A wise man does not try to hurry history. Many wars have been avoided by patience and many have been precipitated by reckless haste.
Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- History needs patience; rushing it often leads to war.
- In plain terms
- Patience avoids wars; rushing causes them.
- What can you take from it?
- Move slowly when dealing with major changes.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When is patience actually cowardice?
- How do you judge the right time?
Another view
Sometimes swift action is needed to prevent worse outcomes.
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