---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The maxim had often helped him, at any…"
description: "\"“The maxim had often helped him, at any rate, and even saved him from making some wrong decisions, because he had rarely made a mistake when he had fol..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba8/joachim-fest-109338_failure_the-maxim-had-often-helped-him-at-any-ra_2179433.jpg"
---

#  The maxim had often helped him, at any rate, and even…

![“The maxim had often helped him, at any rate, and even saved him from making some wrong decisions, because he had rarely made a mistake when he had followed his own judgment alone. He put a piece of paper in front of each of us and dictated: “Etiam si omnes—ego non! It’s from the Gospel According…” quote by Joachim Fest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba8/joachim-fest-109338_failure_the-maxim-had-often-helped-him-at-any-ra_2179433.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba8/joachim-fest-109338_failure_the-maxim-had-often-helped-him-at-any-ra_2179433.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba8/joachim-fest-109338_failure_the-maxim-had-often-helped-him-at-any-ra_2179433.jpg)

> ““The maxim had often helped him, at any rate, and even saved him from making some wrong decisions, because he had rarely made a mistake when he had followed his own judgment alone. He put a piece of paper in front of each of us and dictated: “Etiam si omnes—ego non! It’s from the Gospel According to St. Matthew,””

Joachim Fest

## About This Quote

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

A personal maxim guides decisions, referencing a biblical phrase for moral certainty.

**In simple terms:** A personal saying helps avoid bad choices, citing scripture.

Key Takeaway

Use guiding principles for decision‑making.

Themes

morality guidance maxim faith decision‑making

Mood

thoughtful serious

Type

Failure:0 Maxim:1 Wrong decisions:0 Gospel According:0 Maxim Helped:0 Dictated Etiam:0 Followed Judgment:0

When to use this quote

- career choices
- ethical dilemmas
- personal development

Key Concepts

personal ethics biblical references self‑reliance

Questions to Reflect On

- What other guides do you have?
- How do you test a maxim?

A Different Perspective

May rely too heavily on one principle.

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[Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Maxim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maxim/) [Wrong decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-decisions/)

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