---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best policy is to declare victory and…"
description: "\"The best policy is to declare victory and leave.\" — George Aiken"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/george-aiken-44103_best_the-best-policy-is-to-declare-victory-an_2048449.png"
---

#  The best policy is to declare victory and leave.

![“The best policy is to declare victory and leave.” quote by George Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/george-aiken-44103_best_the-best-policy-is-to-declare-victory-an_2048449.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/george-aiken-44103_best_the-best-policy-is-to-declare-victory-an_2048449.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/george-aiken-44103_best_the-best-policy-is-to-declare-victory-an_2048449.png)

> “The best policy is to declare victory and leave.”

[George Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-aiken/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker suggests that the most effective strategy is to acknowledge success and then withdraw.

**In simple terms:** Declare victory and then leave.

Key Takeaway

Know when to end an effort.

Themes

strategy victory withdrawal

Mood

cautious strategic

Type

military political

When to use this quote

- conflict resolution
- campaign planning
- resource management

Key Concepts

military tactics political strategy

Questions to Reflect On

- When is it wise to stop?
- What risks arise from declaring victory early?

A Different Perspective

Premature withdrawal can cause setbacks.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Best Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-policy-397008/) [Declare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/declare/) [Declare Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/declare-victory-1289748/) [Leave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leave/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [Policy Declare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy-declare-3848426/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) [Victory Leave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory-leave-3848425/)

## Related quotes

> [“Celebrate Successes, but Don't Declare Victory”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-guckenheimer/celebrate-successes-but-don-t-declare-victory/)

[Sam Guckenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-guckenheimer/)

> [I will show you victory is mine before we leave this battleground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-sean/i-will-show-you-victory-is-mine-before-we-leave-this-battleground/)

[Jay Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-sean/)

> [“the conceptual breakthrough, if any, is the ability to call a retreat and declare victory at the same time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-g-chang/the-conceptual-breakthrough-if-any-is-the-ability-to-call-a-retreat/)

[Gordon G. Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-g-chang/)

> [There is a cultural norm on the left of being afraid to declare victory, which is related to the binary of reform/revolution. Whereas reformists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kauffman/there-is-a-cultural-norm-on-the-left-of-being-afraid-to-declare/)

[Cynthia Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kauffman/)

> [“The days of mourning are over now. Wipe those tears from your eyes and speak healing to your wounded heart. Choose to declare victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/the-days-of-mourning-are-over-now-wipe-those-tears-from-your-eyes-and/)

[Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/)

> [Now you must take money quickly, or there will be many companies saying they do the same thing. You need to take the money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-winblad/now-you-must-take-money-quickly-or-there-will-be-many-companies/)

[Ann Winblad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-winblad/)

> [Compared to 1999...we cannot quite declare victory, but we can declare progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jakob-nielsen/compared-to-1999-we-cannot-quite-declare-victory-but-we-can-declare/)

[Jakob Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jakob-nielsen/)

> [Honesty is not necessarily the best policy. The best policy would be to acquire a reputation for honesty and then to cheat at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/honesty-is-not-necessarily-the-best-policy-the-best-policy-would-be/)

[William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/)

> [At best, policy is about protecting the rights of all workers while also driving fair competition and enabling opportunity. It is about making the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-dehaze/at-best-policy-is-about-protecting-the-rights-of-all-workers-while/)

[Alain Dehaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-dehaze/)

> [In the long run, I believe that honesty is definitely the best policy. One can get away by being dishonest for a short term,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kapil-dev/in-the-long-run-i-believe-that-honesty-is-definitely-the-best-policy/)

[Kapil Dev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kapil-dev/)

> [“Yeah, well you know what they say. Honesty is the best policy, but insanity is a better defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-mantle/yeah-well-you-know-what-they-say-honesty-is-the-best-policy-but/)

[Stacy Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-mantle/)

> [Honesty is the best policy in life, but it is essential in art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/honesty-is-the-best-policy-in-life-but-it-is-essential-in-art/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

