--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The power of being a student is not just…" description: "\"“The power of being a student is not just that it is an extended period of instruction, it also places the ego and ambition in someone else's hands. Th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/ryan-holiday-514_education_the-power-of-being-a-student-is-not-just_962643.jpg" --- # The power of being a student is not just that it is an… ![“The power of being a student is not just that it is an extended period of instruction, it also places the ego and ambition in someone else's hands. There is a sort of ego ceiling imposed-one knows that is not better than the "master" he apprentices under. Not even close. You defer to them, you…” quote by Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/ryan-holiday-514_education_the-power-of-being-a-student-is-not-just_962643.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/ryan-holiday-514_education_the-power-of-being-a-student-is-not-just_962643.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/ryan-holiday-514_education_the-power-of-being-a-student-is-not-just_962643.jpg) > ““The power of being a student is not just that it is an extended period of instruction, it also places the ego and ambition in someone else's hands. There is a sort of ego ceiling imposed-one knows that is not better than the "master" he apprentices under. Not even close. You defer to them, you subsume yourself. You cannot fake or bullshit them. An education can't be hacked; there are no shortcuts besides hacking it every single day. If you don't , they drop you.”” [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. Learning from mentors imposes humility; true mastery requires daily effort, no shortcuts. **In simple terms:** Mentors teach humility and hard work. Key Takeaway Commit to daily disciplined learning. Themes humility mentorship discipline Mood thoughtful motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - apprenticeships - skill development - academic study Key Concepts stoicism education Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance guidance with personal insight? - What daily habits reinforce genuine learning? A Different Perspective Reliance on a teacher can limit independent thinking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Every single day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-single-day/) ## Related quotes > [“The power of being a student is not just that it is an extended period of instruction, it also places the ego and ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-power-of-being-a-student-is-not-just-that-it-is-an-extended-2/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [That awkward moment when your friends facebook wasn—t hacked, he just really loves penis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/that-awkward-moment-when-your-friends-facebook-wasn-t-hacked-he-just/) Unkown > [Linux evolved in a completely different way. From nearly the beginning, it was rather casually hacked on by huge numbers of volunteers coordinating only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/linux-evolved-in-a-completely-different-way-from-nearly-the-beginning/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [There are those who've been hacked by the Chinese and those who don't know they've been hacked by the Chinese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-comey/there-are-those-who-ve-been-hacked-by-the-chinese-and-those-who-don-t/) [James Comey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-comey/) > [So Chuck and I looked at that and we hacked on em for a while, and eventually we ripped the stuff out of em…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-joy/so-chuck-and-i-looked-at-that-and-we-hacked-on-em-for-a-while-and/) [Bill Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-joy/) > [“We have all been hacked, the only question is whether you know it or you don’t’.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghuram-g-rajan/we-have-all-been-hacked-the-only-question-is-whether-you-know-it-or/) [Raghuram G. Rajan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghuram-g-rajan/) > [I'm glad we're back in touch ever since I was spammed by your hacked email account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-glad-we-re-back-in-touch-ever-since-i-was-spammed-by-your-hacked/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Instead of reading vows at the wedding ceremony, they read hacked Sony emails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/instead-of-reading-vows-at-the-wedding-ceremony-they-read-hacked-sony/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [“Oh oak tree, how they have pruned you. Now you stand odd and strangely shaped! You were hacked a hundred times until you had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/oh-oak-tree-how-they-have-pruned-you-now-you-stand-odd-and-strangely/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“He hacked the FBI mainframe as a teenager and once sent an email from a former president's account, just because he could.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-patrick/he-hacked-the-fbi-mainframe-as-a-teenager-and-once-sent-an-email-from/) [Cat Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-patrick/) > [“reach into my travel bag and pull out my hacked Palm computer,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/reach-into-my-travel-bag-and-pull-out-my-hacked-palm-computer/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [There are two types of companies: those that have been hacked, and those who don't know they have been hacked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-chambers/there-are-two-types-of-companies-those-that-have-been-hacked-and/) [John T. Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-chambers/) > [If something's just, I'll let myself be hacked to bits for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/if-something-s-just-i-ll-let-myself-be-hacked-to-bits-for-it/) [Emile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [ This batch \[emails hacked from a top Hillary Clinton aide\] shows \[Donna\] Brazile gave the \[Hillary\] Clinton campaign advance warning of questions the candidate… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-shapiro/this-batch-emails-hacked-from-a-top-hillary-clinton-aide-shows-donna/) [Ari Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-shapiro/) > [It's true, I had hacked into a lot of companies, and took copies of the source code to analyze it for security bugs. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/it-s-true-i-had-hacked-into-a-lot-of-companies-and-took-copies-of-the/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) ## 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 Education quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. 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But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“If one has not a head of steel it will burst; if he has not within it a brain of liquid quicksilver, he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioannes-amos-commenius/if-one-has-not-a-head-of-steel-it-will-burst-if-he-has-not-within-it/) Ioannes Amos Commenius > [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/) H.D. (Hilda Doolittle > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [According to Plato, we don't learn anything. Our soul has lived so many lives that we know everything. Teachers and education can only remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/according-to-plato-we-don-t-learn-anything-our-soul-has-lived-so-many/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“I only began to enjoy studying after I got through the educational system and became a so-called member of society. If something interested me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-only-began-to-enjoy-studying-after-i-got-through-the-educational/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [How wonderful it would be, I thought, if only we could practice the teachings of the Buddha as he really taught them from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/how-wonderful-it-would-be-i-thought-if-only-we-could-practice-the/) [Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/) > [English teachers tend to put more thought in the books than the author did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/english-teachers-tend-to-put-more-thought-in-the-books-than-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) [Browse all 37,666 Education quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The power of being a student is not just that it is an extended period of instruction, it also places the ego and ambition in someone else's hands. 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