--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you’re so far down the totem pole that…" description: "\"“If you’re so far down the totem pole that someone considers it a favor to you just to have you in their circle (no matter how far outside the ring you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/500/michelle-n-onuorah-62562_friendship_if-you-re-so-far-down-the-totem-pole-tha_2934617.jpg" --- # If you’re so far down the totem pole that someone… ![“If you’re so far down the totem pole that someone considers it a favor to you just to have you in their circle (no matter how far outside the ring you are), you should probably cut them out of yours.” quote by Michelle N. Onuorah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/500/michelle-n-onuorah-62562_friendship_if-you-re-so-far-down-the-totem-pole-tha_2934617.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/500/michelle-n-onuorah-62562_friendship_if-you-re-so-far-down-the-totem-pole-tha_2934617.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/500/michelle-n-onuorah-62562_friendship_if-you-re-so-far-down-the-totem-pole-tha_2934617.jpg) > ““If you’re so far down the totem pole that someone considers it a favor to you just to have you in their circle (no matter how far outside the ring you are), you should probably cut them out of yours.”” [Michelle N. Onuorah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-n-onuorah/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Surrounding yourself with people who only view you as a favor can be detrimental; it's better to remove such relationships from your own circle. **In simple terms:** Cut ties with those who only keep you for convenience. Key Takeaway Prioritize relationships based on mutual respect and value. Themes relationships self‑respect boundaries personal growth Mood reflective empowering Type personal social When to use this quote - career networking - friendship circles - team building - personal boundaries Key Concepts social dynamics self‑care networking Questions to Reflect On - Who in your life offers genuine support? - How can you set boundaries without burning bridges? A Different Perspective People may not realize the harm they cause, making change difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Self respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-respect/) ## Related quotes > [If I was just learning English and you told me a sport called BOXING takes place in a SQUARE area called a RING, I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-was-just-learning-english-and-you-told-me-a-sport-called-boxing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I thought the other ones were so obviously - what are we going to do if she burns down the house? The DEA, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-louise-parker/i-thought-the-other-ones-were-so-obviously-what-are-we-going-to-do-if/) [Mary-Louise Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-louise-parker/) > [I'm usually the last man on the totem pole. Except for the sound effects and the final sound mix, the score is the last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mancini/i-m-usually-the-last-man-on-the-totem-pole-except-for-the-sound/) [Henry Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mancini/) > [I was a sharecropper's son. That's as low as you can get on the totem pole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/i-was-a-sharecropper-s-son-that-s-as-low-as-you-can-get-on-the-totem/) [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) > [“He was the youngest and newest member of a four-man team. Hence, low man on the totem pole. Except that calling a new guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/he-was-the-youngest-and-newest-member-of-a-four-man-team-hence-low/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [With studio work, I'm always the bottom man on the totem pole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay-abaire/with-studio-work-i-m-always-the-bottom-man-on-the-totem-pole/) [David Lindsay-Abaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay-abaire/) > [ “Then there's the pillar statue in the semi-subterranean temple at Tiahuanaco \[Bolivia\]. Like the Totem Pole of Göbekli Tepe, it is anthropomorphic. Like the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-hancock/then-there-s-the-pillar-statue-in-the-semi-subterranean-temple-at/) [Graham Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-hancock/) > [Look at it this way - a totem pole is just a decorated tree. My work is a confessional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bourgeois/look-at-it-this-way-a-totem-pole-is-just-a-decorated-tree-my-work-is/) [Louise Bourgeois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bourgeois/) > [Self-respect,--the corner-stone of all virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-herschel/self-respect-the-corner-stone-of-all-virtue/) [John Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-herschel/) > [“We don't have to defeat any individual but our own self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/we-don-t-have-to-defeat-any-individual-but-our-own-self/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [Any time you give a man something he doesn't earn, you cheapen him. Our kids earn what they get, and that includes respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-hayes/any-time-you-give-a-man-something-he-doesn-t-earn-you-cheapen-him-our/) [Woody Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-hayes/) > [If holding onto them requires you to lower your self-worth and self-respect let go of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/if-holding-onto-them-requires-you-to-lower-your-self-worth-and-self/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Read. Read all the time. Read as a matter of principle, as a matter of self-respect. Read as a nourishing staple of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/read-read-all-the-time-read-as-a-matter-of-principle-as-a-matter-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [She might be without country, without nation, but inside her there was still a being that could exist and be free, that could simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-maas/she-might-be-without-country-without-nation-but-inside-her-there-was/) [Sharon Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-maas/) > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) ## More by Michelle N. Onuorah > [“Nothing like cleaning the whole house while my siblings sing "O Canada" - #oldestchildsyndrome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-n-onuorah/nothing-like-cleaning-the-whole-house-while-my-siblings-sing-o-canada/) [Michelle N. Onuorah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-n-onuorah/) > [“I'm a writer. I'm a Christian. I like sex. But I haven't had it. I believe in waiting until marriage. But that doesn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-n-onuorah/i-m-a-writer-i-m-a-christian-i-like-sex-but-i-haven-t-had-it-i/) [Michelle N. Onuorah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-n-onuorah/) > [“You are entitled to your opinion but you are not entitled to dictate mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-n-onuorah/you-are-entitled-to-your-opinion-but-you-are-not-entitled-to-dictate/) [Michelle N. Onuorah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-n-onuorah/) > [“Friendship is a two-way street...if you’re looking around your circle of “friends” and begin to realize that more than 98% of them are really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-n-onuorah/friendship-is-a-two-way-street-if-you-re-looking-around-your-circle/) [Michelle N. Onuorah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-n-onuorah/) [Explore all 5 Michelle N. Onuorah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-n-onuorah/) ## More Friendship quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) Maureen Andeson > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) Unknwon > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [If you love some one for who they are not for there body or how many friend so when you say I love you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/if-you-love-some-one-for-who-they-are-not-for-there-body-or-how-many/) Unknow > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [You smile upon your friend to-day, To-day his ills are over; You hearken to the lover's say, And happy is the lover. 'Tis late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-smile-upon-your-friend-to-day-to-day-his-ills-are-over-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/) [Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Kings don’t move mountains as a favor to a friend,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/kings-don-t-move-mountains-as-a-favor-to-a-friend/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/) [Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/) [Browse all 45,469 Friendship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If you’re so far down the totem pole that someone considers it a favor to you just to have you in their circle (no matter how far outside the ring you are), you should probably cut them out of yours.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michelle N. 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