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Answer Quote by William Graham Sumner

“We throw all our attention on the utterly idle question whether A has done as well as B, when the only question is whether A has done as well as he could.” quote by William Graham Sumner
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“We throw all our attention on the utterly idle question whether A has done as well as B, when the only question is whether A has done as well as he could.”

William Graham Sumner

About This Quote

Source Speech: Unknown, likely 19th‑century lecture

Focus on personal effort rather than comparative judgment of others

In simple terms: Judge yourself by your own best effort

Key Takeaway

Strive for personal excellence

Themes

self‑improvement comparison effort

Mood

reflective determined

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

  • workplace performance
  • academic study
  • personal goals
  • sports competition

Key Concepts

ethics motivation

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can you measure your own progress?
  • What limits does comparison impose?
A Different Perspective

Neglecting external standards can ignore valuable feedback

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