Richard Russo Quotes

There's a time for daring and there's a time for caution, and a wise man understands which is called for.

Caution, though very often wasted is a good risk to take.

You can go wrong by being too skeptical as readily as by being too trusting.

We should never so entirely avoid danger as to appear irresolute and cowardly; but, at the same time, we should avoid unnecessarily exposing ourselves to danger, than which nothing can be more foolish.

I don't believe in taking foolish chances, but nothing can be accomplished if we don't take any chances at all.

There's a constant tension in climbing, and really all exploration, between pushing yourself into the unknown but trying not to push too far. The best any of us can do is to tread that line carefully.

As Secretary of Defense I have to be cautious and prudent.

It would be foolish, in forming our expectations, to attach great weight to matters which are very uncertain.

Vessels large may venture more, But little boats should keep near shore.

There's a fine line between being careful and careless.

Being prudent does not mean being fearful.

It is important to believe in yourself, but it is important to have sense, too.

Life's too short to be super conservative but it's also too short to make it any shorter. I don't plan on dying early, but at the same time I don't plan on playing it so safe that I'll live to ninety.

Fear looks like wisdom to those without risk.

At some point, you can't take a risk just to take a risk because that's a betrayal, in and of itself.

Curiosity is the other side of caution.

Better wilt thou live...by neither always pressing out to sea nor too closely hugging the dangerous shore in cautious fear of storms.

What course am I to take?" "Towards danger; but not too rashly, nor too straight.

There is some risk involved in action, there always is. But there is far more risk in failure to act.

I'm attracted by the unknown, but I take precautions.

During the first period of our lives the greatest danger is not to take the risk. When once the risk has been taken, then the greatest danger is to risk too much. By not risking at first one turns aside and serves trivialities; in the second case, by risking too much, one turns aside to the fantastic and perhaps to presumption.

I stepped from plank to plank So slow and cautiously; The stars about my head I felt, About my feet the sea. I knew not but the next Would be my final inch,— This gave me that precarious gait Some call experience.

To hazard much to get much has more of avarice than wisdom.

How great a quality is horse sense! Someone has defined it as that something which keeps horses from betting on men!

He who has not an adventure has not horse or mule, so says Solomon.--Who is too adventurous, said Echephron,--loses horse and mule.