--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can understand other people only as…" description: "\"You can understand other people only as much as you understand yourself and only on the level of your own being. This means you can judge other people'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/p-d-ouspensky-9110_aim_you-can-understand-other-people-only-as_1600284.png" --- # You can understand other people only as much as you… ![“You can understand other people only as much as you understand yourself and only on the level of your own being. This means you can judge other people's knowledge but you cannot judge their being. You can see in them only as much as you have in yourself. But people always make the mistake of…” quote by P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/p-d-ouspensky-9110_aim_you-can-understand-other-people-only-as_1600284.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/p-d-ouspensky-9110_aim_you-can-understand-other-people-only-as_1600284.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/p-d-ouspensky-9110_aim_you-can-understand-other-people-only-as_1600284.png) > “You can understand other people only as much as you understand yourself and only on the level of your own being. This means you can judge other people's knowledge but you cannot judge their being. You can see in them only as much as you have in yourself. But people always make the mistake of thinking they can judge other people's being. In reality, if they wish to meet and understand people of a higher development than themselves they must work with the aim of changing their being.” [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. Understanding others is limited by the depth of self‑knowledge; true empathy requires inner growth. **In simple terms:** Know yourself to understand others. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑awareness to relate better. Themes self‑knowledge empathy personal development Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical insightful When to use this quote - counseling - team building - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology spiritual growth perception Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of yourself limit your view of others? - How can you expand your capacity to understand? A Different Perspective Self‑knowledge alone may not guarantee accurate judgments of others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [Seeing things from a different point of view can help us understand why other people act the way they do. We too often judge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-covey/seeing-things-from-a-different-point-of-view-can-help-us-understand/) [Sean Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-covey/) > [Too often we judge people based on our own backgrounds and experiences, but when you understand people's stories, it's easier to understand their demeanor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/too-often-we-judge-people-based-on-our-own-backgrounds-and/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I realized crime isn't the only way you can judge people. People can do good things, and people can do bad things. It's probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takeru-kobayashi/i-realized-crime-isn-t-the-only-way-you-can-judge-people-people-can/) [Takeru Kobayashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takeru-kobayashi/) > [“The more greedily you try to understand people, the less you understand them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takahashi-takako/the-more-greedily-you-try-to-understand-people-the-less-you/) Takahashi Takako > [Only when you understand people, they may understand you. So even though you do not say anything, if you understand people there is some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/only-when-you-understand-people-they-may-understand-you-so-even/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [I have to say, I'm still surprised anyone's nice to me, that anyone talks to me. But I think people understand that other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-have-to-say-i-m-still-surprised-anyone-s-nice-to-me-that-anyone/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [I can't understand it. I can't even understand the people who can understand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliana-of-the-netherlands/i-can-t-understand-it-i-can-t-even-understand-the-people-who-can/) Juliana of the Netherlands > [Do not judge people, understand them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-judge-people-understand-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You have got to sit down and talk to people. You can't understand people from a distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yitzhak-rabin/you-have-got-to-sit-down-and-talk-to-people-you-can-t-understand/) [Yitzhak Rabin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yitzhak-rabin/) > [I've undoubtedly offended people, but in the end, I've learned the people that will understand are the people I want to connect to, anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-stasey/i-ve-undoubtedly-offended-people-but-in-the-end-i-ve-learned-the/) [Caitlin Stasey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-stasey/) > [The world is filled with people who understand. I personally value people who don't understand. People who understand have nothing more to learn. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-world-is-filled-with-people-who-understand-i-personally-value/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [In order to understand people, we have to understand their way of life and approach. If we wish to convince them, we have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/in-order-to-understand-people-we-have-to-understand-their-way-of-life/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [Here with my due diligence I want to make people understand ,but people even do not understand what I have written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/here-with-my-due-diligence-i-want-to-make-people-understand-but/) Mak\_786 > [“We have never even begun to understand a people until we have found something that we do not understand. So long as we find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/we-have-never-even-begun-to-understand-a-people-until-we-have-found/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [I mean, let's face it, it's 2000 and people are beginning to wake up on some level. I think that, as I was saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gale-harold/i-mean-let-s-face-it-it-s-2000-and-people-are-beginning-to-wake-up-on/) [Gale Harold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gale-harold/) ## 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 Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can understand other people only as much as you understand yourself and only on the level of your own being. This means you can judge other people's knowledge but you cannot judge their being. You can see in them only as much as you have in yourself. 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