--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People tend to measure themselves by…" description: "\"People tend to measure themselves by external accomplishments, but jail allows a person to focus on internal ones; such as honesty, sincerity, simplici..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f77/nelson-mandela-248_absence_people-tend-to-measure-themselves-by-ext_165510.jpg" --- # People tend to measure themselves by external… ![“People tend to measure themselves by external accomplishments, but jail allows a person to focus on internal ones; such as honesty, sincerity, simplicity, humility, generosity and an absence of variety. You learn to look into yourself.” quote by Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f77/nelson-mandela-248_absence_people-tend-to-measure-themselves-by-ext_165510.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f77/nelson-mandela-248_absence_people-tend-to-measure-themselves-by-ext_165510.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f77/nelson-mandela-248_absence_people-tend-to-measure-themselves-by-ext_165510.jpg) > “People tend to measure themselves by external accomplishments, but jail allows a person to focus on internal ones; such as honesty, sincerity, simplicity, humility, generosity and an absence of variety. You learn to look into yourself.” [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. External achievements often dominate self‑evaluation, yet confinement can shift focus inward, fostering virtues like honesty, humility, and generosity. **In simple terms:** Jail can redirect attention from outward success to inner character. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner values when external rewards fade. Themes self‑reflection virtue humility generosity honesty Mood contemplative reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - prison life - personal crisis - career setback - rehabilitation - spiritual retreat Key Concepts character development inner growth mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What inner qualities have you neglected? - How can you nurture them without external pressure? A Different Perspective External validation may still dominate; inner work requires sustained effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) [Accomplishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplishment/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Generosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/) [Honesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Jail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jail/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Simplicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simplicity/) [Sincerity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sincerity/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Variety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variety/) ## Related quotes > [“One good thing about jail is that it allows you to think a lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/one-good-thing-about-jail-is-that-it-allows-you-to-think-a-lot/) [John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/) > [The internal peace of every country depends upon the knowledge that force is available to uphold law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-grey-1st-viscount-grey-of-fallodon/the-internal-peace-of-every-country-depends-upon-the-knowledge-that/) [Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-grey-1st-viscount-grey-of-fallodon/) > [I get very involved in the internal logic of sentences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/i-get-very-involved-in-the-internal-logic-of-sentences/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [Why, I say, do so few understand and apprehend the internal power?... He who in himself sees all things, is all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/why-i-say-do-so-few-understand-and-apprehend-the-internal-power-he/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [Since we are not in the League of Nations in any case, we do not devote our attention to reflecting on its internal reforms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/since-we-are-not-in-the-league-of-nations-in-any-case-we-do-not/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [We gain internal freedom through external actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/we-gain-internal-freedom-through-external-actions/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [In Sadhana there will be internal talk with God. You will give up all attachments and at­tach only to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/in-sadhana-there-will-be-internal-talk-with-god-you-will-give-up-all/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [By itself photography cannot deal with the unseen, the remote, the internal, the abstract, it does not speak of Man, only of a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-postman/by-itself-photography-cannot-deal-with-the-unseen-the-remote-the/) [Neil Postman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-postman/) > [We create in people through our actions and example. In this way people around us become reflections of our own behavioral patterns and internal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-create-in-people-through-our-actions-and-example-in-this-way/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [External pressure seems to produce internal unity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-waltz/external-pressure-seems-to-produce-internal-unity/) [Kenneth Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-waltz/) > [What makes a story a story is that something changes. Internal, external, small or large, trivial or of earth-shattering importance. Doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-monette/what-makes-a-story-a-story-is-that-something-changes-internal/) [Sarah Monette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-monette/) > [Life is not so much defined by the external situation as it is by the internal one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-needleman/life-is-not-so-much-defined-by-the-external-situation-as-it-is-by-the/) [Jacob Needleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-needleman/) > [I have an excellent internal compass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-bonneville/i-have-an-excellent-internal-compass/) [Hugh Bonneville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-bonneville/) > [Peace is more of an internal settlement rather than what is visible on the external.