--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We cannot be held to what is beyond our…" description: "\"We cannot be held to what is beyond our strength and means; for at times the accomplishment and execution may not be in our power, and indeed there is ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db1/michel-de-montaigne-142_accomplishment_we-cannot-be-held-to-what-is-beyond-our_2518868.jpg" --- # We cannot be held to what is beyond our strength and… ![“We cannot be held to what is beyond our strength and means; for at times the accomplishment and execution may not be in our power, and indeed there is nothing really in our own power except the will: on this are necessarily based and founded all the principles that regulate the duty of man.” quote by Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db1/michel-de-montaigne-142_accomplishment_we-cannot-be-held-to-what-is-beyond-our_2518868.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db1/michel-de-montaigne-142_accomplishment_we-cannot-be-held-to-what-is-beyond-our_2518868.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db1/michel-de-montaigne-142_accomplishment_we-cannot-be-held-to-what-is-beyond-our_2518868.jpg) > “We cannot be held to what is beyond our strength and means; for at times the accomplishment and execution may not be in our power, and indeed there is nothing really in our own power except the will: on this are necessarily based and founded all the principles that regulate the duty of man.” [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human capacity is limited; true power lies in will, not in external abilities, shaping moral duty. **In simple terms:** Will is our true strength. Key Takeaway Cultivate will over circumstance. Themes will human limits ethics personal responsibility Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - leadership - decision making - personal growth - adversity Key Concepts stoicism moral philosophy self‑governance Questions to Reflect On - How can will be exercised responsibly? - What limits does will face? A Different Perspective Will alone cannot change external constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accomplishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplishment/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Execution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/execution/) [Founded Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/founded-principles-983798/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power Necessarily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-necessarily-1230128/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Principles Regulate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles-regulate-1230127/) [Regulate Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regulate-duty-1230129/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [In stating the principles which regulate exchangeable value and price, we should carefully distinguish between those variations which belong to the commodity itself, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/in-stating-the-principles-which-regulate-exchangeable-value-and-price/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [What will increase one person's personal power will not necessarily be the same for another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/what-will-increase-one-person-s-personal-power-will-not-necessarily/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [In all sincere speech there is power, not necessarily great power, but as much as the speaker is capable of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/in-all-sincere-speech-there-is-power-not-necessarily-great-power-but/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [The responsible treatment of this particular Ring of Power is not necessarily to toss it into the Cracks of Doom. But we have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/the-responsible-treatment-of-this-particular-ring-of-power-is-not/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Power is a poison well known for thousands of years. If only no one were ever to acquire material power over others! But to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/power-is-a-poison-well-known-for-thousands-of-years-if-only-no-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We will not regard any great power as necessarily right in a given dispute unless we are convinced of this, yet at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-barrow/we-will-not-regard-any-great-power-as-necessarily-right-in-a-given/) [Errol Barrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-barrow/) > [A constitution founded on these principles introduces knowledge among the people, and inspires them with a conscious dignity becoming freemen; a general emulation takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/a-constitution-founded-on-these-principles-introduces-knowledge-among/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stockwell-day/canada-is-founded-upon-principles-that-recognize-the-supremacy-of-god/) [Stockwell Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stockwell-day/) > [This I hope will be the age of experiments in government, and that their basis will be founded in principles of honesty, not of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/this-i-hope-will-be-the-age-of-experiments-in-government-and-that/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [ \[The United States is\] founded on the principles of Christianity ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/the-united-states-is-founded-on-the-principles-of-christianity/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [Our country was founded upon the principles of debate and compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-moulton/our-country-was-founded-upon-the-principles-of-debate-and-compromise/) [Seth Moulton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-moulton/) > [Founded on the principles of private initiative, entrepreneurship and self-employment, underpinned by the values of democracy, equality and solidarity, the co-operative movement can help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/founded-on-the-principles-of-private-initiative-entrepreneurship-and/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [...the true greatness of a nation is founded on principles of humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-true-greatness-of-a-nation-is-founded-on-principles-of-humanity/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [At a lot of companies founded on principles, the notion of making money is almost antithetical to the ethos of the place. From