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.”
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
Strive for personal excellence
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- workplace performance
- academic study
- personal goals
- sports competition
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you measure your own progress?
- What limits does comparison impose?
Neglecting external standards can ignore valuable feedback