--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Decisive results come sooner from sudden…" description: "\"“Decisive results come sooner from sudden shocks than from long- drawn pressure. Shocks throw the opponent off his balance. Pressure allows him time to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/b-h-liddell-hart-2-43967_pressure_decisive-results-come-sooner-from-sudden_1715394.jpg" --- # Decisive results come sooner from sudden shocks than from… ![“Decisive results come sooner from sudden shocks than from long- drawn pressure. Shocks throw the opponent off his balance. Pressure allows him time to adjust himself to it. That military lesson is closely linked with the general experience of history that human beings have an almost infinite power…” quote by B.H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/b-h-liddell-hart-2-43967_pressure_decisive-results-come-sooner-from-sudden_1715394.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/b-h-liddell-hart-2-43967_pressure_decisive-results-come-sooner-from-sudden_1715394.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/b-h-liddell-hart-2-43967_pressure_decisive-results-come-sooner-from-sudden_1715394.jpg) > ““Decisive results come sooner from sudden shocks than from long- drawn pressure. Shocks throw the opponent off his balance. Pressure allows him time to adjust himself to it. That military lesson is closely linked with the general experience of history that human beings have an almost infinite power of accommo-' dation, to degradation of living conditions, so long as the process is gradual.”” [B.H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sudden, intense actions disrupt opponents more effectively than prolonged pressure, which lets them adapt. **In simple terms:** Shock beats gradual pressure. Key Takeaway Use decisive action to break stalemates. Themes strategy conflict adaptation psychology Mood determined analytical Type tactical historical When to use this quote - business negotiations - sports competition - political campaigns - personal habit change Key Concepts military theory human resilience gradualism Questions to Reflect On - Can you identify a situation where a bold move would be more effective than a slow build‑up? - What risks does a sudden shock entail? A Different Perspective Gradual pressure can still succeed if the opponent cannot fully adapt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pressure/) [Shocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shocks/) ## Related quotes > [I work in show business - there's nothing that shocks me anymore!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/i-work-in-show-business-there-s-nothing-that-shocks-me-anymore/) [Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/) > [“There are certain shocks which, if sufficiently strong, seem to have power to destroy the balance of life. Such a shock would seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-kavan/there-are-certain-shocks-which-if-sufficiently-strong-seem-to-have/) [Anna Kavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-kavan/) > [If children can't handle competition when it's necessary, or take some criticism, or never strive to be better because their parents inadvertently programmed them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lz-granderson/if-children-can-t-handle-competition-when-it-s-necessary-or-take-some/) [LZ Granderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lz-granderson/) > [Scared ya, did I? Aw, that's sweet. Don't worry the shocks won't kill me," she whispered. "They only make me stronger. Anyway, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/scared-ya-did-i-aw-that-s-sweet-don-t-worry-the-shocks-won-t-kill-me/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [That's been my experience all my life, if somebody shocks me out of a deep sleep, my head hurts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hector/that-s-been-my-experience-all-my-life-if-somebody-shocks-me-out-of-a/) [Jamie Hector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hector/) > [Sputnik quickly became one of the three great shocks to hit America - historians say the equal of Pearl Harbor or 9/11.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hoffman/sputnik-quickly-became-one-of-the-three-great-shocks-to-hit-america/) [David Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hoffman/) > [Who burns me and shocks me and shatters me with a single touch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/who-burns-me-and-shocks-me-and-shatters-me-with-a-single-touch/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [“And those memories are filled with these… with these shocks of happiness,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-nolan/and-those-memories-are-filled-with-these-with-these-shocks-of/) Kathryn Nolan > [For all the popularity of spiritual advisers in South Korea, it still shocks to see the leaders of huge public companies relying on fortune-tellers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-young-ha/for-all-the-popularity-of-spiritual-advisers-in-south-korea-it-still/) [Kim Young-ha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-young-ha/) > [It doesn't matter the amount of gore, the amount of shocks that you can have in a movie if the movie's not entertaining, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/it-doesn-t-matter-the-amount-of-gore-the-amount-of-shocks-that-you/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [Nothing scares me. Nothing actually shocks me anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-alsina/nothing-scares-me-nothing-actually-shocks-me-anymore/) [August Alsina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-alsina/) > [See this life even shocks me, I got some people on my nuts call jockey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-miller/see-this-life-even-shocks-me-i-got-some-people-on-my-nuts-call-jockey/) [Mac Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-miller/) > [Most of the time, your risk management works. With a systemic event such as the recent shocks following the collapse of Lehman Brothers, obviously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myron-scholes/most-of-the-time-your-risk-management-works-with-a-systemic-event/) [Myron Scholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myron-scholes/) > [I am to provide the public with beneficial shocks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-hitchcock/i-am-to-provide-the-public-with-beneficial-shocks/) [Alfred Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-hitchcock/) > [Not naming names, but it shocks me, some of the people who get the breaks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dean-morgan/not-naming-names-but-it-shocks-me-some-of-the-people-who-get-the/) [Jeffrey Dean Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dean-morgan/) ## More by B.H. Liddell Hart > [“In 