I have often thought of it as one of the most barbarous customs in the world, considering us as a civilized and a Christian country, that we deny the advantages of learning to women.
Daniel DefoeRead
This grieved me heartily ; and now I saw, though too late, the folly of beginning a work before we count the cost, and before we judge rightly of our own strength to go through with it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of careful planning and self-assessment before undertaking a task.
Daniel Defoe reflects on the regret he feels for starting a project without properly evaluating the resources and strength required to complete it. This illustrates a common human experience where impulsive actions lead to challenges that could have been anticipated with thoughtful consideration. The essence of the message is a caution against the folly of rushing into endeavors without a clear understanding of what they entail.
Themes
PlanningRegretSelf-AssessmentPreparationForesight
In practice
Example use cases
During a team meeting to discuss a new project, one could reference this quote to advocate for thorough planning.
More from Daniel Defoe
All quotes βThese reflections made me very sensible of the goodness of Providence to me, and very thankful for my present condition, with all its hardships and misfortunes ; and this part also I cannot but recommend to the reflection of those who are apt, in their misery, to say, Is any affliction like mine? Let them consider how much worse the cases of some people are, and their case might have been, if Providence had thought fit.
Daniel DefoeRead
And which I take notice of here, to put those discontented people in mind of it, who cannot enjoy comfortably what God has given them, because they see and covet something that he has not given them. All our discontents about what we want appeared to me to spring from the want of thankfulness for what we have.
Daniel DefoeRead
I have since often observed, how incongruous and irrational the common temper of mankind is, especially of youth ... that they are not ashamed to sin, and yet are ashamed to repent; not ashamed of the action for which they ought justly to be esteemed fools, but are ashamed of the returning, which only can make them be esteemed wise men.
Daniel DefoeRead
Thus fear of danger is ten thousand times more terrifying than danger itself when apparent to the eyes ; and we find the burden of anxiety greater, by much, than the evil which we are anxious about.
Daniel DefoeRead
I hear much of people's calling out to punish the guilty, but very few are concerned to clear the innocent.
Daniel DefoeRead
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