--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man that is a friend to everyone is an…" description: "\"A man that is a friend to everyone is an enemy to himself.\" — Mike Tyson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/mike-tyson-752_boxing_a-man-that-is-a-friend-to-everyone-is-an_1671156.jpg" --- # A man that is a friend to everyone is an enemy to himself. ![“A man that is a friend to everyone is an enemy to himself.” quote by Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/mike-tyson-752_boxing_a-man-that-is-a-friend-to-everyone-is-an_1671156.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/mike-tyson-752_boxing_a-man-that-is-a-friend-to-everyone-is-an_1671156.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/mike-tyson-752_boxing_a-man-that-is-a-friend-to-everyone-is-an_1671156.jpg) > “A man that is a friend to everyone is an enemy to himself.” [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being universally friendly can erode personal boundaries, turning self‑care into self‑neglect. **In simple terms:** Trying to please everyone hurts yourself. Key Takeaway Set healthy limits. Themes self‑care boundaries friendship Mood reflective cautious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - workplace - family - social media - personal relationships Key Concepts psychology personal integrity Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance generosity with self‑respect? - When does helping others become self‑harm? A Different Perspective Over‑accommodating can lead to burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boxing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boxing/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [You have to be a friend to yourself. You know, 'cause if you're not a friend to yourself, you're an enemy to yourself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/you-have-to-be-a-friend-to-yourself-you-know-cause-if-you-re-not-a/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Do you remember writing in your diary," he said, "that it did not matter whether I was a friend or an enemy, since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/do-you-remember-writing-in-your-diary-he-said-that-it-did-not-matter/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“you are your own friend and enemy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-jelbert/you-are-your-own-friend-and-enemy/) [Will Jelbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-jelbert/) > [Thou can'st not joke an enemy into a friend, but thou may'st a friend into an enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/thou-can-st-not-joke-an-enemy-into-a-friend-but-thou-may-st-a-friend/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Whom you trust betrays you, you value who do not value you, Smile who does not like you, and finally fall in love with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry/whom-you-trust-betrays-you-you-value-who-do-not-value-you-smile-who/) Larry > [Always man needs woman for his friend. He needs her clearer vision, her subtler insight, her softer thought, her winged soul, her pure and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-c-ames/always-man-needs-woman-for-his-friend-he-needs-her-clearer-vision-her/) [Mary C. Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-c-ames/) > [A woman can become a man's friend only in the following stages - first an acquantaince, next a mistress, and only then a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/a-woman-can-become-a-man-s-friend-only-in-the-following-stages-first/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [“Probably no man ever had a friend that he did not dislike a little. ~E.W. Howe”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/probably-no-man-ever-had-a-friend-that-he-did-not-dislike-a-little-e/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can depend on no man, on no friend, but him who can depend on himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/you-can-depend-on-no-man-on-no-friend-but-him-who-can-depend-on/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) > [“I don’t believe that women care all that much about male friendship, however, to be to a man, primarily and only a-friend-who-is-a-woman is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanka-gjuri/i-don-t-believe-that-women-care-all-that-much-about-male-friendship/) [Stanka Gjurić](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanka-gjuri/) > [To say that a man is your Friend, means commonly no more than this, that he is not your enemy. Most contemplate only what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/to-say-that-a-man-is-your-friend-means-commonly-no-more-than-this/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Probably no man ever had a friend that he did not dislike a little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/probably-no-man-ever-had-a-friend-that-he-did-not-dislike-a-little/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [“A MAN WITH BOY, A MAN WITH GIRL, A MAN WITH MONEY, A MAN WITH STATUS ARE NOT BETTER THAN A MAN WITH FRIEND”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-kalyana-chakravarthi/a-man-with-boy-a-man-with-girl-a-man-with-money-a-man-with-status-are/) N Kalyana Chakravarthi > [“Believe that when I am at once a man's friend I am always so-nor is it so very hard to bring me to it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/believe-that-when-i-am-at-once-a-man-s-friend-i-am-always-so-nor-is/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [“The man who became our friend is only a dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-gratton/the-man-who-became-our-friend-is-only-a-dream/) [Tessa Gratton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-gratton/) ## More by Mike Tyson > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Greatness is not guarding yourself from people. Greatness is being accepted by the people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/greatness-is-not-guarding-yourself-from-people-greatness-is-being/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [At one point, I thought life was about acquiring things. Life is totally about losing everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/at-one-point-i-thought-life-was-about-acquiring-things-life-is/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Being in the ring became my reality, and, in my reality, I'd think I was someone special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/being-in-the-ring-became-my-reality-and-in-my-reality-i-d-think-i-was/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If I was fighting myself, I always say that I would kill Mike Tyson but then again I don't know how hard a punch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/if-i-was-fighting-myself-i-always-say-that-i-would-kill-mike-tyson/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Yes, time flies. And where did it leave you? Old too soon...smart too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/yes-time-flies-and-where-did-it-leave-you-old-too-soon-smart-too-late/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [My career has been over since 1990.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/my-career-has-been-over-since-1990/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [I love to hit people. I love to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-love-to-hit-people-i-love-to/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [I never wanted to do anything else but fight, when I was a kid. I never had any broader perspective of my own perspective.