--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I use my strength in the service of…" description: "\"When I use my strength in the service of my vision it makes no difference whether or not I am afraid.\" — Audre Lorde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/890/audre-lorde-758_dreams_when-i-use-my-strength-in-the-service-of_2050665.jpg" --- # When I use my strength in the service of my vision it… ![“When I use my strength in the service of my vision it makes no difference whether or not I am afraid.” quote by Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/890/audre-lorde-758_dreams_when-i-use-my-strength-in-the-service-of_2050665.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/890/audre-lorde-758_dreams_when-i-use-my-strength-in-the-service-of_2050665.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/890/audre-lorde-758_dreams_when-i-use-my-strength-in-the-service-of_2050665.jpg) > “When I use my strength in the service of my vision it makes no difference whether or not I am afraid.” [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Using personal strength for one’s vision is possible even when fear is present. **In simple terms:** Strength and vision can coexist with fear. Key Takeaway Act on your vision despite fear. Themes courage vision strength fear empowerment Mood assertive empowering Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - advocating for social justice - creating art despite doubt - leading a team while anxious - pursuing a risky project Key Concepts feminist theory psychology self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What fears block your vision? - How can you turn fear into motivation? A Different Perspective Fear may impair judgment if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service/) [Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) ## Related quotes > [The more I use my strength in the service of my vision the less I am afraid...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/the-more-i-use-my-strength-in-the-service-of-my-vision-the-less-i-am/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [Strength is for service, not status](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israel-houghton/strength-is-for-service-not-status/) [Israel Houghton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israel-houghton/) > [When I dare to be powerful - to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/when-i-dare-to-be-powerful-to-use-my-strength-in-the-service-of-my/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [“I stare at him for a second. I can't help it. To me there's a difference between not being afraid and acting in spite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-stare-at-him-for-a-second-i-can-t-help-it-to-me-there-s-a/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I ignore my fear,” he says. “When I make decisions, I pretend it doesn’t exist.” I stare at him for a second. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-ignore-my-fear-he-says-when-i-make-decisions-i-pretend-it-doesn-t/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“You're afraid of heights," I say. "How do you survive in the Dauntless compound?" "I ignore my fear," he says. "When I make decisions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/you-re-afraid-of-heights-i-say-how-do-you-survive-in-the-dauntless/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Ye must do it, and it makes no difference if you're afraid-ye'll do it. It's only when ye ken ye can say no that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/ye-must-do-it-and-it-makes-no-difference-if-you-re-afraid-ye-ll-do-it/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“To me there's a difference between not being afraid and acting in spite of fear, as he does.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/to-me-there-s-a-difference-between-not-being-afraid-and-acting-in/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“The bosun knew, as you and I perhaps do not, that there is a big difference between being afraid and being a coward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-suddain/the-bosun-knew-as-you-and-i-perhaps-do-not-that-there-is-a-big/) [Matt Suddain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-suddain/) > [“There's a difference between not being afraid and acting in spite of fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/there-s-a-difference-between-not-being-afraid-and-acting-in-spite-of/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Life is far from fair and sometimes you have to use all of your strength to get through some of life's problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/life-is-far-from-fair-and-sometimes-you-have-to-use-all-of-your/) [SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [There are some things that you'll never get over, but if you use all of your strength there's nothing that you can't get through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/there-are-some-things-that-you-ll-never-get-over-but-if-you-use-all/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Sometimes you're too nervous you use your strength more than you need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mauricio-rua/sometimes-you-re-too-nervous-you-use-your-strength-more-than-you-need/) [Mauricio Rua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mauricio-rua/) > [For offensive line play, it all starts from the ground up. Being able to use your strength in your legs, your hips, it all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-kelce/for-offensive-line-play-it-all-starts-from-the-ground-up-being-able/) [Jason Kelce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-kelce/) > [“Use your strength, but always remember that any strength may become a weakness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kateryna-kei/use-your-strength-but-always-remember-that-any-strength-may-become-a/) Kateryna Kei ## More by Audre Lorde > [Every woman I have ever loved has left her print upon me, where I loved some invaluable piece of myself apart from me-so different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/every-woman-i-have-ever-loved-has-left-her-print-upon-me-where-i/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [There are many kinds of open. . . Love is a word, another kind of open. . . Take my word for jewel in your open light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/there-are-many-kinds-of-open-love-is-a-word-another-kind-of-open-take/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [Your silence will not protect you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/your-silence-will-not-protect-you/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [I can't really define it in sexual terms alone although our sexuality is so energizing why not enjoy it too?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/i-can-t-really-define-it-in-sexual-terms-alone-although-our-sexuality/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [“For once we begin to feel deeply all the aspects of our lives, we begin to demand from ourselves and from our life-pursuits that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/for-once-we-begin-to-feel-deeply-all-the-aspects-of-our-lives-we/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [the fear of death is that you are dying too soon. Nobody wants to, but at the point that you die you can pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/the-fear-of-death-is-that-you-are-dying-too-soon-nobody-wants-to-but/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [“There is an important difference between openness and naïveté. Not everyone has good intentions nor means me well. I remind myself I do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/there-is-an-important-difference-between-openness-and-na-vet-not/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [What are the words you do not yet have? What do you need to say? What are the tyrannies you swallow day by day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/what-are-the-words-you-do-not-yet-have-what-do-you-need-to-say-what/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [I learned to read from Mrs. Augusta Baker, the children's librarian. ... If that was the only good deed that lady ever did in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/i-learned-to-read-from-mrs-augusta-baker-the-children-s-librarian-if/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [Poetry is not only dream and vision; it is the skeleton architecture of our lives. It lays the foundations for a future of change,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/poetry-is-not-only-dream-and-vision-it-is-the-skeleton-architecture/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [“I think that in America there are certain kinds of problems and in Russia there are certain kinds of problems, but basically, when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/i-think-that-in-america-there-are-certain-kinds-of-problems-and-in/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [Institutionalized rejection of differences is an absolute necessity in a profit economy which needs outsiders as surplus people. As members of such an economy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/institutionalized-rejection-of-differences-is-an-absolute-necessity/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [The sharing of joy, whether physical, emotional, psychic, or intellectual, forms a bridge between the sharers which can be the basis for understanding much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/the-sharing-of-joy-whether-physical-emotional-psychic-or-intellectual/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [“I forgot what we were celebrating. Because we were always celebrating something, a new job, a new poem, a new love, a new dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/i-forgot-what-we-were-celebrating-because-we-were-always-celebrating/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [How a diamond comes into a knot of flame How a sound comes into a word, coloured By who pays what for speaking. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/how-a-diamond-comes-into-a-knot-of-flame-how-a-sound-comes-into-a/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) [Explore all 377 Audre Lorde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) Darlene Senger > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I use my strength in the service of my vision it makes no difference whether or not I am afraid.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Audre Lorde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/when-i-use-my-strength-in-the-service-of-my-vision-it-makes-no/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afraid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/when-i-use-my-strength-in-the-service-of-my-vision-it-makes-no/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/890/audre-lorde-758_dreams_when-i-use-my-strength-in-the-service-of_2050665.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/890/audre-lorde-758_dreams_when-i-use-my-strength-in-the-service-of_2050665.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/890/audre-lorde-758_dreams_when-i-use-my-strength-in-the-service-of_2050665.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I use my strength in the service of my vision it makes no difference whether or not I am afraid.” — Audre Lorde", "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": "Audre Lorde", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I use my strength in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/when-i-use-my-strength-in-the-service-of-my-vision-it-makes-no/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/when-i-use-my-strength-in-the-service-of-my-vision-it-makes-no/#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 } } ] } ```