--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Understanding one's own power is more…" description: "\"Understanding one's own power is more interesting than someone being given something powerful.\" — Nicolas Winding Refn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/324/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_given_understanding-one-s-own-power-is-more-in_1814622.jpg" --- # Understanding one's own power is more interesting than… ![“Understanding one's own power is more interesting than someone being given something powerful.” quote by Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/324/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_given_understanding-one-s-own-power-is-more-in_1814622.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/324/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_given_understanding-one-s-own-power-is-more-in_1814622.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/324/nicolas-winding-refn-1480_given_understanding-one-s-own-power-is-more-in_1814622.jpg) > “Understanding one's own power is more interesting than someone being given something powerful.” [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Personal empowerment is more compelling than receiving power from others. **In simple terms:** Self‑power beats granted power. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner strength. Themes empowerment autonomy knowledge authority Mood inspired thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - leadership - creative work - personal development - education Key Concepts self‑actualization intrinsic motivation Questions to Reflect On - What inner abilities can you develop? - How does self‑reliance affect your choices? A Different Perspective External power can be fleeting. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Given Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given-powerful-2142641/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Interesting Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting-given-2142640/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-interesting-995022/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Understanding Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding-power-1313414/) ## Related quotes > [The target of power is more interesting than its quantity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/the-target-of-power-is-more-interesting-than-its-quantity/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [Amanda is tough and she has a lot of power, but it will be interesting to see if she can keep the pace for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-anderson/amanda-is-tough-and-she-has-a-lot-of-power-but-it-will-be-interesting/) [Megan Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-anderson/) > [Certainty without power can be interesting, even amusing. Certainty with power can be dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/certainty-without-power-can-be-interesting-even-amusing-certainty/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [I think the corruption of power is very interesting, and I think the idea that power is something that... You know, when people want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-morrissey/i-think-the-corruption-of-power-is-very-interesting-and-i-think-the/) [David Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-morrissey/) > [Fatherhood is a relationship of love and understanding It is power and action. It is counsel and instruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-theodore-tuttle/fatherhood-is-a-relationship-of-love-and-understanding-it-is-power/) [A. Theodore Tuttle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-theodore-tuttle/) > [When I run, I really need to make sure I'm engaging my core and understanding where my power comes from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-darnold/when-i-run-i-really-need-to-make-sure-i-m-engaging-my-core-and/) [Sam Darnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-darnold/) > ['Prison Notebooks' gives me a basic understanding of how power can influence people through cultural products and intellectual groups, so they will voluntarily support…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/okky-madasari/prison-notebooks-gives-me-a-basic-understanding-of-how-power-can/) [Okky Madasari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/okky-madasari/) > [Happiness is a process of understanding our power to attain a goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kishore-bansal/happiness-is-a-process-of-understanding-our-power-to-attain-a-goal/) [Kishore Bansal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kishore-bansal/) > [I hope somewhere to break down what seems to be a kind of robotic communication between those in power and those who are understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/i-hope-somewhere-to-break-down-what-seems-to-be-a-kind-of-robotic/) [Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/) > [A new understanding of power is replacing our old understanding of power as the ability to manipulate and control. The old understanding of power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/a-new-understanding-of-power-is-replacing-our-old-understanding-of/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [The only trouble with this world today lies in our lack of understanding of the power of imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-only-trouble-with-this-world-today-lies-in-our-lack-of/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Understanding both the power of compound interest and the difficulty of getting it is the heart and soul of understanding a lot of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/understanding-both-the-power-of-compound-interest-and-the-difficulty/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [I like to say understanding is the power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/i-like-to-say-understanding-is-the-power/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [Language is inexorably tied to power and understanding. And power and understanding are the roots of magic. Just the act of writing something down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/language-is-inexorably-tied-to-power-and-understanding-and-power-and/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Sometimes a sign or a quote is simply interesting by itself and does not require anything beyond being framed on a page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/sometimes-a-sign-or-a-quote-is-simply-interesting-by-itself-and-does/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) ## More