--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The other terror that scares us from…" description: "\"The other terror that scares us from self-trust is our consistency; a reverence for our past act or word, because the eyes of others have no other data..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_computing_the-other-terror-that-scares-us-from-sel_3200843.png" --- # The other terror that scares us from self-trust is our… ![“The other terror that scares us from self-trust is our consistency; a reverence for our past act or word, because the eyes of others have no other data for computing our orbit than our past acts, and we are loath to disappoint them.” quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_computing_the-other-terror-that-scares-us-from-sel_3200843.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_computing_the-other-terror-that-scares-us-from-sel_3200843.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_computing_the-other-terror-that-scares-us-from-sel_3200843.png) > “The other terror that scares us from self-trust is our consistency; a reverence for our past act or word, because the eyes of others have no other data for computing our orbit than our past acts, and we are loath to disappoint them.” [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our fear of breaking consistency stems from worry about others' judgments, making us cling to past actions to avoid disappointment. **In simple terms:** Fear of inconsistency ties to others’ expectations. Key Takeaway Balance consistency with authentic self‑trust. Themes self‑trust consistency social perception authenticity Mood contemplative motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal decision‑making - leadership - creative work Key Concepts Self‑image social conformity Questions to Reflect On - How can you honor past actions while evolving? - What steps help you trust yourself over others’ opinions? A Different Perspective Rigid consistency can stifle growth and honesty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computing/) [Consistency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consistency/) [Consistency Reverence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consistency-reverence-5481223/) [Data](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/data/) [Disappoint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappoint/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Heroic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroic/) [Orbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orbit/) [Our past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-past/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Reverence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverence/) [Scare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scare/) [Scares Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scares-self-5942623/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-trust/) [Terror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terror/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) [Trust Consistency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust-consistency-5481224/) ## Related quotes > [“The other terror that scares us from self-trust is our consistency; a reverence for our past act or word, because the eyes of others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-other-terror-that-scares-us-from-self-trust-is-our-consistency-a/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The great object of Education should be commensurate with the object of life. It should be a moral one; to teach self-trust: to inspire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-great-object-of-education-should-be-commensurate-with-the-object/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Self trust is the essence of heroism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/self-trust-is-the-essence-of-heroism/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Let a stoic open the resources of man, and tell men they are not leaning willows, but can and must detach themselves; that with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/let-a-stoic-open-the-resources-of-man-and-tell-men-they-are-not/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Self-trust is the first secret of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/self-trust-is-the-first-secret-of-success/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The whole value of history, of biography, is to increase my self-trust, by demonstrating what man can be and do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-whole-value-of-history-of-biography-is-to-increase-my-self-trust/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In self-trust all the virtues are comprehended.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/in-self-trust-all-the-virtues-are-comprehended/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Self-trust is the first secret of success, the belief that if you are here the authorities of the universe put you here, and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/self-trust-is-the-first-secret-of-success-the-belief-that-if-you-are/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“Insist on yourself; never imitate. Your own gift you can present every moment with the cumulative force of a whole life's cultivation; but of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/insist-on-yourself-never-imitate-your-own-gift-you-can-present-every/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [To this military attitude of the soul we give the name of Heroism... It is a self-trust which slights the restraints of prudence, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/to-this-military-attitude-of-the-soul-we-give-the-name-of-heroism-it/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Books are the best of things if well used; if abused, among the worst. They are good for nothing but to inspire. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/books-are-the-best-of-things-if-well-used-if-abused-among-the-worst/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Science corrects the old creeds, sweeps away, with every new perception, our infantile catechisms, and necessitates a faith commensurate with the grander orbits and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/science-corrects-the-old-creeds-sweeps-away-with-every-new-perception/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A breath of will blows eternally through the universe of souls in the direction of Right and Necessity. It is the air which all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-breath-of-will-blows-eternally-through-the-universe-of-souls-in-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Nor sequent centuries could hit Orbit and sum of SHAKSPEARE's wit. The men who lived with him became Poets, for the air was fame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/nor-sequent-centuries-could-hit-orbit-and-sum-of-shakspeare-s-wit-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [To me, however, the question of the times resolved itself into a practical question of the conduct of life. How shall I live? We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/to-me-however-the-question-of-the-times-resolved-itself-into-a/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More by Ralph Waldo Emerson > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [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/) > [“There is then creative reading as well as creative writing. When the mind is braced by labor and invention, the page of whatever book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/there-is-then-creative-reading-as-well-as-creative-writing-when-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The order of things consents to virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-order-of-things-consents-to-virtue/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Life