1870, came the victory of the short-service troops of Prussia over the long-service troops of France, where conscription had but recently been reintroduced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart-2/in-1870-came-the-victory-of-the-short-service-troops-of-prussia-over/) [B.H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart-2/) > [“Too sane also, to anticipate the World War habit of digging in and clinging on to a depressed and depressing foothold under the enemy's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart-2/too-sane-also-to-anticipate-the-world-war-habit-of-digging-in-and/) [B.H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart-2/) > [“The legitimate object of war is a more perfect peace"-this sentence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart-2/the-legitimate-object-of-war-is-a-more-perfect-peace-this-sentence/) [B.H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart-2/) > [“Among men who rise to fame and leadership two types are recognizable-those who are born with a belief in themselves and those in whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart-2/among-men-who-rise-to-fame-and-leadership-two-types-are-recognizable/) [B.H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart-2/) > [“The vital influences are to be detected not in the formal documents compiled by rulers, ministers, and generals but in their marginal notes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart-2/the-vital-influences-are-to-be-detected-not-in-the-formal-documents/) [B.H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart-2/) > [“The history of ancient Greece showed that, in a democracy, emotion dominates reason to a greater extent than in any other political system, thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart-2/the-history-of-ancient-greece-showed-that-in-a-democracy-emotion/) [B.H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart-2/) > [“No man of action has more completely attained the point of view of the scientific historian, who observes the movements of mankind with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart-2/no-man-of-action-has-more-completely-attained-the-point-of-view-of/) [B.H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart-2/) > [“Mechanized warfare still left room for human qualities to play an important part in the issue. ‘Automatic warfare’ cancels them out, except in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart-2/mechanized-warfare-still-left-room-for-human-qualities-to-play-an/) [B.H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart-2/) [Explore all 9 B.H. Liddell Hart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart-2/) ## More Peace quotes > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [“Peace requires a discipline more iron than war. - Easter, 1939 ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-j-turner/peace-requires-a-discipline-more-iron-than-war-easter-1939/) W.J. Turner > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Achieving mental harmony is one of the greatest goals and experiences in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kambiz-mostofizadeh/achieving-mental-harmony-is-one-of-the-greatest-goals-and-experiences/) [Kambiz Mostofizadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kambiz-mostofizadeh/) > [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/) [Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/) > [“Tranquillity is courage in repose. It is a statical manifestation of valor, as daring deeds are a dynamical. A truly brave man is ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inazo-nitobe/tranquillity-is-courage-in-repose-it-is-a-statical-manifestation-of/) [Inazo Nitobe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inazo-nitobe/) > [“There is no fortune greater than peace; there is no force greater than peace; there is no excellent tapas greater than peace; there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muruganar/there-is-no-fortune-greater-than-peace-there-is-no-force-greater-than/) [Muruganar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muruganar/) > [Give me love, give me peace on earth, give me light, give me life, keep me free from birth, give me hope, help me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/give-me-love-give-me-peace-on-earth-give-me-light-give-me-life-keep/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [The great force for forging a society into a solid mass has always been war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/the-great-force-for-forging-a-society-into-a-solid-mass-has-always/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) > [War is like a fire. One man may start it, but it will spread all over. It is not about one thing in particular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-is-like-a-fire-one-man-may-start-it-but-it-will-spread-all-over/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,655 Peace quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Decisive results come sooner from sudden shocks than from long- drawn pressure. Shocks throw the opponent off his balance. Pressure allows him time to adjust himself to it. That military lesson is closely linked with the general experience of history that human beings have an almost infinite power of accommo-' dation, to degradation of living conditions, so long as the process is gradual.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "B.H. Liddell Hart" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart-2/decisive-results-come-sooner-from-sudden-shocks-than-from-long-drawn/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Peace" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart-2/decisive-results-come-sooner-from-sudden-shocks-than-from-long-drawn/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/b-h-liddell-hart-2-43967_pressure_decisive-results-come-sooner-from-sudden_1715394.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/b-h-liddell-hart-2-43967_pressure_decisive-results-come-sooner-from-sudden_1715394.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/b-h-liddell-hart-2-43967_pressure_decisive-results-come-sooner-from-sudden_1715394.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Decisive results come sooner from sudden shocks than from long- drawn pressure. Shocks throw the opponent…” — B.H. Liddell Hart", "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": "B.H. Liddell Hart", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart-2/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Decisive results come sooner from sudden...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart-2/decisive-results-come-sooner-from-sudden-shocks-than-from-long-drawn/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart-2/decisive-results-come-sooner-from-sudden-shocks-than-from-long-drawn/#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 } } ] } ```