---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How can I do better?\" \"What am I doing…"
description: "\"“How can I do better?\" \"What am I doing that I don't know?\" \"What am I not doing that I don't see?\" These questions can lead to so many benefits. And b..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fd/sheryl-sandberg-439_feedback_how-can-i-do-better-what-am-i-doing-that_3234774.jpg"
---

#  How can I do better?" "What am I doing that I don't know?"…

![“How can I do better?&quot; &quot;What am I doing that I don't know?&quot; &quot;What am I not doing that I don't see?&quot; These questions can lead to so many benefits. And believe me, the truth hurts. Even when I have solicited feedback, any judgment can feel harsh. But the upside of painful knowledge is so much better…” quote by Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fd/sheryl-sandberg-439_feedback_how-can-i-do-better-what-am-i-doing-that_3234774.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fd/sheryl-sandberg-439_feedback_how-can-i-do-better-what-am-i-doing-that_3234774.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fd/sheryl-sandberg-439_feedback_how-can-i-do-better-what-am-i-doing-that_3234774.jpg)

> ““How can I do better?" "What am I doing that I don't know?" "What am I not doing that I don't see?" These questions can lead to so many benefits. And believe me, the truth hurts. Even when I have solicited feedback, any judgment can feel harsh. But the upside of painful knowledge is so much better than the downside of blissful ignorance. (p.83 f)””

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Self‑questioning reveals blind spots, turning painful feedback into growth opportunities.

**In simple terms:** Ask tough questions to improve.

Key Takeaway

Embrace honest feedback.

Themes

self‑improvement feedback growth

Mood

reflective motivational

Type

advice self‑help

When to use this quote

- career development
- personal relationships
- leadership training

Key Concepts

psychology self‑awareness

Questions to Reflect On

- What blind spot could you address today?
- How can you seek feedback without fear?

A Different Perspective

Feedback can be demotivating if not delivered constructively.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Seeking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-seeking/)

## Related quotes

> [“painful knowledge is better than blissful ignorance”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/painful-knowledge-is-better-than-blissful-ignorance/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [But the upside of painful knowledge is so much greater than the downside of blissful ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/but-the-upside-of-painful-knowledge-is-so-much-greater-than-the/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [But then, the flames of a fire are not made less painful by the knowledge that others are burning with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-maitland/but-then-the-flames-of-a-fire-are-not-made-less-painful-by-the/)

[Karen Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-maitland/)

> [I'd been blindsided with the most painful knowledge: the first man to ever say he loved me had never loved me at all. His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/i-d-been-blindsided-with-the-most-painful-knowledge-the-first-man-to/)

[Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/)

> [“He'd wanted to track down and personally injure anyone who had ever done harm to her or made her unhappy. He'd tortured himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/he-d-wanted-to-track-down-and-personally-injure-anyone-who-had-ever/)

[Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

> [“knowledge is better than ignorance, and it’s better to find out and embrace the truth even if that truth might not feel good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-cheng/knowledge-is-better-than-ignorance-and-it-s-better-to-find-out-and/)

[Jack Cheng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-cheng/)

> [The devil has more knowledge than any of us, and yet is no better for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/the-devil-has-more-knowledge-than-any-of-us-and-yet-is-no-better-for/)

[J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/)

> [“The proper respect to be shown to scholars is described by Alî in detail. He is credited with the constantly repeated statement that “Knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/the-proper-respect-to-be-shown-to-scholars-is-described-by-al-in/)

[Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/)

> [Seek knowledge. Better up yourself everyday. Take a step ahead to be a better person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/seek-knowledge-better-up-yourself-everyday-take-a-step-ahead-to-be-a/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [My own view about knowledge is we're always better to have knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-hood/my-own-view-about-knowledge-is-we-re-always-better-to-have-knowledge/)

[Leroy Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-hood/)

> [“Yet he continued to return to his core principle: that, in every situation, knowledge was better than ignorance. However agonizing, it was necessary to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/yet-he-continued-to-return-to-his-core-principle-that-in-every/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“There is reason that all things are as they are, and did you see with my eyes and know with my knowledge, you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/there-is-reason-that-all-things-are-as-they-are-and-did-you-see-with/)

[Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/)

> [Knowledge is a better weapon than a sword.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/knowledge-is-a-better-weapon-than-a-sword/)

[Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/)

> [“So long as we do not depend on the facts entirely, incomplete knowledge is better than complete ignorance. --Egwene al'Vere”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/so-long-as-we-do-not-depend-on-the-facts-entirely-incomplete/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [“There were times he thought it would have been far better to never have known. Yet he continued to return to his core principle:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/there-were-times-he-thought-it-would-have-been-far-better-to-never/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

## More by Sheryl Sandberg

> [“Still, my argument was that if she was going to work for the next 30 years, what difference does "going back" 4 years really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/still-my-argument-was-that-if-she-was-going-to-work-for-the-next-30/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [“Reverend Veronica Goines sums this up as, “Peace is joy at rest, and joy is peace on its feet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/reverend-veronica-goines-sums-this-up-as-peace-is-joy-at-rest-and-joy/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [ “\[Eric Schmidt\] explained that only one criterion that mattered when picking a job- fat growth. When companies grow quickly, there are more things to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/eric-schmidt-explained-that-only-one-criterion-that-mattered-when/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [When I went to college, as much as my parents emphasized academic achievement, they emphasized marriage even more. They told me that the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/when-i-went-to-college-as-much-as-my-parents-emphasized-academic/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [Go to a playground: Little girls get called 'bossy' all the time, a word that's almost never used for boys. And that leads directly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/go-to-a-playground-little-girls-get-called-bossy-all-the-time-a-word/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [“One of my favorite quotes comes from author Alice Walker, who observed, “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/one-of-my-favorite-quotes-comes-from-author-alice-walker-who-observed/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [Aggressive and hard-charging women violate unwritten rules about acceptable social conduct. Men are continually applauded for being ambitious and powerful and successful, but women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/aggressive-and-hard-charging-women-violate-unwritten-rules-about/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [“When I wrote Lean In, some people argued that I did not spend enough time writing about the difficulties women face when they don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/when-i-wrote-lean-in-some-people-argued-that-i-did-not-spend-enough/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [“Survivor guilt is a thief of joy—yet another secondary loss from death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/survivor-guilt-is-a-thief-of-joy-yet-another-secondary-loss-from-death/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [I am a bigger-picture manager because I've lived through something that's a big picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/i-am-a-bigger-picture-manager-because-i-ve-lived-through-something/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [Presenting leadership as a list of carefully defined qualities (like strategic, analytical, and performance-ori ented) no longer holds. Instead, true leadership stems from individuality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/presenting-leadership-as-a-list-of-carefully-defined-qualities-like/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [So there's no such thing as work-life balance. There's work, and there's life, and there's no balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/so-there-s-no-such-thing-as-work-life-balance-there-s-work-and-there/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [Men can comfortably claim credit for what they do as long as they don't veer into arrogance. For women, taking credit comes at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/men-can-comfortably-claim-credit-for-what-they-do-as-long-as-they-don/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [“As Helen Keller put it, “When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/as-helen-keller-put-it-when-one-door-of-happiness-closes-another/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [“Forty percent of employed mothers lack sick days and vacation leave, and about 50 percent of employed mothers are unable to take time off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/forty-percent-of-employed-mothers-lack-sick-days-and-vacation-leave/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

[Explore all 557 Sheryl Sandberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

## More Feedback quotes

> [There's nothing like getting feedback that's positive and supportive. That's what I'm all about. I'm really just genuinely doing good music. I'm not looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-villarreal/there-s-nothing-like-getting-feedback-that-s-positive-and-supportive/)

[Tiffany Villarreal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-villarreal/)

> [My writing process is very feedback-based. When I do stand-up, I listen to the audience. I try to understand what's connecting, what's not connecting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/my-writing-process-is-very-feedback-based-when-i-do-stand-up-i-listen/)

[Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/)

> [A lot of the kids gave a lot of positive feedback about if I ever became a coach, they would love to play in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/a-lot-of-the-kids-gave-a-lot-of-positive-feedback-about-if-i-ever/)

[Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/)

> [Most enjoyable activities are not natural; they demand an effort that initially one is reluctant to make. But once the interaction starts to provide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/most-enjoyable-activities-are-not-natural-they-demand-an-effort-that/)

[Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/)

> [Go to a playground: Little girls get called 'bossy' all the time, a word that's almost never used for boys. And that leads directly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/go-to-a-playground-little-girls-get-called-bossy-all-the-time-a-word/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [I have to thank batting coach Sanjay Bangar for providing valuable inputs. He gave me honest feedback about how poorly I was batting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravichandran-ashwin/i-have-to-thank-batting-coach-sanjay-bangar-for-providing-valuable/)

[Ravichandran Ashwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravichandran-ashwin/)

> [The feedback that I get from my association with Gomez is heartwarming. It is very difficult for me to take anything but a positive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-astin/the-feedback-that-i-get-from-my-association-with-gomez-is/)

[John Astin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-astin/)

> [I love Twitter, you know? I try to read everything I can on Twitter. You get so much nice feedback about stuff, you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/i-love-twitter-you-know-i-try-to-read-everything-i-can-on-twitter-you/)

[Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/)

> [Real writers-that is, capital W Writers-rarely make much money. Their biggest reward is the occasional reader's response… Commentators-in-print voicing big fat opinions-you might call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/real-writers-that-is-capital-w-writers-rarely-make-much-money-their/)

[Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/)

> [Twitter is a very powerful platform for adversarial feedback.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/twitter-is-a-very-powerful-platform-for-adversarial-feedback/)

[Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/)

> [When you're writing a novel, you spend four years sitting in your basement and a year waiting for the book to come out and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/when-you-re-writing-a-novel-you-spend-four-years-sitting-in-your/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [The 'Pro-Sim' is pretty much the best simulator you can buy, because of the steering motor and the pedals. The force feedback we get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lando-norris/the-pro-sim-is-pretty-much-the-best-simulator-you-can-buy-because-of/)

[Lando Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lando-norris/)

> [What I like about the internet, what I see there is that its much more democratic. I have much more control, and if what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/what-i-like-about-the-internet-what-i-see-there-is-that-its-much-more/)

[Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/)

> [ \[Hunt for the Wilderpeople\] people seem to be just finding it hilarious in Sundance. I would think that judging on the feedback I get;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-neill/hunt-for-the-wilderpeople-people-seem-to-be-just-finding-it-hilarious/)

[Sam Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-neill/)

> [If you get honest feedback and do nothing about it, then the feedback will stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-mulally/if-you-get-honest-feedback-and-do-nothing-about-it-then-the-feedback/)

[Alan Mulally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-mulally/)

Browse all 745 Feedback quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“How can I do better?\" \"What am I doing that I don't know?\" \"What am I not doing that I don't see?\" These questions can lead to so many benefits. And believe me, the truth hurts. Even when I have solicited feedback, any judgment can feel harsh. But the upside of painful knowledge is so much better than the downside of blissful ignorance. (p.83 f)”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sheryl Sandberg"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/how-can-i-do-better-what-am-i-doing-that-i-don-t-know-what-am-i-not/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Feedback"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/how-can-i-do-better-what-am-i-doing-that-i-don-t-know-what-am-i-not/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fd/sheryl-sandberg-439_feedback_how-can-i-do-better-what-am-i-doing-that_3234774.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fd/sheryl-sandberg-439_feedback_how-can-i-do-better-what-am-i-doing-that_3234774.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fd/sheryl-sandberg-439_feedback_how-can-i-do-better-what-am-i-doing-that_3234774.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“How can I do better?\" \"What am I doing that I don't know?\" \"What am I not doing that I don't see?\" These…” — Sheryl Sandberg",
                "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": "Sheryl Sandberg",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“How can I do better?\" \"What...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/how-can-i-do-better-what-am-i-doing-that-i-don-t-know-what-am-i-not/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/how-can-i-do-better-what-am-i-doing-that-i-don-t-know-what-am-i-not/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
