--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have a personal philosophy in life: If…" description: "\"I have a personal philosophy in life: If somebody else can do something that I'm doing, they should do it. And what I want to do is find things that wo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf2/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_contribution_i-have-a-personal-philosophy-in-life-if_2015783.png" --- # I have a personal philosophy in life: If somebody else can… ![“I have a personal philosophy in life: If somebody else can do something that I'm doing, they should do it. And what I want to do is find things that would represent a unique contribution to the world - the contribution that only I, and my portfolio of talents, can make happen. Those are my…” quote by Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf2/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_contribution_i-have-a-personal-philosophy-in-life-if_2015783.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf2/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_contribution_i-have-a-personal-philosophy-in-life-if_2015783.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf2/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_contribution_i-have-a-personal-philosophy-in-life-if_2015783.png) > “I have a personal philosophy in life: If somebody else can do something that I'm doing, they should do it. And what I want to do is find things that would represent a unique contribution to the world - the contribution that only I, and my portfolio of talents, can make happen. Those are my priorities in life.” [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He emphasizes focusing on work only you can uniquely accomplish, delegating tasks others can do. **In simple terms:** Do what only you can do; let others handle the rest. Key Takeaway Identify your unique strengths. Themes individuality productivity talent priorities Mood reflective motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - team projects - skill development - entrepreneurship Key Concepts comparative advantage personal branding strategic focus Questions to Reflect On - What unique value can you offer? - How can you delegate more effectively? A Different Perspective If others can do it, you may waste time duplicating effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contribution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contribution/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Personal philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-philosophy/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Priorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priorities/) [Priorities in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priorities-in-life/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [We knew sports was important to us and our family, but there are priorities in life.Obviously, faith is foremost; how we did in school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-curry/we-knew-sports-was-important-to-us-and-our-family-but-there-are/) [Stephen Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-curry/) > [“Determine what your top priorities in life are and keep aside sufficient time for them in your schedule.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amey-hegde/determine-what-your-top-priorities-in-life-are-and-keep-aside/) [Amey Hegde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amey-hegde/) > [“You can tell a lot about a person's priorities in life by reading their will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/you-can-tell-a-lot-about-a-person-s-priorities-in-life-by-reading/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [It is about priorities in life and for me, ever since I have been a mom, my family and kid have been my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-dutta/it-is-about-priorities-in-life-and-for-me-ever-since-i-have-been-a/) [Lara Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-dutta/) > [Set your priorities in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-your-priorities-in-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What we value and our priorities in life make us who we are. We are unique not only because of our outward differences, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-fraseur/what-we-value-and-our-priorities-in-life-make-us-who-we-are-we-are/) [Spencer Fraseur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-fraseur/) > [Being a mom is what life is about. I hope people realize what the priorities in life should be and know not everything has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kourtney-kardashian/being-a-mom-is-what-life-is-about-i-hope-people-realize-what-the/) [Kourtney Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kourtney-kardashian/) > [Everyone has his/her own priorities in life…then what is the meaning of sacrifice, I think it is the replacement/exchanges of priority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anupam/everyone-has-his-her-own-priorities-in-life-then-what-is-the-meaning/) AnuPam > [“Giving up the obsession of sign-values and the subservient fascination of the social pyramid, allows us to set priorities in life, find out the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/giving-up-the-obsession-of-sign-values-and-the-subservient/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [Living with the immediacy of death helps you sort out your priorities in life. It helps you to live a less trivial life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/living-with-the-immediacy-of-death-helps-you-sort-out-your-priorities/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [My personal philosophy of life is one of ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alva-myrdal/my-personal-philosophy-of-life-is-one-of-ethics/) [Alva Myrdal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alva-myrdal/) > [“Every one of us, unconsciously, works out a personal philosophy of life, by which we are guided, inspired, and corrected, as time goes on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/every-one-of-us-unconsciously-works-out-a-personal-philosophy-of-life/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [There's a huge difference between being a replaceable cog on the assembly line and being the one who is missed, the one with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/there-s-a-huge-difference-between-being-a-replaceable-cog-on-the/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Every individual has a unique contribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/every-individual-has-a-unique-contribution/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [“There is not a better time to start being the unique contribution that you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monika-zands/there-is-not-a-better-time-to-start-being-the-unique-contribution/) [Monika Zands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monika-zands/) ## More by Neil deGrasse Tyson > [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The Pacific is the best toilet for satellites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-pacific-is-the-best-toilet-for-satellites/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [... informed ignorance provides the natural state of mind for research scientists at the ever-shifting frontiers of knowledge. People who believe themselves ignorant of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/informed-ignorance-provides-the-natural-state-of-mind-for-research/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [If you seek only easy problems to solve, then ultimately, there'll be nothing about you to distinguish yourself from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/if-you-seek-only-easy-problems-to-solve-then-ultimately-there-ll-be/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The caricature of science is that we hold tight to the theories we have, and shun challenges to them. That's just not true. