--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To relinquish a present good through…" description: "\"To relinquish a present good through apprehension of a future evil is in most instances unwise ... from a fear which may afterwards turn out groundless..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/francesco-guicciardini-20043_apprehension_to-relinquish-a-present-good-through-app_645214.png" --- # To relinquish a present good through apprehension of a… ![“To relinquish a present good through apprehension of a future evil is in most instances unwise ... from a fear which may afterwards turn out groundless, you lost the good that lay within your grasp.” quote by Francesco Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/francesco-guicciardini-20043_apprehension_to-relinquish-a-present-good-through-app_645214.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/francesco-guicciardini-20043_apprehension_to-relinquish-a-present-good-through-app_645214.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/francesco-guicciardini-20043_apprehension_to-relinquish-a-present-good-through-app_645214.png) > “To relinquish a present good through apprehension of a future evil is in most instances unwise ... from a fear which may afterwards turn out groundless, you lost the good that lay within your grasp.” [Francesco Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-guicciardini/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoid giving up a current benefit out of fear of future loss, especially when that fear may be unfounded. **In simple terms:** Don't lose what you have because of imagined future threats. Key Takeaway We present gains, assess real risks. Themes prudence fear decision‑making Mood cautious analytical Type practical advisory When to use this quote - financial planning - health choices - relationship decisions Key Concepts Risk assessment temporal discounting Questions to Reflect On - What present good are you risking? - Is your fear based on evidence? A Different Perspective Fear can be irrational and lead to missed opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apprehension](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apprehension/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) ## Related quotes > [You can be debased without relinquishing your identity, just as you can relinquish your identity without being debased.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-fisher/you-can-be-debased-without-relinquishing-your-identity-just-as-you/) [Mark Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-fisher/) > [I think the Israeli people understand now what I always say: that there cannot be a situation, under any agreement, in which we relinquish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/i-think-the-israeli-people-understand-now-what-i-always-say-that/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) > [“When Brueggemann writes about the Jewish people at one historic point in their story, the sacking of Jerusalem and the loss of the temple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-de-waal/when-brueggemann-writes-about-the-jewish-people-at-one-historic-point/) Esther de Waal > [When you relinquish the desire to control your future, you can have more happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-kidman/when-you-relinquish-the-desire-to-control-your-future-you-can-have/) [Nicole Kidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-kidman/) > [“To be with someone who is stronger than you. To have him relinquish his strength.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-dermont/to-be-with-someone-who-is-stronger-than-you-to-have-him-relinquish/) [Amber Dermont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-dermont/) > [“To relinquish yourself carries no shame.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/to-relinquish-yourself-carries-no-shame/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [When you go in there and fight, you pretty much relinquish and give up the right to make any excuses about something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-benavidez/when-you-go-in-there-and-fight-you-pretty-much-relinquish-and-give-up/) [Joseph Benavidez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-benavidez/) > [A burning itch to know is higher than a solemn vow to pursue truth. To feel the burning itch of curiosity requires both that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/a-burning-itch-to-know-is-higher-than-a-solemn-vow-to-pursue-truth-to/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“The time has come. I really feel I must relinquish my former identity. I have to try to make a change, or I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wu-ming-yi/the-time-has-come-i-really-feel-i-must-relinquish-my-former-identity/) [Wu Ming-Yi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wu-ming-yi/) > [If this glorious birth to death hassle is the only hassle we are ever to have ..if our grand exhilarating fight of life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/if-this-glorious-birth-to-death-hassle-is-the-only-hassle-we-are-ever/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [Do not attempt to do a thing unless you are sure of yourself; but do not relinquish it simply because someone else is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-attempt-to-do-a-thing-unless-you-are-sure-of-yourself-but-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Whatsoever i cannot relinquish to God is my god”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ikechukwu-izuakor/whatsoever-i-cannot-relinquish-to-god-is-my-god/) [Ikechukwu Izuakor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ikechukwu-izuakor/) > [“When we agonize over those things outside ourselves, the hurt we feel is measured by the weight we alone give it. Therefore, we alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/when-we-agonize-over-those-things-outside-ourselves-the-hurt-we-feel/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [Most of all, I am struck by an irony central to the lot of a purebred dog: As it attains the hallmarks of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-hanff-korelitz/most-of-all-i-am-struck-by-an-irony-central-to-the-lot-of-a-purebred/) [Jean Hanff Korelitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-hanff-korelitz/) > [“Because, all too often, the things that we’re the most resistant to are precisely what we need. And the things we’re most scared to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-strauss/because-all-too-often-the-things-that-we-re-the-most-resistant-to-are/) [Neil Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-strauss/) ## More by Francesco Guicciardini > [We fight to great disadvantage when we fight with those who have nothing to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/we-fight-to-great-disadvantage-when-we-fight-with-those-who-have/) [Francesco Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-guicciardini/) > [Be careful how you do one man a pleasure which must needs occasion equal displeasure in another. For he who is thus slighted will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/be-careful-how-you-do-one-man-a-pleasure-which-must-needs-occasion/) [Francesco Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-guicciardini/) > [How much luckier than all the rest of mankind are the astrologers who, if they tell one truth among a hundred lies, obtain so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/how-much-luckier-than-all-the-rest-of-mankind-are-the-astrologers-who/) [Francesco Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-guicciardini/) > [Affairs that depend on many rarely succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/affairs-that-depend-on-many-rarely-succeed/) [Francesco Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-guicciardini/) > [Ambassadors are the eye and ear of states.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/ambassadors-are-the-eye-and-ear-of-states/) [Francesco Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-guicciardini/) > [Even though many people prove to be ungrateful, do not let that stop you from benefiting others-for not only is beneficence in itself a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/even-though-many-people-prove-to-be-ungrateful-do-not-let-that-stop/) [Francesco Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-guicciardini/) > [The affairs of this world are so shifting and depend on so many accidents, that it is hard to form any judgment concerning the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/the-affairs-of-this-world-are-so-shifting-and-depend-on-so-many/) [Francesco Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-guicciardini/) > [Experience has always shown, and reason also, that affairs which depend on many seldom succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/experience-has-always-shown-and-reason-also-that-affairs-which-depend/) [Francesco Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-guicciardini/) > [There is no evil in human affairs that has not some good mingled with it. \[It., Non e male alcuno nelle cose umane che…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/there-is-no-evil-in-human-affairs-that-has-not-some-good-mingled-with/) [Francesco Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-guicciardini/) > [To give vent now and then to his feelings, whether of pleasure or discontent, is a great ease to a man's heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/to-give-vent-now-and-then-to-his-feelings-whether-of-pleasure-or/) [Francesco Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-guicciardini/) > [There is nothing so fleeting as the memory of benefits received.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/there-is-nothing-so-fleeting-as-the-memory-of-benefits-received/) [Francesco Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-guicciardini/) > [I know no man who feels deeper disgust than I do at the ambition, avarice, and profligacy of the priesthood, as well because every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/i-know-no-man-who-feels-deeper-disgust-than-i-do-at-the-ambition/) [Francesco Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-guicciardini/) > [ Keep your eye fixed not so much on what they \[people\] ought in reason to do, as on what they are likely to do… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/keep-your-eye-fixed-not-so-much-on-what-they-people-ought-in-reason/) [Francesco Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-guicciardini/) > [The return we reap from generous actions is not always evident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/the-return-we-reap-from-generous-actions-is-not-always-evident/) [Francesco Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-guicciardini/) > [He who imitates what is evil always goes beyond the example that is set; on the contrary, he who imitates what is good always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/he-who-imitates-what-is-evil-always-goes-beyond-the-example-that-is/) [Francesco Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-guicciardini/) [Explore all 30 Francesco Guicciardini quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-guicciardini/) ## More Apprehension quotes > [Marriages are always moving from one season to another. Sometimes we find ourselves in winter--discouraged, detached, and dissatisfied; other times we experience springtime, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/marriages-are-always-moving-from-one-season-to-another-sometimes-we/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [Perhapsthemost sublimeinsights oftheJewishprophets and the Christian gospel is the knowledge that since perfection is love, the apprehension of perfection is at once the