--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Extensive powers not exercised as far as…" description: "\"Extensive powers not exercised as far as was necessary have, I believe, scarcely ever failed to ruin the possessor.\" — George Washington" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a03/george-washington-257_believe_extensive-powers-not-exercised-as-far-as_2480851.jpg" --- # Extensive powers not exercised as far as was necessary… ![“Extensive powers not exercised as far as was necessary have, I believe, scarcely ever failed to ruin the possessor.” quote by George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a03/george-washington-257_believe_extensive-powers-not-exercised-as-far-as_2480851.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a03/george-washington-257_believe_extensive-powers-not-exercised-as-far-as_2480851.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a03/george-washington-257_believe_extensive-powers-not-exercised-as-far-as_2480851.jpg) > “Extensive powers not exercised as far as was necessary have, I believe, scarcely ever failed to ruin the possessor.” [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When those in power neglect to use their authority fully, it often leads to their downfall. **In simple terms:** Neglecting power can ruin you. Key Takeaway Use authority responsibly. Themes leadership responsibility power dynamics Mood reflective cautionary Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - political leadership - organizational management - personal decision making Key Concepts authority neglect consequences Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities come with authority? - How can leaders avoid neglecting necessary actions? A Different Perspective Overuse of power can also cause harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Extensive Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extensive-powers-863062/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [Possessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possessor-417482/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Powers Exercised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powers-exercised-863065/) [Ruin Possessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruin-possessor-863063/) [Ruins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruins/) [Scarcely Failed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scarcely-failed-863064/) ## Related quotes > [See how fortune deludes us, and that which we put carefully into her hands, she either breaks or lets it fall from her hands,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/see-how-fortune-deludes-us-and-that-which-we-put-carefully-into-her/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [The concentrating of powers in the same hands is precisely the definition of despotic government. It will be no alleviation that these powers will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-concentrating-of-powers-in-the-same-hands-is-precisely-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [It is by these, the people, that I have been clothed with the high powers which they have seen fit to confide to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tyler/it-is-by-these-the-people-that-i-have-been-clothed-with-the-high/) [John Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tyler/) > [Presidential powers are not exercised by a body or group. The Constitution vests 'all executive power' in one and only one person - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barr/presidential-powers-are-not-exercised-by-a-body-or-group-the/) [William Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barr/) > [ \[O\]pulence is always the result of theft, if not committed by the actual possessor, then by his predecessors. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/o-pulence-is-always-the-result-of-theft-if-not-committed-by-the/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [A man hath riches. Whence came they, and whither go they? for this is the way to form a judgment of the esteem which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jortin/a-man-hath-riches-whence-came-they-and-whither-go-they-for-this-is/) [John Jortin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jortin/) > [Riches either serve or govern the possessor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/riches-either-serve-or-govern-the-possessor/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [“He who masters the small becomes the rightful possessor of the great.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/he-who-masters-the-small-becomes-the-rightful-possessor-of-the-great/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [Never a possession, always the possessor, with skin as pale as smoke, and eyes tawny and sharp as yellow wine: Desire is everything you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/never-a-possession-always-the-possessor-with-skin-as-pale-as-smoke/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Unlimited power corrupts the possessor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-pitt/unlimited-power-corrupts-the-possessor/) [William Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-pitt/) > [Never have I thought that I was the happy possessor of a alent; my sole concern has been to save myself by work and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/never-have-i-thought-that-i-was-the-happy-possessor-of-a-alent-my/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“When gold and jade fill the hall, their possessor cannot keep them safe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/when-gold-and-jade-fill-the-hall-their-possessor-cannot-keep-them-safe/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [Riches get their value from the mind of the possessor; they are blessings to those who know how to use them, and curses to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence/riches-get-their-value-from-the-mind-of-the-possessor-they-are/) [Terence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence/) > [A house may draw visitors, but it is the possessor alone that can detain them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/a-house-may-draw-visitors-but-it-is-the-possessor-alone-that-can/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [It is good to be the possessor of some mountain-top experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-johns/it-is-good-to-be-the-possessor-of-some-mountain-top-experience/) [Vernon Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-johns/) ## More by George Washington > [It is absolutely necessary... for me to have persons that can think for me, as well as execute orders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-absolutely-necessary-for-me-to-have-persons-that-can-think-for/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The whole duty of man is summed up in obedience to God's will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-whole-duty-of-man-is-summed-up-in-obedience-to-god-s-will/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The turning points of lives are not the great moments. The real crises are often concealed in occurrences so trivial in appearance that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-turning-points-of-lives-are-not-the-great-moments-the-real-crises/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The propitious smiles of Heaven, can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-propitious-smiles-of-heaven-can-never-be-expected-on-a-nation/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Interwoven as is the love of liberty with every ligament of your hearts, no recommendation of mine is necessary to fortify or confirm the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/interwoven-as-is-the-love-of-liberty-with-every-ligament-of-your/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/in-vain-would-that-man-claim-the-tribute-of-patriotism-who-should/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The blessed Religion revealed in the word of God will remain an eternal and awful monument to prove that the best Institution may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-blessed-religion-revealed-in-the-word-of-god-will-remain-an/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [While we are contending for our own liberty, we should be very cautious not to violate the conscience of others, ever considering that God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/while-we-are-contending-for-our-own-liberty-we-should-be-very/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Among many other weighty objections to the Measure, it has been suggested, that it has a tendency to introduce religious disputes into the Army,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/among-many-other-weighty-objections-to-the-measure-it-has-been/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Democratical States must always feel before they can see: it is this that makes their Governments slow, but the people will be right at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/democratical-states-must-always-feel-before-they-can-see-it-is-this/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [If, in the opinion of the people, the distribution or modification of the constitutional powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/if-in-the-opinion-of-the-people-the-distribution-or-modification-of/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [A man's intentions should be allowed in some respects to plead for his actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/a-man-s-intentions-should-be-allowed-in-some-respects-to-plead-for/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible. Do not ever let anyone claim to be a true American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-impossible-to-rightly-govern-the-world-without-god-and-the/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [My first wish is to see this plague of mankind banished from the earth, and the sons and daughters of this world employed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/my-first-wish-is-to-see-this-plague-of-mankind-banished-from-the/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Lenity will operate with greater force, in some instances, than rigor. It is, therefore, my first wish, to have my whole conduct distinguished by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/lenity-will-operate-with-greater-force-in-some-instances-than-rigor/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) [Explore all 801 George Washington quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. 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