Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. Humility is thinking more of others.
Relationships, not achievements or the acquisition of things, are what matters most in life.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes that the quality of our connections with others is more important than our material successes or accomplishments.
Rick Warren's quote highlights the fundamental importance of relationships in our lives, suggesting that the bonds we form with others hold greater significance than our individual achievements or accumulation of possessions. It serves as a reminder that true fulfillment and meaning are derived from love, support, and companionship, rather than external accolades or wealth. In a world often focused on success and materialism, this perspective calls us to prioritize our relationships and nurture the connections that enrich our lives and provide us with joy and purpose.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a graduation speech, one could use this quote to remind graduates to value the friendships they've made.
More from Rick Warren
All quotes →The search for the purpose of life has puzzled people for thousands of years. That’s because we typically begin at the wrong starting point—ourselves. We ask self-centered questions like What do I want to be? What should I do with my life? What are my goals, my ambitions, my dreams for my future? But focusing on ourselves will never reveal our life’s purpose.
Resentment always hurts you more than it does the person you resent. While your offender has probably forgotten the offense and gone on with life, you continue to stew in your pain, perpetuating the past. Listen: those who hurt you in the past cannot continue to hurt you now unless you hold on to the pain through resentment. Your past is past! Nothing will change it. You are only hurting yourself with your bitterness. For your own sake, learn from it, and then let it go.
Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.
It’s not just what you eat that matters, it’s what eats you. You can have all the right macrobiotics and organic food, but if your body is filled with resentment, worry, fear, lust, guilt, anger, bitterness, or any other emotional disease, it’s going to shorten your life.
Being successful and fulfilling your lifes purpose are not at all the same thing; You can reach all your personal goals, become a raving success by the worlds standard and still miss your purpose in this life.
Similar quotes
People shop for a bathing suit with more care than they do a husband or wife. The rules are the same. Look for something you'll feel comfortable wearing. Allow for room to grow.
In fact, every woman I met seemed disposable and replaceable. I was experiencing seducer's paradox: The better a seducer I became, the less I loved women. Success was no longer defined by getting laid or finding a girlfriend, but by how well I performed.
Maybe you’ve invested a lot of time, effort, money, emotion, and energy in a relationship; you did your best to make it work out. But for some reason, things got off course. And now you feel as though you have been robbed. When we focus on or disappointments, we stop God from ringing fresh new blessing into our lives.
From their teenage years on, children are considerably more capable of causing parents unhappiness than bringing them happiness. That is one reason parents who rely on their children for happiness make both their children and themselves miserable.
Marriage is the only actual bondage known to our law. There remain no legal slaves, except the mistress of every house.
If you can't forgive, don't ask to be forgiven.