--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We simply must get it through our heads…" description: "\"We simply must get it through our heads that holding a low opinion of ourselves is not a virtue, but a vice.\" — Maxwell Maltz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/417/maxwell-maltz-3463_character_we-simply-must-get-it-through-our-heads_598266.png" --- # We simply must get it through our heads that holding a low… ![“We simply must get it through our heads that holding a low opinion of ourselves is not a virtue, but a vice.” quote by Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/417/maxwell-maltz-3463_character_we-simply-must-get-it-through-our-heads_598266.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/417/maxwell-maltz-3463_character_we-simply-must-get-it-through-our-heads_598266.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/417/maxwell-maltz-3463_character_we-simply-must-get-it-through-our-heads_598266.png) > “We simply must get it through our heads that holding a low opinion of ourselves is not a virtue, but a vice.” [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Low self‑esteem is a harmful habit, not a moral virtue, and it hinders personal growth. **In simple terms:** Self‑criticism is a vice, not a virtue. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑compassion. Themes self‑esteem psychology personal growth Mood reflective encouraging Type advice psychological When to use this quote - therapy sessions - daily affirmations - goal setting Key Concepts cognitive bias self‑worth mental health Questions to Reflect On - What habits reinforce your low self‑view? - How can you practice self‑kindness? A Different Perspective Changing mindset takes effort and time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/esteem/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Self esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-esteem/) [Vice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vice/) [Vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vices/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [I have in general no very exalted opinion of the virtue of paper government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/i-have-in-general-no-very-exalted-opinion-of-the-virtue-of-paper/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Chastity is a virtue with some, but with many it is almost a vice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/chastity-is-a-virtue-with-some-but-with-many-it-is-almost-a-vice/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Weakness is more opposed to virtue than is vice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/weakness-is-more-opposed-to-virtue-than-is-vice/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Your virtue is a vice when you are self-righteous about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-virtue-is-a-vice-when-you-are-self-righteous-about-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Virtue by calculation is the virtue of vice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joubert/virtue-by-calculation-is-the-virtue-of-vice/) [Joseph Joubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joubert/) > [“Forgive me this my virtue; For in the fatness of these pursy times Virtue itself of vice must pardon beg- Yea, curb and woo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/forgive-me-this-my-virtue-for-in-the-fatness-of-these-pursy-times/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If he does really think that there is no distinction between virtue and vice, why, sir, when he leaves our houses let us count…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-he-does-really-think-that-there-is-no-distinction-between-virtue/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [For in the fatness of these pursy times Virtue itself of vice must pardon beg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/for-in-the-fatness-of-these-pursy-times-virtue-itself-of-vice-must/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [But virtue too, as well as vice, is clad in flesh and blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-waller/but-virtue-too-as-well-as-vice-is-clad-in-flesh-and-blood/) [Edmund Waller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-waller/) > [Virtue and vice are both prophets; the first, of certain good; the second, of pain or else of penitence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-venning/virtue-and-vice-are-both-prophets-the-first-of-certain-good-the/) [Ralph Venning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-venning/) > [I accrued anger from people's low opinion of me and my work, and for the work I might be capable of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/i-accrued-anger-from-people-s-low-opinion-of-me-and-my-work-and-for/) [Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/) > [“I've also now been around enough people who have a low opinion of anyone who's creative in a non-professional realm to know that that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-kendrick/i-ve-also-now-been-around-enough-people-who-have-a-low-opinion-of/) [Anna Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-kendrick/) > [He had an opinion of himself, I think, that was too high for his own good. Or maybe it was the reverse. Maybe it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/he-had-an-opinion-of-himself-i-think-that-was-too-high-for-his-own/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Insecure people have a special sensitivity for anything that finally confirms their own low opinion of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/insecure-people-have-a-special-sensitivity-for-anything-that-finally/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [Having a low opinion of myself is just part of what makes me such an amazing person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/having-a-low-opinion-of-myself-is-just-part-of-what-makes-me-such-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Maxwell Maltz > [This Creative Mechanism within you is impersonal. It will work automatically and impersonally to achieve goals of success and happiness, or unhappiness and failure,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/this-creative-mechanism-within-you-is-impersonal-it-will-work/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [Your automatic guidance system cannot guide you when you're stalled, “standing still”.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/your-automatic-guidance-system-cannot-guide-you-when-you-re-stalled/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [You can do only one thing at a time. I simply tackle one problem and concentrate all efforts on what I am doing at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/you-can-do-only-one-thing-at-a-time-i-simply-tackle-one-problem-and/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [Within you, whoever you may be, regardless of how big a failure you may think yourself to be, is the ability and the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/within-you-whoever-you-may-be-regardless-of-how-big-a-failure-you-may/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [Successful people are able to rise above crises by relaxing no matter what the external situation. Their belief in themselves, the strength of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/successful-people-are-able-to-rise-above-crises-by-relaxing-no-matter/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [Functionally, a man is somewhat like a bicycle. A bicycle maintains its poise and equilibrium only so long as it's moving forward towards something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/functionally-a-man-is-somewhat-like-a-bicycle-a-bicycle-maintains-its/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [Faith, courage, optimism, looking forward, bring us new life and more life. Futility, frustration, living in the past are not only characteristic of 'old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/faith-courage-optimism-looking-forward-bring-us-new-life-and-more/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [If you make friends with yourself you will never be alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/if-you-make-friends-with-yourself-you-will-never-be-alone/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [People who say that life is not worthwhile are really saying that they themselves have no personal goals which are worthwhile. Prescription: Get yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/people-who-say-that-life-is-not-worthwhile-are-really-saying-that/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [Take the trouble to stop and think of the other person's feelings, his viewpoints, his desires and needs. Think more of what the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/take-the-trouble-to-stop-and-think-of-the-other-person-s-feelings-his/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [Your present negative beliefs were formed by thought PLUS feelings. Generate enough emotion, or deep feeling and your new thoughts and ideas will cancel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/your-present-negative-beliefs-were-formed-by-thought-plus-feelings/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [The greatest miracle you can hope for is self-acceptance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/the-greatest-miracle-you-can-hope-for-is-self-acceptance/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [Get yourself a goal worth working for. Better still, get yourself a project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/get-yourself-a-goal-worth-working-for-better-still-get-yourself-a/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [For imagination sets the goal picture which our automatic mechanism works on. We act, or fail to act, not because of will, as is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/for-imagination-sets-the-goal-picture-which-our-automatic-mechanism/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [If you wait until circumstances justify your thinking pleasant thoughts, you are likely to wait forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/if-you-wait-until-circumstances-justify-your-thinking-pleasant/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) [Explore all 130 Maxwell Maltz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We simply must get it through our heads that holding a low opinion of ourselves is not a virtue, but a vice.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Maxwell Maltz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/we-simply-must-get-it-through-our-heads-that-holding-a-low-opinion-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/we-simply-must-get-it-through-our-heads-that-holding-a-low-opinion-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/417/maxwell-maltz-3463_character_we-simply-must-get-it-through-our-heads_598266.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/417/maxwell-maltz-3463_character_we-simply-must-get-it-through-our-heads_598266.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/417/maxwell-maltz-3463_character_we-simply-must-get-it-through-our-heads_598266.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We simply must get it through our heads that holding a low opinion of ourselves is not a virtue, but a vice.” — Maxwell Maltz", "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": "Maxwell Maltz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We simply must get it through...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/we-simply-must-get-it-through-our-heads-that-holding-a-low-opinion-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/we-simply-must-get-it-through-our-heads-that-holding-a-low-opinion-of/#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 } } ] } ```