--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: With all humility, I think, \"Whatsoever…" description: "\"With all humility, I think, \"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.\" Infinitely more important than the vain attempt to love one's ne..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr-1986_about-yourself_with-all-humility-i-think-whatsoever-thy_771265.jpg" --- # With all humility, I think, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth… ![“With all humility, I think, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." Infinitely more important than the vain attempt to love one's neighbor as one's self. If you want to hit a bird on the wing you must have all your will in focus, you must not be thinking about yourself, and…” quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr-1986_about-yourself_with-all-humility-i-think-whatsoever-thy_771265.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr-1986_about-yourself_with-all-humility-i-think-whatsoever-thy_771265.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr-1986_about-yourself_with-all-humility-i-think-whatsoever-thy_771265.jpg) > “With all humility, I think, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." Infinitely more important than the vain attempt to love one's neighbor as one's self. If you want to hit a bird on the wing you must have all your will in focus, you must not be thinking about yourself, and equally, you must not be thinking about your neighbor; you must be living with your eye on that bird. Every achievement is a bird on the wing.” [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote stresses focusing all effort on a task, avoiding self‑absorption and concern for others, to achieve excellence. **In simple terms:** Give your full effort to the task at hand. Key Takeaway Concentrate fully on your work. Themes focus effort excellence Mood determined serious Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - sports competition - academic projects - artistic creation - entrepreneurial ventures Key Concepts self‑discipline goal orientation Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance focus with teamwork? - What tasks deserve your full might? A Different Perspective Neglecting collaboration can limit growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about-yourself/) [Achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) [Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Neighbor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbor/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking about yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-about-yourself/) [Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain/) ## Related quotes > [I confess that altruistic and cynically selfish talk seem to me about equally unreal. With all humility, I think whatsoever thy hand findeth to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/i-confess-that-altruistic-and-cynically-selfish-talk-seem-to-me-about/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [Having a child makes you strong and gives you chutzpah. It relaxed my attitude to the job; my center of focus shifted, which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-staunton/having-a-child-makes-you-strong-and-gives-you-chutzpah-it-relaxed-my/) [Imelda Staunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-staunton/) > [About 1.2% of the human genome is made up of genes, things that encode for proteins, the stuff that we consider us. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-zimmer/about-1-2-of-the-human-genome-is-made-up-of-genes-things-that-encode/) [Carl Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-zimmer/) > [Everybody really knows what to do to have his life filled with joy. What is it? Quit hating people; start loving them. Quit being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/everybody-really-knows-what-to-do-to-have-his-life-filled-with-joy/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [When you stop thinking about yourself all the time, a certain sense of repose overtakes you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/when-you-stop-thinking-about-yourself-all-the-time-a-certain-sense-of/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [Some people think humility is thinking lowly of yourself. Some people think it's not thinking about yourself. But, to me, the best definition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/some-people-think-humility-is-thinking-lowly-of-yourself-some-people/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [How much simpler it would be all around if you could put your mind in a cast, like a broken ankle, and elicit murmurings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-merkin/how-much-simpler-it-would-be-all-around-if-you-could-put-your-mind-in/) [Daphne Merkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-merkin/) > [You find yourself by losing yourself. By not thinking about yourself all of the time. When I am in a slump with my writing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-peacock/you-find-yourself-by-losing-yourself-by-not-thinking-about-yourself/) [Doug Peacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-peacock/) > [It goes back to the if identity becomes your achievement, what do you do, this is what happens? And I do think it leads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/it-goes-back-to-the-if-identity-becomes-your-achievement-what-do-you/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [I don't think about being beautiful or not being beautiful. ... It's more about feeling confident inside your own skin really and thinking about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-don-t-think-about-being-beautiful-or-not-being-beautiful-it-s-more/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [Genuine confidence is a way of thinking about yourself and your abilities. Confidence is your perception of your own potential; it's a kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eliot/genuine-confidence-is-a-way-of-thinking-about-yourself-and-your/) [John Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eliot/) > [Get into "the state:" Conquer fear by stopping thinking about yourself and instead, focusing 100 percent on how you can best serve your audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/get-into-the-state-conquer-fear-by-stopping-thinking-about-yourself/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your gifts. It means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/humility-does-not-mean-thinking-less-of-yourself-than-other-people/) [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) > [Atheism is a way of humility. It's to think oneself to be an animal, as we are actually and to allow oneself to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andr-comte-sponville/atheism-is-a-way-of-humility-it-s-to-think-oneself-to-be-an-animal-as/) [Andre Comte-Sponville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andr-comte-sponville/) > [If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realize that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-anyone-would-like-to-acquire-humility-i-can-i-think-tell-him-the/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## More by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [Blood is a destiny. One's genius descends in the stream from long lines of ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/blood-is-a-destiny-one-s-genius-descends-in-the-stream-from-long/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [If you don't know what you want, you will probably never get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/if-you-don-t-know-what-you-want-you-will-probably-never-get-it/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [Any two philosophers can tell each other all they know in two hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/any-two-philosophers-can-tell-each-other-all-they-know-in-two-hours/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [It is mere childishness to expect men to believe as their fathers did; that is, if they have any minds of their own. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/it-is-mere-childishness-to-expect-men-to-believe-as-their-fathers-did/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [Longevity is having a chronic disease - and taking care of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/longevity-is-having-a-chronic-disease-and-taking-care-of-it/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [As for the excellent little wretches who grow up in what they are taught, with never a scruple or a query, ... they signify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/as-for-the-excellent-little-wretches-who-grow-up-in-what-they-are/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [On every stem, on every leaf,... and at the root of everything that grew, was a professional specialist in the shape of grub, caterpillar,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/on-every-stem-on-every-leaf-and-at-the-root-of-everything-that-grew/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [Three generations of imbeciles are enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/three-generations-of-imbeciles-are-enough/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [A good soldier, like a good horse, cannot be of a bad color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/a-good-soldier-like-a-good-horse-cannot-be-of-a-bad-color/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [Free competition is worth more to society than it costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/free-competition-is-worth-more-to-society-than-it-costs/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [Systems die; instincts remain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/systems-die-instincts-remain/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [In my opinion, economists and sociologists are the people to whom we ought to turn more than we do for instruction in the grounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/in-my-opinion-economists-and-sociologists-are-the-people-to-whom-we/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [The great end of being is to harmonize man with the order of things, and the church has been a good pitch-pipe, and may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/the-great-end-of-being-is-to-harmonize-man-with-the-order-of-things/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [Between two groups of people who want to make inconsistent kinds of worlds, I see no remedy but force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/between-two-groups-of-people-who-want-to-make-inconsistent-kinds-of/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) [Explore all 193 Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) ## More About yourself quotes > [“they all have always loved you Will Herondale, for you cannot hide what is good about yourself, however har you try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/they-all-have-always-loved-you-will-herondale-for-you-cannot-hide/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/if-you-can-t-love-yourself-how-in-the-hell-you-gonna-love-somebody/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [People are in denial all the time, hiding things. If I tell you a racist or dirty joke and you laugh, you're telling me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/people-are-in-denial-all-the-time-hiding-things-if-i-tell-you-a/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [Change your thoughts, change your life. —LAO TZU When I was fighting depression, I remember hearing this expression and not understanding it at first.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/change-your-thoughts-change-your-life-lao-tzu-when-i-was-fighting/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [Dreams really tell you about yourself more than anything else in this world could ever tell you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/dreams-really-tell-you-about-yourself-more-than-anything-else-in-this/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [Celebrate all the things you don't like about yourself. love yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/celebrate-all-the-things-you-don-t-like-about-yourself-love-yourself/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [Start enjoying the things you like about yourself, and if there are things you want to change, either get to work on it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/start-enjoying-the-things-you-like-about-yourself-and-if-there-are/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [Always be yourself. There's only one you. You should embrace anything that you don't like about yourself because that's individual and that's you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesy-nelson/always-be-yourself-there-s-only-one-you-you-should-embrace-anything/) [Jesy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesy-nelson/) > [It's too distracting to read about yourself. You want to be perfect and you want everyone to love you, and that's never going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saoirse-ronan/it-s-too-distracting-to-read-about-yourself-you-want-to-be-perfect/) [Saoirse Ronan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saoirse-ronan/) > [If you want to know how to make people shun you and laugh at you behind your back and even despise you, here is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/if-you-want-to-know-how-to-make-people-shun-you-and-laugh-at-you/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [The only thing a master can teach is how to learn about yourself. There are no secrets. They are only techniques to waken yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/the-only-thing-a-master-can-teach-is-how-to-learn-about-yourself/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [I don't want to sell myself short. You hurt your spouse, not so much by the infidelity, but by the negative feelings about yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-zaslow/i-don-t-want-to-sell-myself-short-you-hurt-your-spouse-not-so-much-by/) [Michael Zaslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-zaslow/) > [A stranger can see in an instant something in you that you might spend years learning about yourself. How awful we all are when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-elliott/a-stranger-can-see-in-an-instant-something-in-you-that-you-might/) [Stephen Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-elliott/) > [Knowing is the most profound kind of love, giving someone the gift of knowledge about yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsha-norman/knowing-is-the-most-profound-kind-of-love-giving-someone-the-gift-of/) [Marsha Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsha-norman/) > [Start telling the truth now and never stop. Begin by telling the truth to yourself about yourself. Then tell the truth to yourself about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/start-telling-the-truth-now-and-never-stop-begin-by-telling-the-truth/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) [Browse all 770 About yourself quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about-yourself/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "With all humility, I think, \"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.\" Infinitely more important than the vain attempt to love one's neighbor as one's self. If you want to hit a bird on the wing you must have all your will in focus, you must not be thinking about yourself, and equally, you must not be thinking about your neighbor; you must be living with your eye on that bird. 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