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About this quote

What does it mean?
A ship meant to stay in port is safe but fails its purpose; similarly, avoiding risk hinders progress.
In plain terms
Staying safe means you never do what you were meant to do.
What can you take from it?
Embrace risk to fulfill your purpose.

Where it applies

  • starting a new project
  • making career changes
  • overcoming fear

Putting it to work

  • taking calculated risks
  • innovating
  • pursuing goals

Questions to consider

  • What purpose have you ignored due to fear?
  • When is it worth leaving the harbor?

Another view

Sometimes safety is necessary depending on the context.

More from Grace Hopper

  1. To me programming is more than an important practical art. It is also a gigantic undertaking in the foundations of knowledge.

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  2. It's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission.

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  3. From then on, when anything went wrong with a computer, we said it had bugs in it.

    Permalink to quote #1

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