--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: commander may be forgiven for being…" description: "\"“commander may be forgiven for being defeated, but never for being surprised.”\" — Jeff Cooper" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/jeff-cooper-3700_commander_commander-may-be-forgiven-for-being-defe_634355.jpg" --- # commander may be forgiven for being defeated, but never… ![“commander may be forgiven for being defeated, but never for being surprised.” quote by Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/jeff-cooper-3700_commander_commander-may-be-forgiven-for-being-defe_634355.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/jeff-cooper-3700_commander_commander-may-be-forgiven-for-being-defe_634355.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/jeff-cooper-3700_commander_commander-may-be-forgiven-for-being-defe_634355.jpg) > ““commander may be forgiven for being defeated, but never for being surprised.”” [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leaders may accept loss but should never be caught off guard; preparedness avoids surprise. **In simple terms:** Leaders should expect defeat but not surprise. Key Takeaway Always anticipate the unexpected. Themes leadership preparedness strategy Mood alert cautious Type advisory motivational When to use this quote - military planning - business competition - personal safety - crisis response Key Concepts risk management situational awareness Questions to Reflect On - How can you improve your early detection? - What systems detect surprise surprise? A Different Perspective Surprise can still occur despite preparation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Commander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commander/) [Commander Forgiven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commander-forgiven-5105748/) [Defeated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeated/) [Defeated Surprised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeated-surprised-5105750/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Forgiven Defeated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiven-defeated-5105749/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) ## Related quotes > [It is pardonable to be defeated, but never to be surprised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-the-great/it-is-pardonable-to-be-defeated-but-never-to-be-surprised/) [Frederick The Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-the-great/) > [“The great commander can certainly move fast and strike like lightning, but his art of war consists first and foremost in moderation, measured geometric…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudio-magris/the-great-commander-can-certainly-move-fast-and-strike-like-lightning/) [Claudio Magris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudio-magris/) > [“Ex ‘Fleet man?” “He was a full Commander, last I heard, sir.” “Interesting.” Falconer commented. “Get me his specs. If I have to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/ex-fleet-man-he-was-a-full-commander-last-i-heard-sir-interesting/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [The commander in the field is always right and the rear echelon is wrong, unless proved otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-commander-in-the-field-is-always-right-and-the-rear-echelon-is/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [“Is it some law of human nature that you inevitably become whatever your first commander was?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/is-it-some-law-of-human-nature-that-you-inevitably-become-whatever/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [The president of the United States is the commander in chief, and the people who work with him at the National Security Council are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-hagel/the-president-of-the-united-states-is-the-commander-in-chief-and-the/) [Chuck Hagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-hagel/) > [America needs a Commander in Chief, not a Global Community Organizer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-cheney/america-needs-a-commander-in-chief-not-a-global-community-organizer/) [Liz Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-cheney/) > [Bill Clinton is not my commander-in-chief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/bill-clinton-is-not-my-commander-in-chief/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [“Oh,” Lewis said, “well if you won’t let us then— Wait…wait a minute….I’m looking at my shoulder patch and it turns out I’m the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-weir/oh-lewis-said-well-if-you-won-t-let-us-then-wait-wait-a-minute-i-m/) [Andy Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-weir/) > [My first job as commander in chief is to keep the American people safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/my-first-job-as-commander-in-chief-is-to-keep-the-american-people-safe/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/he-who-has-never-learned-to-obey-cannot-be-a-good-commander/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The commander of the forces of a large State may be carried off, but the will of even a common man cannot be taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-commander-of-the-forces-of-a-large-state-may-be-carried-off-but/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Through my time in the military and my deployments, I have recognized the importance of having a Commander in Chief who will not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/through-my-time-in-the-military-and-my-deployments-i-have-recognized/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [No commander in chief would ever say, 'I'm not going to listen to the guys on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/no-commander-in-chief-would-ever-say-i-m-not-going-to-listen-to-the/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [“the only real owner of anything is its commander;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/the-only-real-owner-of-anything-is-its-commander/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) ## More by Jeff Cooper > [The proliferation of right-to-carry laws throughout the states has drawn plaintive complaints from the criminal element. They feel that it makes their profession too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-proliferation-of-right-to-carry-laws-throughout-the-states-has/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [It appears that the murder rate inside prisons is ten times higher than that outside prisons. It must be due to all those Kalashnikov…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/it-appears-that-the-murder-rate-inside-prisons-is-ten-times-higher/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [Don't try to be fancy. Shoot for the center of mass. The world is full of decent people. Criminals we can do without.