--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is often less danger in the things…" description: "\"There is often less danger in the things we fear than in the things we desire.\" — John Churton Collins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c3/john-churton-collins-28930_danger_there-is-often-less-danger-in-the-things_790354.png" --- # There is often less danger in the things we fear than in… ![“There is often less danger in the things we fear than in the things we desire.” quote by John Churton Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c3/john-churton-collins-28930_danger_there-is-often-less-danger-in-the-things_790354.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c3/john-churton-collins-28930_danger_there-is-often-less-danger-in-the-things_790354.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c3/john-churton-collins-28930_danger_there-is-often-less-danger-in-the-things_790354.png) > “There is often less danger in the things we fear than in the things we desire.” [John Churton Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-churton-collins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fear often exaggerates risk, while desire can blind us to real dangers. **In simple terms:** Fear inflates danger; desire blinds. Key Takeaway Assess risks objectively. Themes fear desire risk assessment Mood anxious reflective Type cautionary philosophical When to use this quote - personal decisions - financial investments - relationships - career moves Key Concepts psychology human bias Questions to Reflect On - What fear have you overestimated? - How does desire cloud judgment? A Different Perspective Desire may also be a source of caution. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [“The things you desire and the things you fear are not always different things. Sometimes your desire for something outweights your fear...and sometimes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-alistar/the-things-you-desire-and-the-things-you-fear-are-not-always/) [Luke Alistar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-alistar/) > [It is a miserable state of mind to have few things to desire and many things to fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/it-is-a-miserable-state-of-mind-to-have-few-things-to-desire-and-many/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [“The things I fear the most are the things God wants me to face, so I can continue on my journey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-goodhew/the-things-i-fear-the-most-are-the-things-god-wants-me-to-face-so-i/) Kathy Goodhew > [“The things we fear are almost always things which needn't be feared at all. They are creatures of our imagination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-dickinson-rich/the-things-we-fear-are-almost-always-things-which-needn-t-be-feared/) [Louise Dickinson Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-dickinson-rich/) > [Always in a moment of extreme danger things can be done which had previously been thought impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-rommel/always-in-a-moment-of-extreme-danger-things-can-be-done-which-had/) [Erwin Rommel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-rommel/) > [“Dark books say to us, “This isn’t about you. You are in fact alive and safe.” Yes, there’s an implicit and unavoidable warning, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-paul/dark-books-say-to-us-this-isn-t-about-you-you-are-in-fact-alive-and/) [Pamela Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-paul/) > [We are disgusted by the things that we desire, and we desire what disgusts us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/we-are-disgusted-by-the-things-that-we-desire-and-we-desire-what/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [Lay not on any soul a load that you would not wish to be laid upon you, and desire not for any one the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baha-u-llah/lay-not-on-any-soul-a-load-that-you-would-not-wish-to-be-laid-upon/) [Bahá'u'lláh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baha-u-llah/) > [He who has few things to desire cannot have many to fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/he-who-has-few-things-to-desire-cannot-have-many-to-fear/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [If, then, there is some end of the things we do, which we desire for its own sake (everything else being desired for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/if-then-there-is-some-end-of-the-things-we-do-which-we-desire-for-its/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [We should desire very few things passionately if we did but perfectly know the nature of the things we desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-should-desire-very-few-things-passionately-if-we-did-but-perfectly/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [It is better to desire the things we have than to have the things we desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/it-is-better-to-desire-the-things-we-have-than-to-have-the-things-we/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [Things unhoped for happen oftener than things we desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/things-unhoped-for-happen-oftener-than-things-we-desire/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [“He knew that those things we most desire to hold in our hearts are often taken from us while that which we would put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-knew-that-those-things-we-most-desire-to-hold-in-our-hearts-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To understand the limitation of things, desire them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-understand-the-limitation-of-things-desire-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John Churton Collins > [The secret of success in life is known only by those who have not succeeded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-churton-collins/the-secret-of-success-in-life-is-known-only-by-those-who-have-not/) [John Churton Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-churton-collins/) > [In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-churton-collins/in-prosperity-our-friends-know-us-in-adversity-we-know-our-friends/) [John Churton Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-churton-collins/) > [If we knew each other's secrets, what comforts we should find.