authority? A Different Perspective Some may misuse humility to avoid accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Claiming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claiming/) [Claiming World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claiming-world-5657506/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule/) [Taoism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taoism/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-rule-407704/) ## Related quotes > [To rule by knowledge ravages the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/to-rule-by-knowledge-ravages-the-country/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [There is a world which I alone rule, but it ends at my fingertips.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-brilliant/there-is-a-world-which-i-alone-rule-but-it-ends-at-my-fingertips/) [Ashleigh Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-brilliant/) > [The world, as a rule, does not live on beaches and in country clubs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-world-as-a-rule-does-not-live-on-beaches-and-in-country-clubs/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Working together, we can build a world in which the rule of law — not the rule of force — governs relations between states.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/working-together-we-can-build-a-world-in-which-the-rule-of-law-not/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [I love the power women have. I think women rule the world because they rule men. Manipulating men - that's our job. That's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isla-fisher/i-love-the-power-women-have-i-think-women-rule-the-world-because-they/) [Isla Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isla-fisher/) > [She rule the world,I rule the hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/purvish-gandhi/she-rule-the-world-i-rule-the-hearts/) [Purvish Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/purvish-gandhi/) > [“Do things that give you access to the world so that you can at least rule your world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anyaele-sam-chiyson/do-things-that-give-you-access-to-the-world-so-that-you-can-at-least/) [Anyaele Sam Chiyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anyaele-sam-chiyson/) > [“Where ever you go in is world This rule always remains the same... Kindness Is Everything!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/where-ever-you-go-in-is-world-this-rule-always-remains-the-same/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [We have before us the opportunity to forge, for ourselves and for future generations, a New World Order. A world where the rule of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/we-have-before-us-the-opportunity-to-forge-for-ourselves-and-for/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [Rule the world around you before it rule over you and the you cannot complain..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yashwardhan-pauranik/rule-the-world-around-you-before-it-rule-over-you-and-the-you-cannot/) [Yashwardhan Pauranik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yashwardhan-pauranik/) > [“Relationships rule our world! You rule your world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anyaele-sam-chiyson/relationships-rule-our-world-you-rule-your-world/) [Anyaele Sam Chiyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anyaele-sam-chiyson/) > [ The Council on Foreign Relations is the American branch of a society which originated in England ... \[and\] ... believes national boundaries should be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-quigley/the-council-on-foreign-relations-is-the-american-branch-of-a-society/) [Carroll Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-quigley/) > [When in all the nations of the world the rule of law is the darling of the leaders and the plague of the people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/when-in-all-the-nations-of-the-world-the-rule-of-law-is-the-darling/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [The first step in the direction of a world rule of law is the recognition that peace no longer is an unobtainable ideal but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-first-step-in-the-direction-of-a-world-rule-of-law-is-the/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [We have before us the opportunity to forge for ourselves and for future generations a new world order, a world where the rule of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/we-have-before-us-the-opportunity-to-forge-for-ourselves-and-for-2/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) ## More by Laozi > [When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [In lightness the root is lost. In haste the ruler is lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/in-lightness-the-root-is-lost-in-haste-the-ruler-is-lost/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [If the sage wants to stand above people, he must speak to them from below. If he wants to lead people, he must follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/if-the-sage-wants-to-stand-above-people-he-must-speak-to-them-from/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Goodie-goodies are the thieves of virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/goodie-goodies-are-the-thieves-of-virtue/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [He that humbles himself shall be preserved entire. He that bends shall be made straight. He that is empty shall be filled. He that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/he-that-humbles-himself-shall-be-preserved-entire-he-that-bends-shall/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [The Way of the Sage is to act but not to compete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-way-of-the-sage-is-to-act-but-not-to-compete/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Do nondoing, strive for nonstriving, savor the flavorless, regard the small as important, make much of little, repay enmity with virtue; plan for difficulty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/do-nondoing-strive-for-nonstriving-savor-the-flavorless-regard-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Without looking through the window, you can see Heaven's Way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/without-looking-through-the-window-you-can-see-heaven-s-way/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Can you dissolve your ego? Can you abandon the idea of self and other? Can you relinquish the notions of male and female, short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/can-you-dissolve-your-ego-can-you-abandon-the-idea-of-self-and-other/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [What's the difference between beautiful and ugly?