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I used to pinch those pages closed when I read the book to…

“I used to pinch those pages closed when I read the book to keep from having to see Joan [of Arc] fail. But now I love that picture. I love it so much. I love how Joan kept going right up to the end. It reminds me that sometimes defeat is the price of taking action. If you do something, you become…” quote by Madeleine George
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““I used to pinch those pages closed when I read the book to keep from having to see Joan [of Arc] fail. But now I love that picture. I love it so much. I love how Joan kept going right up to the end. It reminds me that sometimes defeat is the price of taking action. If you do something, you become a target. People want to take you down. That's a risk. But it's better to do too much, better to try to hard, better to have a crisis of faith and get thrown and climb back up on your horse and keep riding, than to see something wrong in the world and not do anything at all.””

Madeleine George

About This Quote

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

Defeat can be a cost of taking bold action; risk and criticism follow effort, but perseverance outweighs inaction.

In simple terms: Risk and criticism happen when you act, but trying is better than doing nothing.

Key Takeaway

Embrace risk, act boldly, and recover from setbacks.

Themes

courage risk perseverance action resilience

Mood

determined reflective

Type

motivational inspirational

When to use this quote

  • activism
  • creative projects
  • personal challenges
  • public speaking

Key Concepts

heroic narrative personal growth social responsibility

Questions to Reflect On

  • What risks are you avoiding?
  • How can you balance action with self‑care?
A Different Perspective

Too much risk can lead to burnout or unnecessary conflict.

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