The man who trims himself to suit everybody will soon whittle himself away.

Schwab’s aphorism warns against excessive people-pleasing and the loss of personal integrity. To “trim” oneself suggests shaving off opinions, principles, or distinctive traits to avoid conflict and win approval. The image of being “whittled away” implies that continual self-editing doesn’t merely change how one appears to others; it can erode the self until little remains—character, conviction, and individuality. In a business-leadership frame often associated with Schwab, the line also argues that effective leadership requires a stable core: trying to satisfy every constituency produces diluted decisions and a weakened sense of purpose.