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/don-t-try-to-be-fancy-shoot-for-the-center-of-mass-the-world-is-full/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [Therefore, if you are attacked, retaliate instantly. Be sudden. Be quick. Speed is your salvation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/therefore-if-you-are-attacked-retaliate-instantly-be-sudden-be-quick/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [Political correctness is neither political nor is it correct. It amounts to social censorship, and the sooner we spit it out, the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/political-correctness-is-neither-political-nor-is-it-correct-it/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-rifle-itself-has-no-moral-stature-since-it-has-no-will-of-its-own/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [If violent crime is to be curbed, it is only the intended victim who can do it. The felon does not fear the police,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/if-violent-crime-is-to-be-curbed-it-is-only-the-intended-victim-who/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [Any man who is a man may not, in honor, submit to threats or violence. But many men who are not cowards are simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/any-man-who-is-a-man-may-not-in-honor-submit-to-threats-or-violence/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [Weapons compound man's power to achieve; they amplify the capabilities of both the good man and the bad, and to exactly the same degree,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/weapons-compound-man-s-power-to-achieve-they-amplify-the-capabilities/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [It has long been my conviction that a masked man with a gun is a target. I see no reason to change that view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/it-has-long-been-my-conviction-that-a-masked-man-with-a-gun-is-a/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [A fine marksman is with a second rate rifle is far more effective than the reverse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/a-fine-marksman-is-with-a-second-rate-rifle-is-far-more-effective/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [You better be looking for another pitcher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/you-better-be-looking-for-another-pitcher/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [It is true that a victim who fights back may suffer for it, but one who does not almost certainly will suffer for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/it-is-true-that-a-victim-who-fights-back-may-suffer-for-it-but-one/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [If a felon attacks you and lives, he will reasonably conclude that he can do it again. By submitting to him, you not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/if-a-felon-attacks-you-and-lives-he-will-reasonably-conclude-that-he/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/an-unarmed-man-can-only-flee-from-evil-and-evil-is-not-overcome-by/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) [Explore all 124 Jeff Cooper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) ## More Commander quotes > [“the only real owner of anything is its commander;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/the-only-real-owner-of-anything-is-its-commander/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [No commander in chief would ever say, 'I'm not going to listen to the guys on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/no-commander-in-chief-would-ever-say-i-m-not-going-to-listen-to-the/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [Through my time in the military and my deployments, I have recognized the importance of having a Commander in Chief who will not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/through-my-time-in-the-military-and-my-deployments-i-have-recognized/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [The commander of the forces of a large State may be carried off, but the will of even a common man cannot be taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-commander-of-the-forces-of-a-large-state-may-be-carried-off-but/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/he-who-has-never-learned-to-obey-cannot-be-a-good-commander/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [My first job as commander in chief is to keep the American people safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/my-first-job-as-commander-in-chief-is-to-keep-the-american-people-safe/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“Oh,” Lewis said, “well if you won’t let us then— Wait…wait a minute….I’m looking at my shoulder patch and it turns out I’m the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-weir/oh-lewis-said-well-if-you-won-t-let-us-then-wait-wait-a-minute-i-m/) [Andy Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-weir/) > [Bill Clinton is not my commander-in-chief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/bill-clinton-is-not-my-commander-in-chief/) [Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/) > [America needs a Commander in Chief, not a Global Community Organizer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-cheney/america-needs-a-commander-in-chief-not-a-global-community-organizer/) [Liz Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-cheney/) > [The president of the United States is the commander in chief, and the people who work with him at the National Security Council are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-hagel/the-president-of-the-united-states-is-the-commander-in-chief-and-the/) [Chuck Hagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-hagel/) > [“Is it some law of human nature that you inevitably become whatever your first commander was?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/is-it-some-law-of-human-nature-that-you-inevitably-become-whatever/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [The commander in the field is always right and the rear echelon is wrong, unless proved otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-commander-in-the-field-is-always-right-and-the-rear-echelon-is/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [“Ex ‘Fleet man?” “He was a full Commander, last I heard, sir.” “Interesting.” Falconer commented. “Get me his specs. If I have to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/ex-fleet-man-he-was-a-full-commander-last-i-heard-sir-interesting/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“The great commander can certainly move fast and strike like lightning, but his art of war consists first and foremost in moderation, measured geometric…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudio-magris/the-great-commander-can-certainly-move-fast-and-strike-like-lightning/) [Claudio Magris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudio-magris/) > [ One of the things I would immediately do \[as Commander in Chief \], in addition to defeating them here at home, is bring back… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/one-of-the-things-i-would-immediately-do-as-commander-in-chief-in/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) [Browse all 177 Commander quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commander/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“commander may be forgiven for being defeated, but never for being surprised.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeff Cooper" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/commander-may-be-forgiven-for-being-defeated-but-never-for-being/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Commander" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/commander-may-be-forgiven-for-being-defeated-but-never-for-being/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/jeff-cooper-3700_commander_commander-may-be-forgiven-for-being-defe_634355.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/jeff-cooper-3700_commander_commander-may-be-forgiven-for-being-defe_634355.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/jeff-cooper-3700_commander_commander-may-be-forgiven-for-being-defe_634355.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“commander may be forgiven for being defeated, but never for being surprised.” — Jeff Cooper", "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": "Jeff Cooper", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“commander may be forgiven for being...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/commander-may-be-forgiven-for-being-defeated-but-never-for-being/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/commander-may-be-forgiven-for-being-defeated-but-never-for-being/#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 } } ] } ```