--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Humility does not mean thinking less of…" description: "\"Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your gifts. It means freedom from thinking..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89b/william-temple-17571_about-yourself_humility-does-not-mean-thinking-less-of_72339.png" --- # Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than… ![“Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your gifts. It means freedom from thinking about yourself at all.” quote by William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89b/william-temple-17571_about-yourself_humility-does-not-mean-thinking-less-of_72339.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89b/william-temple-17571_about-yourself_humility-does-not-mean-thinking-less-of_72339.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89b/william-temple-17571_about-yourself_humility-does-not-mean-thinking-less-of_72339.png) > “Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your gifts. It means freedom from thinking about yourself at all.” [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humility is not self‑deprecation but a release from self‑centered thought, allowing one to act without ego. **In simple terms:** Freedom from self‑focus Key Takeaway Humility frees the mind Themes self‑awareness ego‑detachment inner freedom authenticity wisdom Mood calm reflective empowering Type aphorism philosophical insight When to use this quote - leadership decisions - creative work - conflict resolution - personal growth - spiritual practice Key Concepts self‑concept psychological freedom humility Practical Applications - coaching - mindfulness training Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑obsession limit effectiveness? - What practices help shift focus away from self? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about-yourself/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Humility and modesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility-and-modesty/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking about yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-about-yourself/) [Thinking less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-less/) ## Related quotes > [“Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/humility-does-not-mean-thinking-less-of-yourself-than-of-other-people/) [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) > [Pride is the switch that turns off priesthood power. Humility is a switch that turns it on . . . . Some suppose that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/pride-is-the-switch-that-turns-off-priesthood-power-humility-is-a/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [“Humility is not just thinking less of yourself or thinking lanyard less of your gifts than others,It is freedom from thinking of yourself at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-cueto/humility-is-not-just-thinking-less-of-yourself-or-thinking-lanyard/) Barbara Cueto > [As I watch government at all levels daily eat away at our freedom, I keep thinking how prosperity and government largesse have combined to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyn-nofziger/as-i-watch-government-at-all-levels-daily-eat-away-at-our-freedom-i/) [Lyn Nofziger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyn-nofziger/) > [Some people are born on third base.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-switzer/some-people-are-born-on-third-base/) [Barry Switzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-switzer/) > [Modesty is a shining light; it prepares the mind to receive knowledge, and the heart for truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-guizot/modesty-is-a-shining-light-it-prepares-the-mind-to-receive-knowledge/) [Francois Guizot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-guizot/) > [To have a thing is little, if you're not allowed to show it, to know a thing, is nothing unless others know you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-neaves-lord-neaves/to-have-a-thing-is-little-if-you-re-not-allowed-to-show-it-to-know-a/) Charles Neaves, Lord Neaves > [Perfect humility dispenses with modesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/perfect-humility-dispenses-with-modesty/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Most of us retain enough of the theological attitude to think that we are little gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/most-of-us-retain-enough-of-the-theological-attitude-to-think-that-we/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [In all that surrounds him the egotist sees only the frame of his own portrait.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-antoine-petit-senn/in-all-that-surrounds-him-the-egotist-sees-only-the-frame-of-his-own/) [Jean Antoine Petit-Senn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-antoine-petit-senn/) > [Nobody stands taller than those willing to stand corrected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/nobody-stands-taller-than-those-willing-to-stand-corrected/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [Modesty is the lowest of the virtues, and is a real confession of the deficiency it indicates. He who undervalues himself is justly undervalued…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/modesty-is-the-lowest-of-the-virtues-and-is-a-real-confession-of-the/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Glory is largely a theatrical concept. There is no striving for glory without a vivid awareness of an audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/glory-is-largely-a-theatrical-concept-there-is-no-striving-for-glory/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [God created the law of free will, and God created the law of cause and effect. And he himself will not violate the law.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/god-created-the-law-of-free-will-and-god-created-the-law-of-cause-and/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're doing some very exciting, bold things, pioneering content on mobile and for broadband, ... My vision is to say, as we take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-duncan/we-re-doing-some-very-exciting-bold-things-pioneering-content-on/) [Tim Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-duncan/) ## More by William Temple > [Our present time is indeed a criticizing and critical time, hovering between the wish, and the inability to believe. Our complaints are like arrows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/our-present-time-is-indeed-a-criticizing-and-critical-time-hovering/) [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) > [There is no structural organization of society which can bring about the coming of the Kingdom of God on earth since all systems can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/there-is-no-structural-organization-of-society-which-can-bring-about/) [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) > [Christianity founds hospitals and atheists are cured in them, never knowing they owe their cure to Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/christianity-founds-hospitals-and-atheists-are-cured-in-them-never/) [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) > [The only way for a rich man to be healthy is by exercise and abstinence, to live as if he were poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/the-only-way-for-a-rich-man-to-be-healthy-is-by-exercise-and/) [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) > [Learning passes for wisdom among those who want