by Nicolas Winding Refn > [L.A. is, on one hand, very mysterious; it's very modern. It's a mysterious place - it's a haunting place - and everything in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/l-a-is-on-one-hand-very-mysterious-it-s-very-modern-it-s-a-mysterious/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [The digital revolution is forever. They put importance on that option as well. With Amazon, you're getting the best of both worlds, with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-digital-revolution-is-forever-they-put-importance-on-that-option/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I think the Internet is the greatest invention since women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-think-the-internet-is-the-greatest-invention-since-women/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I've always felt that I was from the future because the future is really not about what you make but what you stand for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-ve-always-felt-that-i-was-from-the-future-because-the-future-is/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [Art thrives on obstacles. The bigger the obstacle, the better the drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/art-thrives-on-obstacles-the-bigger-the-obstacle-the-better-the-drama/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [ Elle Fanning was fifteen when we started \[The Neon Demon\]. She turned seventeen during the shoot. Four weeks before Cannes, she turned eighteen. She… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/elle-fanning-was-fifteen-when-we-started-the-neon-demon-she-turned/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [The casting of any film is around 60% of the film, but it's also about the right casting insight. It's a bit like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-casting-of-any-film-is-around-60-of-the-film-but-it-s-also-about/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [How can creativity be bad? You can have, "I liked it" or "I didn't like it," but, in the end, it's an individual experience.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/how-can-creativity-be-bad-you-can-have-i-liked-it-or-i-didn-t-like-it/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I always approach every film I make as if it was going to be the last. So if I'm going to go out, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-always-approach-every-film-i-make-as-if-it-was-going-to-be-the-last/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I can't make a film that I don't feel comfortable with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-can-t-make-a-film-that-i-don-t-feel-comfortable-with/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I'm a huge admirer of Keanu. I think he's absolutely extraordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-m-a-huge-admirer-of-keanu-i-think-he-s-absolutely-extraordinary/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [Sometimes I just play the theme from Arthur. It reminds me of my childhood in New York and I just love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/sometimes-i-just-play-the-theme-from-arthur-it-reminds-me-of-my/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [The greatest artists were in a situation where they had to pay their bills. That's a very convenient way to get very creative very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-greatest-artists-were-in-a-situation-where-they-had-to-pay-their/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [I sometimes play different kinds of music to see where the performers end up. I play one genre. Then something else when I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-sometimes-play-different-kinds-of-music-to-see-where-the-performers/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [The greater the darkness, the better the drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-greater-the-darkness-the-better-the-drama/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) [Explore all 237 Nicolas Winding Refn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) ## More Given quotes > [I could not limit my values and pursuits to what makes others comfortable. Being possessed by a promise I live without options. I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/i-could-not-limit-my-values-and-pursuits-to-what-makes-others/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The old charters of Massachusetts, Virginia, and the Carolinas had given title to strips of territory extending from the Atlantic westward to the Pacific.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-bushnell-hart/the-old-charters-of-massachusetts-virginia-and-the-carolinas-had/) [Albert Bushnell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-bushnell-hart/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Susan B. Anthony must be turning in her grave if she knew that millions of women who have the right to vote are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-m-kunin/susan-b-anthony-must-be-turning-in-her-grave-if-she-knew-that/) [Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [If life were like a competitive race, some people would be given a flying start and others would line up with weights tied to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mardy-grothe/if-life-were-like-a-competitive-race-some-people-would-be-given-a/) [Mardy Grothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mardy-grothe/) > [Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/consideration-is-the-soil-in-which-wisdom-may-be-expected-to-grow-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Music is one of the ways by which you can know everything which is going on in the world. You can feel... through music...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/music-is-one-of-the-ways-by-which-you-can-know-everything-which-is/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [Today, at Harvard, any student with the currently fashionable color of skin is given rights denied to students of the currently unfashionable color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-capp/today-at-harvard-any-student-with-the-currently-fashionable-color-of/) [Al Capp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-capp/) > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [It was given out that the animals there practised cannibalism, tortured one another with red-hot horseshoes, and had their females in common. 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