---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is nothing noble in being superior…"
description: "\"“There is nothing noble in being superior to some other man. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self.”\" — Tom Morris"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/tom-morris-64500_superior-man_there-is-nothing-noble-in-being-superior_2864050.jpg"
---

#  There is nothing noble in being superior to some other…

![“There is nothing noble in being superior to some other man. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self.” quote by Tom Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/tom-morris-64500_superior-man_there-is-nothing-noble-in-being-superior_2864050.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/tom-morris-64500_superior-man_there-is-nothing-noble-in-being-superior_2864050.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/415/tom-morris-64500_superior-man_there-is-nothing-noble-in-being-superior_2864050.jpg)

> ““There is nothing noble in being superior to some other man. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self.””

[Tom Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morris/)

## About This Quote

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

True nobility comes from self‑improvement, not from dominating others.

**In simple terms:** Being better than your past self matters more than being better than others.

Key Takeaway

Focus on personal growth.

Themes

self‑improvement humility competition

Mood

reflective inspirational

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- career advancement
- fitness goals
- academic pursuits
- relationship building

Key Concepts

personal development ethical self

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you measure your own progress?
- What habits foster continual self‑betterment?

A Different Perspective

Self‑comparison can still breed envy.

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[Superior man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superior-man/)

## Related quotes

> [“There isn’t anything noble about being superior to another person. True nobility is in being superior to the person you once were.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/there-isn-t-anything-noble-about-being-superior-to-another-person/)

[Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/)

> [There is nothing noble in being superior to some other person. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/there-is-nothing-noble-in-being-superior-to-some-other-person-the/)

Proverb

> [There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/there-is-nothing-noble-in-being-superior-to-your-fellow-man-true/)

[Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/)

> [There isnt anything noble about being superior to another person. True nobility is in being superior to the person you once were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vampoxxxx/there-isnt-anything-noble-about-being-superior-to-another-person-true/)

Vampoxxxx

> [“To become a better you, don’t dream of becoming a superior over other people. Dream of becoming a superior over your previous achievements.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/to-become-a-better-you-don-t-dream-of-becoming-a-superior-over-other/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [Fond man! though all the heroes of your line Bedeck your halls, and round your galleries shine In proud display; yet take this truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/fond-man-though-all-the-heroes-of-your-line-bedeck-your-halls-and/)

[Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/)

> [Virtue alone is true nobility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gifford/virtue-alone-is-true-nobility/)

William Gifford

> [True nobility is exempt from fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/true-nobility-is-exempt-from-fear/)

[Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/)

> [“There is nothing noble about being superior to some other person. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-s-sharma/there-is-nothing-noble-about-being-superior-to-some-other-person-true/)

[Robin S. Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-s-sharma/)

> [There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow men. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/there-is-nothing-noble-in-being-superior-to-your-fellow-men-true/)

[Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/)

> [The essence of true nobility is neglect of self. Let the thought of self pass in, and the beauty of a great action is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/the-essence-of-true-nobility-is-neglect-of-self-let-the-thought-of/)

[James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/)

> [“SONG VI. True Nobility. All men are of one kindred stock, though scattered far and wide; For one is Father of us all—one doth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/song-vi-true-nobility-all-men-are-of-one-kindred-stock-though/)

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

> [ Virtue is the only and true nobility. \[Lat., Nobilitas sola est atque unica virtus.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/virtue-is-the-only-and-true-nobility-lat-nobilitas-sola-est-atque/)

[Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/)

> [Adversity often hatches out the true nobility of character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ade/adversity-often-hatches-out-the-true-nobility-of-character/)

[George Ade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ade/)

> [The army is the true nobility of our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-army-is-the-true-nobility-of-our-country/)

[Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/)

## More by Tom Morris

> [For true success, it matters what our goals are. And it matters how we go about attaining them. The means are as important as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morris/for-true-success-it-matters-what-our-goals-are-and-it-matters-how-we/)

[Tom Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morris/)

> [“Relativism too often is nothing more than a fancy last gasp of adolescent rebellion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morris/relativism-too-often-is-nothing-more-than-a-fancy-last-gasp-of/)

[Tom Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morris/)

> [“One moral of this little story might be that once you’ve burned a bridge with lies, it may be that nothing short of divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morris/one-moral-of-this-little-story-might-be-that-once-you-ve-burned-a/)

[Tom Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morris/)

> [“Neglect of what is genuinely human is the major reason why so many people in American business right now feel more victimized than helped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morris/neglect-of-what-is-genuinely-human-is-the-major-reason-why-so-many/)

[Tom Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morris/)

[Explore all 5 Tom Morris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morris/)

## More Superior man quotes

> [The superior man is distressed by his want (lack) of ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-is-distressed-by-his-want-lack-of-ability/)

[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

> [Men who have lived significant lives are men who never waited: not for money, security, ease, or women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deida/men-who-have-lived-significant-lives-are-men-who-never-waited-not-for/)

[David Deida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deida/)

> [I do not know if the people of the United States would vote for superior men if they ran for office, but there can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-do-not-know-if-the-people-of-the-united-states-would-vote-for/)

[Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/)

> [After an inferior man has been taught a doctrine of superiority he will remain as inferior as he was before his lesson. He will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-szandor-lavey/after-an-inferior-man-has-been-taught-a-doctrine-of-superiority-he/)

[Anton Szandor LaVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-szandor-lavey/)

> [The superior man does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, he cleaves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-does-not-even-for-the-space-of-a-single-meal-act/)

[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

> [“Your scorn for mediocrity blinds you to its vast primitive power. You stand in the glare of your own brilliance, unable to see into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevanian/your-scorn-for-mediocrity-blinds-you-to-its-vast-primitive-power-you/)

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> [Therefore the superior man is watchful over himself, when he is alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/therefore-the-superior-man-is-watchful-over-himself-when-he-is-alone/)

[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

> [All government, in its essence, is a conspiracy against the superior man: its one permanent object is to oppress him and cripple him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-government-in-its-essence-is-a-conspiracy-against-the-superior/)

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

> [The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-acts-before-he-speaks-and-afterwards-speaks/)

[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

> [The superior man does what is proper to the station in which he is; he does not desire to go beyond this. In a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-does-what-is-proper-to-the-station-in-which-he-is-he/)

[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

> [The superior man has a dignified ease without pride. The mean man has pride without a dignified ease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-has-a-dignified-ease-without-pride-the-mean-man-has/)

[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

> [The superior man \* \* \* in regard to his speech \* \* \* is anxious that it should be sincere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-in-regard-to-his-speech-is-anxious-that-it-should-be/)

[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

> [Happiness exist when you don't know a thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-weeknd/happiness-exist-when-you-don-t-know-a-thing/)

[The Weeknd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-weeknd/)

> [Whoever educates himself and improves his own morals &amp; character is superior to the man who tries to teach &amp; train others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/whoever-educates-himself-and-improves-his-own-morals-character-is/)

[Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/)

> [When the Superior Man eats he does not try to stuff himself; at rest he does not seek perfect comfort; he is diligent in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/when-the-superior-man-eats-he-does-not-try-to-stuff-himself-at-rest/)

[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

[Browse all 119 Superior man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superior-man/)

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