--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nothing is so great an adversary to those…" description: "\"Nothing is so great an adversary to those who make it their business to please as expectation.\" — Marcus Tullius Cicero" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98e/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_adversaries_nothing-is-so-great-an-adversary-to-thos_850821.jpg" --- # Nothing is so great an adversary to those who make it… ![“Nothing is so great an adversary to those who make it their business to please as expectation.” quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98e/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_adversaries_nothing-is-so-great-an-adversary-to-thos_850821.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98e/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_adversaries_nothing-is-so-great-an-adversary-to-thos_850821.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98e/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_adversaries_nothing-is-so-great-an-adversary-to-thos_850821.jpg) > “Nothing is so great an adversary to those who make it their business to please as expectation.” [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People who obsess over meeting expectations become trapped by them, losing authenticity. **In simple terms:** Chasing expectations can imprison you. Key Takeaway Avoid letting others' expectations dictate your actions. Themes expectations authenticity freedom Mood reflective determined Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - creative work - personal relationships - leadership Key Concepts philosophy psychology self‑control Questions to Reflect On - What expectations limit you? - How can you define success on your own terms? A Different Perspective Overcoming expectations may require confronting fear of judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversaries/) [Adversary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversary/) [Adversary Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversary-make-748672/) [Anticipation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anticipation/) [Business Expectation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business-expectation-748673/) [Expectation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectation/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Great Adversary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-adversary-748671/) [Please](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/please/) ## Related quotes > [Whether the mask is labeled fascism, democracy, or dictatorship of the proletariat, our great adversary remains the apparatus—the bureaucracy, the police, the military. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/whether-the-mask-is-labeled-fascism-democracy-or-dictatorship-of-the/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [It's a reality that in this business there's an expectation of being thin. But having a baby is a reality too, and it's more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-procter/it-s-a-reality-that-in-this-business-there-s-an-expectation-of-being/) [Emily Procter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-procter/) > [“Both, business expectation and scientific hypothesis serve the same purpose; both reflect an attempt at cognition and orientation in an imperfectly known world, both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-lachmann/both-business-expectation-and-scientific-hypothesis-serve-the-same/) [Ludwig Lachmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-lachmann/) > [Know my name is lost, By treason's tooth bare-gnawn and canker-bit; Yet am I noble as the adversary I come to cope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/know-my-name-is-lost-by-treason-s-tooth-bare-gnawn-and-canker-bit-yet/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I am looking for the human who admits his flaws Who shocks the adversary By being kinder not stronger What would that be like?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/i-am-looking-for-the-human-who-admits-his-flaws-who-shocks-the/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [I am the nice adversary, the guy that's going to ask the tough questions and is not going to be happy with the quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/i-am-the-nice-adversary-the-guy-that-s-going-to-ask-the-tough/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [God has not given us the spirit of fear. That comes from the adversary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/god-has-not-given-us-the-spirit-of-fear-that-comes-from-the-adversary/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [The Adversary seldom loses when you play on his playing field. It's called the home court advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-wright/the-adversary-seldom-loses-when-you-play-on-his-playing-field-it-s/) [Randall Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-wright/) > [Superwoman is the adversary of the women's movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/superwoman-is-the-adversary-of-the-women-s-movement/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [It is wrong to follow the advice of an adversary; nevertheless it is right to hear it, that you may do the contrary; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saadi/it-is-wrong-to-follow-the-advice-of-an-adversary-nevertheless-it-is/) [Saadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saadi/) > [An exhausted man easily falls prey to the adversary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-oswald-sanders/an-exhausted-man-easily-falls-prey-to-the-adversary/) [J. Oswald Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-oswald-sanders/) > [Only way to eliminate the element of surprise is to know yourself and now your adversary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-st-pierre/only-way-to-eliminate-the-element-of-surprise-is-to-know-yourself-and/) [Georges St-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-st-pierre/) > [Historically, it is important to try to understand your adversary in order to figure out how they are thinking, what they will be doing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/historically-it-is-important-to-try-to-understand-your-adversary-in/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [You negotiate in bad faith if you do not forgive your adversary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/you-negotiate-in-bad-faith-if-you-do-not-forgive-your-adversary/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [My adversary is the world of finance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/my-adversary-is-the-world-of-finance/) [Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/) ## More by Marcus Tullius Cicero > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This is a proof of a well-trained mind, to rejoice in what is good and to grieve at the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/this-is-a-proof-of-a-well-trained-mind-to-rejoice-in-what-is-good-and/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Let art, then, imitate nature, find what she desires, and follow as she directs. For in invention nature is never last, education never first;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/let-art-then-imitate-nature-find-what-she-desires-and-follow-as-she/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/gratitude-is-not-only-the-greatest-of-virtues-but-the-parent-of-all/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Things sacred should not only be touched with the hands, but unviolated in thought. \[Lat., Res sacros non modo manibus attingi, sed ne cogitatione…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/things-sacred-should-not-only-be-touched-with-the-hands-but/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Grief is not in the nature of things, but in opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/grief-is-not-in-the-nature-of-things-but-in-opinion/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Physicians, when the cause of disease is discovered, consider that the cure is discovered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/physicians-when-the-cause-of-disease-is-discovered-consider-that-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Nihil