Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield Quotes

Personal pride is probably a bad guide to merit.

I think I'm the best at everything that I do. I may be biased because it's me. But if you ask me that, that's what I'm going to tell you.

What mortal is there of us, who would find his satisfaction enhanced by an opportunity of comparing the picture he presents to himself of his doings, with the picture they make on the mental retina of his neighbours? We are poor plants buoyed up by the air-vessels of our own conceit.

Blinded as they are to their true character by self-love, every man is his own first and chiefest flatterer, prepared, therefore, to welcome the flatterer from the outside, who only comes confirming the verdict of the flatterer within.

If I have learned one thing in life, it is never to take any man's own estimate of himself. He could very well be mistaken.

I think generally I'm a pretty good person if I had to grade myself. Or toot my own horn.

I've always thought I was talented.

He who denies his own vanity usually possesses it in so brutal a form that he instinctively shuts his eyes to avoid the necessity of despising himself.

Every man is prompted by the love of himself to imagine that he possesses some qualities, superior, either in kind or degree, to those which he sees allotted to the rest of the world; and, whatever apparent disadvantages he may suffer in the comparison with others, he has some invisible distinctions, some latent reserve of excellence, which he throws into the balance, and by which he generally fancies that it is turned in his favour.

Humility is to make a right estimate of oneself. It is no humility for a man to think less of himself than he ought.

We measure everything by ourselves with almost a necessary conceit.

What we cut off from our other faults is very often but so much added to our pride.

You are so proud of your intelligence," said the master. "You are like a like a condemned man, proud of the vastness of his prison cell.

Man believes himself always greater than he is, and is esteemed less than he is worth.

Is there any vanity greater than the vanity of those who believe themselves without it?

Since we think about ourselves so much of the time, it is comforting to assume ... that we really know the score.... [But] this is not an easy assignment. [As] Santayana wrote, 'Nothing requires a rarer intellectual heroism than willingness to see one's equation written out.'

Because there is no man who can be true and just judge of himself, so much will self-love deceive him.

Reasonably accurate appraisal of one's own capabilities is, therefore, of considerable value in successful functioning. Large misjudgments of personal efficacy in either direction have consequences. People who grossly overestimate their capabilities undertake activities that are clearly beyond their reach. As a result, they get themselves into considerable difficulties, undermine their credibility, and suffer needless failures. Some of the missteps, of course, can produce serious, irreparable harm

I think I probably think about myself as an actor, which is the way most people do. I think I'm good, I don't think I'm great. I think I would hire somebody else to play me in the movie about me.

I definitely don't think of myself as being an influence.

Normally I don't watch myself, because I'm not very objective.

I think I identify more with the smart guy, but most people might take umbrage at that. I like to think of myself as a real thinker, but I suppose people might beg to differ.

The only thing I want to say is, I know I'm not Einstein, but I'm not the queen of the imbeciles either.

Sometimes it's difficult directing yourself on film because you can't quite separate yourself from the subject.