Skip to content

Despondency is not a state of humility; on the contrary…

“Despondency is not a state of humility; on the contrary, it is the vexation and despair of a cowardly pride--nothing is worse; whether we fall, we must only think of rising again and going on course.” quote by François Fénelon
Download Open image
““Despondency is not a state of humility; on the contrary, it is the vexation and despair of a cowardly pride--nothing is worse; whether we fall, we must only think of rising again and going on course.””

François Fénelon

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Despondency is a disguised pride, not humility; it stems from fear and leads to despair, yet we must choose resilience and forward motion.

In simple terms: Despondency is cowardly pride, not humility.

Key Takeaway

Choose resilience over despair.

Themes

humility pride resilience

Mood

reflective somber

Type

moral inspirational

When to use this quote

  • personal loss
  • career setback
  • health crisis
  • spiritual doubt
  • leadership challenge

Key Concepts

psychology ethics

Questions to Reflect On

  • What hidden pride fuels your despondency?
  • How can you cultivate true humility?
A Different Perspective

Pride can masquerade as humility, making self‑assessment hard.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by François Fénelon

Explore all 187 François Fénelon quotes

More Despondency quotes

Browse all 79 Despondency quotes