Above all, don't lie to yourself.

What it means

Father Zossima tells the old buffoon Fyodor that a person who lies to himself stops seeing truth anywhere, then loses respect and love. Self-deception spreads to everything. Be honest with yourself first.

The source

"Above all, don't lie to yourself." Fyodor Dostoevsky said it in The Brothers Karamazov, Book 2, ch. 2. Translated by Constance Garnett, 1912.

"Above all, don’t lie to yourself."

Constance Garnett, 1912, The Brothers Karamazov, Book 2, ch. 2. Text read at gutenberg.org.

Who said it

Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821–1881). Russian novelist who survived a mock execution and Siberian prison camp. He wrote Crime and Punishment, The Idiot and The Brothers Karamazov.

Questions

What does "Above all, don't lie to yourself." mean?

Father Zossima tells the old buffoon Fyodor that a person who lies to himself stops seeing truth anywhere, then loses respect and love. Self-deception spreads to everything. Be honest with yourself first.

Who said "Above all, don't lie to yourself."?

Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821–1881). Source: The Brothers Karamazov, Book 2, ch. 2.

What is the original wording?

Above all, don’t lie to yourself (Constance Garnett, 1912). Translated by Constance Garnett, 1912.

Is "Above all, don't lie to yourself." on a shirt?

Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

"Above all, don't lie to yourself." (Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov, Book 2, ch. 2, trans. Constance Garnett, 1912). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/above-all-dont-lie-to-yourself