It is in books, poems, paintings which often give us the confidence to take seriously feelings in ourselves that we might otherwise never have thought to acknowledge.
Alain De BottonRead
People who readily accept the need for a gym will resist that their personalities might need some work too.
Interpretation
What this quote means
People often recognize the importance of physical fitness but overlook the need for personal growth and development.
In this quote, Alain De Botton suggests that while many individuals understand the necessity of physical exercise and the value of going to the gym, they often neglect the significance of working on their psychological and emotional well-being. Just as the body requires training and care, so does one's personality and character, which also need attention and cultivation for overall health and happiness.
Themes
Personal GrowthSelf-ImprovementEmotional HealthSelf-AwarenessCharacter Development
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational seminar focused on self-awareness.
More from Alain De Botton
All quotes βTaking architecture seriously therefore makes some singular and strenuous demands upon us...It means conceding that we are inconveniently vulnerable to the colour of our wallpaper and that our sense of purpose may be derailed by an unfortunate bedspread
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The more closely we analyze what we consider 'sexy,' the more clearly we will understand that eroticism is the feeling of excitement we experience at finding another human being who shares our values and our sense of the meaning of existence.
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Good books put a finger on emotions that are deeply our own - but that we could never have described on our own.
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The challenge of modern relationships: how to prove more interesting than the other's smartphone.
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It is the most ambitious and driven among us who are the most sorely in need of having our reckless hopes dampened through immersive dousings in the darkness which religions have explored. This is a particular priority for secular Americans, perhaps the most anxious and disappointed people on earth, for their nation infuses them with the most extreme hopes about what they may be able to achieve in their working lives and relationships.
Alain De BottonRead
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