est incertius vulgo, nihil obscurius voluntate hominum, nihil fallacius ratione tota comitiorum. (Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/nihil-est-incertius-vulgo-nihil-obscurius-voluntate-hominum-nihil/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The foundations of justice are that on one shall suffer wrong; then, that the public good be promoted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-foundations-of-justice-are-that-on-one-shall-suffer-wrong-then/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“The life of the dead is set in the memory of the living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-life-of-the-dead-is-set-in-the-memory-of-the-living/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Pardon is granted to necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/pardon-is-granted-to-necessity/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Friendship embraces innumerable ends; turn where you will it is ever at your side; no barrier shuts it out; it is never untimely and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/friendship-embraces-innumerable-ends-turn-where-you-will-it-is-ever/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [History is the witness of the times, the light of truth, the life of memory, the teacher of life, the messenger of antiquity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/history-is-the-witness-of-the-times-the-light-of-truth-the-life-of/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The Jews belong to a dark and repulsive force. One knows how numerous this clique is, how they stick together and what power they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-jews-belong-to-a-dark-and-repulsive-force-one-knows-how-numerous/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Nature has planted in our minds an insatiable longing to see the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/nature-has-planted-in-our-minds-an-insatiable-longing-to-see-the-truth/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) [Explore all 1,068 Marcus Tullius Cicero quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) ## More Adversaries quotes > [In all matters of opinion, our adversaries are insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-all-matters-of-opinion-our-adversaries-are-insane/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Inanimate objects are sometimes parties to litigation. A ship has a legal personality, a fiction found useful for maritime purposes. The corporation sole -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/inanimate-objects-are-sometimes-parties-to-litigation-a-ship-has-a/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [There were various aspects of Sun Tzu's approach that appealed to Ho Chi Minh: a) to learn to understand both the enemy and yourself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-duiker/there-were-various-aspects-of-sun-tzu-s-approach-that-appealed-to-ho/) [William J. Duiker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-duiker/) > [Marriage, in my view, should be a balanced stalemate between equal adversaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/marriage-in-my-view-should-be-a-balanced-stalemate-between-equal/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If an adversary didn't target our power plants but they did target the core routers, the backbones that tie our internet connections together, entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-an-adversary-didn-t-target-our-power-plants-but-they-did-target/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [It's like I'm married to the silencer, Until I file for divorce and release my ex-calibers. Do art with your arteries, place that for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pharoahe-monch/it-s-like-i-m-married-to-the-silencer-until-i-file-for-divorce-and/) [Pharoahe Monch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pharoahe-monch/) > [Educational exchange can turn nations into people, contributing as no other form of communication can to the humanizing of international relations. Man's capacity for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/educational-exchange-can-turn-nations-into-people-contributing-as-no/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [Obama is hardly the first president to seek rapprochement with our adversaries and reconciliation with our enemies, of course. But his determination to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-f-hayes/obama-is-hardly-the-first-president-to-seek-rapprochement-with-our/) [Stephen F. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-f-hayes/) > [It is better to make friends than adversaries of a conquered race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-haydon/it-is-better-to-make-friends-than-adversaries-of-a-conquered-race/) [Benjamin Haydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-haydon/) > [“The most courageous act in politics is to try to understand your opponent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/the-most-courageous-act-in-politics-is-to-try-to-understand-your/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [My adversary is the world of finance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/my-adversary-is-the-world-of-finance/) [Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/) > [Often GOP political strategy seems like the human wave theory of the Chinese military translated to politics. Where Beijing uses masses of soldiers to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-morris/often-gop-political-strategy-seems-like-the-human-wave-theory-of-the/) [Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-morris/) > [Our ability to fall in love requires enough comfort with our masculinity to join it with someone's femininity and feel enhanced. .. . If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/our-ability-to-fall-in-love-requires-enough-comfort-with-our/) [Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) > [You negotiate in bad faith if you do not forgive your adversary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/you-negotiate-in-bad-faith-if-you-do-not-forgive-your-adversary/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [We should seek after spiritual gifts. They can lead us to God. They can shield us from the power of the adversary. They can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/we-should-seek-after-spiritual-gifts-they-can-lead-us-to-god-they-can/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) [Browse all 446 Adversaries quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversaries/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Nothing is so great an adversary to those who make it their business to please as expectation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marcus Tullius Cicero" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/nothing-is-so-great-an-adversary-to-those-who-make-it-their-business/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adversaries" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/nothing-is-so-great-an-adversary-to-those-who-make-it-their-business/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98e/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_adversaries_nothing-is-so-great-an-adversary-to-thos_850821.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98e/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_adversaries_nothing-is-so-great-an-adversary-to-thos_850821.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98e/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_adversaries_nothing-is-so-great-an-adversary-to-thos_850821.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Nothing is so great an adversary to those who make it their business to please as expectation.” — Marcus Tullius Cicero", "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": "Marcus Tullius Cicero", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Nothing is so great an adversary...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/nothing-is-so-great-an-adversary-to-those-who-make-it-their-business/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/nothing-is-so-great-an-adversary-to-those-who-make-it-their-business/#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 } } ] } ```