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-churton-collins/if-we-knew-each-other-s-secrets-what-comforts-we-should-find/) [John Churton Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-churton-collins/) > [We are no more responsible for the evil thoughts that pass through our minds than a scarecrow for the birds which fly over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-churton-collins/we-are-no-more-responsible-for-the-evil-thoughts-that-pass-through/) [John Churton Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-churton-collins/) > [In the downhill of life, when I find I'm declining, May my lot no less fortunate be Than a snug elbow-chair can afford for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-churton-collins/in-the-downhill-of-life-when-i-find-i-m-declining-may-my-lot-no-less/) [John Churton Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-churton-collins/) > [Truth is the object of philosophy, but not always of philosophers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-churton-collins/truth-is-the-object-of-philosophy-but-not-always-of-philosophers/) [John Churton Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-churton-collins/) > [Though pride is not a virtue, it is the parent of many virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-churton-collins/though-pride-is-not-a-virtue-it-is-the-parent-of-many-virtues/) [John Churton Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-churton-collins/) > [Never claim as a right what you can ask as a favor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-churton-collins/never-claim-as-a-right-what-you-can-ask-as-a-favor/) [John Churton Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-churton-collins/) > [Envy and fear are the only passions to which no pleasure is attached.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-churton-collins/envy-and-fear-are-the-only-passions-to-which-no-pleasure-is-attached/) [John Churton Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-churton-collins/) > [If we escape punishment for our vices, why should we complain if we are not rewarded for our virtues?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-churton-collins/if-we-escape-punishment-for-our-vices-why-should-we-complain-if-we/) [John Churton Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-churton-collins/) > [A wise man thinks what is easy is difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-churton-collins/a-wise-man-thinks-what-is-easy-is-difficult/) [John Churton Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-churton-collins/) > [To ask advice is in nine cases out of ten to tout for flattery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-churton-collins/to-ask-advice-is-in-nine-cases-out-of-ten-to-tout-for-flattery/) [John Churton Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-churton-collins/) > [Suicide is the worst form of murder, because it leaves no opportunity for repentance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-churton-collins/suicide-is-the-worst-form-of-murder-because-it-leaves-no-opportunity/) [John Churton Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-churton-collins/) > [A fool often fails because he thinks what is difficult is easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-churton-collins/a-fool-often-fails-because-he-thinks-what-is-difficult-is-easy/) [John Churton Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-churton-collins/) > [Never trust a man who speaks well of everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-churton-collins/never-trust-a-man-who-speaks-well-of-everybody/) [John Churton Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-churton-collins/) [Explore all 19 John Churton Collins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-churton-collins/) ## More Danger quotes > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. 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No great party can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/there-are-dangers-in-consensus-it-could-be-an-attempt-to-satisfy/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [“I’ll always come back to you,” he said. “Always.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-grant/i-ll-always-come-back-to-you-he-said-always/) [Donna Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-grant/) > [All the dangers in our world are like a blessed wake up call. They tell us to live life NOW... not tomorrow, not when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/all-the-dangers-in-our-world-are-like-a-blessed-wake-up-call-they/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [Natural history is not taught in seminary. This is curious, as most people in pastoral ministry are about 567 times more likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-maitland/natural-history-is-not-taught-in-seminary-this-is-curious-as-most/) [Sara Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-maitland/) > [A sea setting us upon the ice has brought us close to danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hudson/a-sea-setting-us-upon-the-ice-has-brought-us-close-to-danger/) [Henry Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hudson/) > [“You are a lawmaker in your own right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/you-are-a-lawmaker-in-your-own-right/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [There's a danger in starting a fire, you'll never know how many bridges you'll burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-a-danger-in-starting-a-fire-you-ll-never-know-how-many/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This is the gift of your species and this is the danger, because you do not choose to control your imaginings. 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