Attitude Quote by Ryan Holiday
““In life, there will be times when we do everything right, perhaps even perfectly. Yet the results will somehow be negative: failure, disrespect, jealousy, or even a resounding yawn from the world. Depending on what motivates us, this response can be crushing. If ego holds sway, we’ll accept nothing less than full appreciation. A dangerous attitude because when someone works on a project—whether it’s a book or a business or otherwise—at a certain point, that thing leaves their hands and enters the realm of the world. It is judged, received, and acted on by other people. It stops being something he controls and it depends on them.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday, 2016
Even perfect effort can meet negative feedback; success depends on others’ judgments, not just personal control.
In simple terms: Great work may be judged harshly by others.
Key Takeaway
Accept external feedback, stay resilient.
Themes
ego
control
feedback
resilience
Mood
reflective
determined
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- publishing
- entrepreneurship
- creative projects
- team collaborations
Key Concepts
Stoicism
external validation
perfectionism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you separate personal worth from external opinions?
- What strategies help you stay grounded when others judge your work?
A Different Perspective
If you focus solely on ego, you may ignore constructive criticism.
