--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My ideas and judgment proceed only…" description: "\"“My ideas and judgment proceed only gropingly, faltering, tripping, and stumbling; and when I have gone as far as I can, I am still in no degree satisf..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/montaigne-14818_great-writing_my-ideas-and-judgment-proceed-only-gropi_2610529.jpg" --- # My ideas and judgment proceed only gropingly, faltering… ![“My ideas and judgment proceed only gropingly, faltering, tripping, and stumbling; and when I have gone as far as I can, I am still in no degree satisfied, for I see more land beyond, but with a troubled and clouded sight, so that I cannot make it out clearly. And taking upon me to write…” quote by Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/montaigne-14818_great-writing_my-ideas-and-judgment-proceed-only-gropi_2610529.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/montaigne-14818_great-writing_my-ideas-and-judgment-proceed-only-gropi_2610529.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/montaigne-14818_great-writing_my-ideas-and-judgment-proceed-only-gropi_2610529.jpg) > ““My ideas and judgment proceed only gropingly, faltering, tripping, and stumbling; and when I have gone as far as I can, I am still in no degree satisfied, for I see more land beyond, but with a troubled and clouded sight, so that I cannot make it out clearly. And taking upon me to write indifferently of whatever comes into my head, and therein making use of nothing but my own natural means, if I happened, as I often do, accidentally to meet in any good author the same subjects upon which I have attempted to write (as I have just done this moment in Plutarch\[...\]) seeing myself so weak and miserable, so heavy and sluggish in comparison with those men, I at once pity and despise myself. Yet I am pleased with this, that my opinions have often the honor to tally with theirs, and that at least I follow the same path, though far behind them, saying, "That is so." Also that I have that faculty, which not everyone has, of knowing the vast difference between them and me. And notwithstanding all that, I let my ideas go their way, weak and lowly just as I produced them, without plastering up or mending the defects that this comparison has laid open to my own view. A man needs good strong loins to keep pace with these people.”” [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑critique reveals humility; recognizing limits fuels growth. **In simple terms:** Know your limits and keep learning. Key Takeaway Embrace humility, seek improvement. Themes humility self‑critique growth learning Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - writing - academic study - personal development Key Concepts self‑awareness intellectual honesty Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance self‑critique with confidence? - What practices help you improve continuously? A Different Perspective May lead to excessive self‑doubt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attempted Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attempted-write-2024817/) [Great writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-writing/) [Ideas Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas-judgment-2024816/) [Moment Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment-plutarch-2024818/) [Plutarch Seeing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plutarch-seeing-2024815/) [Stumbling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stumbling/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Every decade of my life I attempted to write a novel. But I had nothing to say. I was far too self-absorbed, and now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/every-decade-of-my-life-i-attempted-to-write-a-novel-but-i-had/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“Damn, Easy,” the intrepid sideman said. “Trouble got your name tattooed on the inside’a his eyelids. He be studyin’ you in his sleep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/damn-easy-the-intrepid-sideman-said-trouble-got-your-name-tattooed-on/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [I write less about alcohol, less and less and less. You 're an addict - so of course you write about the thing you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-write-less-about-alcohol-less-and-less-and-less-you-re-an-addict-so/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [I was opposed to doing TV for a long time because I thought the quality of writing wasn't very strong, as opposed to film,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dinklage/i-was-opposed-to-doing-tv-for-a-long-time-because-i-thought-the/) [Peter Dinklage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dinklage/) > [“... and Louisa watched another car arriving, this one as unmarked as the cop cars, but more so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-herron/and-louisa-watched-another-car-arriving-this-one-as-unmarked-as-the/) [Mick Herron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-herron/) > [It's hard to imagine there's a place for great writing inside a multinational conglomerate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-specktor/it-s-hard-to-imagine-there-s-a-place-for-great-writing-inside-a/) [Matthew Specktor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-specktor/) > [“In truly good writing no matter how many times you read it you do not know how it is done. That is beacause there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/in-truly-good-writing-no-matter-how-many-times-you-read-it-you-do-not/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“What was glimpsed in Aquarius—what was envisioned, believed in, prophesied, predicted, doubted, and forewarned—is made, in Pisces, manifest. Those solitary visions that, but a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/what-was-glimpsed-in-aquarius-what-was-envisioned-believed-in/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) > [First of all, anything Ryan Murphy is a part of is