Fear Quotes
Hope and fear are both phantoms that arise from thinking of the self. When we don’t see the self as self, what do we have to fear?
"Hope and fear are both phantoms that arise from thinking of the self. When we don’t see the self as self, what do we have to fear?"— Lao Tzu
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Meaning of this quote
Anxiety about gaining or losing status grows when identity depends on a fragile picture of the self. The passage invites a less defensive relationship to the world rather than promising that all practical dangers disappear.
Key takeaway:
Notice how protecting your self-image can intensify fear.
Origin of the quote
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 13, in Stephen Mitchell's modern English version.
Who actually said this?
VerifiedThe uploaded wording matches the cited version. Mitchell's rendering is interpretive; distinguish the modern English expression from the traditionally attributed ancient text.
