--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People seldom improve when they have no…" description: "\"“People seldom improve when they have no model but themselves to copy after.”\" — Oliver Goldsmith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b31/oliver-goldsmith-772_copy_people-seldom-improve-when-they-have-no_3228384.png" --- # People seldom improve when they have no model but… ![“People seldom improve when they have no model but themselves to copy after.” quote by Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b31/oliver-goldsmith-772_copy_people-seldom-improve-when-they-have-no_3228384.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b31/oliver-goldsmith-772_copy_people-seldom-improve-when-they-have-no_3228384.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b31/oliver-goldsmith-772_copy_people-seldom-improve-when-they-have-no_3228384.png) > ““People seldom improve when they have no model but themselves to copy after.”” [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People improve by following exemplary models; without them, self‑improvement stalls. **In simple terms:** Models inspire personal growth. Key Takeaway Seek good role models. Themes education self‑improvement role models Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - school - career - creative projects - sports - personal challenges Key Concepts mentorship learning personal development Questions to Reflect On - Who can you look up to for guidance? - How can you become a model for others? A Different Perspective Not everyone has access to positive models. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Plagiarism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plagiarism/) ## Related quotes > [People seldom improve when they have no other model but themselves to copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/people-seldom-improve-when-they-have-no-other-model-but-themselves-to-2/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [People seldom improve when they have no other model but themselves to copy after](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/people-seldom-improve-when-they-have-no-other-model-but-themselves-to/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [“People seldom improve when they have no model to copy but themselves.-- Anonymous”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-borba/people-seldom-improve-when-they-have-no-model-to-copy-but-themselves/) [Michele Borba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-borba/) > [Pedigrees seldom improve by age; the grandson is too often a weak infringement on the grandsire's parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/pedigrees-seldom-improve-by-age-the-grandson-is-too-often-a-weak/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > ['Can I copy your homework?' We had homework?! QUICK gimme your pen!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/can-i-copy-your-homework-we-had-homework-quick-gimme-your-pen/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“STAY AN ORIGINAL WORK OF ART In this short lifetime, Why not be -- True to your own voice, Your own story, Your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/stay-an-original-work-of-art-in-this-short-lifetime-why-not-be-true/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [“If you copy my dreams, you automatically will copy my challenges too. My success will give you a crown. 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Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) ## More by Oliver Goldsmith > [The fortunate circumstances of our lives are generally found, at last, to be of our own producing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/the-fortunate-circumstances-of-our-lives-are-generally-found-at-last/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [How happy he who crowns in shades like these, A youth of labour with an age of ease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/how-happy-he-who-crowns-in-shades-like-these-a-youth-of-labour-with/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [One man is born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and the other with a wooden ladle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/one-man-is-born-with-a-silver-spoon-in-his-mouth-and-the-other-with-a/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [He cast off his friends as a huntsman his pack, For he knew when he pleas'd he could whistle them back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/he-cast-off-his-friends-as-a-huntsman-his-pack-for-he-knew-when-he/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Even children follow'd with endearing wile, And pluck'd his gown, to share the good man's smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/even-children-follow-d-with-endearing-wile-and-pluck-d-his-gown-to/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [The premises being thus settled, I proceed to observe that the concatenation of self-existence, proceeding in a reciprocal duplicate ratio, naturally produces a problematical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/the-premises-being-thus-settled-i-proceed-to-observe-that-the/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Truth from his lips prevailed with double sway, and fools, who came to scoff, remained to pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/truth-from-his-lips-prevailed-with-double-sway-and-fools-who-came-to/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Politics resemble religion; attempting to divest either of ceremony is the most certain mode of bringing either into contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/politics-resemble-religion-attempting-to-divest-either-of-ceremony-is/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [To what fortuitous occurrence do we not owe every pleasure and convenience of