Sydney Smith Quotes

Every step that I've taken was a learning lesson. Even to not think you're so big and so bad you can't fall.

I think I fail a bit less than everyone else.

I'm not nearly as important as I used to think I was. It's a wonderful discovery.

If you are not egotistical, you will welcome the opportunity to learn more.

I don't see myself as the perfect person at all.

For our vanity is such that we hold our own characters immutable, and we are slow to acknowledge that they have changed, even for the better.

True humility is intelligent self respect which keeps us from thinking too highly or too meanly of ourselves. It makes us modest by reminding us how far we have come short of what we can be.

I try to become more humble and more myself with every year. There was a while when I got famous where I was so confused and my head was spinning.

I don't want to be perceived as someone who has it all figured out. I certainly don't feel entitled or like I'm a superstar. I'm still growing, learning, and figuring things out.

If you realize you aren't so wise today as you thought you were yesterday, you're wiser today.

I certainly had an arrogant streak. And I certainly was defensive in certain cases. Maybe I'm still arrogant, but I try not to be.

Just knowing you don't have the answers is a recipe for humility, openness, acceptance, forgiveness, and an eagerness to learn - and those are all good things.

I think the failure in the NFL has humbled me in the fact that I don't think I'm the best.

I really don't look at my accomplishments. I really don't think about myself much.

I don't get carried away by any praise; I know I have miles to go.

You must always strive to be the best, but you must never believe that you are.

The minute you feel you have given a faultless performance is the time to get out.

Those who profit from adversity possess a spirit of humility and are therefore inclined to make the necessary changes needed to learn from their mistakes, failures, and losses. ... When we are focused too much on ourselves, we lose perspective. Humility allows us to regain perspective and see the big picture. ... Humility allows us to let go of perfection and keep trying.

No one can grow if he does not accept his smallness.

Perfection is impossible without humility. Why should I strive for perfection, if I am already good enough?

Do not try to be humble: learn humility.

Without humility, we keep all our defects; and they are only crusted over by pride, which conceals them from others, and often from ourselves.

I don't see in myself any perfection.

To have ego means to believe in your own strength. And to also be open to other people's views. It is to be open, not closed. So, yes, my ego is big, but it's also very small in some areas. My ego is responsible for my doing what I do - bad or good.

I love failure. It's stuff that I'm thinking about all the time in my life, so it would make sense to me anyway to write about it.