--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we resist our passions, it is more…" description: "\"If we resist our passions, it is more through their weakness than from our strength\" — Francois La Rochefoucauld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/730/francois-la-rochefoucauld-1390_passion_if-we-resist-our-passions-it-is-more-thr_1766355.jpg" --- # If we resist our passions, it is more through their… ![“If we resist our passions, it is more through their weakness than from our strength” quote by Francois La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/730/francois-la-rochefoucauld-1390_passion_if-we-resist-our-passions-it-is-more-thr_1766355.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/730/francois-la-rochefoucauld-1390_passion_if-we-resist-our-passions-it-is-more-thr_1766355.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/730/francois-la-rochefoucauld-1390_passion_if-we-resist-our-passions-it-is-more-thr_1766355.jpg) > “If we resist our passions, it is more through their weakness than from our strength” [Francois La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-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. Resisting desire shows weakness, not strength. **In simple terms:** Giving in reveals true power. Key Takeaway Embrace passions wisely. Themes human nature desire strength self‑knowledge Mood reflective philosophical Type maxim ethical When to use this quote - personal growth - relationship dynamics - leadership training Key Concepts philosophy psychology virtue ethics Questions to Reflect On - What passions drive you constructively? - How can you balance desire and discipline? A Different Perspective Uncontrolled passion can be destructive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Passions Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passions-weakness-1739489/) [Resist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resist/) [Resist Passions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resist-passions-1739490/) [Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/) [Weakness Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness-strength/) ## Related quotes > [If we resist our passions, it is more due to their weakness than our strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/if-we-resist-our-passions-it-is-more-due-to-their-weakness-than-our/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“The continual emotion that is felt in the theater excites us, enervates us, enfeebles us, and makes us less able to resist our passions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-continual-emotion-that-is-felt-in-the-theater-excites-us/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [My attitude is that if you push me towards something that you think is a weakness, then I will turn that perceived weakness into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/my-attitude-is-that-if-you-push-me-towards-something-that-you-think/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [Weakness or strength: you exist, that is strength. You don't know where you are going or why you are going, go in everywhere, answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rimbaud/weakness-or-strength-you-exist-that-is-strength-you-don-t-know-where/) [Arthur Rimbaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rimbaud/) > [Sometimes, my weakness is where the strength really is, and it leads me to depend in the areas where I really should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trip-lee/sometimes-my-weakness-is-where-the-strength-really-is-and-it-leads-me/) [Trip Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trip-lee/) > [Non- reaction is not weakness, But Strength!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/non-reaction-is-not-weakness-but-strength/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“My strength is their weakness; my weakness their strength.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-dennish/my-strength-is-their-weakness-my-weakness-their-strength/) [Anne Dennish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-dennish/) > [Being kind is not a weakness but strength!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamera-mowry/being-kind-is-not-a-weakness-but-strength/) [Tamera Mowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamera-mowry/) > [To fear the foe, since fear oppresseth strength, gives in your weakness strength unto your foe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/to-fear-the-foe-since-fear-oppresseth-strength-gives-in-your-weakness/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [People commit suicide through weakness, not through strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-commit-suicide-through-weakness-not-through-strength/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The injuries and subsequent incidents inspired me to do something. I converted my weakness into my strength and made it my weapon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arunima-sinha/the-injuries-and-subsequent-incidents-inspired-me-to-do-something-i/) [Arunima Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arunima-sinha/) > [More often than not, anger is actually an indication of weakness rather than of strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/more-often-than-not-anger-is-actually-an-indication-of-weakness/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [My weakness is my strength. I have to get stronger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-wood/my-weakness-is-my-strength-i-have-to-get-stronger/) [Christian Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-wood/) > [At times I can be weak it is when I don't give in to giving up, that is when weakness can become strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/at-times-i-can-be-weak-it-is-when-i-don-t-give-in-to-giving-up-that/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [“although your weakness , show your strength .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-tarek/although-your-weakness-show-your-strength/) [yasmin tarek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-tarek/) ## More by Francois La Rochefoucauld > [If we are to judge of love by the consequences, it more nearly resembles hatred than friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-la-rochefoucauld/if-we-are-to-judge-of-love-by-the-consequences-it-more-nearly/) [Francois La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The world more often rewards the appearance of merit than merit itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-la-rochefoucauld/the-world-more-often-rewards-the-appearance-of-merit-than-merit-itself/) [Francois La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The mind cannot long act the role of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-la-rochefoucauld/the-mind-cannot-long-act-the-role-of-the-heart/) [Francois La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The pleasure of love is in loving. We are much happier in the passion we feel than in that we inspire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-la-rochefoucauld/the-pleasure-of-love-is-in-loving-we-are-much-happier-in-the-passion/) [Francois La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-la-rochefoucauld/) > [If we judge of love by its usual effects, it resembles hatred more than friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-la-rochefoucauld/if-we-judge-of-love-by-its-usual-effects-it-resembles-hatred-more/) [Francois La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-la-rochefoucauld/) > [When our vices quit us, we flatter ourselves with the belief that it is we who quit