--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You don’t free yourself from duty by…" description: "\"You don’t free yourself from duty by running away. That only increases the weight on your shoulders.\" — James Alan Gardner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbc/james-alan-gardner-23559_duty_you-don-t-free-yourself-from-duty-by-run_3209328.jpg" --- # You don’t free yourself from duty by running away. That… ![“You don’t free yourself from duty by running away. That only increases the weight on your shoulders.” quote by James Alan Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbc/james-alan-gardner-23559_duty_you-don-t-free-yourself-from-duty-by-run_3209328.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbc/james-alan-gardner-23559_duty_you-don-t-free-yourself-from-duty-by-run_3209328.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbc/james-alan-gardner-23559_duty_you-don-t-free-yourself-from-duty-by-run_3209328.jpg) > “You don’t free yourself from duty by running away. That only increases the weight on your shoulders.” [James Alan Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-alan-gardner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoiding responsibilities only makes them heavier; confronting them eases the burden. **In simple terms:** Running away adds weight; facing duty lightens it. Key Takeaway Face duties head‑on to reduce stress. Themes responsibility burden courage Mood reflective serious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal crises - work deadlines - family obligations - legal issues Key Concepts psychology moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What duty are you avoiding? - How could confronting it change your situation? A Different Perspective Escaping may provide temporary relief but worsens long‑term consequences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Free yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-yourself/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Running away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running-away/) [Weight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weight/) ## Related quotes > [The weight is off my shoulders. I don't live in the past anymore. 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For you cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/if-you-regard-evidence-as-a-constraint-and-seek-to-free-yourself-you/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) ## More by James Alan Gardner > [“I like people thinking I'm an asshole. Being an asshole is my life's vocation; I'm a goddamned asshole professional.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-alan-gardner/i-like-people-thinking-i-m-an-asshole-being-an-asshole-is-my-life-s/) [James Alan Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-alan-gardner/) > [“Given time, a ship's crew will attach sexual innuendo to anything. It makes their jobs more exciting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-alan-gardner/given-time-a-ship-s-crew-will-attach-sexual-innuendo-to-anything-it/) [James Alan Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-alan-gardner/) > [Some see the glass half full, some see it half empty, and some see it crawling with toxic alien parasites who want to devour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-alan-gardner/some-see-the-glass-half-full-some-see-it-half-empty-and-some-see-it/) [James Alan Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-alan-gardner/) > [I do not care about the greatest good for the greatest number . . . Most people are poop-heads I do not care about them at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-alan-gardner/i-do-not-care-about-the-greatest-good-for-the-greatest-number-most/) [James Alan Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-alan-gardner/) > [“My home is in Banff, Alberta, up in the Rockies. 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Always, always, always, always, always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-alan-gardner/having-a-perilous-adventure-is-always-better-than-comatose-safety/) [James Alan Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-alan-gardner/) [Explore all 25 James Alan Gardner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-alan-gardner/) ## More Duty quotes > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Few political debates have been as divisive as the European one. 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That the gods demand the hearts from our bodies?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-lafevers/is-that-what-they-teach-you-at-the-convent-that-the-gods-demand-the/) [Robin LaFevers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-lafevers/) > [The less we show our love to a woman, Or please her less, and neglect our duty, The more we trap and ruin her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/the-less-we-show-our-love-to-a-woman-or-please-her-less-and-neglect/) [Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/consideration-is-the-soil-in-which-wisdom-may-be-expected-to-grow-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“You have a right to be sad, and a duty to move on. Only wins who wipes the tears, gather strength and move forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusto-branco/you-have-a-right-to-be-sad-and-a-duty-to-move-on-only-wins-who-wipes/) [Augusto Branco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusto-branco/) > [Our duty as Christians is always to keep heaven in our eye and earth under our feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/our-duty-as-christians-is-always-to-keep-heaven-in-our-eye-and-earth/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [Regardless of how you feel about war and peace those serving military are doing a duty for the rest of us and they're protecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-cardellini/regardless-of-how-you-feel-about-war-and-peace-those-serving-military/) [Linda Cardellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-cardellini/) > [“Duty is a done deal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/duty-is-a-done-deal/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Politics...You see, it depends on what kind of politics. What we did during my father's generation was a duty. 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