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-s-the-difference-between-beautiful-and-ugly/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [In stillness the muddied water returns to clarity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/in-stillness-the-muddied-water-returns-to-clarity/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [He (the sage) is good to those who are good. He is also good to those who are not good. That is the virtue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/he-the-sage-is-good-to-those-who-are-good-he-is-also-good-to-those/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [There is a thing inherent and natural which existed before heaven and earth. Motionless and fathomless, It stands alone and never changes; It pervades…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/there-is-a-thing-inherent-and-natural-which-existed-before-heaven-and/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [What is a good man but a bad man's teacher? What is a bad man but a good man's job? If you do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-is-a-good-man-but-a-bad-man-s-teacher-what-is-a-bad-man-but-a/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) [Explore all 1,140 Laozi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) ## More Claiming quotes > [“I understand that you are claiming it is almost impossible to forgive, but only easier to forget. The truth is that, you can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/i-understand-that-you-are-claiming-it-is-almost-impossible-to-forgive/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [Couture has copied my things for years, in addition to countless other costume designers, claiming theirs were the original ideas. It's all part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-head/couture-has-copied-my-things-for-years-in-addition-to-countless-other/) [Edith Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-head/) > [“Then the glow grew brighter: a holographic golden sickle with a few sheaves of wheat, rotating just above Meg McCaffrey. A boy in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/then-the-glow-grew-brighter-a-holographic-golden-sickle-with-a-few/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Fraud is corrosive, but so is claiming fraud where there is none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-devine/fraud-is-corrosive-but-so-is-claiming-fraud-where-there-is-none/) [Miranda Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-devine/) > [Oh yeah! I'm living life to the fullest and claiming what's mine, there's no better way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/oh-yeah-i-m-living-life-to-the-fullest-and-claiming-what-s-mine-there/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What has happened is the 'stand your ground' law has become so over-arching that the definition has been lost. There's a lot of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-buckhorn/what-has-happened-is-the-stand-your-ground-law-has-become-so-over/) [Bob Buckhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-buckhorn/) > [As the humanities and liberal arts are downsized, privatized, and commodified, higher education finds itself caught in the paradox of claiming to invest in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/as-the-humanities-and-liberal-arts-are-downsized-privatized-and/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [Feminism is very much a part of a lot of my student's lives, but they're not going to march about it or take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gordon/feminism-is-very-much-a-part-of-a-lot-of-my-student-s-lives-but-they/) [Mary Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gordon/) > [Too many people are giving EVERYTHING they've got to a person that isn't even claiming them as more than friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/too-many-people-are-giving-everything-they-ve-got-to-a-person-that/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [When we work with history, to a very great degree we are all guessing. But by using motifs of time and history in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/when-we-work-with-history-to-a-very-great-degree-we-are-all-guessing/) [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) > [“You may not realize it yet, but you’re mine. Not because I am claiming you. You’re mine because that’s how it is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-mac/you-may-not-realize-it-yet-but-you-re-mine-not-because-i-am-claiming/) [J.L. Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-mac/) > ['SuperBetter' is fundamentally about a mind shift. It's about claiming your power to be in charge of how you spend your time and energy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/superbetter-is-fundamentally-about-a-mind-shift-it-s-about-claiming/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [One of the benefits of aligning yourself with an indistinct cluster of people is that claiming to feel their pain is often enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-brooker/one-of-the-benefits-of-aligning-yourself-with-an-indistinct-cluster/) [Charlie Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-brooker/) > [“Name your intention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-digh/name-your-intention/) [Patti Digh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-digh/) > [I'm not claiming to be anything out of the ordinary. I am not especially big or strong or brave or intrepid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-savage/i-m-not-claiming-to-be-anything-out-of-the-ordinary-i-am-not/) [Roz Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-savage/) [Browse all 67 Claiming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claiming/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "By not claiming to be first in the world one can rule.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Laozi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/by-not-claiming-to-be-first-in-the-world-one-can-rule/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Claiming" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/by-not-claiming-to-be-first-in-the-world-one-can-rule/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe1/laozi-147_claiming_by-not-claiming-to-be-first-in-the-world_3151203.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe1/laozi-147_claiming_by-not-claiming-to-be-first-in-the-world_3151203.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe1/laozi-147_claiming_by-not-claiming-to-be-first-in-the-world_3151203.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“By not claiming to be first in the world one can rule.” — Laozi", "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": "Laozi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "By not claiming to be first...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/by-not-claiming-to-be-first-in-the-world-one-can-rule/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/by-not-claiming-to-be-first-in-the-world-one-can-rule/#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 } } ] } ```