--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you're always looking at someone else…" description: "\"If you're always looking at someone else, trying to imitate them, how can your natural gifts ever emerge?\" — Richard Bach" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d1/richard-bach-424_ifs_if-you-re-always-looking-at-someone-else_964528.png" --- # If you're always looking at someone else, trying to… ![“If you're always looking at someone else, trying to imitate them, how can your natural gifts ever emerge?” quote by Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d1/richard-bach-424_ifs_if-you-re-always-looking-at-someone-else_964528.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d1/richard-bach-424_ifs_if-you-re-always-looking-at-someone-else_964528.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d1/richard-bach-424_ifs_if-you-re-always-looking-at-someone-else_964528.png) > “If you're always looking at someone else, trying to imitate them, how can your natural gifts ever emerge?” [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Imitating others suppresses your unique talents, preventing authentic expression. **In simple terms:** Copying blocks your true gifts. Key Takeaway Cultivate your own voice. Themes authenticity self‑discovery creativity Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - artistic projects - career planning - personal hobbies - leadership Key Concepts individuality talent development Questions to Reflect On - What unique strengths do you neglect? - How can you shift focus from others to yourself? A Different Perspective Comparison can motivate learning, but over‑reliance stifles originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Imitate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imitate/) [Imitate Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imitate-natural-1807740/) [Looking Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-trying-1807741/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Natural gifts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-gifts/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Trying Imitate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-imitate-1598350/) ## Related quotes > [One cannot possibly understand the teaching of the saints unless one has a pure mind and is trying to imitate their life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athanasius/one-cannot-possibly-understand-the-teaching-of-the-saints-unless-one/) [Athanasius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athanasius/) > [If I was just trying to imitate an American or English singer, it would sound fake. I'm sure of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/if-i-was-just-trying-to-imitate-an-american-or-english-singer-it/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [I'm trying to imitate Jesus in the fact that he said to be like children, to love children, to be as pure as children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-m-trying-to-imitate-jesus-in-the-fact-that-he-said-to-be-like/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [Pornography does not inspire violence, but you can break a leg trying to imitate it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/pornography-does-not-inspire-violence-but-you-can-break-a-leg-trying/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [I don't want to see a kid get hurt trying to imitate me or trying to do something he or she has seen one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montel-vontavious-porter/i-don-t-want-to-see-a-kid-get-hurt-trying-to-imitate-me-or-trying-to/) [Montel Vontavious Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montel-vontavious-porter/) > [No form of Nature is inferior to Art; for the arts merely imitate natural forms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/no-form-of-nature-is-inferior-to-art-for-the-arts-merely-imitate/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Once your back's up against the wall and you've been beat down, you start looking at trying to do the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-johnson/once-your-back-s-up-against-the-wall-and-you-ve-been-beat-down-you/) [Larry Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-johnson/) > [“I'm looking at you. Why are you always trying to hide how pretty you are?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-hand/i-m-looking-at-you-why-are-you-always-trying-to-hide-how-pretty-you/) [Cynthia Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-hand/) > [“When you spend too much time looking back and trying to figure out what went wrong, you're missing out on moving forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vi-keeland/when-you-spend-too-much-time-looking-back-and-trying-to-figure-out/) [Vi Keeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vi-keeland/) > [I'm hopeless at looking into myself and trying to see how things are working and why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/i-m-hopeless-at-looking-into-myself-and-trying-to-see-how-things-are/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [“Looking back, looking back and trying to figure what made you that way, several things stand out in your mind. There may have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bloch/looking-back-looking-back-and-trying-to-figure-what-made-you-that-way/) [Robert Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bloch/) > [I can't do tricks, but I absolutely loved trying, and one of my fondest memories growing up was trying to imitate Ronaldinho and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-bronze/i-can-t-do-tricks-but-i-absolutely-loved-trying-and-one-of-my-fondest/) [Lucy Bronze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-bronze/) > [Yes, I am one of those people who feels that most of my work is adaptation of one sort or another. 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Heaven is being perfect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/heaven-is-not-a-place-and-it-s-not-a-time-heaven-is-being-perfect/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [You'd chosen to be an upright biped on the surface of a small planet of a minor sun on the edge of a minor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/you-d-chosen-to-be-an-upright-biped-on-the-surface-of-a-small-planet/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [Your harshest truths are dreams, and your gentlest dreams are true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/your-harshest-truths-are-dreams-and-your-gentlest-dreams-are-true/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [“Happiness is a choice. 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Don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-original-sin-is-to-limit-the-is-don-t/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [Silly ideas, worth the admission price in smiles, but they're true. Is high-energy physics interesting because it's true or because it's crazy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/silly-ideas-worth-the-admission-price-in-smiles-but-they-re-true-is/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-best-way-to-pay-for-a-lovely-moment-is-to-enjoy-it/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [I am tired of clinging. Though I cannot see it with my eyes, I trust that the current knows where it is going. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/i-am-tired-of-clinging-though-i-cannot-see-it-with-my-eyes-i-trust/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [If you want to meet someone who can fix any situation you don't like, who can bring you happiness in spite of what other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/if-you-want-to-meet-someone-who-can-fix-any-situation-you-don-t-like/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [The space for what you want is already filled with what you settled for instead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-space-for-what-you-want-is-already-filled-with-what-you-settled/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [The books remind us that way down deep in our hearts, part of us knows that we are creatures of light and we cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-books-remind-us-that-way-down-deep-in-our-hearts-part-of-us-knows/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [Part of us is always the observer, and no matter what, it observes. It watches us. It does not care if we are happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/part-of-us-is-always-the-observer-and-no-matter-what-it-observes-it/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [Kindle Singles is publishing on skates. It prints like lightning; our book meets readers in hours. I've spent so many years waiting for publishers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/kindle-singles-is-publishing-on-skates-it-prints-like-lightning-our/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) [Explore all 539 Richard Bach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) ## More Ifs quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. 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If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [If I don't have pressure, I don't function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/if-i-don-t-have-pressure-i-don-t-function/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. 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