--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fill your bowl to the brim and it will…" description: "\"“Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill, Keep sharpening your knife and it will be blunt Care about people's approval and you will be their priso..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32c/tao-te-ching-36812_quote_fill-your-bowl-to-the-brim-and-it-will-s_1246236.jpg" --- # Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill, Keep… ![“Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill, Keep sharpening your knife and it will be blunt Care about people's approval and you will be their prisoner.” quote by Tao Te Ching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32c/tao-te-ching-36812_quote_fill-your-bowl-to-the-brim-and-it-will-s_1246236.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32c/tao-te-ching-36812_quote_fill-your-bowl-to-the-brim-and-it-will-s_1246236.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32c/tao-te-ching-36812_quote_fill-your-bowl-to-the-brim-and-it-will-s_1246236.jpg) > ““Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill, Keep sharpening your knife and it will be blunt Care about people's approval and you will be their prisoner.”” [Tao Te Ching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-te-ching/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excessive accumulation leads to loss; over-sharpening dulls; seeking approval enslaves. **In simple terms:** Too much leads to waste; seeking approval traps you. Key Takeaway Practice moderation and self-reliance. Themes balance self-control freedom Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - personal budgeting - skill development - social media use Key Concepts overconsumption self-discipline social pressure Questions to Reflect On - What areas of your life need moderation? - How does approval seeking affect your decisions? A Different Perspective Neglects the value of learning from others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approval Prisoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approval-prisoner-1298109/) [Brim Spill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brim-spill-3723075/) [Knife Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knife-blunt-3723074/) [Spill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spill/) [Spill Sharpening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spill-sharpening-3723073/) ## Related quotes > [Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill. Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/fill-your-bowl-to-the-brim-and-it-will-spill-keep-sharpening-your-3/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill. Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt. Chase after money and security and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/fill-your-bowl-to-the-brim-and-it-will-spill-keep-sharpening-your/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Care about people's approval and you will be their prisoner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/care-about-people-s-approval-and-you-will-be-their-prisoner/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [I don't know if it's shocking, but I'm the world's biggest klutz. I have been dancing since I was 3, and I have modeled,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-dupont/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-shocking-but-i-m-the-world-s-biggest-klutz-i/) [Tiffany Dupont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-dupont/) > [In my new IFC comedy game show, 'Bunk,' we actually use our intern Patrick as a human timer - giving contestants the time it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-braunohler/in-my-new-ifc-comedy-game-show-bunk-we-actually-use-our-intern/) [Kurt Braunohler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-braunohler/) > [Hefeweizen. Never drink something you can't spill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/hefeweizen-never-drink-something-you-can-t-spill/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) > [Passion is all very well, but it wouldn't do to spill the tea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-simonson/passion-is-all-very-well-but-it-wouldn-t-do-to-spill-the-tea/) [Helen Simonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-simonson/) > [You have to be prepared to take a spill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-white/you-have-to-be-prepared-to-take-a-spill/) [Shaun White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-white/) > [The Porter Ranch situation is the BP oil spill on land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-brockovich/the-porter-ranch-situation-is-the-bp-oil-spill-on-land/) [Erin Brockovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-brockovich/) > [“For You" For you I undress down to the sheaths of my nerves. I remove my jewelry and set it on the nightstand, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-addonizio/for-you-for-you-i-undress-down-to-the-sheaths-of-my-nerves-i-remove/) [Kim Addonizio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-addonizio/) > [I've been melted into something too easy to spill. I make more and more of myself in order to make more and more of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-shaughnessy/i-ve-been-melted-into-something-too-easy-to-spill-i-make-more-and/) [Brenda Shaughnessy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-shaughnessy/) > [“..i spill into the kind of silence only Khalil Gibran would understand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanober-khan/i-spill-into-the-kind-of-silence-only-khalil-gibran-would-understand/) [Sanober Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanober-khan/) > [It's very difficult to regulate yourself, and if you learn to do that, well, it starts to spill over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peterson/it-s-very-difficult-to-regulate-yourself-and-if-you-learn-to-do-that/) [Jordan Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peterson/) > [Sometimes, songs spill out of you very fast, and sometimes you have to wrangle them to the floor. But the same thing is true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/sometimes-songs-spill-out-of-you-very-fast-and-sometimes-you-have-to/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [Eventually the story would spill over into the regular media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/eventually-the-story-would-spill-over-into-the-regular-media/) [David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/) ## More by Tao Te Ching > [“A great nation is like a great man...He thinks of his enemy as the shadow that he himself casts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-te-ching/a-great-nation-is-like-a-great-man-he-thinks-of-his-enemy-as-the/) [Tao Te Ching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-te-ching/) > [“If a country is governed with repression, the people are depressed and crafty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-te-ching/if-a-country-is-governed-with-repression-the-people-are-depressed-and/) [Tao Te Ching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-te-ching/) > [“He does not make himself seen, therefore he is bright; he does not deem himself to be right, therefore he is illustrious; he does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-te-ching/he-does-not-make-himself-seen-therefore-he-is-bright-he-does-not-deem/) [Tao Te Ching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-te-ching/) > [Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power. If you realize that you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-te-ching/knowing-others-is-intelligence-knowing-yourself-is-true-wisdom/) [Tao Te Ching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-te-ching/) > [“Give up sainthood, renounce wisdom, and it will be a hundred times better for everyone. Give up kindness, renounce morality, and men will rediscover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-te-ching/give-up-sainthood-renounce-wisdom-and-it-will-be-a-hundred-times/) [Tao Te Ching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-te-ching/) > [“The more prohibitions you have, the less virtuous people will be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-te-ching/the-more-prohibitions-you-have-the-less-virtuous-people-will-be/) [Tao Te Ching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-te-ching/) > [“With a wall all around A clay bowl is moulded; But the use of the bowl Will depend on the part Of the bowl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-te-ching/with-a-wall-all-around-a-clay-bowl-is-moulded-but-the-use-of-the-bowl/) [Tao Te Ching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-te-ching/) > [“If you become whole, everything will come to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-te-ching/if-you-become-whole-everything-will-come-to-you/) [Tao Te Ching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-te-ching/) > [“A good traveler leaves no track.