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-never-wanted-to-do-anything-else-but-fight-when-i-was-a-kid-i-never/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [I don't understand why people would want to get rid of pigeons. They don't bother no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-don-t-understand-why-people-would-want-to-get-rid-of-pigeons-they/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [“Mike tyson made a prolific quote that I will never forget. It came when he was being interviewed by a reporter about another boxers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/mike-tyson-made-a-prolific-quote-that-i-will-never-forget-it-came/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [I'm the biggest fighter in the history of the sport. If you don't believe it, check the cash register.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-m-the-biggest-fighter-in-the-history-of-the-sport-if-you-don-t/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Tupac Shakur always wanted me to smoke weed with him, and I never did it, and I wish I did...That's my biggest regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/tupac-shakur-always-wanted-me-to-smoke-weed-with-him-and-i-never-did/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Real freedom is having nothing. I was freer when I didn't have a cent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/real-freedom-is-having-nothing-i-was-freer-when-i-didn-t-have-a-cent/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [You need to learn independence. You have to be independent - it builds character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/you-need-to-learn-independence-you-have-to-be-independent-it-builds/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) [Explore all 381 Mike Tyson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) ## More Boxing quotes > [You know, it brings in a lot of different people; you take people off the street, and kids, and people from all different walks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-lamy/you-know-it-brings-in-a-lot-of-different-people-you-take-people-off/) [Michele Lamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-lamy/) > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [Apart from my grandad, none of my family had really been into boxing so the sport was never discussed much at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-taylor/apart-from-my-grandad-none-of-my-family-had-really-been-into-boxing/) [Josh Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-taylor/) > [You don't think. It's all instinct. If you stop to think, you're gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-robinson/you-don-t-think-it-s-all-instinct-if-you-stop-to-think-you-re-gone/) [Sugar Ray Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-robinson/) > [I actually like boxing away from home. It takes the pressure off you a little bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-degale/i-actually-like-boxing-away-from-home-it-takes-the-pressure-off-you-a/) [James DeGale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-degale/) > [Whether it's Marcos Maidana, Shawn Porter, Amir Khan or Kell Brook, there are a lot of fights out there that I think would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-thurman/whether-it-s-marcos-maidana-shawn-porter-amir-khan-or-kell-brook/) [Keith Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-thurman/) > [I'm a fighter, I love boxing, it's what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-mosley/i-m-a-fighter-i-love-boxing-it-s-what-i-do/) [Shane Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-mosley/) > [I first got into boxing when I was quite young. I was about 12 when I won my first boxing match.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-parker/i-first-got-into-boxing-when-i-was-quite-young-i-was-about-12-when-i/) [Joseph Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-parker/) > [Boxing can be so important to young people, it keeps you off the street and you can channel your energy and aggression in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-benn/boxing-can-be-so-important-to-young-people-it-keeps-you-off-the/) [Nigel Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-benn/) > [I'm too fast. I'm too smart. I'm too pretty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-m-too-fast-i-m-too-smart-i-m-too-pretty/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I somewhere along the way became fascinated with exploring characters who are willing to put themselves into violent situations, whether it's football, hockey, boxing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-berg/i-somewhere-along-the-way-became-fascinated-with-exploring-characters/) [Peter Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-berg/) > [I liked wrestling a lot better than boxing. I remember thinking at that time that wrestling was a pure demonstration of strength, which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-carpenter/i-liked-wrestling-a-lot-better-than-boxing-i-remember-thinking-at/) [Scott Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-carpenter/) > [I always tried to be different from everyone else. Then I found out about boxing. That was the way I could be different from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riddick-bowe/i-always-tried-to-be-different-from-everyone-else-then-i-found-out/) [Riddick Bowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riddick-bowe/) > [One day we'll have championship boxing in Cleveland and people will support it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-porter/one-day-we-ll-have-championship-boxing-in-cleveland-and-people-will/) [Shawn Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-porter/) > [I've grown up with Bollywood, and I continue to enjoy it. But boxing remains my passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijender-singh/i-ve-grown-up-with-bollywood-and-i-continue-to-enjoy-it-but-boxing/) [Vijender Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijender-singh/) [Browse all 2,214 Boxing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boxing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A man that is a friend to everyone is an enemy to himself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mike Tyson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/a-man-that-is-a-friend-to-everyone-is-an-enemy-to-himself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Boxing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/a-man-that-is-a-friend-to-everyone-is-an-enemy-to-himself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/mike-tyson-752_boxing_a-man-that-is-a-friend-to-everyone-is-an_1671156.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/mike-tyson-752_boxing_a-man-that-is-a-friend-to-everyone-is-an_1671156.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/539/mike-tyson-752_boxing_a-man-that-is-a-friend-to-everyone-is-an_1671156.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A man that is a friend to everyone is an enemy to himself.” — Mike Tyson", "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": "Mike Tyson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A man that is a friend...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/a-man-that-is-a-friend-to-everyone-is-an-enemy-to-himself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/a-man-that-is-a-friend-to-everyone-is-an-enemy-to-himself/#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 } } ] } ```