Action Quote by Aristotle
“The vices respectively fall short of or exceed what is right in both passions and actions, while virtue both finds and chooses that which is intermediate.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Nicomachean Ethics, c. 350 BC
Virtue lies in the balanced middle between excess and deficiency in feelings and deeds; the right course is the moderate path.
In simple terms: Virtue is the middle ground between extremes.
Key Takeaway
Seek balance in actions and emotions.
Themes
ethics
virtue
moderation
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- personal decision making
- leadership
- conflict resolution
- habit formation
Key Concepts
Aristotelian ethics
golden mean
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you identify the moderate path in a difficult choice?
- What habits help maintain balance?
A Different Perspective
Finding the exact mean can be subjective and context‑dependent.
![“The actions from which [virtue] was produced are also those in which it is exercised.” quote by Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4d5/aristotle-78_character_the-actions-from-which-virtue-was-produc_1500158.jpg)
![“The virtues [moral excellence] therefore are engendered in us neither by nature nor yet in violation of nature; nature gives us the capacity to receive them, and this capacity is brought to maturity by habit.” quote by Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/653/aristotle-78_capacity_the-virtues-moral-excellence-therefore-a_1076391.jpg)