means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/perhapsthemost-sublimeinsights-ofthejewishprophets-and-the-christian/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [At length weariness succeeds to labor, and the mind lies at ease in the contemplation of her own attainments without any desire of new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/at-length-weariness-succeeds-to-labor-and-the-mind-lies-at-ease-in/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The apprehension whether people will like it or not also doesn't bother me much. I've always done my work with a gut feeling that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiku-sharda/the-apprehension-whether-people-will-like-it-or-not-also-doesn-t/) [Kiku Sharda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiku-sharda/) > [LIFE, n. A spiritual pickle preserving the body from decay. We live in daily apprehension of its loss; yet when lost it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/life-n-a-spiritual-pickle-preserving-the-body-from-decay-we-live-in/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“Man may feel like a feeble and powerless pawn, at some moment in his life. This apprehension can come out of the blue, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/man-may-feel-like-a-feeble-and-powerless-pawn-at-some-moment-in-his/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [We stand for organized terror - this should be frankly admitted. Terror is an absolute necessity during times of revolution. Our aim is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dzerzhinsky/we-stand-for-organized-terror-this-should-be-frankly-admitted-terror/) Felix Dzerzhinsky > [The regulation of commerce, it is true, is a new power; but that seems to be an addition which few oppose and from which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-regulation-of-commerce-it-is-true-is-a-new-power-but-that-seems/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [As a father and grandfather, I have witnessed firsthand the joy of new life entering the world. I know the pain and apprehension that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/as-a-father-and-grandfather-i-have-witnessed-firsthand-the-joy-of-new/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [Lord, enlighten thou our enemies. Sharpen their wits, give acuteness to their perceptions, and consecutiveness and clearness to their reasoning powers: we are in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/lord-enlighten-thou-our-enemies-sharpen-their-wits-give-acuteness-to/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [The sense of death is most in apprehension.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-sense-of-death-is-most-in-apprehension/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Since philosophy is the exploration of the rational, it is for that very reason the apprehension of the present and the actual, not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/since-philosophy-is-the-exploration-of-the-rational-it-is-for-that/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Injustice is not evil in itself, but only in the fear and apprehension that one will not escape those who have been set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/injustice-is-not-evil-in-itself-but-only-in-the-fear-and-apprehension/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [The fact about himself that the liar hides is that he is attempting to lead us away from a correct apprehension of reality; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-frankfurt/the-fact-about-himself-that-the-liar-hides-is-that-he-is-attempting/) [Harry Frankfurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-frankfurt/) > [“A person can hurry through or sleep walk through life, but whenever they stop to catch their breath or awaken from a long nap,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/a-person-can-hurry-through-or-sleep-walk-through-life-but-whenever/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) [Browse all 258 Apprehension quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apprehension/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To relinquish a present good through apprehension of a future evil is in most instances unwise ... from a fear which may afterwards turn out groundless, you lost the good that lay within your grasp.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francesco Guicciardini" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/to-relinquish-a-present-good-through-apprehension-of-a-future-evil-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Apprehension" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/to-relinquish-a-present-good-through-apprehension-of-a-future-evil-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/francesco-guicciardini-20043_apprehension_to-relinquish-a-present-good-through-app_645214.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/francesco-guicciardini-20043_apprehension_to-relinquish-a-present-good-through-app_645214.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/francesco-guicciardini-20043_apprehension_to-relinquish-a-present-good-through-app_645214.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To relinquish a present good through apprehension of a future evil is in most instances unwise ... from a…” — Francesco Guicciardini", "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": "Francesco Guicciardini", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-guicciardini/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To relinquish a present good through...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/to-relinquish-a-present-good-through-apprehension-of-a-future-evil-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/to-relinquish-a-present-good-through-apprehension-of-a-future-evil-is/#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 } } ] } ```