--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: no one is truly successful because they…" description: "\"“no one is truly successful because they are delusional, self-absorbed,”\" — Ryan Holiday" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f34/ryan-holiday-514_delusional_no-one-is-truly-successful-because-they_2919482.jpg" --- # no one is truly successful because they are delusional… ![“no one is truly successful because they are delusional, self-absorbed,” quote by Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f34/ryan-holiday-514_delusional_no-one-is-truly-successful-because-they_2919482.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f34/ryan-holiday-514_delusional_no-one-is-truly-successful-because-they_2919482.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f34/ryan-holiday-514_delusional_no-one-is-truly-successful-because-they_2919482.jpg) > ““no one is truly successful because they are delusional, self-absorbed,”” [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success often stems from delusion and self‑absorption, not genuine achievement. **In simple terms:** Success can be self‑deceptive. Key Takeaway Practice humility and self‑awareness. Themes success psychology self‑deception Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical self‑help When to use this quote - career advancement - personal branding - leadership Key Concepts stoicism cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - How can we recognize self‑delusion? - What role does humility play in success? A Different Perspective Blind confidence may lead to failure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Delusional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusional/) [Delusional Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusional-self-3167088/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self absorbed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-absorbed/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful Delusional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-delusional-4246903/) ## Related quotes > [“I would call him an ordinary man, but, well." Another grin. "Even I am not capable of such delusional self-effacement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-milan/i-would-call-him-an-ordinary-man-but-well-another-grin-even-i-am-not/) [Courtney Milan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-milan/) > [“The true Mind is one that exists before and beyond one's delusional, self-centered, attachment-filled mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woo-myung/the-true-mind-is-one-that-exists-before-and-beyond-one-s-delusional/) [Woo Myung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woo-myung/) > [“It takes just as much energy and delusional self-aggrandizement to maintain the belief that one has insurmountable problems as that one has no problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/it-takes-just-as-much-energy-and-delusional-self-aggrandizement-to/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [The media tries to destroy Republicans who make little faux pas and they start telling everybody how dumb and stupid or uncaring they are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-media-tries-to-destroy-republicans-who-make-little-faux-pas-and/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“The representation of women in the society, especially through mass media has been the most delusional act ever done on the grounds of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-representation-of-women-in-the-society-especially-through-mass/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [American's could be any more self absorbed if they were made of equal parts water and paper towel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-miller/american-s-could-be-any-more-self-absorbed-if-they-were-made-of-equal/) [Dennis Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-miller/) > [“You can be bit in the leg by a rattlesnake and seek help to heal your wound, or you can run after it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/you-can-be-bit-in-the-leg-by-a-rattlesnake-and-seek-help-to-heal-your/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Now, do I think the baby boomers tend to be self-absorbed? I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/now-do-i-think-the-baby-boomers-tend-to-be-self-absorbed-i-do/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [“Relax; the world's not watching that closely. It's too busy contemplating itself in the mirror.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/relax-the-world-s-not-watching-that-closely-it-s-too-busy/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [I'm always made a little uncomfortable by studies that assert that Millennials are the most narcissistic generation in history. To me, being young has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-marantz-henig/i-m-always-made-a-little-uncomfortable-by-studies-that-assert-that/) [Robin Marantz Henig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-marantz-henig/) > [People think pageant girls are snotty, cutthroat, self-absorbed. Everybody that I meet in the industry is so kind, giving, and they are some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-johnson/people-think-pageant-girls-are-snotty-cutthroat-self-absorbed/) [Nicole Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-johnson/) > [“The point is not that my life is one long golden summer which I am simply too self-absorbed to appreciate (although it might be,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/the-point-is-not-that-my-life-is-one-long-golden-summer-which-i-am/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [Jodi Melnick is hotly self-absorbed. Her onstage musicians are much too loud, and like so many narcissistic performers, she goes on much too long:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/jodi-melnick-is-hotly-self-absorbed-her-onstage-musicians-are-much/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [My iPhone suggests GPS when I'm trying to write GOD. I think we are finally synced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-iphone-suggests-gps-when-i-m-trying-to-write-god-i-think-we-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Before I had my babies, I would tend to be self-absorbed, and worry about little things, but now I am a changed person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farah-khan/before-i-had-my-babies-i-would-tend-to-be-self-absorbed-and-worry/) [Farah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farah-khan/) ## More by Ryan Holiday > [“If we can focus on making clear what parts of our day are within our control and what parts are not, we will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/if-we-can-focus-on-making-clear-what-parts-of-our-day-are-within-our/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“The areas of great interest to the Stoics all make an appearance here: virtue, mortality, emotions, self-awareness, fortitude, right action, problem solving, acceptance, mental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-areas-of-great-interest-to-the-stoics-all-make-an-appearance-here/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“With a business, we take most failures less personally and understand they’re part of the process.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/with-a-business-we-take-most-failures-less-personally-and-understand/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Many creatives want to be just the creator, or only “the idea guy.” They like that because it’s sexy and because that’s what comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/many-creatives-want-to-be-just-the-creator-or-only-the-idea-guy-they/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [Pretty much everyone's career starts the same way: with grunt work. Not just the cliched fetching of coffee, but other lowly tasks: taking notes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/pretty-much-everyone-s-career-starts-the-same-way-with-grunt-work-not/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [The greats - they protect their sleep because it's where the best work comes from. They say no to things. They turn in when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-greats-they-protect-their-sleep-because-it-s-where-the-best-work/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Where little danger is apprehended, the more the enemy will be unprepared and consequently there is the fairest prospect of success.