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/peace-is-more-of-an-internal-settlement-rather-than-what-is-visible/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [There's tons of external and internal pressures that we deal with but live for God and you'll be alright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-mcreynolds/there-s-tons-of-external-and-internal-pressures-that-we-deal-with-but/) [Jonathan McReynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-mcreynolds/) ## More by Nelson Mandela > [We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-work-together-to-ensure-the-equitable-distribution-of-wealth/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/especially-for-those-of-us-who-lived-in-single-cells-you-had-the-time/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/courageous-people-do-not-fear-forgiving-for-the-sake-of-peace/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-a-leader-i-have-always-endeavored-to-listen-to-what-each-and-every/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Some of the mission groups that have been responsible for our education have not been part of the government. In fact, they acted contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/some-of-the-mission-groups-that-have-been-responsible-for-our/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“I believed that I would become a counsellor to the Thembu king,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-believed-that-i-would-become-a-counsellor-to-the-thembu-king/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [What he means by this is that instead of saying you'll "try", you need to "do". And as we let our light shine, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/what-he-means-by-this-is-that-instead-of-saying-you-ll-try-you-need/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-learned-that-courage-was-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-triumph/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [We need to exert ourselves that much more, and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-need-to-exert-ourselves-that-much-more-and-break-out-of-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Prison is a still point in a turning world, and it is very easy to remain in the same place in jail while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/prison-is-a-still-point-in-a-turning-world-and-it-is-very-easy-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/a-fundamental-concern-for-others-in-our-individual-and-community/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I am aware of what the position is in the United States of America. If somebody gives to charity, then he gets a tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-am-aware-of-what-the-position-is-in-the-united-states-of-america-if/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It is our duty to give support to the brother leader ... especially in regards to the sanctions which are not hitting just him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-our-duty-to-give-support-to-the-brother-leader-especially-in/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of our own people became a hunger for the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-years-that-my-hunger-for-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) [Explore all 809 Nelson Mandela quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## More Absence quotes > [Distance sometimes endears friendship, and absence sweeteneth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howell/distance-sometimes-endears-friendship-and-absence-sweeteneth-it/) [James Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howell/) > [The work, the work, the work. This is what the business is all about. This is the fun, the glory, the pleasure. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-dusenberry/the-work-the-work-the-work-this-is-what-the-business-is-all-about/) [Phil Dusenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-dusenberry/) > [Total depravity means the entire absence of holiness, not the highest intensity of sin. A totally depraved man is not as bad as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/total-depravity-means-the-entire-absence-of-holiness-not-the-highest/) [William Greenough Thayer Shedd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/) > [Local and state governments have outrun the federal government. The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/local-and-state-governments-have-outrun-the-federal-government-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Of all the bewildering things about a new country, the absence of human landmarks is one of the most depressing and disheartening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/of-all-the-bewildering-things-about-a-new-country-the-absence-of/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [Young men have strong passions and tend to gratify them indiscriminately. Of the bodily desires, it is the sexual by which they are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/young-men-have-strong-passions-and-tend-to-gratify-them/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [It is suggested that in domestic violence at least the presence or absence of a firearm, or of any other type of weapon, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenwood/it-is-suggested-that-in-domestic-violence-at-least-the-presence-or/) [Colin Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenwood/) > [The absence of God in most spheres of life is perceived to be normal, and even Christians feel it as normal - which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-absence-of-god-in-most-spheres-of-life-is-perceived-to-be-normal/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/every-person-needs-to-take-one-day-away-a-day-in-which-one/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“I was thinking how most people don't make you feel much of anything at all. Don't make you feel like time spent with them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-lotter/i-was-thinking-how-most-people-don-t-make-you-feel-much-of-anything/) [Jane Lotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-lotter/) > [Cooperation isn't the absence of conflict but a means of managing conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/cooperation-isn-t-the-absence-of-conflict-but-a-means-of-managing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [Many are observing Ferguson and witnessing the anger, demonstrations, looting and vandalism and calling for quiet. But quiet isn't enough. 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Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/) [Browse all 2,057 Absence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People tend to measure themselves by external accomplishments, but jail allows a person to focus on internal ones; such as honesty, sincerity, simplicity, humility, generosity and an absence of variety. 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