---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our first duty is not to hate ourselves…"
description: "\"Our first duty is not to hate ourselves, because to advance we must have faith in ourselves first and then in God. Those who have no faith in themselve..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/swami-vivekananda-53_duty_our-first-duty-is-not-to-hate-ourselves_2436368.jpg"
---

#  Our first duty is not to hate ourselves, because to…

![“Our first duty is not to hate ourselves, because to advance we must have faith in ourselves first and then in God. Those who have no faith in themselves can never have faith in God.” quote by Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/swami-vivekananda-53_duty_our-first-duty-is-not-to-hate-ourselves_2436368.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/swami-vivekananda-53_duty_our-first-duty-is-not-to-hate-ourselves_2436368.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/swami-vivekananda-53_duty_our-first-duty-is-not-to-hate-ourselves_2436368.jpg)

> “Our first duty is not to hate ourselves, because to advance we must have faith in ourselves first and then in God. Those who have no faith in themselves can never have faith in God.”

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

## About This Quote

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

Self‑faith is prerequisite for divine faith; without belief in oneself, belief in a higher power is impossible.

**In simple terms:** Believe in yourself before believing in God.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate self‑confidence to deepen spiritual faith.

Themes

spirituality self‑esteem faith personal growth

Mood

contemplative motivational

Type

inspirational philosophical

When to use this quote

- personal development
- spiritual practice
- leadership training
- counseling sessions

Key Concepts

philosophy religion psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- How does self‑confidence influence your spiritual life?
- What practices build both self‑faith and divine faith?

A Different Perspective

Self‑faith alone may not address external challenges to belief.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Faith in god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith-in-god/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Have faith in god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/have-faith-in-god/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Vedanta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vedanta/)

## Related quotes

> [Faith, faith, faith in ourselves, faith, faith in God, this is the secret of greatness.If you have faith in all the three hundred and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/faith-faith-faith-in-ourselves-faith-faith-in-god-this-is-the-secret/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [If God tells us to do a thing we are to do it; if He tells us to believe a thing, we are to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/if-god-tells-us-to-do-a-thing-we-are-to-do-it-if-he-tells-us-to/)

[Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/)

> [It's enough to have faith in one aspect of God. You have faith in God without form. That is very good. But never get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramakrishna/it-s-enough-to-have-faith-in-one-aspect-of-god-you-have-faith-in-god/)

[Ramakrishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramakrishna/)

> [It's easier to have faith in yourself if you have faith in God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/it-s-easier-to-have-faith-in-yourself-if-you-have-faith-in-god/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [He who has no faith in himself can never have faith in God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-who-has-no-faith-in-himself-can-never-have-faith-in-god/)

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

> [I have faith in faith. God is there, whether we have faith or not, so why not have faith in him?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-bertinelli/i-have-faith-in-faith-god-is-there-whether-we-have-faith-or-not-so/)

[Valerie Bertinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-bertinelli/)

> [But if I be asked what sign we may look for to show that the advance of the faith is at hand I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/but-if-i-be-asked-what-sign-we-may-look-for-to-show-that-the-advance/)

[Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/)

> [Let us use our energy and our initiative to solve our problems without relying on prayers and wishful thinking. When we have faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-hurmence-green/let-us-use-our-energy-and-our-initiative-to-solve-our-problems/)

[Ruth Hurmence Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-hurmence-green/)

> [Have faith in God but keep your powder dry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/have-faith-in-god-but-keep-your-powder-dry/)

[Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/)

> [I wish that I myself did have faith in God, that I had a religion, sometimes. But not always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hutch-harris/i-wish-that-i-myself-did-have-faith-in-god-that-i-had-a-religion/)

[Hutch Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hutch-harris/)

> [If you have faith in God, if you believe that God can use you, if you are willing to take a step of faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-laurie/if-you-have-faith-in-god-if-you-believe-that-god-can-use-you-if-you/)

[Greg Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-laurie/)

> [For those who do not have faith in God, fear is a way to protect them. But if faith is strong, there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/for-those-who-do-not-have-faith-in-god-fear-is-a-way-to-protect-them/)

[Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/)

> [Just because I believe in God, just because I have faith in God, it doesn't mean that I'm immune. It doesn't mean that I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayrton-senna/just-because-i-believe-in-god-just-because-i-have-faith-in-god-it/)

[Ayrton Senna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayrton-senna/)

> [Always have faith in God, Yourself and the Cowboys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-sutton/always-have-faith-in-god-yourself-and-the-cowboys/)

Eddie Sutton

> [I have discovered that you can go from nowhere to somewhere, from nothing to something, from a nobody to a somebody, from an empty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/i-have-discovered-that-you-can-go-from-nowhere-to-somewhere-from/)

[Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/)

