Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it
Mark TwainRead
You are a coward when you even seem to have backed down from a thing you openly set out to do
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes that backing down from a commitment shows a lack of bravery.
Mark Twain's quote highlights the importance of courage in pursuing one's intentions. It suggests that appearing to back down from a goal or aspiration can undermine one's integrity and bravery, portraying the individual as a coward. True strength lies not just in the pursuit itself but in the willingness to face challenges and stick to one's commitments, regardless of fear or adversity.
Themes
CourageCommitmentBraveryFearIntegrity
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech about perseverance, one might use this quote to encourage others to confront their fears.
More from Mark Twain
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You can't reason with your heart; it has its own laws, and thumps about things which the intellect scorns.
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To be good is noble; but to show others how to be good is nobler and no trouble.
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Name the greatest of all inventors. Accident.
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In Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.
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I sat down in the sand, breathless with shame and failure. God, I thought, some defender of the weak. Some freedom fighter: Joan of Arc in sunscreen.
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