---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ego is about who’s right. Truth is about…"
description: "\"“Ego is about who’s right. Truth is about what’s right.”\" — Timothy Ferriss"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/timothy-ferriss-973_quote_ego-is-about-who-s-right-truth-is-about_1049314.jpg"
---

#  Ego is about who’s right. Truth is about what’s right.

![“Ego is about who’s right. Truth is about what’s right.” quote by Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/timothy-ferriss-973_quote_ego-is-about-who-s-right-truth-is-about_1049314.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/timothy-ferriss-973_quote_ego-is-about-who-s-right-truth-is-about_1049314.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/timothy-ferriss-973_quote_ego-is-about-who-s-right-truth-is-about_1049314.jpg)

> ““Ego is about who’s right. Truth is about what’s right.””

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

## About This Quote

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

Ego focuses on winning arguments, while truth seeks the correct outcome regardless of ego.

**In simple terms:** Ego wants to be right; truth seeks what’s right.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize truth over ego.

Themes

ego truth integrity

Mood

reflective serious

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- debates
- leadership decisionspersonal decisions

Key Concepts

philosophy ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you separate personal pride from objective facts?
- When does defending ego harm relationships?

A Different Perspective

Truth may be uncomfortable and conflict with self‑image.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/)

## Related quotes

> [The people have a right to the truth as they have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-people-have-a-right-to-the-truth-as-they-have-a-right-to-life/)

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

> [“The slickest way in the world to lie is to tell the right amount of truth at the right time-and then shut up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/the-slickest-way-in-the-world-to-lie-is-to-tell-the-right-amount-of/)

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/)

> [“There is nothing that strengthens the ego more than being right. Being right is identification with a mental position - a perspective, an opinion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/there-is-nothing-that-strengthens-the-ego-more-than-being-right-being/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [“I had to take ownership of everything that went wrong. Despite the tremendous blow to my reputation and to my ego, it was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/i-had-to-take-ownership-of-everything-that-went-wrong-despite-the/)

[Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/)

> [There is nothing that strengthens the ego more than being right !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/there-is-nothing-that-strengthens-the-ego-more-than-being-right/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [There is only one sin. and that is theft... when you tell a lie, you steal someones right to the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-only-one-sin-and-that-is-theft-when-you-tell-a-lie-you-steal/)

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

> [It is not so much freedom of speech but the right to truth that great men protect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-is-not-so-much-freedom-of-speech-but-the-right-to-truth-that-great/)

[Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/)

> [Do what is right, and you'll have no lasting regrets. Do what is right, and put yourself on the side of truth, goodness, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/do-what-is-right-and-you-ll-have-no-lasting-regrets-do-what-is-right/)

[Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/)

> [“Grief is a killer, isn't it?" he said. "Brings you right up to the truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-mones/grief-is-a-killer-isn-t-it-he-said-brings-you-right-up-to-the-truth/)

[Nicole Mones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-mones/)

> [Right and truth are greater than any power, and all power is limited by right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-whichcote/right-and-truth-are-greater-than-any-power-and-all-power-is-limited/)

[Benjamin Whichcote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-whichcote/)

> [“When you tell a lie, you steal someones right to the truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/when-you-tell-a-lie-you-steal-someones-right-to-the-truth/)

[Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/)

> [If the British Empire is fated to pass from life into history, we must hope it will not be by the slow process of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/if-the-british-empire-is-fated-to-pass-from-life-into-history-we-must/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [Its not that what we say or do is always wrong but viewing it from next perspective may turn it to be right or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-not-that-what-we-say-or-do-is-always-wrong-but-viewing-it-from/)

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

> [There is only one sin that is theft... when you tell a lie you steel someone's right to truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-kite-runner/there-is-only-one-sin-that-is-theft-when-you-tell-a-lie-you-steel/)

The Kite Runner

> [“Nobody is right and nobody is wrong. Only one thing is right, and that is the Truth, but nobody knows what it is. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-yutang/nobody-is-right-and-nobody-is-wrong-only-one-thing-is-right-and-that/)

[Lin Yutang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-yutang/)

## More by Timothy Ferriss

> [“First of all, if we’re serious all the time, we’ll wear out before we get the truly serious stuff done. Second, if this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/first-of-all-if-we-re-serious-all-the-time-we-ll-wear-out-before-we/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

> [“What is the book (or books) you’ve given most as a gift, and why? Or what are one to three books that have greatly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/what-is-the-book-or-books-you-ve-given-most-as-a-gift-and-why-or-what/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

> [“What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student about to enter the “real world”? What advice should they ignore? Nobody really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/what-advice-would-you-give-to-a-smart-driven-college-student-about-to/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

> [“Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can’t see from the center. Big, undreamed-of things—the people on the edge see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/out-on-the-edge-you-see-all-kinds-of-things-you-can-t-see-from-the/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

