--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once you become self-conscious, there is…" description: "\"Once you become self-conscious, there is no end to it; once you start to doubt, there is no room for anything else.\" — Mignon McLaughlin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/mignon-mclaughlin-742_anxiety_once-you-become-self-conscious-there-is_841205.png" --- # Once you become self-conscious, there is no end to it… ![“Once you become self-conscious, there is no end to it; once you start to doubt, there is no room for anything else.” quote by Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/mignon-mclaughlin-742_anxiety_once-you-become-self-conscious-there-is_841205.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/mignon-mclaughlin-742_anxiety_once-you-become-self-conscious-there-is_841205.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/mignon-mclaughlin-742_anxiety_once-you-become-self-conscious-there-is_841205.png) > “Once you become self-conscious, there is no end to it; once you start to doubt, there is no room for anything else.” [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑consciousness spirals, eroding confidence and blocking other experiences. **In simple terms:** Self‑consciousness blocks confidence and other experiences. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑acceptance to break the cycle. Themes self‑awareness confidence mental health Mood anxious reflective Type advice psychological When to use this quote - public speaking - social anxiety - first dates - performance reviews Key Concepts psychology rumination self‑criticism Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑criticism affect your daily decisions? - What habits can reduce rumination? A Different Perspective Self‑consciousness can be reinforced by external judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Being yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-yourself/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self conscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-conscious/) [Self consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-consciousness/) ## Related quotes > [Without somehow destroying me in the process, how could God reveal himself in a way that would leave no room for doubt? If there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/without-somehow-destroying-me-in-the-process-how-could-god-reveal/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“To be conscious that the end of a dream is approaching, and yet has not absolutely come, is one of the most wearisome as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/to-be-conscious-that-the-end-of-a-dream-is-approaching-and-yet-has/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [Great acting can be almost a psychotic mix of self-consciousness and unself-consciousness. And thats the terrible conflict. You have to be free to jump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/great-acting-can-be-almost-a-psychotic-mix-of-self-consciousness-and/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [We are just a little tiny flicker of a much larger flame that is Life itself, Consciousness itself, Being itself, Love itself, God’s very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/we-are-just-a-little-tiny-flicker-of-a-much-larger-flame-that-is-life/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [When you are self-conscious you are in trouble. When you are self-conscious you are really showing symptoms that you don't know who you are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/when-you-are-self-conscious-you-are-in-trouble-when-you-are-self/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [You do your best work when you're not conscious of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-matthiessen/you-do-your-best-work-when-you-re-not-conscious-of-yourself/) [Peter Matthiessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-matthiessen/) > [Many people become self-conscious when they communicate. Whether it's writing or speaking, they are consumed by anxiety. Self-consciousness is an impediment to what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/many-people-become-self-conscious-when-they-communicate-whether-it-s/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [“In her 20′s, a woman’s breasts double her self-esteem. In her 40′s, they halve it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/in-her-20-s-a-woman-s-breasts-double-her-self-esteem-in-her-40-s-they/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [ If you're up there \[on stage\] thinking about what you're doing, you're just not there and it's not going to happen.So trying to learn… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/if-you-re-up-there-on-stage-thinking-about-what-you-re-doing-you-re/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“To come across as younger than they are: Women buy creams that promise to slow aging; men buy fast cars.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/to-come-across-as-younger-than-they-are-women-buy-creams-that-promise/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I think that we are starting to get much more conscious about, you know, the importance of the spiritual path, and we are fulfilling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-think-that-we-are-starting-to-get-much-more-conscious-about-you/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The feeling of an unbridgeable gulf between consciousness and brain-process:When does this feeling occur in the present case?It is when I (for example) turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-wittgenstein/the-feeling-of-an-unbridgeable-gulf-between-consciousness-and-brain/) [Ludwig Wittgenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-wittgenstein/) > [Historians constantly rewrite history, reinterpreting (reorganizing) the records of the past. So, too, when the brain's coherent responses become part of a memory, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israel-rosenfield/historians-constantly-rewrite-history-reinterpreting-reorganizing-the/) Israel Rosenfield > [“High heels are a short (theist) woman's (subconscious) way of telling God to go to hell … in public.