Crew Quote by Christopher Columbus
“Sailed this day nineteen leagues, and determined to count less than the true number, that the crew might not be dismayed if the voyage should prove long.”
About This Quote
Source Journal: Log of the First Voyage, 1492
Columbus notes the crew's anxiety about voyage length and his attempt to understate distances to keep morale high.
In simple terms: He downplays journey length to prevent crew discouragement.
Key Takeaway
Manage team morale by framing challenges positively.
Themes
leadership
navigation
psychology
Mood
pragmatic
thoughtful
Type
inspirational
cautionary
When to use this quote
- expeditions
- team projects
- long-term missions
Key Concepts
morale management
communication
expectation setting
Questions to Reflect On
- When might honesty be more important than morale?
- How can leaders balance realism and optimism?
![“Here the people could stand it no longer and complained of the long voyage; but the Admiral cheered them as best he could, holding out good hope of the advantages they would have. He added that it was useless to complain, he had come [to go] to the Indies, and so had to continue it until he found…” quote by Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ce8/christopher-columbus-9477_admiral_here-the-people-could-stand-it-no-longer_921116.jpg)
