--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the nice things about looking at a…" description: "\"One of the nice things about looking at a bear is that you know it spends 100 per cent of every minute of every day being a bear. It doesn't strive to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/730/stephen-fry-573_bear_one-of-the-nice-things-about-looking-at_1716894.jpg" --- # One of the nice things about looking at a bear is that you… ![“One of the nice things about looking at a bear is that you know it spends 100 per cent of every minute of every day being a bear. It doesn't strive to become a better bear. It doesn't go to sleep thinking, "I wasn't really a very good bear today". They are just 100 per cent bear, whereas human…” quote by Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/730/stephen-fry-573_bear_one-of-the-nice-things-about-looking-at_1716894.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/730/stephen-fry-573_bear_one-of-the-nice-things-about-looking-at_1716894.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/730/stephen-fry-573_bear_one-of-the-nice-things-about-looking-at_1716894.jpg) > “One of the nice things about looking at a bear is that you know it spends 100 per cent of every minute of every day being a bear. It doesn't strive to become a better bear. It doesn't go to sleep thinking, "I wasn't really a very good bear today". They are just 100 per cent bear, whereas human beings feel we're not 100 per cent human, that we're always letting ourselves down. We're constantly striving towards something, to some fulfilment” [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans constantly judge themselves and strive for improvement, unlike bears who simply exist fully as themselves. **In simple terms:** People over‑critique themselves while animals just be. Key Takeaway Accept your whole self without endless self‑judgment. Themes self‑acceptance human nature comparison perfectionism Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - mental health - team leadership - creative work Key Concepts identity self‑criticism authenticity Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of yourself do you reject? - How can striving be balanced with self‑acceptance? A Different Perspective Humans may need ambition to progress; total acceptance can hinder growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bear/) [Bear Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bear-human-1128018/) [Bear Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bear-today-1300721/) [Bears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bears/) [Better Bear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-bear-1300723/) [Cents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cents/) [Day Bear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-bear-1300724/) [Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Every Minute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-minute/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Fulfilment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fulfilment/) [Going to sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-to-sleep/) [Good Bear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-bear-1300722/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Minutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minutes/) [Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice/) [Nice things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice-things/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) [Strive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strive/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Very good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-good/) ## Related quotes > [ What's magical about \[bears\] is that they just spend one-hundred percent of every minute of every hour of every day being a bear. And… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/what-s-magical-about-bears-is-that-they-just-spend-one-hundred/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [They are just 100 per cent bear, whereas human beings feel we're not 100 per cent human, that we're always letting ourselves down. We're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/they-are-just-100-per-cent-bear-whereas-human-beings-feel-we-re-not/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [“Ashley, I caught a bear today in the new trap. We’re taking it a hundred miles north. That’s a hundred miles closer to where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-reid/ashley-i-caught-a-bear-today-in-the-new-trap-we-re-taking-it-a/) [Penny Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-reid/) > [“It's good to be a bear and not take yourself so damn seriously.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmond-manning/it-s-good-to-be-a-bear-and-not-take-yourself-so-damn-seriously/) [Edmond Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmond-manning/) > [All men are made one for another: either then teach them better or bear with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/all-men-are-made-one-for-another-either-then-teach-them-better-or/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“We could be having a good or a bad day and Bear would give you a warm greeting that could melt your heart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-wesley-porter/we-could-be-having-a-good-or-a-bad-day-and-bear-would-give-you-a-warm/) [J. Wesley Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-wesley-porter/) > [Better to bear than to swear, and to die than to lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/better-to-bear-than-to-swear-and-to-die-than-to-lie/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [The Ojibways have great respect for the Bear. According to their legends, in the distant past the Bear had a human form and was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norval-morrisseau/the-ojibways-have-great-respect-for-the-bear-according-to-their/) [Norval Morrisseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norval-morrisseau/) > [“On many occasions animals are not so much trying to hurt us as giving us a mere rebuke or warning. The trouble is, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-h-whittlesey/on-many-occasions-animals-are-not-so-much-trying-to-hurt-us-as-giving/) [Lee H. Whittlesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-h-whittlesey/) > [“It is simply a question of fulfilment. You feel perfectly alive and magnificently perfected by the knowledge that you are doing what you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/it-is-simply-a-question-of-fulfilment-you-feel-perfectly-alive-and/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [“Time is the greatest enemy of fulfilment .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osunsakin-adewale/time-is-the-greatest-enemy-of-fulfilment/) [Osunsakin Adewale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osunsakin-adewale/) > [People think at the end of the day that a man is the only answer to fulfillment. Actually a job is better for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/princess-diana/people-think-at-the-end-of-the-day-that-a-man-is-the-only-answer-to/) [Princess Diana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/princess-diana/) > [“Businesses create real value if they drive the fulfilment for other people. The true definition of leadership.