--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a man begins to know himself a…" description: "\"When a man begins to know himself a little he will see in himself many things that are bound to horrify him. So long as a man is not horrified at himse..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/p-d-ouspensky-9110_bounds_when-a-man-begins-to-know-himself-a-litt_3054545.png" --- # When a man begins to know himself a little he will see in… ![“When a man begins to know himself a little he will see in himself many things that are bound to horrify him. So long as a man is not horrified at himself he knows nothing about himself.” quote by P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/p-d-ouspensky-9110_bounds_when-a-man-begins-to-know-himself-a-litt_3054545.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/p-d-ouspensky-9110_bounds_when-a-man-begins-to-know-himself-a-litt_3054545.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/p-d-ouspensky-9110_bounds_when-a-man-begins-to-know-himself-a-litt_3054545.png) > “When a man begins to know himself a little he will see in himself many things that are bound to horrify him. So long as a man is not horrified at himself he knows nothing about himself.” [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑knowledge reveals uncomfortable truths; denial of them means ignorance. **In simple terms:** Knowing yourself can be frightening. Key Takeaway Face uncomfortable truths to grow. Themes self‑knowledge psychology growth humility Mood introspective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - therapy - personal development - leadership training Key Concepts introspection shadow work self‑acceptance Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of yourself do you avoid? - How can confronting flaws improve life? A Different Perspective Self‑knowledge can cause distress or paralysis if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bounds/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [I think a man becomes less than a man when he begins to compromise on what he believes is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-singletary/i-think-a-man-becomes-less-than-a-man-when-he-begins-to-compromise-on/) [Mike Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-singletary/) > [“A man never begins by presenting himself as an individual of a certain sex; it goes without saying that he is a man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/a-man-never-begins-by-presenting-himself-as-an-individual-of-a/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [The pipe marks the point at which the orangutan ends and man begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/the-pipe-marks-the-point-at-which-the-orangutan-ends-and-man-begins/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [“there are those who say it does not matter how a man begins, but only how he ends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/there-are-those-who-say-it-does-not-matter-how-a-man-begins-but-only/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Reason. The point where man begins to find that he exists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viorel-muha-august-2012/reason-the-point-where-man-begins-to-find-that-he-exists/) Viorel Muha August 2012 > [The moment a man begins to talk about technique that's proof that he is fresh out of ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/the-moment-a-man-begins-to-talk-about-technique-that-s-proof-that-he/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [A man begins cutting his wisdom teeth the first time he bites off more than he can chew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/a-man-begins-cutting-his-wisdom-teeth-the-first-time-he-bites-off/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) > [Man first begins to philosophize when the necessities of life are supplied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/man-first-begins-to-philosophize-when-the-necessities-of-life-are/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [“Until a man begins to read, then He will discover himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/until-a-man-begins-to-read-then-he-will-discover-himself/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Directly a man begins to say "Yes" without the question "Why?" he becomes a dogmatist, a potential, if not an actual liar.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleister-crowley/directly-a-man-begins-to-say-yes-without-the-question-why-he-becomes/) [Aleister Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleister-crowley/) > [When a young man begins to go down hill everything seems to be greased for the occasion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/when-a-young-man-begins-to-go-down-hill-everything-seems-to-be/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [>The struggle of man begins at birth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-proverb/the-struggle-of-man-begins-at-birth/) African Proverb > [“When a man begins to do that which is assigned to him, it becomes as if he is more endowed and favoured than his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogwo-david-emenike/when-a-man-begins-to-do-that-which-is-assigned-to-him-it-becomes-as/) [Ogwo David Emenike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogwo-david-emenike/) > [I am particularly horrified by the use of propaganda and the manipulation of the truth and the revision of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-am-particularly-horrified-by-the-use-of-propaganda-and-the/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“She swallows, then adds in a horrified whisper, "I wanted you to make Jason Kim bleed. A lot." I blink, surprised. And pleased, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-jay/she-swallows-then-adds-in-a-horrified-whisper-i-wanted-you-to-make/) [Stacey Jay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-jay/) ## More by P.D. Ouspensky > [Art is the communication of ecstasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/art-is-the-communication-of-ecstasy/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [I had come to the conclusion a long time ago that there was no escape from the labyrinth of contradictions in which we live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/i-had-come-to-the-conclusion-a-long-time-ago-that-there-was-no-escape/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [It is only when we realize that life is taking us nowhere that it begins to have meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/it-is-only-when-we-realize-that-life-is-taking-us-nowhere-that-it/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [To remember oneself means the same thing as to be aware of oneself - I am. It is not a function, not thinking, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/to-remember-oneself-means-the-same-thing-as-to-be-aware-of-oneself-i/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [In all living nature (and perhaps also in that which we consider as dead) love is the motive force which drives the creative activity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/in-all-living-nature-and-perhaps-also-in-that-which-we-consider-as/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Begin with the possible: begin with one step. There is always a limit you cannot do more than you can do. If you try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/begin-with-the-possible-begin-with-one-step-there-is-always-a-limit/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [“Suddenly I began to find a strange meaning in old