a good idea to be a part of. He's got just such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-salling/first-of-all-anything-ryan-murphy-is-a-part-of-is-a-good-idea-to-be-a/) [Mark Salling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-salling/) > [It's just lovely to be involved in a movie that does go back to the basics - characters and great writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/it-s-just-lovely-to-be-involved-in-a-movie-that-does-go-back-to-the/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [“Before I could get my bearings he was on top of me and shoving my face down into the dirt. He was bigger and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tana-french/before-i-could-get-my-bearings-he-was-on-top-of-me-and-shoving-my/) [Tana French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tana-french/) > [Let the world burn through you. Throw the prism light, white hot, on paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/let-the-world-burn-through-you-throw-the-prism-light-white-hot-on/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“A dysfunctional family makes for great writing -”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rose/a-dysfunctional-family-makes-for-great-writing/) [Angela Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rose/) > [“On the drive over, Richards kept marveling at the transforming power of having a felony to commit. His brother looked more like his "normal"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-roper/on-the-drive-over-richards-kept-marveling-at-the-transforming-power/) [Robert Roper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-roper/) > [Nothing teaches great writing like the very best books do. Yet, good teachers often help students cross that bridge, and I have to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/nothing-teaches-great-writing-like-the-very-best-books-do-yet-good/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) ## More by Montaigne > [My true memory has been tainted by old home videos of my sister and I, ages 3 and 5 respectively, singing karaoke to Britney…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/my-true-memory-has-been-tainted-by-old-home-videos-of-my-sister-and-i/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [Dad is a skilled athlete and runs his own football school for kids. While football is his entire life and he encouraged us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/dad-is-a-skilled-athlete-and-runs-his-own-football-school-for-kids/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [My dad played in the National Soccer League in Australia and also played football in Malaysia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/my-dad-played-in-the-national-soccer-league-in-australia-and-also/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [“People try to get out of themselves and to escape from the man. This is folly; instead of transforming themselves into angels, they turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/people-try-to-get-out-of-themselves-and-to-escape-from-the-man-this/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [“How many things were articles of faith to us yesterday that are fables to us today?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/how-many-things-were-articles-of-faith-to-us-yesterday-that-are/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [I went to all of Dad's football games. As I got older, I got involved. He taught me everything I know about playing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/i-went-to-all-of-dad-s-football-games-as-i-got-older-i-got-involved/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [All of us feel, I think, that our experiences can be the worst possible thing you can go through and that we're alone in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/all-of-us-feel-i-think-that-our-experiences-can-be-the-worst-possible/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [“Cada cual llama barbarie a lo que no forma parte de su costumbre.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/cada-cual-llama-barbarie-a-lo-que-no-forma-parte-de-su-costumbre/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [“We need but little learning to live happily.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/we-need-but-little-learning-to-live-happily/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [“If any one should importune me to give a reason why I loved him, I feel it could no otherwise be expressed than by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/if-any-one-should-importune-me-to-give-a-reason-why-i-loved-him-i/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [I understand that all the songs I write are quite melodramatic and are quite extreme from my perspective, but that's how life feels to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/i-understand-that-all-the-songs-i-write-are-quite-melodramatic-and/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [I started writing - just generally - when I was 10, there, and started writing songs when I was maybe 11 turning 12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/i-started-writing-just-generally-when-i-was-10-there-and-started/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [I'd probably do something that involved music, a booking agent or working at a label, if not being an actual musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/i-d-probably-do-something-that-involved-music-a-booking-agent-or/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [“If only talking to oneself did not look mad, no day would go by without my being heard growling to myself. - you silly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/if-only-talking-to-oneself-did-not-look-mad-no-day-would-go-by/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) > [I spent my first five years in Canberra then moved to Sydney, where I moved around the Hills District until the age of 18.