--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To sensible men, every day is a day of…" description: "\"To sensible men, every day is a day of reckoning.\" — John W. Gardner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/john-w-gardner-7687_every-day_to-sensible-men-every-day-is-a-day-of-re_73076.jpg" --- # To sensible men, every day is a day of reckoning. ![“To sensible men, every day is a day of reckoning.” quote by John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/john-w-gardner-7687_every-day_to-sensible-men-every-day-is-a-day-of-re_73076.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/john-w-gardner-7687_every-day_to-sensible-men-every-day-is-a-day-of-re_73076.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/john-w-gardner-7687_every-day_to-sensible-men-every-day-is-a-day-of-re_73076.jpg) > “To sensible men, every day is a day of reckoning.” [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Each day presents an inevitable accounting of one's choices and responsibilities, urging continual self‑assessment. **In simple terms:** Daily self‑audit Key Takeaway Live with accountability Themes Responsibility Self‑reflection Ethics Time Mortality Mood Thoughtful Serious Type Philosophical Motivational When to use this quote - Making decisions at work - Evaluating personal habits - Facing ethical dilemmas Key Concepts Moral accountability Personal growth Existential awareness Practical Applications - Personal journaling - Leadership coaching Questions to Reflect On - How does daily reflection shape your actions? - What habits help you stay accountable? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Day Reckoning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-reckoning-359857/) [Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Karma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/karma/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Reckoning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reckoning/) [Sensible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensible/) [Sensible Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensible-men-954335/) [Wise words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-words/) ## Related quotes > [This is the essence of all sciences - that you should know who you will be when the Day of Reckoning arrives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/this-is-the-essence-of-all-sciences-that-you-should-know-who-you-will/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Chili, spice of red Thursday, which is the day of reckoning. Day which invites us to pick up the sack of our existence and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chitra-banerjee-divakaruni/chili-spice-of-red-thursday-which-is-the-day-of-reckoning-day-which/) [Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chitra-banerjee-divakaruni/) > [What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar? To whom will you run for help? Where will you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah/what-will-you-do-on-the-day-of-reckoning-when-disaster-comes-from/) [Isaiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah/) > [Now that the day of reckoning has arrived, they cry socialism!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/now-that-the-day-of-reckoning-has-arrived-they-cry-socialism/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My belief in a day of reckoning keeps me on the straight and narrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-gubay/my-belief-in-a-day-of-reckoning-keeps-me-on-the-straight-and-narrow/) [Albert Gubay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-gubay/) > [It is just human nature to take time to connect the dots, I know that. But I also know that there can be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/it-is-just-human-nature-to-take-time-to-connect-the-dots-i-know-that/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [“In every life, there comes a day of reckoning - a time when unsettled scores demand retribution, and our own lies and transgressions are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thorne/in-every-life-there-comes-a-day-of-reckoning-a-time-when-unsettled/) [Emily Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thorne/) > [If you wish information and improvement from the knowledge of others, and yet at the same time express yourself as firmly fix'd in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/if-you-wish-information-and-improvement-from-the-knowledge-of-others/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Sensible men are all of the same religion. Religious sentiments cannot be stirred up within righteous people of any religion for instigating them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-amit-abraham/sensible-men-are-all-of-the-same-religion-religious-sentiments-cannot/) [Dr. Amit Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-amit-abraham/) > [There is nothing by which men display their character so much as in what they consider ridiculous... Fools and sensible men are equally innocuous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/there-is-nothing-by-which-men-display-their-character-so-much-as-in/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“A day may come when all hope is lost; when the oceans run red with our blood, and our darkest hour is upon us—…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-blackwick/a-day-may-come-when-all-hope-is-lost-when-the-oceans-run-red-with-our/) [Louise Blackwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-blackwick/) > [“Not only is there often a right and wrong, but what goes around does come around, Karma exists, chickens do come home to roost,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-van-de-mark/not-only-is-there-often-a-right-and-wrong-but-what-goes-around-does-2/) [Donald Van de Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-van-de-mark/) > [“Not only is there often a right and wrong, but what goes around does come around, Karma exists, chickens do come home to roost,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-van-de-mark/not-only-is-there-often-a-right-and-wrong-but-what-goes-around-does/) [Donald Van de Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-van-de-mark/) > [I see that sensible men and conscientious men all over the world were of one religion, -- the religion of well-doing and daring, men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-see-that-sensible-men-and-conscientious-men-all-over-the-world-were/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A single seed of fact will produce in a season or two a harvest of calumnies; but sensible men will pay no attention to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/a-single-seed-of-fact-will-produce-in-a-season-or-two-a-harvest-of/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) ## More by John W. Gardner > [“We are continually faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/we-are-continually-faced-with-a-series-of-great-opportunities/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [One man interacting creatively with others can move the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/one-man-interacting-creatively-with-others-can-move-the-world/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [All excellence involves discipline and tenacity of purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/all-excellence-involves-discipline-and-tenacity-of-purpose/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [Tax reduction has an almost irresistible appeal to the politician, and it is no doubt also gratifying to the citizen. It means more