Skip to content

Given Quote by Laozi

“Lightly given promises must meet with little trust.” quote by Laozi — Download Open image

“Lightly given promises must meet with little trust.”

About This Quote

Source Book: Tao Te Ching, Chapter 57, c. 400 BC

Promises given lightly deserve little trust.

In simple terms: Small promises earn little trust.

Key Takeaway

Make commitments seriously.

Themes

trust integrity commitment

Mood

reflective serious

Type

moral practical

When to use this quote

business agreements
personal relationships
team projects

Key Concepts

ethical behavior reliability

Questions to Reflect On

What promises have you broken unintentionally?
How can you rebuild trust after a lapse?

A Different Perspective

May ignore context where flexibility is needed.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4.0 out of 5 (5 ratings)

Given Given Promises Lightly Given Little Trust Littles Promise Promises Promises Meet Taoism Trust

More by Laozi

When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven.

Image

In lightness the root is lost. In haste the ruler is lost.

Image

If the sage wants to stand above people, he must speak to them from below. If he wants to lead people, he must follow…

Image

Goodie-goodies are the thieves of virtue.

Image

He that humbles himself shall be preserved entire. He that bends shall be made straight. He that is empty shall be filled. He that…

Image

The Way of the Sage is to act but not to compete.

Image

Do nondoing, strive for nonstriving, savor the flavorless, regard the small as important, make much of little, repay enmity with virtue; plan for difficulty…

Image

Without looking through the window, you can see Heaven's Way.

Image

Can you dissolve your ego? Can you abandon the idea of self and other? Can you relinquish the notions of male and female, short…

Image

The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…

Image

What's the difference between beautiful and ugly?

Image

In stillness the muddied water returns to clarity.

Image

Explore all 1,140 Laozi quotes

More Given quotes

I could not limit my values and pursuits to what makes others comfortable. Being possessed by a promise I live without options. I will…

Image

Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…

Image

A low-minded person should not be given good advice.

Image

The old charters of Massachusetts, Virginia, and the Carolinas had given title to strips of territory extending from the Atlantic westward to the Pacific.

Albert Bushnell Hart

Image

I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…

Image

Susan B. Anthony must be turning in her grave if she knew that millions of women who have the right to vote are not…

Madeleine M. Kunin

Image

I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.

Denzel Washington

Image

If life were like a competitive race, some people would be given a flying start and others would line up with weights tied to…

Image

Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Image

Music is one of the ways by which you can know everything which is going on in the world. You can feel... through music...…

Image

Today, at Harvard, any student with the currently fashionable color of skin is given rights denied to students of the currently unfashionable color.

Image

Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…

Image

Browse all 10,948 Given quotes