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What lies behind us and what lies before us meaning: In this article, we talk about the meaning of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote on what lies within us. The beauty of this quote is in its reference to our strengths.

I love the reference to finding our inner strength and inspiration to do what’s most important to us. We will talk about the author of this quote, its meaning and its relevance to us for a debate, essay on this topic.

Who said What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us

Ralph Waldo Emerson! According to Quote Investigator, this quote has references to – Albert Jay Nock, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Henry David Thoreau, Henry Stanley Haskins, William Morrow.

For the matter of this discussion, we will talk about the connection with Ralph Waldo Emerson’s line of thought. It is a line from his essay “Self-Reliance,” in which he discusses the importance of trusting oneself and not conforming to society’s expectations.

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us

Ralph Waldo Emerson

What lies behind us meaning

This refers to the facts or achievements that we’re aware of. Sometimes, when we start something new, the first question is – has something like this been done before? We seem to look for social proof of success in the past to assess whether we’ll be successful too. Perhaps it is about gaining confidence from the past or identifying lessons from failure.

In either case, the meaning of what lies behind us can be a reference to

• The past successes or failures that we get motivation from
• Our past of success or failure that gives us courage

Tiny matters compared to what lies within us

It is all about our perception and how we treat things. We can’t control what happens to us, but how we react to it is dependent on us. Hence, these are all tiny matters compared to what lies within us. Our individuality and character shines through these difficulties. It helps us overcome challenges, look beyond limitations and make a dent in the universe. No one else can tell us that we are incapable of something. These are all tiny matters compared to the power we have within us.

These things shouldn’t be taken as irrefutable truth. The most valuable aspect lies in how we use these limitations to move forward in our life. Everything else acts as a data point. It is up to us to decide and define our future paths. The meaning of this quote – What lies behind us and what lies before us is to encourage us to think beyond our past and inhibitions. We have to let go of our past to embrace what our future can be about. 

References:

Who said What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us https://quoteinvestigator.com/2011/01/11/what-lies-within/

About Ralph Waldo Emerson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Waldo_Emerson