--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I fear is complacency. When things…" description: "\"What I fear is complacency. When things always become better, people tend to want more for less work.\" — Lee Kuan Yew" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/lee-kuan-yew-3939_complacency_what-i-fear-is-complacency-when-things-a_359680.jpg" --- # What I fear is complacency. When things always become… ![“What I fear is complacency. When things always become better, people tend to want more for less work.” quote by Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/lee-kuan-yew-3939_complacency_what-i-fear-is-complacency-when-things-a_359680.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/lee-kuan-yew-3939_complacency_what-i-fear-is-complacency-when-things-a_359680.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/lee-kuan-yew-3939_complacency_what-i-fear-is-complacency-when-things-a_359680.jpg) > “What I fear is complacency. When things always become better, people tend to want more for less work.” [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Complacency arises when progress feels effortless, leading to reduced effort for greater rewards. **In simple terms:** Success can make people lazy. Key Takeaway Stay vigilant and keep challenging yourself. Themes progress complacency motivation Mood cautious motivational Type leadership inspirational When to use this quote - business growth - public policy - personal development - education reform Key Concepts Behavioral economics leadership self‑discipline Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize when you’re becoming complacent? - What habits keep you striving? A Different Perspective Complacency can be hard to detect early. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Complacency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complacency/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Singapore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singapore/) ## Related quotes > [America faces many challenges...but the enemy I fear most is complacency. We are about to be hit by the full force of global competition.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/america-faces-many-challenges-but-the-enemy-i-fear-most-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Fear & complacency allow power to accumulate & liberty & privacy to suffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/fear-complacency-allow-power-to-accumulate-liberty-privacy-to-suffer/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [Of all the things a leader should fear, complacency heads the list.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/of-all-the-things-a-leader-should-fear-complacency-heads-the-list/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [But we either believe in democracy or we not. If we do, then, we must say categorically, without qualification, that no restraint from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/but-we-either-believe-in-democracy-or-we-not-if-we-do-then-we-must/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [I pointed to an article with bold headlines reporting that the police had refused to allow the PAP to hold a rally at Empress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/i-pointed-to-an-article-with-bold-headlines-reporting-that-the-police/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [“I did not know I was to spend the rest of my life getting Singapore not just to work but to prosper and flourish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/i-did-not-know-i-was-to-spend-the-rest-of-my-life-getting-singapore/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [I’m not interested in changing either my suit or my car or whatever with every change in fashion. That’s irrelevant. I don’t judge myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/i-m-not-interested-in-changing-either-my-suit-or-my-car-or-whatever/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [It is essential to rear a generation at the very top of society that has all the qualities needed to lead and give the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/it-is-essential-to-rear-a-generation-at-the-very-top-of-society-that/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [If you don’t include your women graduates in your breeding pool and leave them on the shelf, you would end up a more stupid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/if-you-don-t-include-your-women-graduates-in-your-breeding-pool-and/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [Political reform need not go hand in hand with economic liberalization.. I hold unconventional views about this.. I do not believe if you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/political-reform-need-not-go-hand-in-hand-with-economic/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [You know, the cure for all this talk is really a good dose of incompetent government. You get that alternative and you'll never put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/you-know-the-cure-for-all-this-talk-is-really-a-good-dose-of-2/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [Whoever governs Singapore must have that iron in him. Or give it up. This is not a game of cards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/whoever-governs-singapore-must-have-that-iron-in-him-or-give-it-up/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [I have no regrets.I have spent my life,so much of it, building up this country. There's nothing more that I need to do. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/i-have-no-regrets-i-have-spent-my-life-so-much-of-it-building-up-this/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [I have said this on many a previous occasion: that had the mix in Singapore been different, had it been 75% Indians, 15% Malays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/i-have-said-this-on-many-a-previous-occasion-that-had-the-mix-in/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [Three women were brought to the Singapore General Hospital, each in the same condition and needing a blood transfusion. The first, a Southeast Asian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/three-women-were-brought-to-the-singapore-general-hospital-each-in/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) ## More by Lee Kuan Yew > [“You know, the cure for all this talk is really a good dose of incompetent government. You get that alternative and you'll never put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/you-know-the-cure-for-all-this-talk-is-really-a-good-dose-of/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [The Bell curve is a fact of life. The blacks on average score 85 per cent on IQ and it is accurate, nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/the-bell-curve-is-a-fact-of-life-the-blacks-on-average-score-85-per/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [I'm not saying that everything I did was right, but everything I did was for an honourable purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/i-m-not-saying-that-everything-i-did-was-right-but-everything-i-did/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [If, for instance, you put in a Malay officer who's very religious and who has family ties in Malaysia in charge of a machine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/if-for-instance-you-put-in-a-malay-officer-who-s-very-religious-and/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [Supposing Catherine Lim was writing about me and not the prime minister...She would not dare, right? Because my posture, my response has been such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/supposing-catherine-lim-was-writing-about-me-and-not-the-prime/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [You marry a non-graduate, then you are going to worry if your son or daughter is going to make it to the university.