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montaigne/i-spent-my-first-five-years-in-canberra-then-moved-to-sydney-where-i/) [Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) [Explore all 34 Montaigne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montaigne/) ## More Great writing quotes > [Nothing teaches great writing like the very best books do. Yet, good teachers often help students cross that bridge, and I have to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/nothing-teaches-great-writing-like-the-very-best-books-do-yet-good/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) > [“On the drive over, Richards kept marveling at the transforming power of having a felony to commit. His brother looked more like his "normal"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-roper/on-the-drive-over-richards-kept-marveling-at-the-transforming-power/) [Robert Roper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-roper/) > [“A dysfunctional family makes for great writing -”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rose/a-dysfunctional-family-makes-for-great-writing/) [Angela Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rose/) > [Let the world burn through you. Throw the prism light, white hot, on paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/let-the-world-burn-through-you-throw-the-prism-light-white-hot-on/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“Before I could get my bearings he was on top of me and shoving my face down into the dirt. He was bigger and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tana-french/before-i-could-get-my-bearings-he-was-on-top-of-me-and-shoving-my/) [Tana French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tana-french/) > [It's just lovely to be involved in a movie that does go back to the basics - characters and great writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/it-s-just-lovely-to-be-involved-in-a-movie-that-does-go-back-to-the/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [First of all, anything Ryan Murphy is a part of is a good idea to be a part of. He's got just such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-salling/first-of-all-anything-ryan-murphy-is-a-part-of-is-a-good-idea-to-be-a/) [Mark Salling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-salling/) > [“What was glimpsed in Aquarius—what was envisioned, believed in, prophesied, predicted, doubted, and forewarned—is made, in Pisces, manifest. Those solitary visions that, but a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/what-was-glimpsed-in-aquarius-what-was-envisioned-believed-in/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) > [“In truly good writing no matter how many times you read it you do not know how it is done. That is beacause there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/in-truly-good-writing-no-matter-how-many-times-you-read-it-you-do-not/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [It's hard to imagine there's a place for great writing inside a multinational conglomerate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-specktor/it-s-hard-to-imagine-there-s-a-place-for-great-writing-inside-a/) [Matthew Specktor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-specktor/) > [“... and Louisa watched another car arriving, this one as unmarked as the cop cars, but more so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-herron/and-louisa-watched-another-car-arriving-this-one-as-unmarked-as-the/) [Mick Herron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-herron/) > [I was opposed to doing TV for a long time because I thought the quality of writing wasn't very strong, as opposed to film,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dinklage/i-was-opposed-to-doing-tv-for-a-long-time-because-i-thought-the/) [Peter Dinklage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dinklage/) > [I write less about alcohol, less and less and less. You 're an addict - so of course you write about the thing you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-write-less-about-alcohol-less-and-less-and-less-you-re-an-addict-so/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Damn, Easy,” the intrepid sideman said. “Trouble got your name tattooed on the inside’a his eyelids. He be studyin’ you in his sleep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/damn-easy-the-intrepid-sideman-said-trouble-got-your-name-tattooed-on/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [“I spent years in a graduate literature program learning what makes great writing, and the only conclusion we came to was that the future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-spent-years-in-a-graduate-literature-program-learning-what-makes/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) [Browse all 103 Great writing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-writing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“My ideas and judgment proceed only gropingly, faltering, tripping, and stumbling; and when I have gone as far as I can, I am still in no degree satisfied, for I see more land beyond, but with a troubled and clouded sight, so that I cannot make it out clearly. And taking upon me to write indifferently of whatever comes into my head, and therein making use of nothing but my own natural means, if I happened, as I often do, accidentally to meet in any good author the same subjects upon which I have attempted to write (as I have just done this moment in Plutarch[...]) seeing myself so weak and miserable, so heavy and sluggish in comparison with those men, I at once pity and despise myself. Yet I am pleased with this, that my opinions have often the honor to tally with theirs, and that at least I follow the same path, though far behind them, saying, \"That is so.\" Also that I have that faculty, which not everyone has, of knowing the vast difference between them and me. And notwithstanding all that, I let my ideas go their way, weak and lowly just as I produced them, without plastering up or mending the defects that this comparison has laid open to my own view. 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