Know thyself! A maxim as pernicious as it is ugly. Whoever observes himself arrests his own development. A caterpillar who wanted to know itself well would never become a butterfly.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Self-observation hinders development.
- In plain terms
- Don't obsess over yourself or you won't grow.
- What can you take from it?
- Grow without over-analyzing yourself.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Do you over-analyze yourself?
- What stops you from changing?
Another view
Some self-awareness is beneficial.
More from Andre Gide
It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves- in finding themselves.
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