Joseph Joubert Quotes

What can one possibly introduce into a mind that is already full, and full of itself?

It's hubris to think that the way we see things is everything there is.

We learn nothing by being right.

Some of the biggest cases of mistaken identity are among intellectuals who have trouble remembering that they are not God.

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

To be a man's own fool is bad enough, but the vain man is everybody's.

The only way to get under me is to get over yourself.

I have often wished I had time to cultivate modesty... but I am too busy thinking about myself.

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.

In hindsight, I slid into arrogance based upon past success.

I was a philosophy major as an undergraduate, and I'm just an arrogant little thing. It's hard for me to admit that I can't understand something, let alone not be in charge of it.

Arrogance diminishes wisdom.

One who is shy will never gain knowledge, nor one who is proud.

Do not be an arrogant scholar, for scholarship cannot subsist with arrogance.

Be careful of hubris about ideas—especially your own. Remember always, that there is one commonality between all the good ideas that were ever created and all the bad ideas: The people you created them thought that they were good ideas.

No men are oftener wrong than those that can least bear to be so.

Pride is a thing that I have tried to abandon completely. Try as I might, pride still creeps into many of the things I do.

I was a young, new, hot star, and I had this unbelievable arrogance. As time went on, the strident narcissism and arrogance slowly diminished. But I was definitely there. I'm older now. And a big crybaby.

The biggest obstacle that stalls leaders' growth is the human ego. When leaders start to think they know it all, they stop growing.

You never can stay enough humbled.

One thing that I've learned is that you don't have to be a prima donna or think you are better than other people in order to succeed.

People should just get over themselves.

A little humbling never hurt a great advocate.

The only thing more dangerous than ignorance is arrogance.

If a man thinks he is not conceited, he is very conceited indeed.