--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Employ your time in improving yourself by…" description: "\"Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for.\" — Socrates" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/socrates-405_improving_employ-your-time-in-improving-yourself-b_2617447.jpg" --- # Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's… ![“Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for.” quote by Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/socrates-405_improving_employ-your-time-in-improving-yourself-b_2617447.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/socrates-405_improving_employ-your-time-in-improving-yourself-b_2617447.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/socrates-405_improving_employ-your-time-in-improving-yourself-b_2617447.jpg) > “Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for.” [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He advises learning from others' writings to acquire knowledge efficiently. **In simple terms:** Study others to avoid reinventing the wheel. Key Takeaway Read widely to accelerate growth. Themes education self-improvement wisdom Mood inspirational thoughtful Type educational practical When to use this quote - academic study - personal development Key Concepts writing learning efficiency Questions to Reflect On - Which works have shaped you? - How can you apply past insights today? A Different Perspective Learning saves time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Employ Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employ-time-2079622/) [Improving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improving/) [Improving Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improving-men-2079620/) [Improving yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improving-yourself/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Men Writings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-writings-1673339/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Improving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-improving-2079621/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/employ-your-time-in-improving-yourself-by-other-men-s-writings-so/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Do it because it's in your heart. Not because you want something in return. Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/do-it-because-it-s-in-your-heart-not-because-you-want-something-in/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Improve yourself by other men's writings thus attaining effortlessly what they acquired through great difficulty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/improve-yourself-by-other-men-s-writings-thus-attaining-effortlessly/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Give everyone a smile. Spend so much time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/forget-the-mistakes-of-the-past-and-press-on-to-the-greater/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [To get all there is out of living, we must employ our time wisely, never being in too much of a hurry to stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-updegraff/to-get-all-there-is-out-of-living-we-must-employ-our-time-wisely/) [Robert Updegraff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-updegraff/) > [And that is how I employ my time in cinema, saying things about people who I think have touched us in terms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-attenborough/and-that-is-how-i-employ-my-time-in-cinema-saying-things-about-people/) [Richard Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-attenborough/) > [Every man, however obscure, however far removed from the general recognition, is one of a group of men impressible for good, and impressible for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/every-man-however-obscure-however-far-removed-from-the-general/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Those men that in their writings are most wise Own nothing but their blind, stupefied hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/those-men-that-in-their-writings-are-most-wise-own-nothing-but-their/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [“People who have become great like Benjamin Franklin only became great because they learned how to invest time into improving whatever it is they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/people-who-have-become-great-like-benjamin-franklin-only-became-great/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“Most people have not become better than they were five years ago because people hardly invest time into improving their knowledge, skills, and talents.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/most-people-have-not-become-better-than-they-were-five-years-ago/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Being yourself doesn't mean you stop improving yourself. It means you know what's in you and explore it more. Trust me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-yourself-doesn-t-mean-you-stop-improving-yourself-it-means-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Instead of putting others down, try improving yourself instead. The only person you have a right to compete with is you. In the meantime,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-strauss/instead-of-putting-others-down-try-improving-yourself-instead-the/) [Neil Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-strauss/) > [Making a company is a great way to improve the world while improving yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/making-a-company-is-a-great-way-to-improve-the-world-while-improving/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [“Success can’t be achieved without personal development and constantly improving yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mensah-oteh/success-can-t-be-achieved-without-personal-development-and-constantly/) [Mensah Oteh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mensah-oteh/) > [How do you become better tomorrow? By improving yourself, the world is made better. Be not afraid of growing too slowly. Be afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/how-do-you-become-better-tomorrow-by-improving-yourself-the-world-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## More by Socrates > [By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/by-all-means-marry-if-you-get-a-good-wife-you-ll-be-happy-if-you-get/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Falling down is not a failure. Failure comes when you stay where you have fallen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/falling-down-is-not-a-failure-failure-comes-when-you-stay-where-you/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Do not go through life like leaf blown from here to there believing whatever you are told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/do-not-go-through-life-like-leaf-blown-from-here-to-there-believing/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [If the whole world depends on today's youth, I can't see the world lasting another 100 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/if-the-whole-world-depends-on-today-s-youth-i-can-t-see-the-world/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“I only know, I know nothing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-only-know-i-know-nothing/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-cannot-teach-anybody-anything-i-can-only-make-them-think/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [If measure and symmetry are absent from any composition in any degree, ruin awaits both the ingredients and the composition... Measure and symmetry are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/if-measure-and-symmetry-are-absent-from-any-composition-in-any-degree/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Marry a good woman, and be happy the rest of your life. Or, marry a bad, and become a good philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/marry-a-good-woman-and-be-happy-the-rest-of-your-life-or-marry-a-bad/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“For the fear of death is indeed the pretense of wisdom, and not real wisdom, being a pretense of knowing the unknown; and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/for-the-fear-of-death-is-indeed-the-pretense-of-wisdom-and-not-real/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [There is no difference between knowledge and temperance; for he who knows what is good and embraces it, who knows what is bad and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/there-is-no-difference-between-knowledge-and-temperance-for-he-who/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Besides, it is a shame to let yourself grow old through neglect before seeing how you can develop the maximum beauty and strength of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/besides-it-is-a-shame-to-let-yourself-grow-old-through-neglect-before/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [The greatest blessing granted to mankind come by way of madness, which is a divine gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-greatest-blessing-granted-to-mankind-come-by-way-of-madness-which/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [I desire only to know the truth, and to live as well as I can...And, to the utmost of my power, I exhort all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-desire-only-to-know-the-truth-and-to-live-as-well-as-i-can-and-to/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [So you would rather suffer an injustice than do an injustice?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/so-you-would-rather-suffer-an-injustice-than-do-an-injustice/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [The end of life is to be like unto God; and the soul following God, will be like unto Him; He being the beginning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-end-of-life-is-to-be-like-unto-god-and-the-soul-following-god/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) [Explore all 579 Socrates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) ## More Improving quotes > [The average condition of the people improving or deteriorating, depends upon whether population is advancing faster than improvement, or improvement than population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-average-condition-of-the-people-improving-or-deteriorating/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Forgetting your Self is the greatest injury; all the calamities flow from it. Take care of the most important, the lesser will take care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/forgetting-your-self-is-the-greatest-injury-all-the-calamities-flow/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [How do you become better tomorrow? By improving yourself, the world is made better. Be not afraid of growing too slowly. Be afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/how-do-you-become-better-tomorrow-by-improving-yourself-the-world-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [... professing myself moreover convinced that the general's unjust interference, so far from being really injurious to their felicity, was perhaps rather conducive to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/professing-myself-moreover-convinced-that-the-general-s-unjust/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [I do look upon the secretary of education's primary responsibility as the quality of education that - and improving the education that every child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/i-do-look-upon-the-secretary-of-education-s-primary-responsibility-as/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [As president, improving cyber security will be an immediate and top priority for my administration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/as-president-improving-cyber-security-will-be-an-immediate-and-top/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Man cannot really improve himself without improving others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/man-cannot-really-improve-himself-without-improving-others/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [You always want to be perfect out there. But it's about really improving all parts of the game and trying to be more efficient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brady/you-always-want-to-be-perfect-out-there-but-it-s-about-really/) [Tom Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brady/) > [The smart way to improve broadband is not to junk the existing network but to make the most of it. It’s to let a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/the-smart-way-to-improve-broadband-is-not-to-junk-the-existing/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [“Success can’t be achieved without personal development and constantly improving yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mensah-oteh/success-can-t-be-achieved-without-personal-development-and-constantly/) [Mensah Oteh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mensah-oteh/) > [Change isn't always bad; we should always be learning and improving. But the change I was seeing involved principles, not procedures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/change-isn-t-always-bad-we-should-always-be-learning-and-improving/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) > [Making a company is a great way to improve the world while improving yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/making-a-company-is-a-great-way-to-improve-the-world-while-improving/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [It's a great thing about being a musician; you don't stop until the day you die, you can improve. So it's a wonderful thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/it-s-a-great-thing-about-being-a-musician-you-don-t-stop-until-the/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) > [Unless you’re continually improving your skills, you’re quickly becoming irrelevant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/unless-you-re-continually-improving-your-skills-you-re-quickly/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [You've really got to keep on improving and improving and improving. It still involves work. It's not like you get to a point, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-schemel/you-ve-really-got-to-keep-on-improving-and-improving-and-improving-it/) [Patty Schemel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-schemel/) [Browse all 784 Improving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improving/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Socrates" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/employ-your-time-in-improving-yourself-by-other-men-s-writings-so-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Improving" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/employ-your-time-in-improving-yourself-by-other-men-s-writings-so-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/socrates-405_improving_employ-your-time-in-improving-yourself-b_2617447.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/socrates-405_improving_employ-your-time-in-improving-yourself-b_2617447.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/socrates-405_improving_employ-your-time-in-improving-yourself-b_2617447.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings so that you shall come easily by what others…” — Socrates", "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": "Socrates", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Employ your time in improving yourself...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/employ-your-time-in-improving-yourself-by-other-men-s-writings-so-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/employ-your-time-in-improving-yourself-by-other-men-s-writings-so-2/#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 } } ] } ```