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-te-ching/a-good-traveler-leaves-no-track/) [Tao te Ching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-te-ching/) > [“The best rulers are scarcely known by their subjects; The next best are loved and praised; The next are feared; The next despised: They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-te-ching/the-best-rulers-are-scarcely-known-by-their-subjects-the-next-best/) [Tao Te Ching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-te-ching/) > [“When the student is ready the teacher will appear. When the student is truly ready... The teacher will Disappear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-te-ching/when-the-student-is-ready-the-teacher-will-appear-when-the-student-is/) [Tao Te Ching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-te-ching/) [Explore all 12 Tao Te Ching quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-te-ching/) ## More Spill quotes > [Eventually the story would spill over into the regular media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/eventually-the-story-would-spill-over-into-the-regular-media/) [David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/) > [Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill. Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt. Chase after money and security and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/fill-your-bowl-to-the-brim-and-it-will-spill-keep-sharpening-your/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Sometimes, songs spill out of you very fast, and sometimes you have to wrangle them to the floor. But the same thing is true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/sometimes-songs-spill-out-of-you-very-fast-and-sometimes-you-have-to/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [It's very difficult to regulate yourself, and if you learn to do that, well, it starts to spill over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peterson/it-s-very-difficult-to-regulate-yourself-and-if-you-learn-to-do-that/) [Jordan Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peterson/) > [“..i spill into the kind of silence only Khalil Gibran would understand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanober-khan/i-spill-into-the-kind-of-silence-only-khalil-gibran-would-understand/) [Sanober Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanober-khan/) > [I've been melted into something too easy to spill. I make more and more of myself in order to make more and more of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-shaughnessy/i-ve-been-melted-into-something-too-easy-to-spill-i-make-more-and/) [Brenda Shaughnessy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-shaughnessy/) > [“For You" For you I undress down to the sheaths of my nerves. I remove my jewelry and set it on the nightstand, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-addonizio/for-you-for-you-i-undress-down-to-the-sheaths-of-my-nerves-i-remove/) [Kim Addonizio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-addonizio/) > [The Porter Ranch situation is the BP oil spill on land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-brockovich/the-porter-ranch-situation-is-the-bp-oil-spill-on-land/) [Erin Brockovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-brockovich/) > [You have to be prepared to take a spill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-white/you-have-to-be-prepared-to-take-a-spill/) [Shaun White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-white/) > [Passion is all very well, but it wouldn't do to spill the tea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-simonson/passion-is-all-very-well-but-it-wouldn-t-do-to-spill-the-tea/) [Helen Simonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-simonson/) > [Hefeweizen. Never drink something you can't spill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/hefeweizen-never-drink-something-you-can-t-spill/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) > [In my new IFC comedy game show, 'Bunk,' we actually use our intern Patrick as a human timer - giving contestants the time it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-braunohler/in-my-new-ifc-comedy-game-show-bunk-we-actually-use-our-intern/) [Kurt Braunohler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-braunohler/) > [I don't know if it's shocking, but I'm the world's biggest klutz. I have been dancing since I was 3, and I have modeled,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-dupont/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-shocking-but-i-m-the-world-s-biggest-klutz-i/) [Tiffany Dupont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-dupont/) > [Terrorism will spill over if you don't speak up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/terrorism-will-spill-over-if-you-don-t-speak-up/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [I might be at the odd press conference with a little bit of spill on me because I'm not going to hide the imperfections…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacinda-ardern/i-might-be-at-the-odd-press-conference-with-a-little-bit-of-spill-on/) [Jacinda Ardern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacinda-ardern/) [Browse all 73 Spill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spill/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill, Keep sharpening your knife and it will be blunt Care about people's approval and you will be their prisoner.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tao Te Ching" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-te-ching/fill-your-bowl-to-the-brim-and-it-will-spill-keep-sharpening-your-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Spill" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-te-ching/fill-your-bowl-to-the-brim-and-it-will-spill-keep-sharpening-your-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32c/tao-te-ching-36812_quote_fill-your-bowl-to-the-brim-and-it-will-s_1246236.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32c/tao-te-ching-36812_quote_fill-your-bowl-to-the-brim-and-it-will-s_1246236.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32c/tao-te-ching-36812_quote_fill-your-bowl-to-the-brim-and-it-will-s_1246236.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill, Keep sharpening your knife and it will be blunt Care about…” — Tao Te Ching", "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": "Tao Te Ching", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-te-ching/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Fill your bowl to the brim...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-te-ching/fill-your-bowl-to-the-brim-and-it-will-spill-keep-sharpening-your-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-te-ching/fill-your-bowl-to-the-brim-and-it-will-spill-keep-sharpening-your-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 } } ] } ```