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Taken in context, this lifted quote from Emerson's essay on Self-Reliance, comes off much better than it does out of context. In context, Emerson is speaking of that which is assigned to you, and only you, by your maker (God). Then, being responsible only to yourself and your personal capabilities and limitations, without trying to be someone else (say, Shakespeare, Mozart, Einstein or, well, God) can lift you to the best of what you yourself and only you have the potential of being. Taken out of context, it sounds like, "Don't get your hopes up, kid. Just do what the boss tells you, keep your head down and don't get all uppity-like. You wanna get yourself fired?!" I hope that clears this up. Perhaps that was not your confusion, and perhaps I answered something you didn't ask, but I have just done with what was assigned to me personally by my maker (might be the same as your maker, maybe not, who knows?) and have been careful not to be Ralph Waldo Emerson. He wouldn't have answered your question the same way. But I think he's been living in Concord, MA since 1882. You might ask him.

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