He who fears he shall suffer, already suffers what he fears.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Fear causes suffering before any actual harm occurs.
- In plain terms
- Worrying makes you suffer even if nothing bad happens.
- What can you take from it?
- Anxiety is self-inflicted suffering before the event occurs.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How much suffering have you caused yourself by fearing?
- Is avoiding fear possible?
Another view
Not all fear is irrational; some warns of real danger.
More from Michel de Montaigne
He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.
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Permalink to quote #75 Hath God obliged himself not to exceed the bounds of our knowledge?
Permalink to quote #72
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