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/you-marry-a-non-graduate-then-you-are-going-to-worry-if-your-son-or/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [That was the year the British decided to get out and sell everything. So I immediately held an election. I knew the people will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/that-was-the-year-the-british-decided-to-get-out-and-sell-everything/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [A leader without the vision, to strive to improve things, is no good. Then you will just stay put, you won't progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/a-leader-without-the-vision-to-strive-to-improve-things-is-no-good/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [India is scared of the competition... because Chinese goods will go into India and compete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/india-is-scared-of-the-competition-because-chinese-goods-will-go-into/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [I was a product of the times, the war, the occupation, the reoccupation, my 4 years in Britain, admiring but at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/i-was-a-product-of-the-times-the-war-the-occupation-the-reoccupation/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [Three women were brought to the Singapore General Hospital, each in the same condition and needing a blood transfusion. The first, a Southeast Asian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/three-women-were-brought-to-the-singapore-general-hospital-each-in/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [I have said this on many a previous occasion: that had the mix in Singapore been different, had it been 75% Indians, 15% Malays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/i-have-said-this-on-many-a-previous-occasion-that-had-the-mix-in/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [I have decided that we shall make and build and never give way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/i-have-decided-that-we-shall-make-and-build-and-never-give-way/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [Nine holes of golf will take you one-and-a-half, two hours. I run in 20 minutes, I feel better off. So the cost benefit made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/nine-holes-of-golf-will-take-you-one-and-a-half-two-hours-i-run-in-20/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [I don't think I made a conscious decision as a career choice. From my school days I had decided, persuaded by my parents, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/i-don-t-think-i-made-a-conscious-decision-as-a-career-choice-from-my/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) [Explore all 119 Lee Kuan Yew quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) ## More Complacency quotes > [“Complacency delivered us into the hands of evil greedy men like Cheney.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-rumzi/complacency-delivered-us-into-the-hands-of-evil-greedy-men-like-cheney/) [Sonia Rumzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-rumzi/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [Don't let your success of today lay you into complacency for tomorrow. For that is the worst form of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/don-t-let-your-success-of-today-lay-you-into-complacency-for-tomorrow/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [One of the reasons people hate politics is that truth is rarely a politician's objective. Election and power are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/one-of-the-reasons-people-hate-politics-is-that-truth-is-rarely-a/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [We are the best the show, others weak hold. Just to get complacency / which does not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/we-are-the-best-the-show-others-weak-hold-just-to-get-complacency/) Mak\_786 > [“It’s a fallacy that this generation does not know how to love as its predecessor did. Truth of the matter is, modern love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebo-grand/it-s-a-fallacy-that-this-generation-does-not-know-how-to-love-as-its/) [Lebo Grand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebo-grand/) > [“To move forward, one need only take the first step,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chase-neill/to-move-forward-one-need-only-take-the-first-step/) Chase Neill > [Plato calls complacency the companion of loneliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/plato-calls-complacency-the-companion-of-loneliness/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [“Half the ingratitude and complacency in the world down to how slowly and imperceptibly most good and bad things unfold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/half-the-ingratitude-and-complacency-in-the-world-down-to-how-slowly/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Don't let your special character and values, the secret that you know and no one else does, the truth - don't let that get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/don-t-let-your-special-character-and-values-the-secret-that-you-know/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [In the mind engaged in struggling with hardship, one always finds something delightful. The sorrow of disappointment arises in the complacency of satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/in-the-mind-engaged-in-struggling-with-hardship-one-always-finds/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [Complacency is a creeping danger. Unless wisdom sets in, you will never come to your senses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jey-lopez/complacency-is-a-creeping-danger-unless-wisdom-sets-in-you-will-never/) [Jey Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jey-lopez/) > [I have spoken about what we can do as citizens, what we can do as a responsive citizenry, and this is where we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/i-have-spoken-about-what-we-can-do-as-citizens-what-we-can-do-as-a/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [“Listen to Mr. Complacency long enough and he'll convince you that what you really, really need is a nap.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-and-brett-harris/listen-to-mr-complacency-long-enough-and-he-ll-convince-you-that-what/) Alex and Brett Harris > [I always say, complacency is the kiss of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shari-redstone/i-always-say-complacency-is-the-kiss-of-death/) [Shari Redstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shari-redstone/) [Browse all 437 Complacency quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complacency/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What I fear is complacency. 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