We judge ourselves by our intentions… it’s a simple phrase that reveals a massive blind spot in how we operate. It’s the reason conflicts escalate and teams break down, because we’re all running on different operating systems.
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Meaning
This quote exposes the fundamental imbalance in human perception: we give ourselves a pass for our *intentions*, while we convict others based solely on their *actions*.
Explanation
Let me break it down how I see it in the real world. When I mess up a deadline, my internal monologue is a symphony of context: “I had three other projects, my kid was sick, the brief was unclear.” I judge myself on that whole story. But when a colleague misses a deadline? My brain, almost instantly, goes to: “They’re unreliable. They don’t respect my time.” See the gap? It’s a huge empathy gap. We live in the rich, detailed movie of our own lives, but we only see the badly edited trailer for everyone else’s. This concept is the absolute bedrock of fixing communication and building trust, especially in leadership. Once you see this pattern, you can’t unsee it.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Wisdom (385) |
| Topics | bias (25), empathy (143), judgment (32) |
| Literary Style | aphoristic (181), clear (348) |
| Emotion / Mood | humble (74), provocative (175) |
| Overall Quote Score | 89 (88) |
Origin & Factcheck
This wisdom comes straight from Brené Brown’s 2018 book, *Dare to Lead*, which was published in the United States. It’s a cornerstone of her research on brave leadership. You’ll sometimes see similar sentiments floating around, but this specific, powerful phrasing is unequivocally hers.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Brene Brown (257) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. (29) |
| Origin Timeperiod | 21st Century (1892) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Dr Brene Brown is the author of books such as Daring Greatly and The Power of Vulnerability. The TED talk and Netflix production based on her research reached out to millions of audience. She researches effects of courage and vulnerability in shaping people's work and relationships. She leads the Brené Brown Education and Research Group and provides evidence-based insights into practical tools to help people train themselves
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Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | We judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their behavior |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 2018; ISBN/Unique Identifier: 9780399592522; Last Edition: Random House 2018; Number of Pages: 320 |
| Where is it? | Part III: Braving Trust, Approximate page from 2018 edition: 128 |