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-toume/businesses-create-real-value-if-they-drive-the-fulfilment-for-other/) [kamil Toume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-toume/) > [Whatever discipline you exercise should be based on the goal your child is eventually to reach, namely, freedom and happiness. I would show him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/whatever-discipline-you-exercise-should-be-based-on-the-goal-your/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [“Curiosity improved the cat”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-nankivell/curiosity-improved-the-cat/) [Brandon Nankivell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-nankivell/) ## More by Stephen Fry > [“...Catholic versus Protestant, essentially. It's that kind of fight. ... And it goes on to this day. Will we never learn? Who knows? Religion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/catholic-versus-protestant-essentially-it-s-that-kind-of-fight-and-it/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [How dare you? How dare you create a world in which there is such misery that is not our fault? It's not right, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/how-dare-you-how-dare-you-create-a-world-in-which-there-is-such/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [“Look at the kind of people who most object to the childishness and cheapness of celebrity culture. Does one really want to side with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/look-at-the-kind-of-people-who-most-object-to-the-childishness-and/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [“The object of love should feel honoured or flattered, responsible in some way. Instead he felt insulted, degraded and revolted. More than that, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/the-object-of-love-should-feel-honoured-or-flattered-responsible-in/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [The only people who are obsessed with food are anorexics and the morbidly obese. That, in erotic terms, is the Catholic church, in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/the-only-people-who-are-obsessed-with-food-are-anorexics-and-the/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [To me, reason is as spiritual as anything else, the beauty of reason seems to me indelible and ineffable and numinous... the spirit is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/to-me-reason-is-as-spiritual-as-anything-else-the-beauty-of-reason/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [The stranger might laugh and seem to enjoy the writing, but you hug to yourself the thought that they didn't quite understand its force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/the-stranger-might-laugh-and-seem-to-enjoy-the-writing-but-you-hug-to/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [“The future is a much bigger deal than the past,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/the-future-is-a-much-bigger-deal-than-the-past/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [I gather a repulsive nobody writing in a paper no one of any decency would be seen dead with has written something loathesome and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-gather-a-repulsive-nobody-writing-in-a-paper-no-one-of-any-decency/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [I've never had any illusions about being a lead actor in films, because lead actors have to be of a certain kind. Apart from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-ve-never-had-any-illusions-about-being-a-lead-actor-in-films/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [Because, let's face it, I do not get offered the parts that Brad Pitt has just turned down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/because-let-s-face-it-i-do-not-get-offered-the-parts-that-brad-pitt/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [I will defend the absolute value of Mozart over Miley Cyrus, of course I will, but we should be wary of false dichotomies. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-will-defend-the-absolute-value-of-mozart-over-miley-cyrus-of-course/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [You can't just say there is a god because the world is beautiful. You have to account for bone cancer in children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/you-can-t-just-say-there-is-a-god-because-the-world-is-beautiful-you/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [If you know someone who's depressed, please resolve never to ask them why. Depression isn't a straightforward response to a bad situation; depression just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/if-you-know-someone-who-s-depressed-please-resolve-never-to-ask-them/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [It's as if scientists exert every effort of will they possess deliberately to find the least significant problems in the world and explain them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/it-s-as-if-scientists-exert-every-effort-of-will-they-possess/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) [Explore all 466 Stephen Fry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) ## More Bear quotes > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I looked at Randy White... I looked at Klecko. I looked at Gino Marchetti. I looked at a lot of players. Bob Lilly. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-long/i-looked-at-randy-white-i-looked-at-klecko-i-looked-at-gino-marchetti/) [Howie Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-long/) > [“Hand in hand they whispered for a while. The girl nodded and the bear laughed. Together, they made their way down the corridor and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-craig/hand-in-hand-they-whispered-for-a-while-the-girl-nodded-and-the-bear/) [Stephen Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-craig/) > [No one likes to admit they are racist or bear prejudices. Nor do they even like to be open and honest when they witness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/no-one-likes-to-admit-they-are-racist-or-bear-prejudices-nor-do-they/) [Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/) > [I'm Irish and always will be, but America has taught me so much. Maybe it's here in the U.S. that we find a healing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fionnula-flanagan/i-m-irish-and-always-will-be-but-america-has-taught-me-so-much-maybe/) [Fionnula Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fionnula-flanagan/) > [Getting head-to-head with a polar bear was amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-strachan/getting-head-to-head-with-a-polar-bear-was-amazing/) [Michaela Strachan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-strachan/) > [“I have always held… that the skin of the bear must not be distributed until the bear has been killed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-r-manchester/i-have-always-held-that-the-skin-of-the-bear-must-not-be-distributed/) [William R. Manchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-r-manchester/) > [When I was in Greenough, Montana, I came across a bear cub. I was off this path, and I thought, If there's a bear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/when-i-was-in-greenough-montana-i-came-across-a-bear-cub-i-was-off/) [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) > [I was much more upset by the situation with Jacob than by the possibility of being eaten by a bear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-was-much-more-upset-by-the-situation-with-jacob-than-by-the/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [I like men. They are hugely entertaining, but they have a lot of shortcomings and you just have to bear those in mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/i-like-men-they-are-hugely-entertaining-but-they-have-a-lot-of/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [Yogi Bear changed my life in ways that I can't explain because it's not a full feature on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-miller/yogi-bear-changed-my-life-in-ways-that-i-can-t-explain-because-it-s/) [T. J. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-miller/) > [“Rabbit underground, rabbit safe and sound.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/rabbit-underground-rabbit-safe-and-sound/) [Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/) > [Are there bears in these mountains?" he asked. His companion nodded. "Of course. But it's a bit early in the year for them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/are-there-bears-in-these-mountains-he-asked-his-companion-nodded-of/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [“Fighting with tangles, fighting with curls, the poor barber yanked, the poor barber pulled, until with one last effort (and to the wonder of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mili-fay/fighting-with-tangles-fighting-with-curls-the-poor-barber-yanked-the/) [Mili Fay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mili-fay/) > [Bears are simultaneously so graceful and so strong. Bears know who they are, but they often don’t know who you are, which is why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/bears-are-simultaneously-so-graceful-and-so-strong-bears-know-who/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) [Browse all 827 Bear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bear/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One of the nice things about looking at a bear is that you know it spends 100 per cent of every minute of every day being a bear. It doesn't strive to become a better bear. It doesn't go to sleep thinking, \"I wasn't really a very good bear today\". They are just 100 per cent bear, whereas human beings feel we're not 100 per cent human, that we're always letting ourselves down. 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