What did I lack then, anyway?

I spent many years of my life not even bothering to think about what I wanted and needed, where I wanted to go, and what I wanted to do. Life was to be endured. I didn’t think I deserved good things. I didn’t think most good things were within my reach. I wasn’t that interested in my life, except as an appendage to other people. I didn’t think about living my life; I was too focused on others. I was too busy reacting, rather than acting.

I always lacked common sense when taken by surprise.

The truth was this: I did not have the brains.

I spent many years of my life not even bothering to think about what I wanted and needed, where I wanted to go, and what I wanted to do. Life was to be endured. I didn’t think I deserved good things. I didn’t think most good things were within my reach. I wasn’t that interested in my life, except as an appendage to other people. I didn’t think about living my life; I was too focused on others. I was too busy reacting, rather than acting. I

I was always heedless. I was born heedless; and therefore I was constantly, and quite unconsciously, committing breaches of the minor proprieties, which brought upon me humiliations which ought to have humiliated me but didn't, because I didn't know anything had happened.

I forgot, over and over, that the fact of my wanting something wasn’t enough to make it happen.

never occurred to me that perhaps I wasn’t responsible for everything that happened in the world.

I did not know that I was so empty, to be so full.

My reflection when I first made myself master of the central idea of the Origin was, "How extremely stupid of me not to have thought of that."

Unused to the situations in which I find myself, and embarrassed by the slightest difficulties, I seldom, till too late, discover how I ought to act.

Because I was lazy, I'd adopted the philosophy that things just happen.

I have always been regretting that I was not as wise as the day I was born.

As usual, He underestimated the human potential for self-deception.