--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Self-importance is a trap, because the…" description: "\"Self-importance is a trap, because the moment we start to think that we actually matter is the moment when things start to go wrong. The truth is that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/tom-hodgkinson-2852_effort_self-importance-is-a-trap-because-the-mo_1130267.jpg" --- # Self-importance is a trap, because the moment we start to… ![“Self-importance is a trap, because the moment we start to think that we actually matter is the moment when things start to go wrong. The truth is that you are supremely unimportant and nothing matters. All of man's striving is for nothing; all effort is wasted. To realize that everything is…” quote by Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/tom-hodgkinson-2852_effort_self-importance-is-a-trap-because-the-mo_1130267.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/tom-hodgkinson-2852_effort_self-importance-is-a-trap-because-the-mo_1130267.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/tom-hodgkinson-2852_effort_self-importance-is-a-trap-because-the-mo_1130267.jpg) > “Self-importance is a trap, because the moment we start to think that we actually matter is the moment when things start to go wrong. The truth is that you are supremely unimportant and nothing matters. All of man's striving is for nothing; all effort is wasted. To realize that everything is meaningless is tremendously liberating, since it then leaves us completely free to create our own lives and ignore the plans that others have for us.” [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing personal insignificance frees one from societal pressures, allowing authentic self‑creation. **In simple terms:** Realizing we’re unimportant can be liberating and enable personal freedom. Key Takeaway Embrace freedom by accepting life's inherent meaninglessness. Themes existentialism freedom self‑creation Mood reflective philosophical Type inspirational thought‑provoking When to use this quote - career choices - personal relationships - creative projects - spiritual practice Key Concepts nihilism liberation authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How can you channel this freedom into meaningful actions? - What values will you choose to guide your life? A Different Perspective Ignoring meaning can lead to apathy or despair without constructive purpose. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Nothing matters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing-matters/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self importance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-importance/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [If nothing matters, there's nothing to save.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/if-nothing-matters-there-s-nothing-to-save/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [Nothing matters very much, and few things matter at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-balfour/nothing-matters-very-much-and-few-things-matter-at-all/) [Arthur Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-balfour/) > [Nothing matters except life and the love you make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-martin/nothing-matters-except-life-and-the-love-you-make/) [Chris Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-martin/) > [There's this book," Jared said. "And in this book a guy said that he would rather touch someones hand if she was dead than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/there-s-this-book-jared-said-and-in-this-book-a-guy-said-that-he/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [The past is of no importance. The present is of no importance. It is with the future that we have to deal. For the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmond-de-goncourt/the-past-is-of-no-importance-the-present-is-of-no-importance-it-is-2/) [Edmond de Goncourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmond-de-goncourt/) > [Intimacy, says the phenomenologist Gaston Bachelard, is the highest value. I resist this statement at first. What about artistic achievement, or moral courage, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-doty/intimacy-says-the-phenomenologist-gaston-bachelard-is-the-highest/) [Mark Doty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-doty/) > [This stage in the life of the buzz is truly fabulous. It’s not even a buzz anymore. It’s a roar. The world opens up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-tharp/this-stage-in-the-life-of-the-buzz-is-truly-fabulous-it-s-not-even-a/) [Tim Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-tharp/) > [There is no object to life. To nature nothing matters but the continuation of the species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/there-is-no-object-to-life-to-nature-nothing-matters-but-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [A feminazi is a woman to whom the most important thing in life is seeing to it that as many abortions as possible are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/a-feminazi-is-a-woman-to-whom-the-most-important-thing-in-life-is/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Marriage is not a ritual or an end. 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I think idlers are generally seen as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/the-idea-of-a-government-is-to-create-an-ordered-willing-work-force/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [When stuck years ago in a job I hated, my only friend was the public bench. As the tedious mornings dragged on, how I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/when-stuck-years-ago-in-a-job-i-hated-my-only-friend-was-the-public/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [All poets are idlers, even if all idlers are not poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/all-poets-are-idlers-even-if-all-idlers-are-not-poets/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [Pain will never leave us. Instead of putting energy into destroying pain, we need to put energy into creating pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/pain-will-never-leave-us-instead-of-putting-energy-into-destroying/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [Sensible people advise against drinking on an empty stomach, but to my mind it is the best sort of drinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/sensible-people-advise-against-drinking-on-an-empty-stomach-but-to-my/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [Paradoxically, to be truly idle, you also have to be efficient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/paradoxically-to-be-truly-idle-you-also-have-to-be-efficient/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [Am I the only person in the world who is shocked and amazed at the ongoing flattery of uebergeek Mark Zuckerberg?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/am-i-the-only-person-in-the-world-who-is-shocked-and-amazed-at-the/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [I would like to propose slow cycling. 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I also do think about our… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-ecclestone/bernie-ecclestone-is-the-commercial-rights-holder-so-the-more/) [Bernie Ecclestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-ecclestone/) > [All efforts to render politics aesthetic culminate in one thing: war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/all-efforts-to-render-politics-aesthetic-culminate-in-one-thing-war/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [Im tired, tired of putting more effort than you do. Im tired of always having to start the conversation and if I dont, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-tired-tired-of-putting-more-effort-than-you-do-im-tired-of-always/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is for the superfluous we sweat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/it-is-for-the-superfluous-we-sweat/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Only alone can you go into eternity. Only alone can you feel the transcendental light. It is not a shared experience because if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/only-alone-can-you-go-into-eternity-only-alone-can-you-feel-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I love a pocket. I'm about helping women look as good as possible on the least amount of effort. 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