--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I counted on sixty days only, but I held…" description: "\"I counted on sixty days only, but I held out for 133. I didn't go into power, but to get power I borrowed some power from the President and made him si..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/572/aleksandr-lebed-61691_borrowed_i-counted-on-sixty-days-only-but-i-held_3173188.jpg" --- # I counted on sixty days only, but I held out for 133. I… ![“I counted on sixty days only, but I held out for 133. I didn't go into power, but to get power I borrowed some power from the President and made him sign a number of decrees and give me enough power to create a system capable of handling crisis situations.” quote by Aleksandr Lebed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/572/aleksandr-lebed-61691_borrowed_i-counted-on-sixty-days-only-but-i-held_3173188.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/572/aleksandr-lebed-61691_borrowed_i-counted-on-sixty-days-only-but-i-held_3173188.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/572/aleksandr-lebed-61691_borrowed_i-counted-on-sixty-days-only-but-i-held_3173188.jpg) > “I counted on sixty days only, but I held out for 133. I didn't go into power, but to get power I borrowed some power from the President and made him sign a number of decrees and give me enough power to create a system capable of handling crisis situations.” [Aleksandr Lebed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-lebed/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He leveraged borrowed authority to enact emergency powers, creating a crisis‑response system despite lacking formal legitimacy. **In simple terms:** Used borrowed power to build crisis system. Key Takeaway Use authority wisely, ensure legitimacy. Themes leadership power crisis management Mood cautious strategic Type political historical When to use this quote - government response - emergency planning - political strategy Key Concepts authority delegation institution building Questions to Reflect On - How can temporary authority be made sustainable? - What safeguards prevent abuse? A Different Perspective Reliance on borrowed power can undermine long‑term stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Situations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situations/) [System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/system/) ## Related quotes > [“I counted the days. I marked them off on the wall with a piece of coal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uri-orlev/i-counted-the-days-i-marked-them-off-on-the-wall-with-a-piece-of-coal/) Uri Orlev > [“I know you said you didn’t have any power, but I’d really like you to destroy them all.' 'With pleasure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-hamm/i-know-you-said-you-didn-t-have-any-power-but-i-d-really-like-you-to/) [Emma Hamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-hamm/) > [It's because it was at a time when women didn't have any power. It was so unusual for a young woman in her 20s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/it-s-because-it-was-at-a-time-when-women-didn-t-have-any-power-it-was/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [I didn't get that power from gunz..coz there's no gunz in jail..I got that power from books and from thinking and strategizing… That's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/i-didn-t-get-that-power-from-gunz-coz-there-s-no-gunz-in-jail-i-got/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [We don't have real control over death. 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It puts the question of how far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/liberal-democracy-has-endured-because-its-institutions-are-designed/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [The Manhattan district attorney has closed the well-publicized investigation of the handling of the $300 million fortune of reclusive heiress Huguette Clark - without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-dedman/the-manhattan-district-attorney-has-closed-the-well-publicized/) [Bill Dedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-dedman/) > [I don't want to be any kind of producer at all - hands-on or otherwise! I feel producing is a very difficult job and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kajol/i-don-t-want-to-be-any-kind-of-producer-at-all-hands-on-or-otherwise/) [Kajol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kajol/) > [The key to handling pressure is to enjoy it when you're confronted with it rather than worry about it too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-waugh/the-key-to-handling-pressure-is-to-enjoy-it-when-you-re-confronted/) [Steve Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-waugh/) > [“Depression is a Virus, handling it Once, Builds Your Immunity to it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vineet-raj-kapoor/depression-is-a-virus-handling-it-once-builds-your-immunity-to-it/) [Vineet Raj Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vineet-raj-kapoor/) > [One must be entirely sensitive to the structure of the material that one is handling. One must yield to it in tiny details of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-hepworth/one-must-be-entirely-sensitive-to-the-structure-of-the-material-that/) [Barbara Hepworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-hepworth/) > [Most people give Kennedy a passing grade, a good grade on the Cuban Missile Crisis handling, but what they don't realize, if he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-gohmert/most-people-give-kennedy-a-passing-grade-a-good-grade-on-the-cuban/) [Louie Gohmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-gohmert/) ## More by Aleksandr Lebed > [As I understand I took most so-called democratic states about 200 years on average to build their democracies. That is why, when we go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-lebed/as-i-understand-i-took-most-so-called-democratic-states-about-200/) [Aleksandr Lebed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-lebed/) > [And this system sorted out the Chechen war in just 20 days. This way, I used the President's power, he didn't use me. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-lebed/and-this-system-sorted-out-the-chechen-war-in-just-20-days-this-way-i/) [Aleksandr Lebed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-lebed/) > [For 73 years a totalitarian regime ruled the country. Totalitarian regime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-lebed/for-73-years-a-totalitarian-regime-ruled-the-country-totalitarian/) [Aleksandr Lebed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-lebed/) > [In order to build basic democracy here we'll need lives of two generations - at least forty years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-lebed/in-order-to-build-basic-democracy-here-we-ll-need-lives-of-two/) [Aleksandr Lebed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-lebed/) [Explore all 5 Aleksandr Lebed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-lebed/) ## More Borrowed quotes > [I love awards, especially if I get them. It's up to the courage of the filmmakers to make art in cinema, not just business.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-gazzara/i-love-awards-especially-if-i-get-them-it-s-up-to-the-courage-of-the/) [Ben Gazzara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-gazzara/) > [The creation of George Smiley, the retired spy recalled to hunt for just such a high-ranking mole in 'Tinker, Tailor,' was extremely personal. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-creation-of-george-smiley-the-retired-spy-recalled-to-hunt-for/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The combination of such characters, some, as the sacral ones, altogether peculiar among Reptiles, others borrowed, as it were, from groups now distinct from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-owen/the-combination-of-such-characters-some-as-the-sacral-ones-altogether/) [Richard Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-owen/) > [I'm no innovator. If anything I'm a stealer, or borrower. I've stolen or borrowed from more people than you can shake a stick at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/i-m-no-innovator-if-anything-i-m-a-stealer-or-borrower-i-ve-stolen-or/) [Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/) > [Any sizeable Portuguese town looks like a superstitious bride's finery - something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/any-sizeable-portuguese-town-looks-like-a-superstitious-bride-s/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [“I came to this world with nothing, and I leave with nothing but love, everything else is just borrowed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-streets/i-came-to-this-world-with-nothing-and-i-leave-with-nothing-but-love/) The Streets > [Investors, of course, can, by their own behavior make stock ownership highly risky. And many do. Active trading, attempts to "time" market movements, inadequate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/investors-of-course-can-by-their-own-behavior-make-stock-ownership/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [I'm so sick of mermaid dresses, trains, borrowed bling-bling, and a pose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-leon-talley/i-m-so-sick-of-mermaid-dresses-trains-borrowed-bling-bling-and-a-pose/) [Andre Leon Talley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-leon-talley/) > [There is a word Kristos in the Greek dictionary, and this word is supposed to be borrowed from the Sanskrit word "Krishna," and Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-bhaktivedanta-swami-prabhupada/there-is-a-word-kristos-in-the-greek-dictionary-and-this-word-is/) [A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-bhaktivedanta-swami-prabhupada/) > [In 1981, I borrowed 2,000 pounds - a lot of money back then - paid 50 quid for a seat, packed my own sandwich,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/in-1981-i-borrowed-2-000-pounds-a-lot-of-money-back-then-paid-50-quid/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [I think when Tom Ford was there I borrowed a Gucci tux one time, and they were very nice and he was very kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-leto/i-think-when-tom-ford-was-there-i-borrowed-a-gucci-tux-one-time-and/) [Jared Leto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-leto/) > [There is a big problem. The problem is the country borrowed too much. We went on a borrowing binge, there was a housing boom.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-osborne/there-is-a-big-problem-the-problem-is-the-country-borrowed-too-much/) [George Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-osborne/) > [I toyed with making portraits based on people's discarded shopping lists found on the street, or old diaries bought on eBay, or other forms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-blackall/i-toyed-with-making-portraits-based-on-people-s-discarded-shopping/) [Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) > [There are instances where lines in my work are borrowed or stolen from sources, mainly from books, or they become my own versions. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-pettibon/there-are-instances-where-lines-in-my-work-are-borrowed-or-stolen/) [Raymond Pettibon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-pettibon/) > [True beauty lives on high. Ours is but a flame borrowed thence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/true-beauty-lives-on-high-ours-is-but-a-flame-borrowed-thence/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) Browse all 343 Borrowed quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I counted on sixty days only, but I held out for 133. 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