--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't test courage cautiously.”…" description: "\"“You can't test courage cautiously.” (Annie Dillard)”\" — Marcia Quinn Noren" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dd/marcia-quinn-noren-259417_courage_you-can-t-test-courage-cautiously-annie_1420247.jpg" --- # You can't test courage cautiously.” (Annie Dillard) ![“You can't test courage cautiously.” (Annie Dillard)” quote by Marcia Quinn Noren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dd/marcia-quinn-noren-259417_courage_you-can-t-test-courage-cautiously-annie_1420247.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dd/marcia-quinn-noren-259417_courage_you-can-t-test-courage-cautiously-annie_1420247.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dd/marcia-quinn-noren-259417_courage_you-can-t-test-courage-cautiously-annie_1420247.jpg) > ““You can't test courage cautiously.” (Annie Dillard)”” [Marcia Quinn Noren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-quinn-noren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Courage cannot be tested cautiously; true bravery requires risk. **In simple terms:** You cannot safely test bravery. Key Takeaway Embrace bold action despite fear. Themes courage risk personal growth Mood inspirational challenging Type literary motivational When to use this quote - adventure sports - public speaking - entrepreneurship Key Concepts psychology heroism decision theory Questions to Reflect On - When have you avoided a risky but rewarding act? - What does “cautiously” mean in bravery? A Different Perspective Cautious testing may prevent genuine learning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/annie-dillard/) [Cautiously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cautiously-749606/) [Cautiously Annie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cautiously-annie-5029062/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Courage Cautiously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage-cautiously-1500046/) [Inspirational quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-quotes/) [Test](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/test/) [Test Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/test-courage-535738/) ## Related quotes > [You can't test courage cautiously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/you-can-t-test-courage-cautiously/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [You can't test courage cautiously, so I ran hard and waved my arms hard, happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/you-can-t-test-courage-cautiously-so-i-ran-hard-and-waved-my-arms/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“I love Lena Horne's "It's not the load that breaks you down. It's the way you carry it." And Annie Dillard"s roughly remembered: Sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeri-parker/i-love-lena-horne-s-it-s-not-the-load-that-breaks-you-down-it-s-the/) [Jeri Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeri-parker/) > [“We teach our children one thing only, as we were taught: to wake up," claims Annie Dillard. That's just about the whole truth, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/we-teach-our-children-one-thing-only-as-we-were-taught-to-wake-up/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Eskimo: "If I did not know about God and sin, would I go to hell?" Priest: "No, not if you did not know." Eskimo:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/eskimo-if-i-did-not-know-about-god-and-sin-would-i-go-to-hell-priest-2/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [“In her book The Writing Life (1989), Annie Dillard tells the story of a fellow writer who was asked by a student, "Do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-fish/in-her-book-the-writing-life-1989-annie-dillard-tells-the-story-of-a/) [Stanley Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-fish/) > [“Perceptive and valuable personal explorations of time alone include A Book of Silence by Sara Maitland, Party of One by Anneli Rufus, Migrations to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-finkel/perceptive-and-valuable-personal-explorations-of-time-alone-include-a/) [Michael Finkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-finkel/) > [“I once assigned a graduate class Annie Dillard’s The Writing Life—a book I love—and one of the students said, “It’s so effing high-minded it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-olen-butler/i-once-assigned-a-graduate-class-annie-dillard-s-the-writing-life-a/) [Robert Olen Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-olen-butler/) > [“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. -Annie Dillard”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/how-we-spend-our-days-is-of-course-how-we-spend-our-lives-annie/) [Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/) > [“Annie Dillard was a pioneer in her Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1974. Among other notable examples are David…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/annie-dillard-was-a-pioneer-in-her-pilgrim-at-tinker-creek-which-won/) [Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/) > [“Annie Dillard famously writes, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”6 I came across Dillard’s words a couple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tish-harrison-warren/annie-dillard-famously-writes-how-we-spend-our-days-is-of-course-how/) [Tish Harrison Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tish-harrison-warren/) > [To preserve one's mind intact through a modern college education is a test of courage and endurance, but the battle is worth it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/to-preserve-one-s-mind-intact-through-a-modern-college-education-is-a/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [All of us have moments in our lives that test our courage. Taking children into a house with a white carpet is one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/all-of-us-have-moments-in-our-lives-that-test-our-courage-taking/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [The greatest test of courage is to bear defeat without losing heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-test-of-courage-is-to-bear-defeat-without-losing-heart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-least-expect-it-life-sets-us-a-challenge-to-test-our-courage/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Courage quotes > [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [“It takes tremendous courage, persistence, and perseverance to pursue your ultimate purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/it-takes-tremendous-courage-persistence-and-perseverance-to-pursue/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) [James T. Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-conway/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“Tranquillity is courage in repose. It is a statical manifestation of valor, as daring deeds are a dynamical. A truly brave man is ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inazo-nitobe/tranquillity-is-courage-in-repose-it-is-a-statical-manifestation-of/) [Inazo Nitobe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inazo-nitobe/) > [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/) [Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/) > [“Of all the train, none escaped except Wamba, who showed upon the occasion much more courage than those who pretended to greater sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/of-all-the-train-none-escaped-except-wamba-who-showed-upon-the/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“There is nothing purer, braver, or more beautiful than the try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-armstrong/there-is-nothing-purer-braver-or-more-beautiful-than-the-try/) [Kristen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-armstrong/) > [“One theory on cannibals, of course, is that they eat parts of their slain enemies to benefit from that person's greatest assets - their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/one-theory-on-cannibals-of-course-is-that-they-eat-parts-of-their/) [Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/) > [It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-is-a-tragedy-that-we-live-in-a-world-where-physical-courage-is-so/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [I have pictures with Morimoto where I'm all embarrassed and he's so serious, it took me 30 minutes to get up the courage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcela-valladolid/i-have-pictures-with-morimoto-where-i-m-all-embarrassed-and-he-s-so/) [Marcela Valladolid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcela-valladolid/) [Browse all 14,559 Courage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You can't test courage cautiously.” (Annie Dillard)”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marcia Quinn Noren" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-quinn-noren/you-can-t-test-courage-cautiously-annie-dillard/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Courage" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-quinn-noren/you-can-t-test-courage-cautiously-annie-dillard/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dd/marcia-quinn-noren-259417_courage_you-can-t-test-courage-cautiously-annie_1420247.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dd/marcia-quinn-noren-259417_courage_you-can-t-test-courage-cautiously-annie_1420247.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dd/marcia-quinn-noren-259417_courage_you-can-t-test-courage-cautiously-annie_1420247.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can't test courage cautiously.” (Annie Dillard)” — Marcia Quinn Noren", "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": "Marcia Quinn Noren", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-quinn-noren/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“You can't test courage cautiously.” (Annie...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-quinn-noren/you-can-t-test-courage-cautiously-annie-dillard/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-quinn-noren/you-can-t-test-courage-cautiously-annie-dillard/#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 } } ] } ```