The sure conviction that we could if we wanted to is the reason so many good minds are idle.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- People stay idle because they believe they could succeed if they tried.
- In plain terms
- Overconfidence in potential leads to inaction.
- What can you take from it?
- Believing you can wait for the wrong time.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Why do you wait?
- Is potential enough?
Another view
It ignores external barriers that prevent action.
More from Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Man is to be found in reason, God in the passions.
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