--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You will always find those who think they…" description: "\"You will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it.\" — Ralph Waldo Emerson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/970/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_duty_you-will-always-find-those-who-think-the_2634641.png" --- # You will always find those who think they know what is… ![“You will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it.” quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/970/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_duty_you-will-always-find-those-who-think-the_2634641.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/970/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_duty_you-will-always-find-those-who-think-the_2634641.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/970/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_duty_you-will-always-find-those-who-think-the_2634641.png) > “You will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it.” [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. People often claim to know your duty better than you, suggesting a tension between external expectations and personal conviction. **In simple terms:** Others may claim to know your duty better. Key Takeaway Trust your own judgment over unsolicited advice. Themes individualism duty authority Mood reflective assertive Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - career decisions - family expectations - moral dilemmas Key Concepts self‑reliance external pressure personal ethics Questions to Reflect On - When should you consider others’ perspectives? - How do you balance self‑trust with constructive criticism? A Different Perspective External advice can sometimes be valuable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“you will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-bryans/you-will-always-find-those-who-think-they-know-what-is-your-duty/) [Bruce Bryans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-bryans/) > [We all know our duty better than we discharge it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-randolph/we-all-know-our-duty-better-than-we-discharge-it/) [John Randolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-randolph/) > [It's your duty to fly the airplane. If you get killed in it, you don't know anything about it anyway. Duty is paramount. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-yeager/it-s-your-duty-to-fly-the-airplane-if-you-get-killed-in-it-you-don-t/) [Chuck Yeager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-yeager/) > [Once you start playing 'Call of Duty,' you better watch out, because before you know it, you've lost four or five hours out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cain/once-you-start-playing-call-of-duty-you-better-watch-out-because/) [Matt Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cain/) > [Duty is a better guide than stars or statutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenkin-lloyd-jones/duty-is-a-better-guide-than-stars-or-statutes/) [Jenkin Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenkin-lloyd-jones/) > [You think you know me better than I know myself. You don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-think-you-know-me-better-than-i-know-myself-you-don-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“They always seemed to know everything, but now there is only me, and it seems I know nothing, not even my duty. How can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/they-always-seemed-to-know-everything-but-now-there-is-only-me-and-it/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [Not only do we have a right to know, we have a duty to know what our Government is doing in our name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/not-only-do-we-have-a-right-to-know-we-have-a-duty-to-know-what-our-2/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [There is nothing in the universe that I fear, but that I shall not know all my duty, or shall fail to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lyon/there-is-nothing-in-the-universe-that-i-fear-but-that-i-shall-not/) Mary Lyon > [Our time is fixed, and all our days are number'd; How long, how short, we know not:—this we know, Duty requires we calmly wait…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-blair/our-time-is-fixed-and-all-our-days-are-number-d-how-long-how-short-we/) [Robert Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-blair/) > [From the right to know and the duty to inquire flows the obligation to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-steingraber/from-the-right-to-know-and-the-duty-to-inquire-flows-the-obligation/) [Sandra Steingraber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-steingraber/) > [I know of only one duty, and that is to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-know-of-only-one-duty-and-that-is-to-love/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Let him who gropes painfully in darkness or uncertain light, and prays vehemently that the dawn may ripen into day, lay this precept well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/let-him-who-gropes-painfully-in-darkness-or-uncertain-light-and-prays/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Those who have the privilege to know have the duty to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/those-who-have-the-privilege-to-know-have-the-duty-to-act/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I know General Grant better than any other person in the country can know him. It was my duty to study him, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-m-stanton/i-know-general-grant-better-than-any-other-person-in-the-country-can/) [Edwin M. Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-m-stanton/) ## 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 Duty quotes > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Few political debates have been as divisive as the European one. I fought as hard as I could on the Remain side, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/few-political-debates-have-been-as-divisive-as-the-european-one-i/) [Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/) > [I'm a strange mixture of my mother's curiosity; my father, who grew up the son of the manse in a Presbyterian family, who had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/i-m-a-strange-mixture-of-my-mother-s-curiosity-my-father-who-grew-up/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [“Is that what they teach you at the convent? That the gods demand the hearts from our bodies?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-lafevers/is-that-what-they-teach-you-at-the-convent-that-the-gods-demand-the/) [Robin LaFevers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-lafevers/) > [The less we show our love to a woman, Or please her less, and neglect our duty, The more we trap and ruin her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/the-less-we-show-our-love-to-a-woman-or-please-her-less-and-neglect/) [Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [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/) > [“You have a right to be sad, and a duty to move on. Only wins who wipes the tears, gather strength and move forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusto-branco/you-have-a-right-to-be-sad-and-a-duty-to-move-on-only-wins-who-wipes/) [Augusto Branco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusto-branco/) > [Our duty as Christians is always to keep heaven in our eye and earth under our feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/our-duty-as-christians-is-always-to-keep-heaven-in-our-eye-and-earth/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [Regardless of how you feel about war and peace those serving military are doing a duty for the rest of us and they're protecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-cardellini/regardless-of-how-you-feel-about-war-and-peace-those-serving-military/) [Linda Cardellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-cardellini/) > [“Duty is a done deal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/duty-is-a-done-deal/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Politics...You see, it depends on what kind of politics. What we did during my father's generation was a duty. And it was beautiful because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/politics-you-see-it-depends-on-what-kind-of-politics-what-we-did/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [I do not so much rejoice that God hath made me to be a Queen, as to be a Queen over so thankful a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/i-do-not-so-much-rejoice-that-god-hath-made-me-to-be-a-queen-as-to-be/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [The whole duty of man is summed up in obedience to God's will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-whole-duty-of-man-is-summed-up-in-obedience-to-god-s-will/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) [Browse all 5,178 Duty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ralph Waldo Emerson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/you-will-always-find-those-who-think-they-know-what-is-your-duty-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Duty" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/you-will-always-find-those-who-think-they-know-what-is-your-duty-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/970/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_duty_you-will-always-find-those-who-think-the_2634641.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/970/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_duty_you-will-always-find-those-who-think-the_2634641.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/970/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_duty_you-will-always-find-those-who-think-the_2634641.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it.” — 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": "You will always find those who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/you-will-always-find-those-who-think-they-know-what-is-your-duty-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/you-will-always-find-those-who-think-they-know-what-is-your-duty-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 } } ] } ```