--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is the very use of coercion, positive…" description: "\"“It is the very use of coercion, positive or negative, that breaks or deadens the spirit, which is the source of motivation.”\" — Kelly Bryson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19e/kelly-bryson-50765_coercion_it-is-the-very-use-of-coercion-positive_1760768.jpg" --- # It is the very use of coercion, positive or negative, that… ![“It is the very use of coercion, positive or negative, that breaks or deadens the spirit, which is the source of motivation.” quote by Kelly Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19e/kelly-bryson-50765_coercion_it-is-the-very-use-of-coercion-positive_1760768.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19e/kelly-bryson-50765_coercion_it-is-the-very-use-of-coercion-positive_1760768.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19e/kelly-bryson-50765_coercion_it-is-the-very-use-of-coercion-positive_1760768.jpg) > ““It is the very use of coercion, positive or negative, that breaks or deadens the spirit, which is the source of motivation.”” [Kelly Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-bryson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Coercion, whether rewarding or punishing, stifles the inner drive that fuels motivation. **In simple terms:** Force kills motivation. Key Takeaway Avoid coercion to keep motivation alive. Themes motivation freedom psychology Mood reflective concerned Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - leadership - education - workplace - parenting Key Concepts intrinsic motivation control dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Can motivation thrive without any external influence? - How do you balance guidance and freedom? A Different Perspective Coercion can sometimes be necessary for safety or compliance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Coercion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coercion/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [Law is any application for the official use of coercion that succeeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-black/law-is-any-application-for-the-official-use-of-coercion-that-succeeds/) [Bob Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-black/) > [If we wish to preserve a free society, it is essential that we recognize that the desirability of a particular object is not sufficient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/if-we-wish-to-preserve-a-free-society-it-is-essential-that-we/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [“Psi technology had come far enough to use coercion, if necessary, as well as the usual inter-dimensional cloaking to avoid detection. And if she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcha-a-fox/psi-technology-had-come-far-enough-to-use-coercion-if-necessary-as/) [Marcha A. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcha-a-fox/) > [If God himself was not willing to use coercion to force man to accept certain religious views, man, uninspired and liable to error, ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/if-god-himself-was-not-willing-to-use-coercion-to-force-man-to-accept/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [The Spirit is like the steady axis of a wheel. If our attention reaches the immovable firm axis at the very centre of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/the-spirit-is-like-the-steady-axis-of-a-wheel-if-our-attention/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [Spirit is the source of peace. It is the source of joy. It is not a duality of happiness and unhappiness, but singular joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/spirit-is-the-source-of-peace-it-is-the-source-of-joy-it-is-not-a/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [“If you require force to promote your ideal, there is something wrong with your ideal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jsb-morse/if-you-require-force-to-promote-your-ideal-there-is-something-wrong/) JSB Morse > [“Men are moral beings in their untrammelled nature. If constraint and coercion can once be removed they will be happy and if they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-unsworth/men-are-moral-beings-in-their-untrammelled-nature-if-constraint-and/) [Barry Unsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-unsworth/) > [Economic freedom is an essential requisite for political freedom. By enabling people to cooperate with one another without coercion or central direction, it reduces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/economic-freedom-is-an-essential-requisite-for-political-freedom-by/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [There’s one thing that’s been 'learned' maybe from Tunisia and Egypt that I think is a mistake. And that is that the existing ruler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/there-s-one-thing-that-s-been-learned-maybe-from-tunisia-and-egypt/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) > [The First Amendment exists to protect our religious liberty--to ensure that all Americans are able to seek out worship God with all our hearts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-first-amendment-exists-to-protect-our-religious-liberty-to-ensure/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [“Therapy requires a collaborative working relationship in which both partners act on the basis of their implicit confidence in the value and efficacy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-lewis-herman/therapy-requires-a-collaborative-working-relationship-in-which-both/) [Judith Lewis Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-lewis-herman/) > [“Love is not coercion, and the state is only an agent of coercion. It has no other function and can work no other way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mcdurmon/love-is-not-coercion-and-the-state-is-only-an-agent-of-coercion-it/) Joel McDurmon > [Coercion is the basis of every law in the universe,--human or divine. A law is not law without coercion behind it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/coercion-is-the-basis-of-every-law-in-the-universe-human-or-divine-a/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) ## More by Kelly Bryson > [“and confused if someone does not appreciate their niceness. Others often sense this and avoid giving them feedback not only, effectively blocking the nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-bryson/and-confused-if-someone-does-not-appreciate-their-niceness-others/) [Kelly Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-bryson/) > [“Anyone want to help me start PAPA, Parents for Alternatives to Punishment Association? (There is already a group in England called ‘EPPOCH’ for end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-bryson/anyone-want-to-help-me-start-papa-parents-for-alternatives-to/) [Kelly Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-bryson/) > [“and self-responsibility can only occur where the child is surrounded with moral behavior and allowed to grow her own understanding of the ideals of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-bryson/and-self-responsibility-can-only-occur-where-the-child-is-surrounded/) [Kelly Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-bryson/) > [“If your creation is taking 99% perspiration, it stinks and you need more inspiration.