--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The hardest tumble a man can make is to…" description: "\"The hardest tumble a man can make is to fall over his own bluff.\" — Ambrose Bierce" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/ambrose-bierce-140_fall_the-hardest-tumble-a-man-can-make-is-to_3050431.jpg" --- # The hardest tumble a man can make is to fall over his own… ![“The hardest tumble a man can make is to fall over his own bluff.” quote by Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/ambrose-bierce-140_fall_the-hardest-tumble-a-man-can-make-is-to_3050431.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/ambrose-bierce-140_fall_the-hardest-tumble-a-man-can-make-is-to_3050431.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/ambrose-bierce-140_fall_the-hardest-tumble-a-man-can-make-is-to_3050431.jpg) > “The hardest tumble a man can make is to fall over his own bluff.” [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑deception blinds people to their own faults, leading to personal downfall. **In simple terms:** People often fail because they ignore their own flaws. Key Takeaway Check your own assumptions before blaming others. Themes self‑awareness humility personal growth Mood reflective cautious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - career decisions - conflict resolution Key Concepts cognitive bias ego self‑deception Questions to Reflect On - What blind spots might you be ignoring? - How can you seek truthful feedback? A Different Perspective Self‑deception can be hard to recognize without honest feedback. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Tumble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tumble/) ## Related quotes > [“The hardest tumble a man can take is to fall over his own bluff.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/the-hardest-tumble-a-man-can-take-is-to-fall-over-his-own-bluff/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“His chief form of entertainment was reading. The last moments he was in a cabin were usually spent scanning bookshelves and nightstands. The life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-finkel/his-chief-form-of-entertainment-was-reading-the-last-moments-he-was/) [Michael Finkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-finkel/) > [“But by afternoon, I know the end is coming. My legs are shaking and my heart is too quick. I keep forgetting exactly what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/but-by-afternoon-i-know-the-end-is-coming-my-legs-are-shaking-and-my/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“One way to stay humble is to take a tumble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/independent-zen/one-way-to-stay-humble-is-to-take-a-tumble/) Independent Zen > [If the sky that we look upon should tumble and fall. Or the mountain should crumble to the sea. I won't cry, no I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-e-king/if-the-sky-that-we-look-upon-should-tumble-and-fall-or-the-mountain/) [Ben E. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-e-king/) > [The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/the-only-people-who-never-tumble-are-those-who-never-mount-the-high/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [“Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/do-the-one-thing-you-think-you-cannot-do-fail-at-it-try-again-do-2/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Year after year students tumble along like the waters of a river. They flow away, and only the teacher is left behind, like some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobo-abe/year-after-year-students-tumble-along-like-the-waters-of-a-river-they/) [Kobo Abe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobo-abe/) > [“Words sometimes tumble out before I can self-edit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-bloom/words-sometimes-tumble-out-before-i-can-self-edit/) [Rebecca Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-bloom/) > [Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. What if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/do-not-be-too-timid-and-squeamish-about-your-actions-all-life-is-an/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/do-the-one-thing-you-think-you-cannot-do-fail-at-it-try-again-do/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [“Don't be too hard on yourself! You'll fall apart if you tumble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/don-t-be-too-hard-on-yourself-you-ll-fall-apart-if-you-tumble/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [I took one look and fell, hook and tumble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/i-took-one-look-and-fell-hook-and-tumble/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [“When we fail to reflect on the undercurrents of the circumstances of our life, we may have permanent misgivings about the quality of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/when-we-fail-to-reflect-on-the-undercurrents-of-the-circumstances-of/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [I love a bit of rough and tumble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-harris/i-love-a-bit-of-rough-and-tumble/) [Chris Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-harris/) ## More by Ambrose Bierce > [OBSESSED, p.p. Vexed by an evil spirit, like the Gadarene swine and other critics. Obsession was once more common than it is now. Arasthus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/obsessed-p-p-vexed-by-an-evil-spirit-like-the-gadarene-swine-and/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/decide-v-i-to-succumb-to-the-preponderance-of-one-set-of-influences/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [IMMORAL, adj. Inexpedient. Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men find to be generally inexpedient comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/immoral-adj-inexpedient-whatever-in-the-long-run-and-with-regard-to/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [REVIEW, v.t. To set your wisdom (holding not a doubt of it./ Although in truth there's neither bone nor skin to it)/ At work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/review-v-t-to-set-your-wisdom-holding-not-a-doubt-of-it-although-in/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clock-n-a-machine-of-great-moral-value-to-man-allaying-his-concern/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [RUBBISH, n. Worthless matter, such as the religions, philosophies, literatures, arts and sciences of the tribes infesting the regions lying due south from Boreaplas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/rubbish-n-worthless-matter-such-as-the-religions-philosophies/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [There was never a genius who was not thought a fool until he disclosed himself; whereas he is a fool then only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/there-was-never-a-genius-who-was-not-thought-a-fool-until-he/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Telephone, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/telephone-n-an-invention-of-the-devil-which-abrogates-some-of-the/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [WHANGDEPOOTENAWAH, n. In the Ojibwa tongue, disaster; an unexpected affliction that strikes hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/whangdepootenawah-n-in-the-ojibwa-tongue-disaster-an-unexpected/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Jealous, adj. Unduly concerned about the preservation of that which can be lost only if not worth keeping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/jealous-adj-unduly-concerned-about-the-preservation-of-that-which-can/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [RIDICULE, n. Words designed to show that the person of whom they are uttered is devoid of the dignity of character distinguishing him who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/ridicule-n-words-designed-to-show-that-the-person-of-whom-they-are/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Think twice before you speak to a friend in need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/think-twice-before-you-speak-to-a-friend-in-need/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [HERMIT, n. A person whose vices and follies are not sociable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/hermit-n-a-person-whose-vices-and-follies-are-not-sociable/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [TARIFF, n. A scale of taxes on imports, designed to protect the domestic producer against the greed of his consumer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/tariff-n-a-scale-of-taxes-on-imports-designed-to-protect-the-domestic/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [A bad marriage is like an electrical thrilling machine: it makes you dance, but you can't let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/a-bad-marriage-is-like-an-electrical-thrilling-machine-it-makes-you/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Explore all 1,157 Ambrose Bierce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## More Fall quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [“When you jump, all you're going to do is fall. But leaping? Leaping is when you think there's something on the other side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-jump-all-you-re-going-to-do-is-fall-but-leaping-leaping-is/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [To hurry through the rise and fall of a fine, full sentence is like defying the role of time in human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/to-hurry-through-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-fine-full-sentence-is-like/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [“We will all, at some point in our lives, fall. Every single one of us. We shouldn't spend our time trying to avoid falling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/we-will-all-at-some-point-in-our-lives-fall-every-single-one-of-us-we/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [How wonderful it would be to scatter words as they rise to consciousness, to let them lie where they fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-scott/how-wonderful-it-would-be-to-scatter-words-as-they-rise-to/) [Joanna Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-scott/) > [My life is a crystal teardrop. There are snowflakes falling in the teardrop and little figures trudging in slow motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-baez/my-life-is-a-crystal-teardrop-there-are-snowflakes-falling-in-the/) [Joan Baez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-baez/) > [Life will knock you down & it's tough, but you are strong enough. Get back up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-will-knock-you-down-it-s-tough-but-you-are-strong-enough-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I was 13, I began relaxing my hair, and that meant when I turned 18 it began to crack and fall off, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/when-i-was-13-i-began-relaxing-my-hair-and-that-meant-when-i-turned/) [Soledad O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soledad-o-brien/) > [“If you ever falling but can't see the bottom be glad you can't because at the bottom it's either a soft land or rocks!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelseigh-ashton/if-you-ever-falling-but-can-t-see-the-bottom-be-glad-you-can-t/) Kelseigh Ashton > [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) Browse all 13,401 Fall quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The hardest tumble a man can make is to fall over his own bluff.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ambrose Bierce" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/the-hardest-tumble-a-man-can-make-is-to-fall-over-his-own-bluff/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fall" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/the-hardest-tumble-a-man-can-make-is-to-fall-over-his-own-bluff/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/ambrose-bierce-140_fall_the-hardest-tumble-a-man-can-make-is-to_3050431.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/ambrose-bierce-140_fall_the-hardest-tumble-a-man-can-make-is-to_3050431.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/ambrose-bierce-140_fall_the-hardest-tumble-a-man-can-make-is-to_3050431.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The hardest tumble a man can make is to fall over his own bluff.” — Ambrose Bierce", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ambrose Bierce", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The hardest tumble a man can...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/the-hardest-tumble-a-man-can-make-is-to-fall-over-his-own-bluff/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/the-hardest-tumble-a-man-can-make-is-to-fall-over-his-own-bluff/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```