--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whether he was acting ill or well he did…" description: "\"“Whether he was acting ill or well he did not know, and far from laying down the law about it, he now avoided talking or thinking about it. Thinking ab..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c65/leo-tolstoy-55_doubt_whether-he-was-acting-ill-or-well-he-did_725013.png" --- # Whether he was acting ill or well he did not know, and far… ![“Whether he was acting ill or well he did not know, and far from laying down the law about it, he now avoided talking or thinking about it. Thinking about it led him into doubts and prevented him from seeing what he should and should not do. But when he did not think, but just lived, he unceasingly…” quote by Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c65/leo-tolstoy-55_doubt_whether-he-was-acting-ill-or-well-he-did_725013.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c65/leo-tolstoy-55_doubt_whether-he-was-acting-ill-or-well-he-did_725013.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c65/leo-tolstoy-55_doubt_whether-he-was-acting-ill-or-well-he-did_725013.png) > ““Whether he was acting ill or well he did not know, and far from laying down the law about it, he now avoided talking or thinking about it. Thinking about it led him into doubts and prevented him from seeing what he should and should not do. But when he did not think, but just lived, he unceasingly felt in his soul the presence of an infallible judge deciding which of two actions was the better and which the worse; and as soon as he did what he should not have done he immediately felt this. In this way he lived, not knowing or seeing any possibility of knowing what he was or why he lived in the world.”” [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living without self‑reflection leads to inner conflict; acting without thought reveals moral judgment within. **In simple terms:** Unexamined actions cause inner turmoil. Key Takeaway Pause to reflect before acting. Themes self‑awareness morality inner conflict Mood introspective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily decisions - career choices - personal relationships - spiritual practice Key Concepts existentialism conscience ethical decision‑making Questions to Reflect On - What decisions do you make without reflection? - How can you balance thought and action? A Different Perspective Over‑analysis can cause paralysis; intuition also matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Did Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did-think/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Infallible Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infallible-judge-3343316/) [Judge Deciding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judge-deciding-5689937/) [Knowing Lived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing-lived-587968/) [Self knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-knowledge/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“Reasoning led him into doubt and kept him from seeing what he should and should not do. Yet when he did not think, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/reasoning-led-him-into-doubt-and-kept-him-from-seeing-what-he-should/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Punishment is God's. He alone is the infallible Judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/punishment-is-god-s-he-alone-is-the-infallible-judge/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Live each day knowing you lived your life to its fullest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-dawn-monks/live-each-day-knowing-you-lived-your-life-to-its-fullest/) [Victoria Dawn Monks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-dawn-monks/) > [The occurrence of an event is not the same thing as knowing what it is that one has lived through. Most people had not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-occurrence-of-an-event-is-not-the-same-thing-as-knowing-what-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be patient with all that is unsolved in your life. Learn to love the questions themselves, until some distant day, without your knowing, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/be-patient-with-all-that-is-unsolved-in-your-life-learn-to-love-the/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [The occurrence of an event is not the same thing as knowing what it is that one has lived through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-occurrence-of-an-event-is-not-the-same-thing-as-knowing-what-it-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“How could you just…not think ? I don’t understand you. I know we raised you better than that. You’ve completely disrespected us.” “I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-rae/how-could-you-just-not-think-i-don-t-understand-you-i-know-we-raised/) [Kristin Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-rae/) > [“Lockie got lost.’ ‘Yeah, he did.’ ‘But you found him.’ ‘I think we kind of found each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-trope/lockie-got-lost-yeah-he-did-but-you-found-him-i-think-we-kind-of/) [Nicole Trope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-trope/) > [“Why did I ever think I could stay away?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-claridge/why-did-i-ever-think-i-could-stay-away/) [Sara Claridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-claridge/) > [“Can you be brave?' I did not know. I did not think so. It seemed to me that all I had done so far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/can-you-be-brave-i-did-not-know-i-did-not-think-so-it-seemed-to-me/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I never for one minute questioned what I had to do. I did not think for one minute that I didn't have what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/i-never-for-one-minute-questioned-what-i-had-to-do-i-did-not-think/) [Louise Berliawsky Nevelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/) > [ With all the conceptual truths in the universe at His disposal \[Jesus\] did not give them something to think about together when He was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/with-all-the-conceptual-truths-in-the-universe-at-his-disposal-jesus/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [“I thought I did, but I guess I didn’t. But I did think I did, and it’s the thought that counts, right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-thought-i-did-but-i-guess-i-didn-t-but-i-did-think-i-did-and-it-s/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Did you think your boyfriend was going to stick around and watch you do THAT? If we weren’t related, I would’ve left