The work an unknown good man has done is like a vein of water flowing hidden underground, secretly making the ground green.
Thomas CarlyleRead
The condition of the most passionate enthusiast is to be preferred over the individual who, because of the fear of making a mistake, won't in the end affirm or deny anything
Interpretation
What this quote means
It is better to be passionate and take risks than to avoid making decisions out of fear.
This quote by Thomas Carlyle emphasizes the value of passion and decisiveness. It suggests that a person who approaches life with enthusiasm and a willingness to embrace uncertainty is more admirable than someone who is paralyzed by the fear of making mistakes or expressing their opinions. In essence, action and fervor are celebrated over indecision and caution.
Themes
PassionEnthusiasmFearDecision-MakingRisk-Taking
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about pursuing dreams, one could use this quote to encourage the audience to take risks.
More from Thomas Carlyle
All quotes →Thirty millions, mostly fools.
Thomas CarlyleRead
There is a great discovery still to be made in literature, that of paying literary men by the quantity they do not write.
Thomas CarlyleRead
For the superior morality, of which we hear so much, we too would desire to be thankful: at the same time, it were but blindness to deny that this superior morality is properly rather an inferior criminality, produced not by greater love of Virtue, but by greater perfection of Police; and of that far subtler and stronger Police, called Public Opinion.
Thomas CarlyleRead
Enjoying things which are pleasant; that is not the evil; it is the reducing of our moral self to slavery by them that is.
Thomas CarlyleRead
Clean undeniable right, clear undeniable might: either of these once ascertained puts an end to battle. All battle is a confused experiment to ascertain one and both of these.
Thomas CarlyleRead
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