dollars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/tax-reduction-has-an-almost-irresistible-appeal-to-the-politician-and/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [We get richer and richer in filthier and filthier communities until we reach a final state of affluent misery - crocus on a garbage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/we-get-richer-and-richer-in-filthier-and-filthier-communities-until/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [At home we have lost the capacity to see what is before us. Travel shakes us out of our apathy, and we regain an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/at-home-we-have-lost-the-capacity-to-see-what-is-before-us-travel/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [Some people have greatness thrust upon them. Few have excellence thrust upon them ... They achieve it. They do not achieve it unwittingly by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/some-people-have-greatness-thrust-upon-them-few-have-excellence/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [Leaders come in many forms, with many styles and diverse qualities. There are quiet leaders and leaders one can hear in the next county.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/leaders-come-in-many-forms-with-many-styles-and-diverse-qualities/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [The ultimate goal of the educational system is to shift to the individual the burden of pursuing his education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/the-ultimate-goal-of-the-educational-system-is-to-shift-to-the/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [The first and last task of aleader is to keep hope alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/the-first-and-last-task-of-aleader-is-to-keep-hope-alive/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [An excellent plumber is infinitely more admirable than an incompetent philosopher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/an-excellent-plumber-is-infinitely-more-admirable-than-an-incompetent/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [There is no learning without some difficulty and fumbling. If you want to keep on learning, you must keep on risking failure-all your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/there-is-no-learning-without-some-difficulty-and-fumbling-if-you-want/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [All of us celebrate our values in our behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/all-of-us-celebrate-our-values-in-our-behavior/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [Some people seem to believe that for each problem there is a solution readily available - a solution that can be promptly achieved by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/some-people-seem-to-believe-that-for-each-problem-there-is-a-solution/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [In the artist's recreation of the world we are enabled to see the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/in-the-artist-s-recreation-of-the-world-we-are-enabled-to-see-the/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) [Explore all 88 John W. Gardner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) ## More Every day quotes > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) [Alison James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-james/) > [OBSESSED, p.p. Vexed by an evil spirit, like the Gadarene swine and other critics. Obsession was once more common than it is now. Arasthus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/obsessed-p-p-vexed-by-an-evil-spirit-like-the-gadarene-swine-and/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-loved-the-game-so-much-that-even-though-our-playing-field-was-muddy/) [Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/) > [On stage, you can bring all those strong emotions that you don't have the opportunity to live. You don't want to die for love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/on-stage-you-can-bring-all-those-strong-emotions-that-you-don-t-have/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-christian-in-an-odd-number-anyway-he-feels-supreme-love-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think naturally I've been kind of a lead-by-doing guy. Just showing up to work every day. You never ask teammates something you wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrell-suggs/i-think-naturally-i-ve-been-kind-of-a-lead-by-doing-guy-just-showing/) [Terrell Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrell-suggs/) > [Love is the Key started in 1994 with a simple idea: that Love is the Key that would open all the doors in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/love-is-the-key/love-is-the-key-started-in-1994-with-a-simple-idea-that-love-is-the/) [Love Is The Key®](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/love-is-the-key/) > [Being under-recruited coming out of Highland, I've carried that with me. I keep pushing forward, keep working hard every day, keep my head on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-daniels/being-under-recruited-coming-out-of-highland-i-ve-carried-that-with/) [Mike Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-daniels/) > [“(one would say yes, if not every day, at least fairly regularly), whether only for yourself or also for others (often only for yourself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-calvino/one-would-say-yes-if-not-every-day-at-least-fairly-regularly-whether/) [Italo Calvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-calvino/) > [“Are you sure?" he asked in a low voice. "Because if I had the chance... I would spend every moment of every day with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-monir/are-you-sure-he-asked-in-a-low-voice-because-if-i-had-the-chance-i/) [Alexandra Monir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-monir/) > [I don't think I've ever bench-pressed anything in my life. Until about two years ago I swam a mile almost every day. Then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-antosca/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-bench-pressed-anything-in-my-life-until-about/) [Nick Antosca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-antosca/) > [I have to justify my job every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-silva/i-have-to-justify-my-job-every-day/) [Marco Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-silva/) > [Merlin' was awesome, but the costumes would drive you insane. Every day, you'd get into chain mail and wear 30 pounds of that stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-macken/merlin-was-awesome-but-the-costumes-would-drive-you-insane-every-day/) [Eoin Macken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-macken/) > [This cold weather has set all the young Folks to providing Bedfellows. I have signed two or three Licences every Day \[as a Fairfax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/this-cold-weather-has-set-all-the-young-folks-to-providing-bedfellows/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [I work every day. Sometimes I don't accomplish anything every day, but if I don't work every day, I get depressed and get afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-work-every-day-sometimes-i-don-t-accomplish-anything-every-day-but/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) [Browse all 16,614 Every day quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To sensible men, every day is a day of reckoning.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John W. 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