fairy-tales; woods, rivers, mountains, became living beings; mysterious life filled the night; with new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/suddenly-i-began-to-find-a-strange-meaning-in-old-fairy-tales-woods/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [The greatest barrier to consciousness is the belief that one is already conscious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/the-greatest-barrier-to-consciousness-is-the-belief-that-one-is/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Ideas by themselves cannot produce change of being; your effort must go in the right direction, and one must correspond to the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/ideas-by-themselves-cannot-produce-change-of-being-your-effort-must/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Desire is when you do what you want, will is when you can do what you do not want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/desire-is-when-you-do-what-you-want-will-is-when-you-can-do-what-you/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Divide in yourself the mechanical from the conscious, see how little there is of the conscious, how seldom it works, and how strong is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/divide-in-yourself-the-mechanical-from-the-conscious-see-how-little/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [“The most important factor in every function is: ‘Is it under our control or not?’ So when imagination is under our control we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/the-most-important-factor-in-every-function-is-is-it-under-our/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Love is the eternally burning fire in which humanity & all the world are being purified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/love-is-the-eternally-burning-fire-in-which-humanity-all-the-world/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [a man can be given only what he can use; and he can use only that for which he has sacrificed something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/a-man-can-be-given-only-what-he-can-use-and-he-can-use-only-that-for/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [If a man gives way to all his desires, or panders to them, there will be no inner struggle in him, no 'friction,' no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/if-a-man-gives-way-to-all-his-desires-or-panders-to-them-there-will/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) [Explore all 73 P.D. Ouspensky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) ## More Bounds quotes > [Man will not always stay on Earth; the pursuit of light and space will lead him to penetrate the bounds of the atmosphere, timidly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konstantin-tsiolkovsky/man-will-not-always-stay-on-earth-the-pursuit-of-light-and-space-will/) [Konstantin Tsiolkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konstantin-tsiolkovsky/) > [Importunity is a condition of prayer. We are to press the matter, not with vain repetitions, but with urgent repetitions. We repeat, not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/importunity-is-a-condition-of-prayer-we-are-to-press-the-matter-not/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [If the civil magistrate be a Christian, a disciple or follower of the meek Lamb of God, he is bound to be far from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-williams/if-the-civil-magistrate-be-a-christian-a-disciple-or-follower-of-the/) [Roger Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-williams/) > [We have committed ourselves to pursue joint policies, but then national governments say, "We aren't bound by that." That is a dramatic situation, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/we-have-committed-ourselves-to-pursue-joint-policies-but-then/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [The World's a Printing-House, our words, our thoughts, Our deeds, are characters of several sizes. Each soul is a Compos'tor, of whose faults The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-world-s-a-printing-house-our-words-our-thoughts-our-deeds-are/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [Christian obligation cannot be made to accord with a law of expediency. The Christian's maxims are, Do right because you are bound to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-landey-patton/christian-obligation-cannot-be-made-to-accord-with-a-law-of/) Francis Landey Patton > [Such as the chain of causes we call Fate, such is the chain of wishes: one links on to another; the whole man is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/such-as-the-chain-of-causes-we-call-fate-such-is-the-chain-of-wishes/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > ['You spin in the sky, the world spins under you, and you step from land to land, while we . . .' She turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/you-spin-in-the-sky-the-world-spins-under-you-and-you-step-from-land/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > ['Facts' are the bounds of human knowledge, set for it, not by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/facts-are-the-bounds-of-human-knowledge-set-for-it-not-by-it/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [An order given in battle, an instruction issued by the master of a sailing ship, a cry for help, are as powerful in modifying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bronislaw-malinowski/an-order-given-in-battle-an-instruction-issued-by-the-master-of-a/) [Bronislaw Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bronislaw-malinowski/) > [It is only when our life proceeds within bounds and in an accepted, disciplined way, that the mind can be free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinoba-bhave/it-is-only-when-our-life-proceeds-within-bounds-and-in-an-accepted/) [Vinoba Bhave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinoba-bhave/) > [Yes, thou art ever present, power divine; not circumscribed by time, nor fixed by space, confined to altars, nor to temples bound. In wealth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/yes-thou-art-ever-present-power-divine-not-circumscribed-by-time-nor/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [I have visited sweatshops, factories, and crowded slums. If I could not see it, I could smell it. The foundation of society is laid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/i-have-visited-sweatshops-factories-and-crowded-slums-if-i-could-not/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [Once we are bound together to our brothers by a common good that is outside us, then we can breathe. Experience teaches us that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/once-we-are-bound-together-to-our-brothers-by-a-common-good-that-is/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [I am quite conscious that my speculations run beyond the bounds of true science…It is a mere rag of an hypothesis with as many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/i-am-quite-conscious-that-my-speculations-run-beyond-the-bounds-of/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) [Browse all 1,649 Bounds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bounds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When a man begins to know himself a little he will see in himself many things that are bound to horrify him. So long as a man is not horrified at himself he knows nothing about himself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "P.D. 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