## More by Swami Vivekananda

> [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [The Hindus have a peculiar slovenliness in business matters, not being sufficiently methodical and strict in keeping accounts etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-hindus-have-a-peculiar-slovenliness-in-business-matters-not-being/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [Renunciation is in our blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/renunciation-is-in-our-blood/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [Let positive, strong, helpful thoughts enter into your brains from very childhood. Lay yourselves open to these thoughts, and not to weakening and paralysing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/let-positive-strong-helpful-thoughts-enter-into-your-brains-from-very/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [Where can we go to find God if we cannot see Him in our own hearts and in every living being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/where-can-we-go-to-find-god-if-we-cannot-see-him-in-our-own-hearts/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [It is the free alone which never changes, and the unchangeable alone which is free; for change is produced by something exterior to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/it-is-the-free-alone-which-never-changes-and-the-unchangeable-alone/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [Above all, India is the land of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/above-all-india-is-the-land-of-religion/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [The awakening of the soul to its bondage and its effort to stand up and assert itself - this is called life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-awakening-of-the-soul-to-its-bondage-and-its-effort-to-stand-up/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [It is the Prana that is manifesting as motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/it-is-the-prana-that-is-manifesting-as-motion/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [Though an atom is invisible, unthinkable, yet in it are the whole power and potency of the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/though-an-atom-is-invisible-unthinkable-yet-in-it-are-the-whole-power/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [Nothing can be produced without a cause, and the effect is but the cause reproduced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/nothing-can-be-produced-without-a-cause-and-the-effect-is-but-the/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [All the strength and succour you want is within yourselves. Therefore make your own future. "Let the dead past bury its dead." The infinite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/all-the-strength-and-succour-you-want-is-within-yourselves-therefore/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [Be brave! Be strong! Be fearless! Once you have taken up the spiritual life, fight as long as there is any life in you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/be-brave-be-strong-be-fearless-once-you-have-taken-up-the-spiritual/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [“there is a continuity of mind, as the Yogis call it. The mind is universal. Your mind, my mind, all these little minds, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/there-is-a-continuity-of-mind-as-the-yogis-call-it-the-mind-is/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

[Explore all 1,889 Swami Vivekananda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

## More Duty quotes

> [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/)

[Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/)

> [Few political debates have been as divisive as the European one. I fought as hard as I could on the Remain side, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/few-political-debates-have-been-as-divisive-as-the-european-one-i/)

[Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/)

> [I'm a strange mixture of my mother's curiosity; my father, who grew up the son of the manse in a Presbyterian family, who had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/i-m-a-strange-mixture-of-my-mother-s-curiosity-my-father-who-grew-up/)

[Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/)

> [“Is that what they teach you at the convent? That the gods demand the hearts from our bodies?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-lafevers/is-that-what-they-teach-you-at-the-convent-that-the-gods-demand-the/)

[Robin LaFevers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-lafevers/)

> [The less we show our love to a woman, Or please her less, and neglect our duty, The more we trap and ruin her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/the-less-we-show-our-love-to-a-woman-or-please-her-less-and-neglect/)

[Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/)

> [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/)

[Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/)

> [Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/consideration-is-the-soil-in-which-wisdom-may-be-expected-to-grow-and/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [“You have a right to be sad, and a duty to move on. Only wins who wipes the tears, gather strength and move forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusto-branco/you-have-a-right-to-be-sad-and-a-duty-to-move-on-only-wins-who-wipes/)

[Augusto Branco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusto-branco/)

> [Our duty as Christians is always to keep heaven in our eye and earth under our feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/our-duty-as-christians-is-always-to-keep-heaven-in-our-eye-and-earth/)

[Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/)

> [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/)

[L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/)

> [Regardless of how you feel about war and peace those serving military are doing a duty for the rest of us and they're protecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-cardellini/regardless-of-how-you-feel-about-war-and-peace-those-serving-military/)

[Linda Cardellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-cardellini/)

> [“Duty is a done deal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/duty-is-a-done-deal/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [Politics...You see, it depends on what kind of politics. What we did during my father's generation was a duty. And it was beautiful because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/politics-you-see-it-depends-on-what-kind-of-politics-what-we-did/)

[Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/)

> [I do not so much rejoice that God hath made me to be a Queen, as to be a Queen over so thankful a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/i-do-not-so-much-rejoice-that-god-hath-made-me-to-be-a-queen-as-to-be/)

[Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/)

> [The whole duty of man is summed up in obedience to God's will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-whole-duty-of-man-is-summed-up-in-obedience-to-god-s-will/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

[Browse all 5,178 Duty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Our first duty is not to hate ourselves, because to advance we must have faith in ourselves first and then in God. Those who have no faith in themselves can never have faith in God.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Swami Vivekananda"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/our-first-duty-is-not-to-hate-ourselves-because-to-advance-we-must/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Duty"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/our-first-duty-is-not-to-hate-ourselves-because-to-advance-we-must/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/swami-vivekananda-53_duty_our-first-duty-is-not-to-hate-ourselves_2436368.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/swami-vivekananda-53_duty_our-first-duty-is-not-to-hate-ourselves_2436368.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/swami-vivekananda-53_duty_our-first-duty-is-not-to-hate-ourselves_2436368.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Our first duty is not to hate ourselves, because to advance we must have faith in ourselves first and then…” — Swami Vivekananda",
                "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": "Swami Vivekananda",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Our first duty is not to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/our-first-duty-is-not-to-hate-ourselves-because-to-advance-we-must/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/our-first-duty-is-not-to-hate-ourselves-because-to-advance-we-must/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