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-bryson/if-your-creation-is-taking-99-perspiration-it-stinks-and-you-need/) [Kelly Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-bryson/) > [“When you use your energy and resources to punish people, you run out of energy and resources to protect people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-bryson/when-you-use-your-energy-and-resources-to-punish-people-you-run-out/) [Kelly Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-bryson/) > [“Creating “Correct” Children in the Classroom One of the most popular discipline programs in American schools is called Assertive Discipline. It teaches teachers to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-bryson/creating-correct-children-in-the-classroom-one-of-the-most-popular/) [Kelly Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-bryson/) [Explore all 7 Kelly Bryson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-bryson/) ## More Coercion quotes > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [Coercion is the basis of every law in the universe,--human or divine. A law is not law without coercion behind it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/coercion-is-the-basis-of-every-law-in-the-universe-human-or-divine-a/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [“Love is not coercion, and the state is only an agent of coercion. It has no other function and can work no other way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mcdurmon/love-is-not-coercion-and-the-state-is-only-an-agent-of-coercion-it/) Joel McDurmon > [“Therapy requires a collaborative working relationship in which both partners act on the basis of their implicit confidence in the value and efficacy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-lewis-herman/therapy-requires-a-collaborative-working-relationship-in-which-both/) [Judith Lewis Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-lewis-herman/) > [The First Amendment exists to protect our religious liberty--to ensure that all Americans are able to seek out worship God with all our hearts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-first-amendment-exists-to-protect-our-religious-liberty-to-ensure/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [There’s one thing that’s been 'learned' maybe from Tunisia and Egypt that I think is a mistake. And that is that the existing ruler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/there-s-one-thing-that-s-been-learned-maybe-from-tunisia-and-egypt/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) > [Economic freedom is an essential requisite for political freedom. By enabling people to cooperate with one another without coercion or central direction, it reduces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/economic-freedom-is-an-essential-requisite-for-political-freedom-by/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [“Men are moral beings in their untrammelled nature. If constraint and coercion can once be removed they will be happy and if they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-unsworth/men-are-moral-beings-in-their-untrammelled-nature-if-constraint-and/) [Barry Unsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-unsworth/) > [“If you require force to promote your ideal, there is something wrong with your ideal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jsb-morse/if-you-require-force-to-promote-your-ideal-there-is-something-wrong/) JSB Morse > [The idea of painless, nonthreatening coercion is an illusion. Fear is the inseparable companion of coercion, and its inescapable consequence. If you think it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holt/the-idea-of-painless-nonthreatening-coercion-is-an-illusion-fear-is/) [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) > [To say that we mutually agree to coercion is not to say that we are required to enjoy it, or even to pretend we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-hardin/to-say-that-we-mutually-agree-to-coercion-is-not-to-say-that-we-are/) [Garrett Hardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-hardin/) > [“There are always a dozen reasons for doing nothing," Ann liked to say--it was a favourite apologia, indeed, for many of her misdemeanours. "There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/there-are-always-a-dozen-reasons-for-doing-nothing-ann-liked-to-say/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The state is the only institution entitled to apply coercion and compulsion and to inflict harm upon individuals. This tremendous power cannot be abandoned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-state-is-the-only-institution-entitled-to-apply-coercion-and/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [So what is government?... Very simply, it is an agency of coercion. Of course, there are other agencies of coercion - such as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/so-what-is-government-very-simply-it-is-an-agency-of-coercion-of/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [“Coercing attitude drains your strength.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/coercing-attitude-drains-your-strength/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) [Browse all 310 Coercion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coercion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is the very use of coercion, positive or negative, that breaks or deadens the spirit, which is the source of motivation.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kelly Bryson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-bryson/it-is-the-very-use-of-coercion-positive-or-negative-that-breaks-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Coercion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-bryson/it-is-the-very-use-of-coercion-positive-or-negative-that-breaks-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19e/kelly-bryson-50765_coercion_it-is-the-very-use-of-coercion-positive_1760768.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19e/kelly-bryson-50765_coercion_it-is-the-very-use-of-coercion-positive_1760768.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19e/kelly-bryson-50765_coercion_it-is-the-very-use-of-coercion-positive_1760768.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is the very use of coercion, positive or negative, that breaks or deadens the spirit, which is the source…” — Kelly Bryson", "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": "Kelly Bryson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-bryson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It is the very use of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-bryson/it-is-the-very-use-of-coercion-positive-or-negative-that-breaks-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-bryson/it-is-the-very-use-of-coercion-positive-or-negative-that-breaks-or/#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 } } ] } ```