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/where-little-danger-is-apprehended-the-more-the-enemy-will-be/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [We often learn the hard way that our world is ruled by external factors. We don't always get what is rightfully ours, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/we-often-learn-the-hard-way-that-our-world-is-ruled-by-external/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“From Rusticus … I learned to read carefully and not be satisfied with a rough understanding of the whole, and not to agree too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/from-rusticus-i-learned-to-read-carefully-and-not-be-satisfied-with-a/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [I wholeheartedly agree that many media 'standards' can feel disingenuous or, in fact, be a cover for less-than-honest behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/i-wholeheartedly-agree-that-many-media-standards-can-feel/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Remember: even what we get for free has a cost, if only in what we pay to store it—in our garages and in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/remember-even-what-we-get-for-free-has-a-cost-if-only-in-what-we-pay/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [It's your job to find a release and an outlet for the stress and the feelings. Never forget: the crazy stays at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/it-s-your-job-to-find-a-release-and-an-outlet-for-the-stress-and-the/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [Where the head goes, the body follows. Perception precedes action. Right action follows the right perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/where-the-head-goes-the-body-follows-perception-precedes-action-right/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [The risks of speaking extemporaneously are apparent the first time you wing it and promptly put your foot in your mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-risks-of-speaking-extemporaneously-are-apparent-the-first-time/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“The tools of the Internet and social media have made it possible to track, test, iterate, and improve marketing to the point where these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-tools-of-the-internet-and-social-media-have-made-it-possible-to/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) [Explore all 504 Ryan Holiday quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) ## More Delusional quotes > [High school sucked. It was a universal truth, and whoever said these were supposed to be the best years of your life was probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/high-school-sucked-it-was-a-universal-truth-and-whoever-said-these/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [“The representation of women in the society, especially through mass media has been the most delusional act ever done on the grounds of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-representation-of-women-in-the-society-especially-through-mass/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“In utopia, rule by masterminds is both necessary and necessarily primitive, for it excludes so much that is known to man and about man.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-r-levin/in-utopia-rule-by-masterminds-is-both-necessary-and-necessarily/) [Mark R. Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-r-levin/) > [When someone is delusional, there is no point wasting time responding to their delusions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kourtney-kardashian/when-someone-is-delusional-there-is-no-point-wasting-time-responding/) [Kourtney Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kourtney-kardashian/) > [I was putting on a stiff upper lip and trying to fulfill the obligations I thought were demanded of me, taking over my father's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-ginsberg/i-was-putting-on-a-stiff-upper-lip-and-trying-to-fulfill-the/) [Allen Ginsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-ginsberg/) > [Like all failed experiments, that one taught me something I didn’t expect: one key ingredient of so-called experience is the delusional faith that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/like-all-failed-experiments-that-one-taught-me-something-i-didn-t/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [It is a truth universally acknowledged that a delusional Housewife in possession of an audience must be in want of a ludicrous storyline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-radziwill/it-is-a-truth-universally-acknowledged-that-a-delusional-housewife-in/) [Carole Radziwill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-radziwill/) > [I'm always amazed when I hear people saying, "That George Bush, he's a great leader". And I wonder, where can one find a drug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-m-always-amazed-when-i-hear-people-saying-that-george-bush-he-s-a/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [“free will (noun): A delusional idea that humans are in control of their own destiny and not subject to the benevolent rule of The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/free-will-noun-a-delusional-idea-that-humans-are-in-control-of-their/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [I think it's perfectly acceptable and rather admirable to be moderately delusional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-gray-gubler/i-think-it-s-perfectly-acceptable-and-rather-admirable-to-be/) [Matthew Gray Gubler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-gray-gubler/) > [Only the most saintly and delusional among us welcomes all pain as challenge, perceives all loss as harsh blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-jurek/only-the-most-saintly-and-delusional-among-us-welcomes-all-pain-as/) [Scott Jurek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-jurek/) > [“Call me a pussy if you want. Delusional, impractical, whatever. But, I know myself, and that shit’s called survival. The bad in me, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-horne/call-me-a-pussy-if-you-want-delusional-impractical-whatever-but-i/) [Misha Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-horne/) > [I'm sort of a delusional in the sense of, I was just gonna graduate from school and just, like, prance onto a film set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-winkler/i-m-sort-of-a-delusional-in-the-sense-of-i-was-just-gonna-graduate/) [Max Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-winkler/) > [I was also built from delusional optimism and folly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-king/i-was-also-built-from-delusional-optimism-and-folly/) [A.S. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-king/) > [“Anybody who expects privacy in the internet is delusional . - Ben Kincaid”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernhardt/anybody-who-expects-privacy-in-the-internet-is-delusional-ben-kincaid/) [William Bernhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernhardt/) [Browse all 236 Delusional quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusional/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“no one is truly successful because they are delusional, self-absorbed,”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ryan Holiday" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/no-one-is-truly-successful-because-they-are-delusional-self-absorbed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Delusional" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/no-one-is-truly-successful-because-they-are-delusional-self-absorbed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f34/ryan-holiday-514_delusional_no-one-is-truly-successful-because-they_2919482.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f34/ryan-holiday-514_delusional_no-one-is-truly-successful-because-they_2919482.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f34/ryan-holiday-514_delusional_no-one-is-truly-successful-because-they_2919482.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“no one is truly successful because they are delusional, self-absorbed,” — Ryan Holiday", "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": "Ryan Holiday", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“no one is truly successful because...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/no-one-is-truly-successful-because-they-are-delusional-self-absorbed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/no-one-is-truly-successful-because-they-are-delusional-self-absorbed/#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 } } ] } ```