both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/learning-passes-for-wisdom-among-those-who-want-both/) [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) > [A man's wisdom is his best friend; folly, his worst enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/a-man-s-wisdom-is-his-best-friend-folly-his-worst-enemy/) [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) > [The first ingredient in conversation is truth, the next good sense, the third good humor, and the fourth wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/the-first-ingredient-in-conversation-is-truth-the-next-good-sense-the/) [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) > [We shall say without hesitation that the atheist who is moved by love is moved by the Spirit of God; an atheist who lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/we-shall-say-without-hesitation-that-the-atheist-who-is-moved-by-love/) [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) > [There cannot live a more unhappy creature than an ill-natured old man, who is neither capable of receiving pleasures, nor sensible of conferring them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/there-cannot-live-a-more-unhappy-creature-than-an-ill-natured-old-man/) [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) > [“It is a great mistake to think that God is chiefly concerned with our being religious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/it-is-a-great-mistake-to-think-that-god-is-chiefly-concerned-with-our/) [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) > [It is sometimes said that conduct is supremely important and worship helps it. The truth is that worship is supremely important and conduct tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/it-is-sometimes-said-that-conduct-is-supremely-important-and-worship/) [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) > [People that trust wholly to other's charity, and without industry of their own, will always be poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/people-that-trust-wholly-to-other-s-charity-and-without-industry-of/) [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) > [Books, like proverbs, receive their chief value from the stamp and esteem of ages through which they passed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/books-like-proverbs-receive-their-chief-value-from-the-stamp-and/) [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) > [Science has its being in a perpetual mental restlessness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/science-has-its-being-in-a-perpetual-mental-restlessness/) [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) > [Holland is a country, where the earth is better than the air, and profit more in request than honor; where there is more sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/holland-is-a-country-where-the-earth-is-better-than-the-air-and/) [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) [Explore all 36 William Temple quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) ## More About yourself quotes > [“they all have always loved you Will Herondale, for you cannot hide what is good about yourself, however har you try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/they-all-have-always-loved-you-will-herondale-for-you-cannot-hide/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/if-you-can-t-love-yourself-how-in-the-hell-you-gonna-love-somebody/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [People are in denial all the time, hiding things. If I tell you a racist or dirty joke and you laugh, you're telling me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/people-are-in-denial-all-the-time-hiding-things-if-i-tell-you-a/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [Change your thoughts, change your life. —LAO TZU When I was fighting depression, I remember hearing this expression and not understanding it at first.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/change-your-thoughts-change-your-life-lao-tzu-when-i-was-fighting/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [Dreams really tell you about yourself more than anything else in this world could ever tell you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/dreams-really-tell-you-about-yourself-more-than-anything-else-in-this/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [Celebrate all the things you don't like about yourself. love yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/celebrate-all-the-things-you-don-t-like-about-yourself-love-yourself/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [Start enjoying the things you like about yourself, and if there are things you want to change, either get to work on it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/start-enjoying-the-things-you-like-about-yourself-and-if-there-are/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [Always be yourself. There's only one you. You should embrace anything that you don't like about yourself because that's individual and that's you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesy-nelson/always-be-yourself-there-s-only-one-you-you-should-embrace-anything/) [Jesy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesy-nelson/) > [It's too distracting to read about yourself. You want to be perfect and you want everyone to love you, and that's never going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saoirse-ronan/it-s-too-distracting-to-read-about-yourself-you-want-to-be-perfect/) [Saoirse Ronan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saoirse-ronan/) > [If you want to know how to make people shun you and laugh at you behind your back and even despise you, here is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/if-you-want-to-know-how-to-make-people-shun-you-and-laugh-at-you/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [The only thing a master can teach is how to learn about yourself. There are no secrets. They are only techniques to waken yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/the-only-thing-a-master-can-teach-is-how-to-learn-about-yourself/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [I don't want to sell myself short. You hurt your spouse, not so much by the infidelity, but by the negative feelings about yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-zaslow/i-don-t-want-to-sell-myself-short-you-hurt-your-spouse-not-so-much-by/) [Michael Zaslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-zaslow/) > [A stranger can see in an instant something in you that you might spend years learning about yourself. How awful we all are when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-elliott/a-stranger-can-see-in-an-instant-something-in-you-that-you-might/) [Stephen Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-elliott/) > [Knowing is the most profound kind of love, giving someone the gift of knowledge about yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsha-norman/knowing-is-the-most-profound-kind-of-love-giving-someone-the-gift-of/) [Marsha Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsha-norman/) > [Start telling the truth now and never stop. Begin by telling the truth to yourself about yourself. Then tell the truth to yourself about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/start-telling-the-truth-now-and-never-stop-begin-by-telling-the-truth/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) [Browse all 770 About yourself quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about-yourself/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your gifts. 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