--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As one who wills, and then unwills his…" description: "\"“As one who wills, and then unwills his will, Changing his mind with every changing whim, Till all his best intentions come to nil, So I stood havering..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eab/dante-alighieri-590_best-intentions_as-one-who-wills-and-then-unwills-his-wi_1501892.jpg" --- # As one who wills, and then unwills his will, Changing his… ![“As one who wills, and then unwills his will, Changing his mind with every changing whim, Till all his best intentions come to nil, So I stood havering in that moorland dim, While through fond rifts of fancy oozed away The first quick zest that filled me to the brim.” quote by Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eab/dante-alighieri-590_best-intentions_as-one-who-wills-and-then-unwills-his-wi_1501892.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eab/dante-alighieri-590_best-intentions_as-one-who-wills-and-then-unwills-his-wi_1501892.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eab/dante-alighieri-590_best-intentions_as-one-who-wills-and-then-unwills-his-wi_1501892.jpg) > ““As one who wills, and then unwills his will, Changing his mind with every changing whim, Till all his best intentions come to nil, So I stood havering in that moorland dim, While through fond rifts of fancy oozed away The first quick zest that filled me to the brim.”” [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Indecision and changing whims null intentions to nothing, leading to stagnation. **In simple terms:** Changing minds defeats purpose. Key Takeaway Commit to decisions and follow through. Themes indecision willpower intentions Mood conflicted thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - making life choices - goal setting - overcoming procrastination - creative writing Key Concepts philosophical existential Questions to Reflect On - What holds you back from committing? - How can you strengthen resolve? A Different Perspective Constant wavering can paralyze progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best intentions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-intentions/) [Excuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuses/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [“Time oozed away, flowing like lava erupting lazily from a vent, slowly and impossible to stop, covering everything into oblivion under its dark layer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massimo-marino/time-oozed-away-flowing-like-lava-erupting-lazily-from-a-vent-slowly/) [Massimo Marino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-marino/) > [“In sum, every pore of his being oozed one thing…okay, FINE. Every pore oozed two things. The first was irrelevant. The second was dangerous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-s-jennsen/in-sum-every-pore-of-his-being-oozed-one-thing-okay-fine-every-pore/) [G.S. Jennsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-s-jennsen/) > [I'm a mudboy. I came from the mud, oozed out the concrete. I'm not a rose. I'm a mudboy: I came from nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheck-wes/i-m-a-mudboy-i-came-from-the-mud-oozed-out-the-concrete-i-m-not-a/) [Sheck Wes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheck-wes/) > [“But the fear was too much to be held now. It oozed and rolled over the Gate, it coated the land like mist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peternelle-van-arsdale/but-the-fear-was-too-much-to-be-held-now-it-oozed-and-rolled-over-the/) [Peternelle van Arsdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peternelle-van-arsdale/) > [“So I found myself asking the question: what is the opposite of a mistake? 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Regardless of your best intentions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendal-rob/only-a-foolish-soul-would-love-the-stars-as-beautiful-as-they-are/) [Kendal Rob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendal-rob/) > [Even if you have the best intentions, there may sometimes be a price or a cost or a pushback against what you're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-russo/even-if-you-have-the-best-intentions-there-may-sometimes-be-a-price/) [Anthony Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-russo/) > [In terms of how the music developed, it was my normal process, which I would say is really a hybrid process of sketching on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-richter/in-terms-of-how-the-music-developed-it-was-my-normal-process-which-i/) [Max Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-richter/) > [“The greatest harm can result from the best intentions - Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/the-greatest-harm-can-result-from-the-best-intentions-zeddicus-zu-l/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Even with the best intentions, growing apart might just be an inevitable part of growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/even-with-the-best-intentions-growing-apart-might-just-be-an/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [I can only think seriously of trying to live up to an ideal, to improve myself, if I am split in two pieces. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/i-can-only-think-seriously-of-trying-to-live-up-to-an-ideal-to/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [Time and distance have a way of playing tricks with your best intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/time-and-distance-have-a-way-of-playing-tricks-with-your-best/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [“Our best intentions are the most impactful when they are formed by the actual needs and desires of our community.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-docusen/our-best-intentions-are-the-most-impactful-when-they-are-formed-by/) David Docusen > [Where the sky begins, the horizon ends, despite the best intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/where-the-sky-begins-the-horizon-ends-despite-the-best-intentions/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) ## More by Dante Alighieri > [In that part of the book of my memory before the which is little that can be read, there is a rubric, saying, Incipit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/in-that-part-of-the-book-of-my-memory-before-the-which-is-little-that/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [“Be as a tower, that, firmly set, Shakes not its top for any blast that blows!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/be-as-a-tower-that-firmly-set-shakes-not-its-top-for-any-blast-that/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Pure essence, and pure matter, and the two joined into one were shot forth without flaw, like three bright arrows from a three-string bow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/pure-essence-and-pure-matter-and-the-two-joined-into-one-were-shot/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Into the eternal darkness, into fire and into ice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/into-the-eternal-darkness-into-fire-and-into-ice/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [O power of fantasy that steals our minds from things outside, to leave us unaware, although a thousand trumpets may blow loud--what stirs you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/o-power-of-fantasy-that-steals-our-minds-from-things-outside-to-leave/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [The purpose of the whole (work) is to remove those who are living in this life from a state of wretchedness and lead them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/the-purpose-of-the-whole-work-is-to-remove-those-who-are-living-in/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [“Noi leggeveamo un giorno per diletto Di Lancialotto, come amor lo strinse; Soli eravamo e senza alcun sospetto Per più fiate gli occhi ci…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/noi-leggeveamo-un-giorno-per-diletto-di-lancialotto-come-amor-lo/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Love can move the Sun and the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/love-can-move-the-sun-and-the-stars/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Oh foolish desires of mortals! How weak are the reasons that lead us to not take off our flight from the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/oh-foolish-desires-of-mortals-how-weak-are-the-reasons-that-lead-us/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [“On march the banners of the King of Hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/on-march-the-banners-of-the-king-of-hell/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Seldom indeed does human virtue rise From trunk to branch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/seldom-indeed-does-human-virtue-rise-from-trunk-to-branch/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [All hope abandon, ye who enter here!