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Perhaps a sense of possessing needs to come to come before a sense of genuine sharing.
Stephen Covey
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Before we can genuinely share with others, we must first feel secure and content with what we have.

In this quote, Stephen Covey suggests that the ability to truly share with others in a meaningful way is rooted in a foundational sense of security and self-sufficiency. Before we can engage in authentic sharing of ourselves or our resources, we need to possess a feeling of completeness or fulfillment, which allows us to extend generosity and connection to others without anxiety or insecurity.

Themes

SharingPossessingRelationshipsGenerositySelf-Sufficiency

In practice

Example use cases

In a seminar about building healthy relationships, this quote can illustrate the importance of self-awareness.

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