--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I must do, is all that concerns me…" description: "\"“What I must do, is all that concerns me, not what the people think. This rule, equally arduous in actual and in intellectual life, may serve for the w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_concern_what-i-must-do-is-all-that-concerns-me-n_446890.png" --- # What I must do, is all that concerns me, not what the… ![“What I must do, is all that concerns me, not what the people think. This rule, equally arduous in actual and in intellectual life, may serve for the whole distinction between greatness and meanness. It is the harder, because you will always find those who think they know what is your duty better…” quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_concern_what-i-must-do-is-all-that-concerns-me-n_446890.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_concern_what-i-must-do-is-all-that-concerns-me-n_446890.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cb/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_concern_what-i-must-do-is-all-that-concerns-me-n_446890.png) > ““What I must do, is all that concerns me, not what the people think. This rule, equally arduous in actual and in intellectual life, may serve for the whole distinction between greatness and meanness. It is the harder, because you will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it. It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”” [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. True greatness comes from following one’s own convictions rather than seeking approval, even when that means standing alone against popular opinion. **In simple terms:** Greatness is staying true to yourself despite others’ views. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner independence. Themes individualism greatness solitude integrity Mood reflective determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - leadership decisions - personal ethics - creative work - social activism Key Concepts self-reliance authenticity moral courage Questions to Reflect On - What convictions do you hold that conflict with popular opinion? - How can you balance personal integrity with social responsibilities? 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Kiroula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaushal-s-kiroula/) > [I think there's a rule that once you want to live somewhere, you can't find a job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/i-think-there-s-a-rule-that-once-you-want-to-live-somewhere-you-can-t/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [“The ones who are insane enough to think that they can rule the world are always the ones who do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-molyneux/the-ones-who-are-insane-enough-to-think-that-they-can-rule-the-world/) [Stefan Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-molyneux/) > [There are people who think that we cannot rule ourselves because the few times we tried, we failed, as if all the others who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/there-are-people-who-think-that-we-cannot-rule-ourselves-because-the/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [Despite what people think, I was such a rule follower at school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/despite-what-people-think-i-was-such-a-rule-follower-at-school/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [I think there should be a rule that everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-there-should-be-a-rule-that-everyone-in-the-world-should-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There are people, she once wrote, who think that we cannot rule ourselves because the few times we tried, we failed, as if all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/there-are-people-she-once-wrote-who-think-that-we-cannot-rule/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [A lot of people have ideas and opinions on what Avenged Sevenfold should be or what we should do, and I think our No.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zacky-vengeance/a-lot-of-people-have-ideas-and-opinions-on-what-avenged-sevenfold/) [Zacky Vengeance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zacky-vengeance/) > [Foolish, whenever you take the meanness and formality of that thing you do, instead of converting it into the obedient spiracle ofyour character and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/foolish-whenever-you-take-the-meanness-and-formality-of-that-thing/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Prayer that craves a particular commodity—anything less than all good, is vicious. 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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. 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