> [“information without emotion isn’t retained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/information-without-emotion-isn-t-retained/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

> [“Pure hell forces action, but anything less can be endured with enough clever rationalization.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/pure-hell-forces-action-but-anything-less-can-be-endured-with-enough/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

> [“What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student about to enter the “real world”? Most of the game is about persistence.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/what-advice-would-you-give-to-a-smart-driven-college-student-about-to-2/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

> [“Don’t aim at success. The more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/don-t-aim-at-success-the-more-you-aim-at-it-and-make-it-a-target-the/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

> [“conscious thinking is largely asking and answering questions in your own head. If you want confusion and heartache, ask vague questions. If you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/conscious-thinking-is-largely-asking-and-answering-questions-in-your/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

> [“What bullshit excuses do you have for not going after whatever it is that you want? Please,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/what-bullshit-excuses-do-you-have-for-not-going-after-whatever-it-is/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

> [“The fishing is best where the fewest go,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/the-fishing-is-best-where-the-fewest-go/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

> [“Using people to leverage a refined process multiplies production; using people as a solution to a poor process multiplies problems.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/using-people-to-leverage-a-refined-process-multiplies-production/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

> [“Being financially rich and having the ability to live like a millionaire are fundamentally two very different things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/being-financially-rich-and-having-the-ability-to-live-like-a/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

> [“What are the top-three activities that I use to fill time to feel as though I’ve been productive? These are usually used to postpone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/what-are-the-top-three-activities-that-i-use-to-fill-time-to-feel-as/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

> [“The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/the-factory-of-the-future-will-have-only-two-employees-a-man-and-a/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

[Explore all 310 Timothy Ferriss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

## More Right quotes

> [That we have the vote means nothing. That we use it in the right way means everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-henry-hoover/that-we-have-the-vote-means-nothing-that-we-use-it-in-the-right-way/)

[Lou Henry Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-henry-hoover/)

> [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/)

[Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/)

> [I could program a 'fabulous, I love it' kind of hit season right now. I'm more interested in breaking boundaries, telling a story, defying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-could-program-a-fabulous-i-love-it-kind-of-hit-season-right-now-i-m/)

[George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/)

> [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/)

[Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/)

> [If you think you're doing everything right, then you have a tendency to stand pat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockton/if-you-think-you-re-doing-everything-right-then-you-have-a-tendency/)

[John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/)

> [A lot of young guys coming up in this league, they're given the spotlight right away, depending on draft stature or whatever the case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desean-jackson/a-lot-of-young-guys-coming-up-in-this-league-they-re-given-the/)

[DeSean Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desean-jackson/)

> [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/)

[Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/)

> [Doing the right things is more important than doing things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ko-wen-je/doing-the-right-things-is-more-important-than-doing-things-right/)

[Ko Wen-je](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ko-wen-je/)

> [Leaders need to compromise, negotiate with members of both parties and ideologies, and reform health care the right way - by developing a strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/leaders-need-to-compromise-negotiate-with-members-of-both-parties-and/)

[Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/)

> [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/)

[Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/)

> [Right before the pandemic, 'Past Lives' came across to me as something to read and possibly put myself on tape for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-faist/right-before-the-pandemic-past-lives-came-across-to-me-as-something/)

[Mike Faist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-faist/)

> [I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/i-am-not-interested-in-churning-out-a-certain-number-of-films-every/)

[Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/)

> [Susan B. Anthony must be turning in her grave if she knew that millions of women who have the right to vote are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-m-kunin/susan-b-anthony-must-be-turning-in-her-grave-if-she-knew-that/)

[Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/)

> [I am on sabbatical as of right now, been too busy to think of about my OWN needs as of late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-diamond/i-am-on-sabbatical-as-of-right-now-been-too-busy-to-think-of-about-my/)

[Jim Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-diamond/)

> [There is a conflict in the Middle East between two entities, and they're both right, each in their own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reuven-rivlin/there-is-a-conflict-in-the-middle-east-between-two-entities-and-they/)

[Reuven Rivlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reuven-rivlin/)

Browse all 15,243 Right quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Ego is about who’s right. Truth is about what’s right.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Timothy Ferriss"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/ego-is-about-who-s-right-truth-is-about-what-s-right/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Right"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/ego-is-about-who-s-right-truth-is-about-what-s-right/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/timothy-ferriss-973_quote_ego-is-about-who-s-right-truth-is-about_1049314.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/timothy-ferriss-973_quote_ego-is-about-who-s-right-truth-is-about_1049314.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/timothy-ferriss-973_quote_ego-is-about-who-s-right-truth-is-about_1049314.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Ego is about who’s right. Truth is about what’s right.” — Timothy Ferriss",
                "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": "Timothy Ferriss",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Ego is about who’s right. Truth...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/ego-is-about-who-s-right-truth-is-about-what-s-right/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/ego-is-about-who-s-right-truth-is-about-what-s-right/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
