--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Though men are apt to flatter and exalt…" description: "\"Though men are apt to flatter and exalt themselves with their great achievements, yet these are, in truth, very often owing not so much to design as ch..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/999/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_achievements_though-men-are-apt-to-flatter-and-exalt_2627247.png" --- # Though men are apt to flatter and exalt themselves with… ![“Though men are apt to flatter and exalt themselves with their great achievements, yet these are, in truth, very often owing not so much to design as chance.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/999/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_achievements_though-men-are-apt-to-flatter-and-exalt_2627247.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/999/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_achievements_though-men-are-apt-to-flatter-and-exalt_2627247.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/999/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_achievements_though-men-are-apt-to-flatter-and-exalt_2627247.png) > “Though men are apt to flatter and exalt themselves with their great achievements, yet these are, in truth, very often owing not so much to design as chance.” [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human achievements often result more from luck than deliberate design, despite our tendency to boast. **In simple terms:** Success is frequently due to chance. Key Takeaway Recognize the role of luck. Themes humility fortune self‑deception Mood philosophical reflective Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - career success - personal milestones - historical events Key Concepts probability ego achievement narratives Questions to Reflect On - How does acknowledging luck affect motivation? - Can humility improve teamwork? A Different Perspective Overemphasizing personal agency can blind us to external factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achievements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievements/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Great achievements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-achievements/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [“Great achievements are nothing more than a collection of small accomplishments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-young/great-achievements-are-nothing-more-than-a-collection-of-small/) [Justin Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-young/) > [...so remember: great achievements take time, there is no overnight success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/so-remember-great-achievements-take-time-there-is-no-overnight-success/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [All great achievements are the result of sustained focus over time-all of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-great-achievements-are-the-result-of-sustained-focus-over-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Belief is the cornerstone of all the great achievements since the beginning of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anthony/belief-is-the-cornerstone-of-all-the-great-achievements-since-the/) [Robert Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anthony/) > [It's gonna be one of the great achievements of this administration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/it-s-gonna-be-one-of-the-great-achievements-of-this-administration/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [All my achievements have been great achievements. I have been collaborating with big names and making hits - like my song 'Yosemite' with Travis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunna/all-my-achievements-have-been-great-achievements-i-have-been/) [Gunna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gunna/) > [Saddam Hussein was fascinated by ancient Babylon and Assyria. He made money available to protect and develop the great archaeological sites. The great achievements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macgregor/saddam-hussein-was-fascinated-by-ancient-babylon-and-assyria-he-made/) [Neil MacGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macgregor/) > [All great achievements require time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/all-great-achievements-require-time/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I knew I would be running with so many people watching all over the world because of him. People love Bolt. He has many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rudisha/i-knew-i-would-be-running-with-so-many-people-watching-all-over-the/) [David Rudisha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rudisha/) > [Gonna Be One Of The Great Achievements Of This Administration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/gonna-be-one-of-the-great-achievements-of-this-administration/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [“All great achievements are attained through mighty obstacles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/all-great-achievements-are-attained-through-mighty-obstacles/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [It is not the clear-sighted who rule the world. Great achievements are accomplished in a blessed, warm fog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/it-is-not-the-clear-sighted-who-rule-the-world-great-achievements-are/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [All great achievements have one thing in common - people with a passion to succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-cash/all-great-achievements-have-one-thing-in-common-people-with-a-passion/) [Pat Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-cash/) > [The great achievements of civilization have not come from government bureaus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-great-achievements-of-civilization-have-not-come-from-government/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Although men flatter themselves with their great actions, they are not so often the result of a great design as of chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/although-men-flatter-themselves-with-their-great-actions-they-are-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Francois de La Rochefoucauld > [Our own distrust gives a fair pretence for the knavery of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-own-distrust-gives-a-fair-pretence-for-the-knavery-of-other-people/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/behind-many-acts-that-are-thought-ridiculous-there-lie-wise-and/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“Passion often makes a madman of the cleverest man, and renders the greatest fools clever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/passion-often-makes-a-madman-of-the-cleverest-man-and-renders-the/) [François de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Perseverance is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy; for it seems to be only the enduring of certain inclinations and opinions which men neither give themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/perseverance-is-neither-praiseworthy-nor-blameworthy-for-it-seems-to/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [A woman is faithful to her first lover for a long time - unless she happens to take a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/a-woman-is-faithful-to-her-first-lover-for-a-long-time-unless-she/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We are almost always wearied in the company of persons with whom we are not permitted to be weary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-are-almost-always-wearied-in-the-company-of-persons-with-whom-we/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The love of new acquaintance comes not so much from being weary of what we had before, or from any satisfaction there