--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is hard to combine and unite these two…" description: "\"It is hard to combine and unite these two qualities, the carefulness of one who is affected by circumstances, and the intrepidity of one who heeds them..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/441/epictetus-413_affected_it-is-hard-to-combine-and-unite-these-tw_242565.jpg" --- # It is hard to combine and unite these two qualities, the… ![“It is hard to combine and unite these two qualities, the carefulness of one who is affected by circumstances, and the intrepidity of one who heeds them not. But it is not impossible: else were happiness also impossible.” quote by Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/441/epictetus-413_affected_it-is-hard-to-combine-and-unite-these-tw_242565.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/441/epictetus-413_affected_it-is-hard-to-combine-and-unite-these-tw_242565.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/441/epictetus-413_affected_it-is-hard-to-combine-and-unite-these-tw_242565.jpg) > “It is hard to combine and unite these two qualities, the carefulness of one who is affected by circumstances, and the intrepidity of one who heeds them not. But it is not impossible: else were happiness also impossible.” [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing caution with boldness is difficult but essential; without both, happiness is unattainable. **In simple terms:** Both carefulness and boldness are needed for happiness. Key Takeaway Cultivate both prudence and courage. Themes philosophy ethics happiness balance Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - decision making - risk taking - personal development Key Concepts Stoicism virtue dualism Questions to Reflect On - Which quality dominates your choices? - How can you strengthen the lesser trait? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on one trait can hinder fulfillment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Carefulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carefulness/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) ## Related quotes > [It is impossible that happiness, and yearning for what is not present, should ever be united.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/it-is-impossible-that-happiness-and-yearning-for-what-is-not-present/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [It is almost impossible to describe happiness, because at the time it feels entirely natural, as if all the rest of your life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-george/it-is-almost-impossible-to-describe-happiness-because-at-the-time-it-2/) [Margaret George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-george/) > [“It's impossible to find happiness if you're an orphan." "That's not true. 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We are the descendants of creatures who, above all else, worried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/happiness-is-impossible-for-longer-than-15-minutes-we-are-the/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Are you so unobservant as not to have found out that sanity and happiness are an impossible combination?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/are-you-so-unobservant-as-not-to-have-found-out-that-sanity-and-2/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“Indeed, man wishes to be happy even when he lives so as to make happiness impossible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/indeed-man-wishes-to-be-happy-even-when-he-lives-so-as-to-make/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [“So often man wishes to be happy even when he so lives as to make happiness impossible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-wheeler/so-often-man-wishes-to-be-happy-even-when-he-so-lives-as-to-make/) [Jeff Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-wheeler/) > [For those suffering from depression, I know how dark and endless that tunnel can feel. 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If you would be free, then, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-at-the-mercy-of-whoever-wields-authority-over-the-things-we/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Practice yourself, for heaven's sake in little things, and then proceed to greater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/practice-yourself-for-heaven-s-sake-in-little-things-and-then-proceed/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Do not laugh much or often or unrestrainedly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/do-not-laugh-much-or-often-or-unrestrainedly/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [When men are unhappy, they do not imagine they can ever cease to be so; and when some calamity has fallen on them, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/when-men-are-unhappy-they-do-not-imagine-they-can-ever-cease-to-be-so/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [We are not disturbed by what happens to us, but by our thoughts about what happens to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-not-disturbed-by-what-happens-to-us-but-by-our-thoughts-about/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Don't be prideful with any excellence that is not your own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/don-t-be-prideful-with-any-excellence-that-is-not-your-own/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [You know yourself what you are worth in your own eyes; and at what price you will sell yourself. 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The wise see all blame as foolishness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/small-minded-people-blame-others-average-people-blame-themselves-the/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [All philosophy lies in two words, sustain and abstain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/all-philosophy-lies-in-two-words-sustain-and-abstain/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) [Explore all 577 Epictetus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) ## More Affected quotes > [To tell you the truth I am hard put to think of anyone who's career was affected significantly by making all those phone calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dabney-coleman/to-tell-you-the-truth-i-am-hard-put-to-think-of-anyone-who-s-career/) [Dabney Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dabney-coleman/) > [First, climate change is the greatest long-term threat faced by humanity. It could cause more human and financial suffering than the two world wars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-miliband/first-climate-change-is-the-greatest-long-term-threat-faced-by/) [David Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-miliband/) > [Be a pattern to others, and then all will go well; for as a whole city is affected by the licentious passions and vices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/be-a-pattern-to-others-and-then-all-will-go-well-for-as-a-whole-city/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [At first I thought I would have to put on an English accent and try a sort of affected Shakespeare thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/at-first-i-thought-i-would-have-to-put-on-an-english-accent-and-try-a/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [Every culture, if its natural development is not too much affected by political restrictions, experiences a perpetual renewal of the formative urge, and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-rocker/every-culture-if-its-natural-development-is-not-too-much-affected-by/) [Rudolf Rocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-rocker/) > [Don't show them that you are affected.. 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