--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We should tell ourselves, once and for…" description: "\"“We should tell ourselves, once and for all, that it is the first duty of the soul to become as happy, complete, independent, and great as lies in its ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a36/maurice-maeterlinck-3952_complete_we-should-tell-ourselves-once-and-for-al_2425601.jpg" --- # We should tell ourselves, once and for all, that it is the… ![“We should tell ourselves, once and for all, that it is the first duty of the soul to become as happy, complete, independent, and great as lies in its power. Herein is no egoism, or pride. To become effectually generous and sincerely humble there must be within us a confident, tranquil, and clear…” quote by Maurice Maeterlinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a36/maurice-maeterlinck-3952_complete_we-should-tell-ourselves-once-and-for-al_2425601.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a36/maurice-maeterlinck-3952_complete_we-should-tell-ourselves-once-and-for-al_2425601.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a36/maurice-maeterlinck-3952_complete_we-should-tell-ourselves-once-and-for-al_2425601.jpg) > ““We should tell ourselves, once and for all, that it is the first duty of the soul to become as happy, complete, independent, and great as lies in its power. Herein is no egoism, or pride. To become effectually generous and sincerely humble there must be within us a confident, tranquil, and clear comprehension of all that we owe to ourselves.”” [Maurice Maeterlinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-maeterlinck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It argues that the soul’s primary duty is to pursue happiness, completeness, independence, and greatness, without ego or pride, through generosity and humility grounded in self‑knowledge. **In simple terms:** The soul should seek happiness and greatness without ego. Key Takeaway Cultivate humility and generosity. Themes self‑growth ethics spirituality autonomy Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - leadership training - ethical decision making Key Concepts philosophy humanism Questions to Reflect On - What does “becoming great” mean to you? - How can you balance self‑care with generosity? A Different Perspective Self‑knowledge can be elusive, making humility hard to achieve. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Complete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complete/) [Confident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confident/) [Egoism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egoism/) [Egoism Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egoism-pride-745060/) [Generous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generous/) [Happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy/) [Humble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humble/) [Humble Confident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humble-confident-1667037/) [Independent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Sincerely Humble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sincerely-humble-6151722/) [Tranquil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tranquil/) ## Related quotes > [What we now want is closer contact and better understanding between individuals and communities all over the earth, and the elimination of egoism and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/what-we-now-want-is-closer-contact-and-better-understanding-between/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Every man of action has a strong dose of egoism, pride, hardness, and cunning. But all those things will be regarded as high qualities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgos-seferis/every-man-of-action-has-a-strong-dose-of-egoism-pride-hardness-and/) [Giorgos Seferis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgos-seferis/) > [“What we now want most is closer contact and better understanding between individuals and communities all over the earth and the elimination of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/what-we-now-want-most-is-closer-contact-and-better-understanding/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Being humble and confident is attractive. 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The wise are active; the virtuous are tranquil. The wise are joyful;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-wise-find-pleasure-in-water-the-virtuous-find-pleasure-in-hills/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Oft in the tranquil hour of night, When stars illume the sky, I gaze upon each orb of light, And wish that thou went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-linley/oft-in-the-tranquil-hour-of-night-when-stars-illume-the-sky-i-gaze/) [George Linley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-linley/) > [What good does it do me, after all, if an ever-watchful authority keeps an eye out to ensure that my pleasures will be tranquil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/what-good-does-it-do-me-after-all-if-an-ever-watchful-authority-keeps/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [“It was not the power to be tranquil which had failed me, but the reason for tranquility was no more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/it-was-not-the-power-to-be-tranquil-which-had-failed-me-but-the/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [The studious silence of the library ... Thought is the thought of thought. Tranquil brightness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/the-studious-silence-of-the-library-thought-is-the-thought-of-thought/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [A too closely watched flower/blossoms the wrong color./Excess attention to the jonquil/turns it gentian. Flowers/need it tranquil to get/their hues right. Some/only open at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/a-too-closely-watched-flower-blossoms-the-wrong-color-excess/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) ## More by Maurice Maeterlinck > [Happiness is rarely absent; it is we that know not of its presence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-maeterlinck/happiness-is-rarely-absent-it-is-we-that-know-not-of-its-presence/) [Maurice Maeterlinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-maeterlinck/) > [He who sees without loving is only straining his eyes in the darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-maeterlinck/he-who-sees-without-loving-is-only-straining-his-eyes-in-the-darkness/) [Maurice Maeterlinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-maeterlinck/) > [We are never the same with others as when we are alone. 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From…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-maeterlinck/our-lives-must-be-spent-seeking-our-god-for-god-hides-but-his/) [Maurice Maeterlinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-maeterlinck/) > [“The angels that dry our eyes bear the form and the features of all we have said and thought—above all, of what we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-maeterlinck/the-angels-that-dry-our-eyes-bear-the-form-and-the-features-of-all-we/) [Maurice Maeterlinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-maeterlinck/) > [What man is there that does not laboriously, though all unconsciously, himself fashion the sorrow that is to be the pivot of his life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-maeterlinck/what-man-is-there-that-does-not-laboriously-though-all-unconsciously/) [Maurice Maeterlinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-maeterlinck/) > [“For it is our most secret desire that governs and dominates all. 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