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-caricature-of-science-is-that-we-hold-tight-to-the-theories-we/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. Each discovery of science therefore adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/new-generations-of-humans-inherit-the-acquired-discoveries-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [I've said multiple times that the world's first trillionaire is going to be the person who exploits the resources of asteroids, the natural resources…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-ve-said-multiple-times-that-the-world-s-first-trillionaire-is-going/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [ They \[scientists of centuries past\] call on God only from the lonely and precarious edge of incomprehension. Where they feel certain about their explanations,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/they-scientists-of-centuries-past-call-on-god-only-from-the-lonely/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [We explore our environment, more than we are compelled to utter poetry, when we're toddlers. We start doing that later. Before that happens, every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/we-explore-our-environment-more-than-we-are-compelled-to-utter-poetry/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [You can't have people making decisions about the future of the world who are scientifically illiterate. That's a recipe for disaster. And I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/you-can-t-have-people-making-decisions-about-the-future-of-the-world/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Science surrounds you. It's not something that you can step aside, step over or push out of your way because you were never good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/science-surrounds-you-it-s-not-something-that-you-can-step-aside-step/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The idea that God resides in the unknown is what philosophers call the God of the gaps. And we have this thing called science,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-idea-that-god-resides-in-the-unknown-is-what-philosophers-call/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Everybody's got money for vacation time. Look at how much we all spend just to get - well, I get sick on the loop-the-loop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/everybody-s-got-money-for-vacation-time-look-at-how-much-we-all-spend/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) [Explore all 1,143 Neil deGrasse Tyson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) ## More Contribution quotes > [You should avoid hedging, at least that's what I think. You should be ashamed to die until you've made some contribution to mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-johns/you-should-avoid-hedging-at-least-that-s-what-i-think-you-should-be/) Vernon Johns > [Effort is the one strictly undervalued and original contribution we make to this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/effort-is-the-one-strictly-undervalued-and-original-contribution-we/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [I love Black Sabbath. 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His contribution as a goal threat is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-ferguson/i-have-nothing-but-praise-for-the-boy-he-is-easily-the-best-player-in/) [Alex Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-ferguson/) > [The way a culture treats women in birth is a good indicator of how well women and their contributions to society are valued and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/the-way-a-culture-treats-women-in-birth-is-a-good-indicator-of-how/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [The excellence of this important contribution to genre literature CANNOT be overstated A masterwork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-nolan/the-excellence-of-this-important-contribution-to-genre-literature/) William F. Nolan > [Of course, corporations and governments have a right to something for their money. They pay the wages. But they don't have the ethical right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/of-course-corporations-and-governments-have-a-right-to-something-for/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [Fundamentally transforming the foundations of the economy is the biggest contribution we can make towards building a sustainable future. The current economic crisis may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathon-porritt/fundamentally-transforming-the-foundations-of-the-economy-is-the/) [Jonathon Porritt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathon-porritt/) > [I think self-deprecation is such a disease, and I want to cure everybody of it and so that's my contribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-think-self-deprecation-is-such-a-disease-and-i-want-to-cure/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [It is in the measure that special methods acknowledge their common core in transcendental method, that norms common to all the sciences will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lonergan/it-is-in-the-measure-that-special-methods-acknowledge-their-common/) [Bernard Lonergan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lonergan/) > [Chaperons, even in their days of glory, were almost never able to enforce morality; what they did was to force immorality to be discreet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/chaperons-even-in-their-days-of-glory-were-almost-never-able-to/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Replace your pursuit of success with the pursuit of contribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/replace-your-pursuit-of-success-with-the-pursuit-of-contribution/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [There is no art or science that is too difficult for industry to attain to; it is the gift of tongues, and makes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hyde-1st-earl-of-clarendon/there-is-no-art-or-science-that-is-too-difficult-for-industry-to/) [Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hyde-1st-earl-of-clarendon/) > [What 'eminent domain' laws mean in practice is that politicians have a right to seize your property and turn it over to someone else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/what-eminent-domain-laws-mean-in-practice-is-that-politicians-have-a/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) [Browse all 1,297 Contribution quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contribution/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have a personal philosophy in life: If somebody else can do something that I'm doing, they should do it. 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