--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ironically, you’ll find that as you care…" description: "\"“Ironically, you’ll find that as you care less about what others think of you, you will care more about what others think of themselves and their world..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1df/stephen-r-covey-1501_emotional-life_ironically-you-ll-find-that-as-you-care_1419143.jpg" --- # Ironically, you’ll find that as you care less about what… ![“Ironically, you’ll find that as you care less about what others think of you, you will care more about what others think of themselves and their worlds, including their relationship with you. You’ll no longer build your emotional life on other people’s weaknesses. In addition, you’ll find it…” quote by Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1df/stephen-r-covey-1501_emotional-life_ironically-you-ll-find-that-as-you-care_1419143.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1df/stephen-r-covey-1501_emotional-life_ironically-you-ll-find-that-as-you-care_1419143.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1df/stephen-r-covey-1501_emotional-life_ironically-you-ll-find-that-as-you-care_1419143.jpg) > ““Ironically, you’ll find that as you care less about what others think of you, you will care more about what others think of themselves and their worlds, including their relationship with you. You’ll no longer build your emotional life on other people’s weaknesses. In addition, you’ll find it easier and more desirable to change because there is something—some core deep within—that is essentially changeless.”” [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Caring less about others' opinions frees you to focus on their deeper values, making relationships healthier and change more authentic. **In simple terms:** Focus on others' core selves, not their judgments. Key Takeaway Prioritize genuine connection over external validation. Themes self-awareness relationships personal growth Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - leadership - coaching - personal development - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology human behavior authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance caring for others with maintaining self-integrity? - What core values guide your personal change? A Different Perspective May neglect needed feedback from others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Emotional life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional-life/) [Weaknesses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weaknesses/) ## Related quotes > [All of us desire a better state of society. But society cannot become better before two great tasks are performed.Unless peace can be firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/all-of-us-desire-a-better-state-of-society-but-society-cannot-become/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [The things people call my weaknesses are my greatest strengths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kodokian/the-things-people-call-my-weaknesses-are-my-greatest-strengths/) David Kodokian > [Cunning is the art of concealing our own defects, and discovering other people's weaknesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/cunning-is-the-art-of-concealing-our-own-defects-and-discovering/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We all can relate to people's weaknesses. We might put up a facade that everything is perfect but none of us are. When we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/we-all-can-relate-to-people-s-weaknesses-we-might-put-up-a-facade/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [People have weaknesses, we should accept it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ballack/people-have-weaknesses-we-should-accept-it/) [Michael Ballack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ballack/) > [We might impress people with our strengths, but we connect with people through our weaknesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/we-might-impress-people-with-our-strengths-but-we-connect-with-people/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [I can still discern people's weaknesses, but it doesn't make me want to exploit them; it makes me want to hug them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-febos/i-can-still-discern-people-s-weaknesses-but-it-doesn-t-make-me-want/) [Melissa Febos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-febos/) > [Memories are people's weaknesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/memories-are-people-s-weaknesses/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Never have I found good reasons to believe in people's weaknesses. But I've always found enough reasons to believe in their strengths. It doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/never-have-i-found-good-reasons-to-believe-in-people-s-weaknesses-but/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [I have taken advantage of other people's weaknesses in order to cover my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-have-taken-advantage-of-other-people-s-weaknesses-in-order-to-cover/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [People with weaknesses get killed by the people who lack them. Notice I'm not dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/people-with-weaknesses-get-killed-by-the-people-who-lack-them-notice/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Isn't it a shame that some people's 'weaknesses' can be so strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/isn-t-it-a-shame-that-some-people-s-weaknesses-can-be-so-strong/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [People who have no weaknesses are terrible; there is no way of taking advantage of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/people-who-have-no-weaknesses-are-terrible-there-is-no-way-of-taking/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [Never build your emotional life on the weaknesses of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/never-build-your-emotional-life-on-the-weaknesses-of-others/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [“The net effect of opening the “gate of change” to the first three habits—the habits of Private Victory—will be significantly increased self-confidence. You will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/the-net-effect-of-opening-the-gate-of-change-to-the-first-three/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) ## More by Stephen R. Covey > [“For those filled with regret, perhaps the most needful exercise of proactivity is to realize that past mistakes are also out there in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/for-those-filled-with-regret-perhaps-the-most-needful-exercise-of/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“What lies behind us is nothing compared to what lies within us and ahead of us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/what-lies-behind-us-is-nothing-compared-to-what-lies-within-us-and/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Love is something you do: the sacrifices you make, the giving of self, like a mother bringing a newborn into the world. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/love-is-something-you-do-the-sacrifices-you-make-the-giving-of-self/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Principles are guidelines for human conduct that are proven to have enduring, permanent value. They’re fundamental.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/principles-are-guidelines-for-human-conduct-that-are-proven-to-have/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“So I recommend reading literature, such as the inspiring biography of Anwar Sadat, In Search of Identity, and seeing movies like Chariots of Fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/so-i-recommend-reading-literature-such-as-the-inspiring-biography-of/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“My experience has been that there are times to teach and times not to teach. 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And because you see things differently, you think differently, you act differently. Because you have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/as-a-principle-centered-person-you-see-things-differently-and-because/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“We are free to choose our actions, based on our knowledge of correct principles, but we are not free to choose the consequences of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/we-are-free-to-choose-our-actions-based-on-our-knowledge-of-correct/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil, there is one striking at the root.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/for-every-thousand-hacking-at-the-leaves-of-evil-there-is-one/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Breaking deeply imbedded habitual tendencies such as procrastination, impatience, criticalness, or selfishness that violate basic principles of human effectiveness involves more than a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/breaking-deeply-imbedded-habitual-tendencies-such-as-procrastination/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“man you might like to take her out. If you were”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/man-you-might-like-to-take-her-out-if-you-were/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Start with the end in mind. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/start-with-the-end-in-mind/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“the very problem created the opportunity to build a deep relationship that empowered us to work together as a strong complementary team.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/the-very-problem-created-the-opportunity-to-build-a-deep-relationship/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) [Explore all 230 Stephen R. Covey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Ironically, you’ll find that as you care less about what others think of you, you will care more about what others think of themselves and their worlds, including their relationship with you. 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