only avails, not the having lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/life-only-avails-not-the-having-lived/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Another success is the post-office, with its educating energy augmented by cheapness and guarded by a certain religious sentimentin mankind; so that the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/another-success-is-the-post-office-with-its-educating-energy/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A child reminds us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-child-reminds-us-that-playtime-is-an-essential-part-of-our-daily/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Coal lay in ledges under the ground since the Flood, until a laborer with pick and windlass brings it to the surface. We may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/coal-lay-in-ledges-under-the-ground-since-the-flood-until-a-laborer/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I am; therefore, I had nothing better to do than to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-am-therefore-i-had-nothing-better-to-do-than-to-think/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In a library we are surrounded by many hundreds of dear friends, but they are imprisoned by an enchanter in these paper and leathern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/in-a-library-we-are-surrounded-by-many-hundreds-of-dear-friends-but/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-compensations-of-calamity-are-made-apparent-to-the-understanding/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Explore all 4,802 Ralph Waldo Emerson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More Computing quotes > [These are the men who, without virtue, labour, or hazard, are growing rich, as their country is impoverished; they rejoice, when obstinacy or ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/these-are-the-men-who-without-virtue-labour-or-hazard-are-growing/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Many jobs at Google require math, computing, and coding skills, so if your good grades truly reflect skills in those areas that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/many-jobs-at-google-require-math-computing-and-coding-skills-so-if/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [The hope is that, in not too many years, human brains and computing machines will be coupled together very tightly, and that the resulting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-r-licklider/the-hope-is-that-in-not-too-many-years-human-brains-and-computing/) [J. C. R. Licklider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-r-licklider/) > [At every juncture, advanced tools have been the key to a new wave of applications, and each wave of applications has been key to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/at-every-juncture-advanced-tools-have-been-the-key-to-a-new-wave-of/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The computing scientist's main challenge is not to get confused by the complexities of his own making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/the-computing-scientist-s-main-challenge-is-not-to-get-confused-by/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [I think it's fair to say that the age of traditional computing is dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/i-think-it-s-fair-to-say-that-the-age-of-traditional-computing-is-dead/) [Lisa Su](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/) > [Traditional computing is always going to be a part of AMD's business, but our technology can go further.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-su/traditional-computing-is-always-going-to-be-a-part-of-amd-s-business/) [Lisa Su](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-su/) > [Umoja ni nguvu,utengano ni udhaifu.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ngoge-nyabuto/umoja-ni-nguvu-utengano-ni-udhaifu/) [KEVIN NGOGE NYABUTO](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ngoge-nyabuto/) > [If we don't figure out a way to have secure, connected healthcare, or connectivity and computing, we won't have that industry develop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mollenkopf/if-we-don-t-figure-out-a-way-to-have-secure-connected-healthcare-or/) [Steve Mollenkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mollenkopf/) > [Automobiles and the automotive industry are increasingly driven by data and computing. The saying 'What's under the hood' will increasingly refer to computing, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-krzanich/automobiles-and-the-automotive-industry-are-increasingly-driven-by/) [Brian Krzanich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-krzanich/) > [I think that it's extraordinarily important that we in computer science keep fun in computing. When it started out, it was an awful lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-perlis/i-think-that-it-s-extraordinarily-important-that-we-in-computer/) [Alan Perlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-perlis/) > [Cultural perspective on gender diversity in computing,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenore-blum/cultural-perspective-on-gender-diversity-in-computing/) [Lenore Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenore-blum/) > [Beauty is more important in computing than anywhere else in technology because software is so complicated. Beauty is the ultimate defense against complexity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gelernter/beauty-is-more-important-in-computing-than-anywhere-else-in/) [David Gelernter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gelernter/) > [The job of formal methods is to elucidate the assumptions upon which formal correctness depends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hoare/the-job-of-formal-methods-is-to-elucidate-the-assumptions-upon-which/) [Tony Hoare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hoare/) > [Computing shows up in many different ways. You have computing that you wear, computing that you carry. What you think of as the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dell/computing-shows-up-in-many-different-ways-you-have-computing-that-you/) [Michael Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dell/) [Browse all 237 Computing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The other terror that scares us from self-trust is our consistency; a reverence for our past act or word, because the eyes of others have no other data for computing our orbit than our past acts, and we are loath to disappoint them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ralph Waldo Emerson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-other-terror-that-scares-us-from-self-trust-is-our-consistency-a-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Computing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-other-terror-that-scares-us-from-self-trust-is-our-consistency-a-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_computing_the-other-terror-that-scares-us-from-sel_3200843.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_computing_the-other-terror-that-scares-us-from-sel_3200843.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_computing_the-other-terror-that-scares-us-from-sel_3200843.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The other terror that scares us from self-trust is our consistency; a reverence for our past act or word…” — Ralph Waldo Emerson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ralph Waldo Emerson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The other terror that scares us...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-other-terror-that-scares-us-from-self-trust-is-our-consistency-a-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-other-terror-that-scares-us-from-self-trust-is-our-consistency-a-2/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```