--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our greatest fear is not that we are…" description: "\"Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate\" — Remarque" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/remarque-272155_fear_our-greatest-fear-is-not-that-we-are-ina_2424008.jpg" --- # Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate ![“Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate” quote by Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/remarque-272155_fear_our-greatest-fear-is-not-that-we-are-ina_2424008.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/remarque-272155_fear_our-greatest-fear-is-not-that-we-are-ina_2424008.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/remarque-272155_fear_our-greatest-fear-is-not-that-we-are-ina_2424008.jpg) > “Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate” [Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remarque/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our biggest fear is feeling inadequate, not the inadequacy itself. **In simple terms:** Fear of inadequacy dominates. Key Takeaway Build confidence and self‑acceptance. Themes fear self‑esteem inadequacy psychology growth Mood reflective motivational Type fear greatest greatest fear inadequate fear inadequate:1 fear:1 greatest:0 greatest fear:0 inadequate:1 fear inadequate:0 When to use this quote - career advancement - personal relationships - public speaking Key Concepts self‑development mental health confidence building Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your sense of inadequacy? - How can you reframe self‑criticism? A Different Perspective Fear can become paralyzing without coping tools. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fear Inadequate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-inadequate-351996/) [Greatest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest/) [Greatest fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-fear/) [Inadequate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inadequate/) ## Related quotes > [Our fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/our-fear-is-not-that-we-are-inadequate-but-that-we-are-powerful/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. 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It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/we-are-all-meant-to-shine-as-children-do-we-were-born-to-make/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/who-am-i-to-be-brilliant-gorgeous-talented-and-fabulous/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/it-is-our-light-not-our-darkness-that-most-frightens-us/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/our-deepest-fear-is-that-we-are-powerful-beyond-measure/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Your playing small doesn't serve the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/your-playing-small-doesn-t-serve-the-world/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. 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Our deepest fear is that we are powerfulbeyond measure.Itis our light,not our darkness that most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-deepest-fear-is-not-that-we-are-inadequate-our-deepest-fear-is-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/our-deepest-fear-is-not-that-we-are-inadequate-our-deepest-fear-is/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) ## More Fear quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. For eighteen months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-ashley/that-horrible-stinging-sensation-returned-the-muscles-behind-my-eyes/) [Devon Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-ashley/) > [“...Often that which most we fear births the resolve that spurs us on to altitudes we could not have achieved, had we continued walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/often-that-which-most-we-fear-births-the-resolve-that-spurs-us-on-to/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [What an incredible drug fear is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/what-an-incredible-drug-fear-is/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) [Nagisa Tatsumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nagisa-tatsumi/) > [“We all know how the thing we secretly fear is not a secret at all but the open and eternal thing that predicts its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/we-all-know-how-the-thing-we-secretly-fear-is-not-a-secret-at-all-but/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. 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But they mix in the middle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/fear-and-desire-for-pleasure-aggressiveness-comes-out-of-fear/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) [Browse all 35,569 Fear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Remarque" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remarque/our-greatest-fear-is-not-that-we-are-inadequate/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fear" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remarque/our-greatest-fear-is-not-that-we-are-inadequate/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/remarque-272155_fear_our-greatest-fear-is-not-that-we-are-ina_2424008.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/remarque-272155_fear_our-greatest-fear-is-not-that-we-are-ina_2424008.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/remarque-272155_fear_our-greatest-fear-is-not-that-we-are-ina_2424008.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate” — Remarque", "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": "Remarque", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remarque/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Our greatest fear is not that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remarque/our-greatest-fear-is-not-that-we-are-inadequate/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remarque/our-greatest-fear-is-not-that-we-are-inadequate/#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 } } ] } ```