our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/to-what-fortuitous-occurrence-do-we-not-owe-every-pleasure-and/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Every acknowledgment of gratitude is a circumstance of humiliation; and some are found to submit to frequent mortifications of this kind, proclaiming what obligations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/every-acknowledgment-of-gratitude-is-a-circumstance-of-humiliation/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [ \[T\]here are depths of thousands of miles which are hidden from our inquiry. The only tidings we have from those unfathomable regions are by… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/t-here-are-depths-of-thousands-of-miles-which-are-hidden-from-our/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Like the bee, we should make our industry our amusement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/like-the-bee-we-should-make-our-industry-our-amusement/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Age, that lessens the enjoyment of life, increases our desire of living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/age-that-lessens-the-enjoyment-of-life-increases-our-desire-of-living/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Thus let me hold thee to my heart, And every care resign: And we shall never, never part, My life-my all that's mine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/thus-let-me-hold-thee-to-my-heart-and-every-care-resign-and-we-shall/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Here lies David Garrick, describe me who can, An abridgment of all that was pleasant in man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/here-lies-david-garrick-describe-me-who-can-an-abridgment-of-all-that/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) [Explore all 375 Oliver Goldsmith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) ## More Copy quotes > [Would ya like a copy of my butt? -Butt-Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beavis-and-butthead/would-ya-like-a-copy-of-my-butt-butt-head/) [Beavis And Butthead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beavis-and-butthead/) > [“All religions worthy of the name are now making great efforts to purify their doctrines and return to their original standpoint, — all except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virchand-gandhi/all-religions-worthy-of-the-name-are-now-making-great-efforts-to/) [Virchand Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virchand-gandhi/) > [I've reread 'The Secret Garden' every year as an adult. I have a battered copy on my bookshelf - it's really quite a mess!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-potter/i-ve-reread-the-secret-garden-every-year-as-an-adult-i-have-a/) [Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) > [We call ourselves creators and we just copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/we-call-ourselves-creators-and-we-just-copy/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [“Everytime you make a copy of the copy, you lose clarity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-e-nelson/everytime-you-make-a-copy-of-the-copy-you-lose-clarity/) [Alan E. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-e-nelson/) > [William Regal is an obvious influence, as is Fit Finlay - you can see that in my style of wrestling - but I try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-dunne/william-regal-is-an-obvious-influence-as-is-fit-finlay-you-can-see/) [Pete Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-dunne/) > [A presentation copy...is a copy of a book whoch does not sell, sent you by the author, with his foolish autograph at the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/a-presentation-copy-is-a-copy-of-a-book-whoch-does-not-sell-sent-you/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Obviously, Fred Astaire was a legend. I've tried to copy some of his movements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-moir/obviously-fred-astaire-was-a-legend-i-ve-tried-to-copy-some-of-his/) [Scott Moir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-moir/) > [We are all born originals, why is it so many of us die copies?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-young/we-are-all-born-originals-why-is-it-so-many-of-us-die-copies/) [Edward Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-young/) > [Why would anybody hire a someone who is copying someone else when he can get the original one?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kk/why-would-anybody-hire-a-someone-who-is-copying-someone-else-when-he/) KK > [I used to copy looks from fashion ads in my mother's 'Cosmopolitan' magazines and steal her eye shadows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffree-star/i-used-to-copy-looks-from-fashion-ads-in-my-mother-s-cosmopolitan/) [Jeffree Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffree-star/) > [I like to read non-fiction on my e-reader, but as for fiction, I usually like to have a copy to keep at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/i-like-to-read-non-fiction-on-my-e-reader-but-as-for-fiction-i/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) > [I've always avoided publicity. I've never been good copy at any stage of my life. I don't strive for it, because I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-noll/i-ve-always-avoided-publicity-i-ve-never-been-good-copy-at-any-stage/) [Chuck Noll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-noll/) > [You can copy, but hold the applause you get the satisfaction of mind can not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/you-can-copy-but-hold-the-applause-you-get-the-satisfaction-of-mind/) Mak\_786 > [Long time ago, people would make the Bible, right? The guy said it, somebody wrote it down. 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