too. Actually…is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-lothlorien/did-you-think-your-boyfriend-was-going-to-stick-around-and-watch-you/) [Elle Lothlorien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-lothlorien/) > [“Did you think of anyone else?” Enid had asked the folk of this household. “Did you think of the next generation that’ll have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-vaughn/did-you-think-of-anyone-else-enid-had-asked-the-folk-of-this/) [Carrie Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-vaughn/) ## More by Leo Tolstoy > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-only-significance-of-life-consists-in-helping-to-establish-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Energy rests upon love; and come as it will, there's no forcing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/energy-rests-upon-love-and-come-as-it-will-there-s-no-forcing-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“If you only knew what those society women are, and women in general! My father is right. Selfish, vain, stupid, trivial in everything—that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/if-you-only-knew-what-those-society-women-are-and-women-in-general-my/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To speak of it would be giving importance to that which has none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-speak-of-it-would-be-giving-importance-to-that-which-has-none/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Once we're thrown off our habitual paths, we think all is lost, but it's only here that the new and the good begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/once-we-re-thrown-off-our-habitual-paths-we-think-all-is-lost-but-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He knew she was there by the rapture and the terror that seized on his heart. She was standing talking to a lady at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-knew-she-was-there-by-the-rapture-and-the-terror-that-seized-on/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Rest, nature, books, music...such is my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/rest-nature-books-music-such-is-my-idea-of-happiness/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He was not to blame for being born with an irrepressible charachter and a mind some how constrained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-was-not-to-blame-for-being-born-with-an-irrepressible-charachter/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I ask one thing only: I ask for the right to hope, to suffer as I do. But if even that cannot be, command…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-ask-one-thing-only-i-ask-for-the-right-to-hope-to-suffer-as-i-do/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The idea shared by many that life is a vale of tears is just as false as the idea shared by the great majority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-idea-shared-by-many-that-life-is-a-vale-of-tears-is-just-as-false/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To say that a work of art is good, but incomprehensible to the majority of men, is the same as saying of some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-say-that-a-work-of-art-is-good-but-incomprehensible-to-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [True life is lived when tiny changes occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/true-life-is-lived-when-tiny-changes-occur/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) [Explore all 1,754 Leo Tolstoy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More Doubt quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I don't doubt that straight white men have identity issues and identity complexes and struggle with defining themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/i-don-t-doubt-that-straight-white-men-have-identity-issues-and/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) > [“Where there is doubt (shanka), there is misery. The moment one begins to doubt the knowledge that, 'I am Chandubhai,' misery arises. Once one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-is-doubt-shanka-there-is-misery-the-moment-one-begins-to/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [How could you feel worthless when God has honoured you by creating you and choosing you to be with Him, in this life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/how-could-you-feel-worthless-when-god-has-honoured-you-by-creating/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [“Let no one hope to find in contemplation an escape from conflict, from anguish or from doubt. On the contrary, the deep, inexpressible certitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/let-no-one-hope-to-find-in-contemplation-an-escape-from-conflict-from/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“Two powerful, little words I've learned to use when facing challenges, fears, and doubts— so what? ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/two-powerful-little-words-i-ve-learned-to-use-when-facing-challenges/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible - and no one can now doubt the word of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/for-diplomacy-to-be-effective-words-must-be-credible-and-no-one-can/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Vision motivates, sustains and dispels doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-young/vision-motivates-sustains-and-dispels-doubt/) [Thomas Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-young/) > [One may not doubt that, somehow Good Shall come of Water and of Mud; And sure, the reverent eye must see A purpose in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-brooke/one-may-not-doubt-that-somehow-good-shall-come-of-water-and-of-mud/) [Rupert Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-brooke/) > [Let smiles overshadow sadness. Let faith make you believe. Let confidence wash away doubts. Let love complete your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/let-smiles-overshadow-sadness-let-faith-make-you-believe-let/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [When in doubt, suggest that a subcommittee be appointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-chapman/when-in-doubt-suggest-that-a-subcommittee-be-appointed/) [Harry Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-chapman/) > [“Those who contemplate never escape the doubt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/those-who-contemplate-never-escape-the-doubt/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) [Browse all 9,582 Doubt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Whether he was acting ill or well he did not know, and far from laying down the law about it, he now avoided talking or thinking about it. 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