is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-love-of-new-acquaintance-comes-not-so-much-from-being-weary-of/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-sometimes-necessary-to-play-the-fool-to-avoid-being-deceived-by/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-intention-of-never-deceiving-often-exposes-us-to-deception/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Jealousy springs more from love of self than from love of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-springs-more-from-love-of-self-than-from-love-of-another/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Our distrust of another justifies his deceit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-distrust-of-another-justifies-his-deceit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/no-persons-are-more-frequently-wrong-than-those-who-will-not-admit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Jealousy is always born with love, but does not die with it. In jealousy there is more of self-love than of love to another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-is-always-born-with-love-but-does-not-die-with-it-in/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The greatest of all gifts is the power to estimate things at their true worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-greatest-of-all-gifts-is-the-power-to-estimate-things-at-their/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We have not strength enough to follow our reason so far as it would carry us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-have-not-strength-enough-to-follow-our-reason-so-far-as-it-would/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) [Explore all 1,134 Francois de La Rochefoucauld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## More Achievements quotes > [“Desires and wishes don’t lead to success. Plans and efforts do. Create a vision, chalk out an action plan, put in your best efforts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roopleen/desires-and-wishes-don-t-lead-to-success-plans-and-efforts-do-create/) Roopleen > [One of the achievements of the reform movement is that people realize that they can be democrats and remain faithful Muslims. Democracy is now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/one-of-the-achievements-of-the-reform-movement-is-that-people-realize/) [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) > [If I stayed in this game for individual achievements, I don't think I'd still be playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chili-davis/if-i-stayed-in-this-game-for-individual-achievements-i-don-t-think-i/) [Chili Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chili-davis/) > [Big achievements come one small advantage at a time, one step at a time, one day at time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/big-achievements-come-one-small-advantage-at-a-time-one-step-at-a/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [“Leaders spend time reviewing their mistakes rather than having fantasies over their achievements! They look for every way to do the undone!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/leaders-spend-time-reviewing-their-mistakes-rather-than-having/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [A woman's professional achievements are always overlooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simi-garewal/a-woman-s-professional-achievements-are-always-overlooked/) [Simi Garewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simi-garewal/) > [I was able to turn to classical music many people, who saw my programs live and on YouTube, and this is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksey-igudesman/i-was-able-to-turn-to-classical-music-many-people-who-saw-my-programs/) [Aleksey Igudesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksey-igudesman/) > [Fame is like the dessert that comes with your achievements - it's not an achievement in itself, but sometimes it can overpower the work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clayton/fame-is-like-the-dessert-that-comes-with-your-achievements-it-s-not/) [Adam Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clayton/) > [“If this conviction had not been a strongly emotional one and if those searching for knowledge had not been inspired by Spinoza 's Amor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/if-this-conviction-had-not-been-a-strongly-emotional-one-and-if-those/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I love the success of my teammates more than my individual achievements. I've just always cared more about that since I started playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/i-love-the-success-of-my-teammates-more-than-my-individual/) [LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/) > [It's very confusing when fame comes early on in your career. You get a little bit bent out of shape in terms of what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clayton/it-s-very-confusing-when-fame-comes-early-on-in-your-career-you-get-a/) [Adam Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clayton/) > [“To have the wisdom is rarely achieved by seeking the knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/to-have-the-wisdom-is-rarely-achieved-by-seeking-the-knowledge/) Will Advise > [It's not that I think weddings - or marriages - are letdowns. It's just that I want to see my wedding as one awesome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-klein/it-s-not-that-i-think-weddings-or-marriages-are-letdowns-it-s-just/) [Jessi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-klein/) > [All my achievements - even if they may seem small - are mine. No one has contributed to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koena-mitra/all-my-achievements-even-if-they-may-seem-small-are-mine-no-one-has/) [Koena Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koena-mitra/) > [I'm not sure my achievements have been 'great.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/i-m-not-sure-my-achievements-have-been-great/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) [Browse all 319 Achievements quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievements/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Though men are apt to flatter and exalt themselves with their great achievements, yet these are, in truth, very often owing not so much to design as chance.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francois de La Rochefoucauld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/though-men-are-apt-to-flatter-and-exalt-themselves-with-their-great/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Achievements" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/though-men-are-apt-to-flatter-and-exalt-themselves-with-their-great/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/999/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_achievements_though-men-are-apt-to-flatter-and-exalt_2627247.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/999/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_achievements_though-men-are-apt-to-flatter-and-exalt_2627247.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/999/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_achievements_though-men-are-apt-to-flatter-and-exalt_2627247.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Though men are apt to flatter and exalt themselves with their great achievements, yet these are, in truth…” — Francois de La Rochefoucauld", "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": "Francois de La Rochefoucauld", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Though men are apt to flatter...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/though-men-are-apt-to-flatter-and-exalt-themselves-with-their-great/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/though-men-are-apt-to-flatter-and-exalt-themselves-with-their-great/#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 } } ] } ```