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/all-hope-abandon-ye-who-enter-here/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [We have no hope and yet we live in longing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/we-have-no-hope-and-yet-we-live-in-longing/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Not one drop of blood is left inside my veins that does not throb: I recognize signs of the ancient flame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/not-one-drop-of-blood-is-left-inside-my-veins-that-does-not-throb-i/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [It is necessity and not pleasure that compels us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/it-is-necessity-and-not-pleasure-that-compels-us/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) [Explore all 414 Dante Alighieri quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) ## More Best intentions quotes > [Where the sky begins, the horizon ends, despite the best intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/where-the-sky-begins-the-horizon-ends-despite-the-best-intentions/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [“Our best intentions are the most impactful when they are formed by the actual needs and desires of our community.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-docusen/our-best-intentions-are-the-most-impactful-when-they-are-formed-by/) David Docusen > [Time and distance have a way of playing tricks with your best intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/time-and-distance-have-a-way-of-playing-tricks-with-your-best/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [I can only think seriously of trying to live up to an ideal, to improve myself, if I am split in two pieces. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/i-can-only-think-seriously-of-trying-to-live-up-to-an-ideal-to/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [Even with the best intentions, growing apart might just be an inevitable part of growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/even-with-the-best-intentions-growing-apart-might-just-be-an/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [“The greatest harm can result from the best intentions - Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/the-greatest-harm-can-result-from-the-best-intentions-zeddicus-zu-l/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [In terms of how the music developed, it was my normal process, which I would say is really a hybrid process of sketching on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-richter/in-terms-of-how-the-music-developed-it-was-my-normal-process-which-i/) [Max Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-richter/) > [Even if you have the best intentions, there may sometimes be a price or a cost or a pushback against what you're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-russo/even-if-you-have-the-best-intentions-there-may-sometimes-be-a-price/) [Anthony Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-russo/) > [“Only a foolish soul would love the stars. As beautiful as they are, they will burn you. Regardless of your best intentions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendal-rob/only-a-foolish-soul-would-love-the-stars-as-beautiful-as-they-are/) [Kendal Rob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendal-rob/) > [“Sometimes our best intentions are not enough, but always remain genuine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-michelle-carithers/sometimes-our-best-intentions-are-not-enough-but-always-remain-genuine/) M (Michelle) Carithers > [“So I found myself asking the question: what is the opposite of a mistake? And I realised there wasn’t a word, in fact, precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-boyd/so-i-found-myself-asking-the-question-what-is-the-opposite-of-a/) [William Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-boyd/) > [“I'm still of the same mind. For many years I've been ashamed, mortally ashamed, of having been, even with the best intentions, even at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-m-still-of-the-same-mind-for-many-years-i-ve-been-ashamed-mortally/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“...I feel like a traitor, a phony, a fake. But I am a hypocrite with the best intentions, and I need kissing desperately.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-j-ginger/i-feel-like-a-traitor-a-phony-a-fake-but-i-am-a-hypocrite-with-the/) Coco J. Ginger > [“Maybe you will never be able to forgive me, but I wanted you to know I had the best intentions-and I still love you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/maybe-you-will-never-be-able-to-forgive-me-but-i-wanted-you-to-know-i/) [Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/) > [“The maxim, by which we commonly conduct ourselves in our reasonings, is, that the objects, of which we have no experience, resemble those, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-maxim-by-which-we-commonly-conduct-ourselves-in-our-reasonings-is/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) [Browse all 158 Best intentions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-intentions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As one who wills, and then unwills his will, Changing his mind with every changing whim, Till all his best intentions come to nil, So I stood havering in that moorland dim, While through fond rifts of fancy oozed away The first quick zest that filled me to the brim.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dante Alighieri" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/as-one-who-wills-and-then-unwills-his-will-changing-his-mind-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best intentions" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/as-one-who-wills-and-then-unwills-his-will-changing-his-mind-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eab/dante-alighieri-590_best-intentions_as-one-who-wills-and-then-unwills-his-wi_1501892.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eab/dante-alighieri-590_best-intentions_as-one-who-wills-and-then-unwills-his-wi_1501892.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eab/dante-alighieri-590_best-intentions_as-one-who-wills-and-then-unwills-his-wi_1501892.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As one who wills, and then unwills his will, Changing his mind with every changing whim, Till all his best…” — Dante Alighieri", "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": "Dante Alighieri", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“As one who wills, and then...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/as-one-who-wills-and-then-unwills-his-will-changing-his-mind-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/as-one-who-wills-and-then-unwills-his-will-changing-his-mind-with/#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 } } ] } ```