them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-la-rochefoucauld/when-our-vices-quit-us-we-flatter-ourselves-with-the-belief-that-it/) [Francois La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Little minds are too much hurt by little things; great minds are quite conscious of them and despise them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-la-rochefoucauld/little-minds-are-too-much-hurt-by-little-things-great-minds-are-quite/) [Francois La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Age is a tyrant who forbids at the penalty of life all the pleasures of youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-la-rochefoucauld/age-is-a-tyrant-who-forbids-at-the-penalty-of-life-all-the-pleasures/) [Francois La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Absence diminishes little passions and increases great ones, as wind extinguishes candles and fans a fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-la-rochefoucauld/absence-diminishes-little-passions-and-increases-great-ones-as-wind/) [Francois La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-la-rochefoucauld/) > [In their first passion women love their lovers, in all the others they love love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-la-rochefoucauld/in-their-first-passion-women-love-their-lovers-in-all-the-others-they/) [Francois La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Fertility of mind does not furnish us with so many resources on the same matter, as the lack of intelligence makes us hesitate at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-la-rochefoucauld/fertility-of-mind-does-not-furnish-us-with-so-many-resources-on-the/) [Francois La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“On n'est jamais si heureux ni si malheureux qu'on s'imagine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-la-rochefoucauld/on-n-est-jamais-si-heureux-ni-si-malheureux-qu-on-s-imagine/) [François La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We often pass from love to ambition, but we hardly ever return from ambition to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-la-rochefoucauld/we-often-pass-from-love-to-ambition-but-we-hardly-ever-return-from/) [Francois La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Few persons have sufficient wisdom to prefer censure, which is useful, to praise which deceives them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-la-rochefoucauld/few-persons-have-sufficient-wisdom-to-prefer-censure-which-is-useful/) [Francois La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“Sometimes we are less unhappy in being deceived by those we love, than in being undecieved by them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-la-rochefoucauld/sometimes-we-are-less-unhappy-in-being-deceived-by-those-we-love-than-2/) [Francois La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-la-rochefoucauld/) [Explore all 40 Francois La Rochefoucauld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-la-rochefoucauld/) ## More Passion quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“Being held by him, kissed and mastered, taken under and swept away, enthralled her in a way she—an independent woman if nothing else in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-sumner/being-held-by-him-kissed-and-mastered-taken-under-and-swept-away/) [Tracy Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-sumner/) > [I have learned that you can go anywhere you want to go and do anything you want to do and buy all the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c-2/i-have-learned-that-you-can-go-anywhere-you-want-to-go-and-do/) [C JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c-2/) > [Tonight I feel like a prisoner on fire, waiting desperately... denied, sentenced forever more. Only your love can set me free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bolton/tonight-i-feel-like-a-prisoner-on-fire-waiting-desperately-denied/) [Michael Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bolton/) > [I love people who have such passion for complete nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/i-love-people-who-have-such-passion-for-complete-nonsense/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [Surely to root politics out of art is a highly necessary undertaking: for the freedom of art, like that of science, depends entirely upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyndham-lewis/surely-to-root-politics-out-of-art-is-a-highly-necessary-undertaking/) [Wyndham Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wyndham-lewis/) > [“After nine nights must come ten and every desperate meeting only leaves you desperate for another. There is never enough to eat, never enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/after-nine-nights-must-come-ten-and-every-desperate-meeting-only/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Without passion and satisfaction, there is nothing to make happiness last.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anikor-daniel/without-passion-and-satisfaction-there-is-nothing-to-make-happiness/) [ANIKOR Daniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anikor-daniel/) > [Football is my passion, and who knows where I will play in the future - you cannot foresee that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edinson-cavani/football-is-my-passion-and-who-knows-where-i-will-play-in-the-future/) [Edinson Cavani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edinson-cavani/) > [Well, He had known what love was-a sharp pang, a fierce experience, in the midst of whose flames he was struggling! but, through that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/well-he-had-known-what-love-was-a-sharp-pang-a-fierce-experience-in/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [The life of a good man was a continual warfare with his passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/the-life-of-a-good-man-was-a-continual-warfare-with-his-passions/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) [Browse all 12,364 Passion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we resist our passions, it is more through their weakness than from our strength", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francois La Rochefoucauld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-la-rochefoucauld/if-we-resist-our-passions-it-is-more-through-their-weakness-than-from/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Passion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-la-rochefoucauld/if-we-resist-our-passions-it-is-more-through-their-weakness-than-from/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/730/francois-la-rochefoucauld-1390_passion_if-we-resist-our-passions-it-is-more-thr_1766355.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/730/francois-la-rochefoucauld-1390_passion_if-we-resist-our-passions-it-is-more-thr_1766355.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/730/francois-la-rochefoucauld-1390_passion_if-we-resist-our-passions-it-is-more-thr_1766355.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If we resist our passions, it is more through their weakness than from our strength” — Francois 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 La Rochefoucauld", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-la-rochefoucauld/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If we resist our passions, it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-la-rochefoucauld/if-we-resist-our-passions-it-is-more-through-their-weakness-than-from/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-la-rochefoucauld/if-we-resist-our-passions-it-is-more-through-their-weakness-than-from/#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 } } ] } ```