--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We think we see the world as it is, when…" description: "\"We think we see the world as it is, when in fact we see the world as we are.\" — Stephen Covey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/stephen-covey-339_facts_we-think-we-see-the-world-as-it-is-when_1518681.png" --- # We think we see the world as it is, when in fact we see… ![“We think we see the world as it is, when in fact we see the world as we are.” quote by Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/stephen-covey-339_facts_we-think-we-see-the-world-as-it-is-when_1518681.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/stephen-covey-339_facts_we-think-we-see-the-world-as-it-is-when_1518681.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/stephen-covey-339_facts_we-think-we-see-the-world-as-it-is-when_1518681.png) > “We think we see the world as it is, when in fact we see the world as we are.” [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our perceptions are colored by our character, not objective reality. **In simple terms:** We see the world as we are. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑awareness. Themes perception self‑knowledge growth Mood thoughtful encouraging Type self‑help philosophical When to use this quote - coaching - conflict resolution - personal development Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How does your character shape your view? - What steps can you take to see more clearly? A Different Perspective Changing perception requires effort and humility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Other world? There is no other world; here or nowhere is the whole fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/other-world-there-is-no-other-world-here-or-nowhere-is-the-whole-fact/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“what was myth in one world might always be fact in some other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/what-was-myth-in-one-world-might-always-be-fact-in-some-other/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“the new world may be in fact a very, very, very, very old world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padgett-powell/the-new-world-may-be-in-fact-a-very-very-very-very-old-world/) [Padgett Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padgett-powell/) > [To be nothing - is that not, after all, the most satisfactory fact in the whole world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/to-be-nothing-is-that-not-after-all-the-most-satisfactory-fact-in-the/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [To be matter-of-fact about the world is to blunder into fantasy - and dull fantasy at that, as the real world is strange and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/to-be-matter-of-fact-about-the-world-is-to-blunder-into-fantasy-and/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [You believe that you live in the world, where in fact the world lives within you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/you-believe-that-you-live-in-the-world-where-in-fact-the-world-lives/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“Well, sir. I look at facts. And the fact is that our world is dying and if we don't all do our best to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-lauer/well-sir-i-look-at-facts-and-the-fact-is-that-our-world-is-dying-and/) [A.J. Lauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-lauer/) > [None of us see the world as it is but as we are, as our frames of reference, or maps, define the territory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/none-of-us-see-the-world-as-it-is-but-as-we-are-as-our-frames-of/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [We see the world not as it is, but as we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/we-see-the-world-not-as-it-is-but-as-we-are/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [We see the world, not as it is, but as we are -- or, as we are conditioned to see it. When we open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/we-see-the-world-not-as-it-is-but-as-we-are-or-as-we-are-conditioned/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Think you figured it out, but you don't have a clue. Think you on top of the world, but the world on top of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-jeezy/think-you-figured-it-out-but-you-don-t-have-a-clue-think-you-on-top/) [Young Jeezy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-jeezy/) > [“I can't think of anything in the world lovelier than you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-hodnett/i-can-t-think-of-anything-in-the-world-lovelier-than-you/) [Brenda Hodnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-hodnett/) > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [I don't think the world is jealous of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-grammer/i-don-t-think-the-world-is-jealous-of-me/) [Camille Grammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-grammer/) > [I used to think the whole world was Jewish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-sedaka/i-used-to-think-the-whole-world-was-jewish/) [Neil Sedaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-sedaka/) ## More by Stephen Covey > [You can't have the fruits without the roots. It's the principle of sequencing: Private Victories proceed Public Victories. Self-mastery and self-discipline are the foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/you-can-t-have-the-fruits-without-the-roots-it-s-the-principle-of/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Empathic listening takes time, but it doesn't take anywhere near as much time as it takes to back up and correct misunderstandings when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/empathic-listening-takes-time-but-it-doesn-t-take-anywhere-near-as/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [The fire inside people is like a match; the way to ignite that flame is initially through friction, then other matches are lit through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/the-fire-inside-people-is-like-a-match-the-way-to-ignite-that-flame/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [In a very real sense, there are only two roles in organisations: customers and suppliers. Everybody functions simultaneously in both roles, whether inside or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/in-a-very-real-sense-there-are-only-two-roles-in-organisations/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [To blame and accuse other people, is to choose to empower them, to control us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/to-blame-and-accuse-other-people-is-to-choose-to-empower-them-to/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/be-part-of-the-solution-not-part-of-the-problem/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [If you are an effective manager of your self, your discipline comes from within; it is a function of your independent will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/if-you-are-an-effective-manager-of-your-self-your-discipline-comes/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [I believe in Coach Louis Wong. He is so much more than just a football coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/i-believe-in-coach-louis-wong-he-is-so-much-more-than-just-a-football/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Most people struggle with life balance simply because they haven't paid the price to decide what is really important to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/most-people-struggle-with-life-balance-simply-because-they-haven-t/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Highly proactive people don't blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior. Their behavior is a product of their own conscious choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/highly-proactive-people-don-t-blame-circumstances-conditions-or/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [When it comes to developing character strength, inner security and unique personal and interpersonal talents and skills in a child, no institution can or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/when-it-comes-to-developing-character-strength-inner-security-and/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Most people define greatness through wealth and popularity and position in the corner office. But what I call everyday greatness comes from character and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/most-people-define-greatness-through-wealth-and-popularity-and/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Contrary to what most people believe, trust is not some soft, illusive quality that you either have or you don't; rather, trust is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/contrary-to-what-most-people-believe-trust-is-not-some-soft-illusive/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [We are limited but we can push back the borders of our limitations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/we-are-limited-but-we-can-push-back-the-borders-of-our-limitations/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Many people seem to think that success in one area can compensate for failure in other areas. But can it really?... True effectiveness requires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/many-people-seem-to-think-that-success-in-one-area-can-compensate-for/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) [Explore all 663 Stephen Covey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) ## More Facts quotes > [It is indeed a surprising and fortunate fact that nature can be expressed by relatively low-order mathematical functions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-carnap/it-is-indeed-a-surprising-and-fortunate-fact-that-nature-can-be/) [Rudolf Carnap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-carnap/) > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [He bombarded me with words, of all things, apparently clueless to the fact that the predawn hours rendered me incapable of coherent thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/he-bombarded-me-with-words-of-all-things-apparently-clueless-to-the/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm Fine!, the most common LIE in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/i-m-fine-the-most-common-lie-in-the-world/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [I am told many children block out the memory of trauma. In fact, the healing process can only truly begin when we are willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-stone/i-am-told-many-children-block-out-the-memory-of-trauma-in-fact-the/) [Phoebe Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-stone/) > [Because the truth is that gossip is as good as gospel in this town. You can save face but you won't ever save your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/because-the-truth-is-that-gossip-is-as-good-as-gospel-in-this-town/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [Truth be told from compulsive liars with a history/Everything must change 2nd chances are a mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-dash/truth-be-told-from-compulsive-liars-with-a-history-everything-must/) C-DASH > [We did an episode where she goes out to get a job and she gets fired because she's not good. They hire a babysitter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-heaton/we-did-an-episode-where-she-goes-out-to-get-a-job-and-she-gets-fired/) [Patricia Heaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-heaton/) > [Le biologiste passe, la grenouille reste. The biologist passes, the frog remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/le-biologiste-passe-la-grenouille-reste-the-biologist-passes-the-frog/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [The fact -- not theory -- that evolution has occurred and the Darwinian theory as to how it occurred have become so confused in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-fact-not-theory-that-evolution-has-occurred-and-the-darwinian/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) [Browse all 19,906 Facts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We think we see the world as it is, when in fact we see the world as we are.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Covey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/we-think-we-see-the-world-as-it-is-when-in-fact-we-see-the-world-as/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Facts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/we-think-we-see-the-world-as-it-is-when-in-fact-we-see-the-world-as/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/stephen-covey-339_facts_we-think-we-see-the-world-as-it-is-when_1518681.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/stephen-covey-339_facts_we-think-we-see-the-world-as-it-is-when_1518681.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/stephen-covey-339_facts_we-think-we-see-the-world-as-it-is-when_1518681.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We think we see the world as it is, when in fact we see the world as we are.” — Stephen Covey", "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": "Stephen Covey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We think we see the world...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/we-think-we-see-the-world-as-it-is-when-in-fact-we-see-the-world-as/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/we-think-we-see-the-world-as-it-is-when-in-fact-we-see-the-world-as/#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 } } ] } ```