--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Better to put things at the worst at…" description: "\"Better to put things at the worst at first and reserve the best for a surprise.\" — Jules Verne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/jules-verne-795_firsts_better-to-put-things-at-the-worst-at-fir_2959407.jpg" --- # Better to put things at the worst at first and reserve the… ![“Better to put things at the worst at first and reserve the best for a surprise.” quote by Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/jules-verne-795_firsts_better-to-put-things-at-the-worst-at-fir_2959407.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/jules-verne-795_firsts_better-to-put-things-at-the-worst-at-fir_2959407.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/jules-verne-795_firsts_better-to-put-things-at-the-worst-at-fir_2959407.jpg) > “Better to put things at the worst at first and reserve the best for a surprise.” [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Start with the hardest part, saving the best for later surprise. **In simple terms:** Begin with challenges, keep best for climax. Key Takeaway Embrace difficulty early, reveal reward later. Themes strategy surprise planning Mood thoughtful strategic Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - project launches - storytelling - marketing campaigns - event planning Key Concepts Narrative tension psychology of anticipation Questions to Reflect On - How can early difficulty boost later impact? - What risks arise from withholding the best? A Different Perspective May delay gratification and reduce early motivation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Reserves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reserves/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) ## Related quotes > [“Orsini did not wait for compliments. Reserve is best countered by reserve.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shellabarger/orsini-did-not-wait-for-compliments-reserve-is-best-countered-by/) [Samuel Shellabarger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shellabarger/) > [“Better to put things at the worst at first," replied the engineer, "and reserve the best for a surprise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/better-to-put-things-at-the-worst-at-first-replied-the-engineer-and/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [“Best surprise ever.” I whispered in his face. Then I leaned in and kissed him hard and deep like it was the last kiss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-larsen/best-surprise-ever-i-whispered-in-his-face-then-i-leaned-in-and/) [K. Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-larsen/) > [“You, caveman, are the best surprise I've had in…my entire life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-cates/you-caveman-are-the-best-surprise-i-ve-had-in-my-entire-life/) [Georgia Cates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-cates/) > [The best surprise is no surprise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmons-wilson/the-best-surprise-is-no-surprise/) [Kemmons Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmons-wilson/) > [“But you’re my best surprise of all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-lane/but-you-re-my-best-surprise-of-all/) [Nina Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-lane/) > [“I love it. This is the best surprise ever, Tiger. 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Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-e-anderson/) ## More by Jules Verne > [Look with all your eyes, look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/look-with-all-your-eyes-look/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [“As I remarked before, the Asiatic elephant is smaller than the African, which is frequently twelve feet high, and its tusks are in proportion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/as-i-remarked-before-the-asiatic-elephant-is-smaller-than-the-african/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [As long as a man's heart beats, as long as a man's flesh quivers, I do not allow that a being gifted with thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/as-long-as-a-man-s-heart-beats-as-long-as-a-man-s-flesh-quivers-i-do/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [Now, when an American has an idea, he directly seeks a second American to share it. If there be three, they elect a president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/now-when-an-american-has-an-idea-he-directly-seeks-a-second-american/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [Well, my friend, this earth will one day be that cold corpse; it will become uninhabitable and uninhabited like the moon, which has long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/well-my-friend-this-earth-will-one-day-be-that-cold-corpse-it-will/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [Ah! Young people, travel if you can, and if you cannot - travel all the same!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/ah-young-people-travel-if-you-can-and-if-you-cannot-travel-all-the/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [It is always a vulgar and often an unhealthy pastime, and it is a vice which does not go alone; the man who gambles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/it-is-always-a-vulgar-and-often-an-unhealthy-pastime-and-it-is-a-vice/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [“My uncle” is the natives’ usual name for the tiger, they believing that the soul of each of their ancestors is lodged for eternity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/my-uncle-is-the-natives-usual-name-for-the-tiger-they-believing-that/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [“Kâlagani evidently knew this thinly-peopled region perfectly, and guided us across it most admirably. On the 29th September our train began to ascend the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/k-lagani-evidently-knew-this-thinly-peopled-region-perfectly-and/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [Well, I feel that we should always put a little art into what we do. It's better that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/well-i-feel-that-we-should-always-put-a-little-art-into-what-we-do-it/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [“— Isola in vendita per contanti, più le spese, al miglior offerente! — andava ripetendo a perdifiato Dean Felporg, banditore dell'auction, in cui venivano…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/isola-in-vendita-per-contanti-pi-le-spese-al-miglior-offerente-andava/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [It is certain," exclaimed my uncle in a tone of triumph. "But silence, do you hear me? silence upon the whole subject; and let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/it-is-certain-exclaimed-my-uncle-in-a-tone-of-triumph-but-silence-do/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [Man, a mere inhabitant of the earth, cannot overstep its boundaries! But though he is confined to its crust, he may penetrate into all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/man-a-mere-inhabitant-of-the-earth-cannot-overstep-its-boundaries-but/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [On the surface of the ocean, men wage war and destroy each other; but down here, just a few feet beneath the surface, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/on-the-surface-of-the-ocean-men-wage-war-and-destroy-each-other-but/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [In presence of Nature's grand convulsions man is powerless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/in-presence-of-nature-s-grand-convulsions-man-is-powerless/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) [Explore all 331 Jules Verne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) ## More Firsts quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. 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