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/high-heels-are-a-short-theist-woman-s-subconscious-way-of-telling-god/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Be conscious first of thyself within, then think and act. All living thought is a world in preparation; all real act is a thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/be-conscious-first-of-thyself-within-then-think-and-act-all-living/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) ## More by Mignon McLaughlin > [As we are human, we can't do what we can't do; as we're neurotic, we can't do what we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/as-we-are-human-we-can-t-do-what-we-can-t-do-as-we-re-neurotic-we-can/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [Naturally, the neurotic wants you to love him twice as much, for he's going to cut it in half anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/naturally-the-neurotic-wants-you-to-love-him-twice-as-much-for-he-s/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [We have a terror of seeming to exert ourselves, lest it be noticed that we exerted ourselves and did not succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/we-have-a-terror-of-seeming-to-exert-ourselves-lest-it-be-noticed/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [The three horrors of modern life - talk without meaning, desire without love, work without satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-three-horrors-of-modern-life-talk-without-meaning-desire-without/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [We are never more self-righteous than when giving up what we should have shunned all along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/we-are-never-more-self-righteous-than-when-giving-up-what-we-should/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [The time to begin most things is ten years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-time-to-begin-most-things-is-ten-years-ago/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [One of life's few really reliable pleasures: to have a family you love, and to leave them for a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/one-of-life-s-few-really-reliable-pleasures-to-have-a-family-you-love/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [So long as God reveals Himself, or doesn't, He is behaving like God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/so-long-as-god-reveals-himself-or-doesn-t-he-is-behaving-like-god/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [The total history of almost anyone would shock almost everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-total-history-of-almost-anyone-would-shock-almost-everyone/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [There are children born to be children, and others who must mark time till they can take their natural places as adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/there-are-children-born-to-be-children-and-others-who-must-mark-time/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [In life, as in restaurants, we swallow a lot of indigestible stuff just because it comes with the dinner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/in-life-as-in-restaurants-we-swallow-a-lot-of-indigestible-stuff-just/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [Neurotics always feel as though they were going way up or way down, which is odd in people going sideways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/neurotics-always-feel-as-though-they-were-going-way-up-or-way-down/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [Even in the same family, one child will always instinctively know when to ask for things, and another won't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/even-in-the-same-family-one-child-will-always-instinctively-know-when/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [People find it hard to be both comic and serious, though life manages it easily enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/people-find-it-hard-to-be-both-comic-and-serious-though-life-manages/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [No good neurotic finds it difficult to be both opinionated and indecisive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/no-good-neurotic-finds-it-difficult-to-be-both-opinionated-and/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) [Explore all 383 Mignon McLaughlin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) Nagisa Tatsumi > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Once you become self-conscious, there is no end to it; once you start to doubt, there is no room for anything else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mignon McLaughlin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/once-you-become-self-conscious-there-is-no-end-to-it-once-you-start/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anxiety" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/once-you-become-self-conscious-there-is-no-end-to-it-once-you-start/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/mignon-mclaughlin-742_anxiety_once-you-become-self-conscious-there-is_841205.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/mignon-mclaughlin-742_anxiety_once-you-become-self-conscious-there-is_841205.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/mignon-mclaughlin-742_anxiety_once-you-become-self-conscious-there-is_841205.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Once you become self-conscious, there is no end to it; once you start to doubt, there is no room for…” — Mignon McLaughlin", "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": "Mignon McLaughlin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Once you become self-conscious, there is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/once-you-become-self-conscious-there-is-no-end-to-it-once-you-start/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/once-you-become-self-conscious-there-is-no-end-to-it-once-you-start/#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 } } ] } ```