> [Honesty is always the best policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/honesty-is-always-the-best-policy/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [Hijab is the best policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hasina-j/hijab-is-the-best-policy/)

[Hasina J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hasina-j/)

> [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/)

[Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/)

## More by George Aiken

> [Declare the United States the winner and begin de-escalation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-aiken/declare-the-united-states-the-winner-and-begin-de-escalation/)

[George Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-aiken/)

> [As one who has often felt this need, and who has found refreshment in wild places, I attest to the recreational value of wilderness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-aiken/as-one-who-has-often-felt-this-need-and-who-has-found-refreshment-in/)

[George Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-aiken/)

> [Lincoln's reference to government of the people, by the people, for the people is a generally satisfactory definition of democracy. I say generally because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-aiken/lincoln-s-reference-to-government-of-the-people-by-the-people-for-the/)

[George Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-aiken/)

> [“If we were to wake up some morning and find that everyone was the same race, creed and color, we would find some other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-aiken/if-we-were-to-wake-up-some-morning-and-find-that-everyone-was-the/)

[George Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-aiken/)

> [I've never known a country to be starved into democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-aiken/i-ve-never-known-a-country-to-be-starved-into-democracy/)

[George Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-aiken/)

> [People are people the world over. Some are good, some bad, some greedy and some generous. Nations are like people and act the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-aiken/people-are-people-the-world-over-some-are-good-some-bad-some-greedy/)

[George Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-aiken/)

> [I'm not very keen for doves or hawks. I think we need more owls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-aiken/i-m-not-very-keen-for-doves-or-hawks-i-think-we-need-more-owls/)

[George Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-aiken/)

> [True conservation provides for wise use by the general public. The American people do not want our resources preserved for the exclusive use of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-aiken/true-conservation-provides-for-wise-use-by-the-general-public-the/)

[George Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-aiken/)

[Explore all 9 George Aiken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-aiken/)

## More Best quotes

> [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [Scepticism and cynicism about politics is so great that one of the best counters to it is what you can do at a local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-miliband/scepticism-and-cynicism-about-politics-is-so-great-that-one-of-the/)

[Ed Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-miliband/)

> [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/)

[Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/)

> [It's no wonder Pep is one of the best coaches in the world. When I knew I could work with him I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/it-s-no-wonder-pep-is-one-of-the-best-coaches-in-the-world-when-i/)

[Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/)

> [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/)

[Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/)

> [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/)

[Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/)

> [Life is where you love people and use things not use people and love things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/life-is-where-you-love-people-and-use-things-not-use-people-and-love/)

[Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/)

> [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/)

[Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/)

> [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/)

[Gene Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-scott/)

> [I'm looking to fight the best guys in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-rodriguez/i-m-looking-to-fight-the-best-guys-in-the-world/)

[Yair Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-rodriguez/)

> [Batley and Spen has a high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and we can boast the full range of industries, including high-skilled, precision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/batley-and-spen-has-a-high-proportion-of-people-working-in/)

[Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/)

> [It is no secret that I have read 'The Da Vinci Code' several times. I genuinely believe that 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/it-is-no-secret-that-i-have-read-the-da-vinci-code-several-times-i/)

[Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/)

> [Any position I was going to be in, I was going to make the best of it. I always do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/any-position-i-was-going-to-be-in-i-was-going-to-make-the-best-of-it/)

[Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/)

[Browse all 21,674 Best quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The best policy is to declare victory and leave.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "George Aiken"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-aiken/the-best-policy-is-to-declare-victory-and-leave/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Best"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-aiken/the-best-policy-is-to-declare-victory-and-leave/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/george-aiken-44103_best_the-best-policy-is-to-declare-victory-an_2048449.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/george-aiken-44103_best_the-best-policy-is-to-declare-victory-an_2048449.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/george-aiken-44103_best_the-best-policy-is-to-declare-victory-an_2048449.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The best policy is to declare victory and leave.” — George Aiken",
                "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": "George Aiken",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-aiken/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The best policy is to declare...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-aiken/the-best-policy-is-to-declare-victory-and-leave/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-aiken/the-best-policy-is-to-declare-victory-and-leave/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