the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mackey/at-a-lot-of-companies-founded-on-principles-the-notion-of-making/) [John Mackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mackey/) > [Horsemanship is the one art for which it seems one needs only practice. However, practice without true principles is nothing other than routine, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-robichon-de-la-gueriniere/horsemanship-is-the-one-art-for-which-it-seems-one-needs-only/) [Francois Robichon de La Gueriniere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-robichon-de-la-gueriniere/) ## More by Michel de Montaigne > [No man is exempt from saying silly things; the mischief is to say them deliberately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/no-man-is-exempt-from-saying-silly-things-the-mischief-is-to-say-them/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The laws keep up their credit, not by being just, but because they are laws; 'tis the mystic foundation of their authority; they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-laws-keep-up-their-credit-not-by-being-just-but-because-they-are/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Every one rushes elsewhere and into the future, because no one wants to face one's own inner self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/every-one-rushes-elsewhere-and-into-the-future-because-no-one-wants/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Beauty is the true prerogative of women, and so peculiarly their own, that our sex, though naturally requiring another sort of feature, is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/beauty-is-the-true-prerogative-of-women-and-so-peculiarly-their-own/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The height and value of true virtue consists in the facility, utility, and pleasure of its exercise; so far from difficulty, that boys, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-height-and-value-of-true-virtue-consists-in-the-facility-utility/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Fie on the eloquence that leaves us craving itself, not things!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/fie-on-the-eloquence-that-leaves-us-craving-itself-not-things/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The plainest sign of wisdom is a continual cheerfulness: her state is like that of things in the regions above the moon, always clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-plainest-sign-of-wisdom-is-a-continual-cheerfulness-her-state-is/) [Michel De Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The corruption of the age is made up by the particular contribution of every individual man; some contribute treachery, others injustice, atheism, tyranny, avarice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-corruption-of-the-age-is-made-up-by-the-particular-contribution/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [If people must be talking about me, I would have it to be truthfully and justly. I would willingly return from the next world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/if-people-must-be-talking-about-me-i-would-have-it-to-be-truthfully/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Most pleasures embrace us but to strangle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/most-pleasures-embrace-us-but-to-strangle/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [In true friendship, in which I am expert, I give myself to my friend more than I draw him to me. I not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/in-true-friendship-in-which-i-am-expert-i-give-myself-to-my-friend/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [There are as many and innumerable degrees of wit, as there are cubits between this and heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/there-are-as-many-and-innumerable-degrees-of-wit-as-there-are-cubits/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [A man has need of tough ears to hear himself fairly judged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/a-man-has-need-of-tough-ears-to-hear-himself-fairly-judged/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Lucius Arruntius killed himself, he said, to escape both the future and the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/lucius-arruntius-killed-himself-he-said-to-escape-both-the-future-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [I have a vocabulary all my own. I pass the time when itis wet and disagreeable. Whenit is fine I do not wish to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/i-have-a-vocabulary-all-my-own-i-pass-the-time-when-itis-wet-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) [Explore all 1,131 Michel de Montaigne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## More Accomplishment quotes > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [To accomplish much you must first lose everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/to-accomplish-much-you-must-first-lose-everything/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [One of the most important rules for success is this: Every great success is the result of hundreds and thousands of small efforts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/one-of-the-most-important-rules-for-success-is-this-every-great/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [For many of us, work is the one place where we feel appreciated. The things that we long to experience at home - pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/for-many-of-us-work-is-the-one-place-where-we-feel-appreciated-the/) [Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/) > [Humility is an elusive virtue. The more we pursue it - and the more we seem to acquire it - the more we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-aquilina/humility-is-an-elusive-virtue-the-more-we-pursue-it-and-the-more-we/) [Mike Aquilina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-aquilina/) > [I'm not always right, but I learn from my mistakes and make it a productive experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-kolhoff/i-m-not-always-right-but-i-learn-from-my-mistakes-and-make-it-a/) [Carson Kolhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-kolhoff/) > [Suffering in life can uncover untold depths of character and unknown strength for service. People who go through life unscathed by sorrow and untouched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/suffering-in-life-can-uncover-untold-depths-of-character-and-unknown/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/there-is-no-limit-to-the-amount-of-good-you-can-do-if-you-don-t-care/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Research is the live heart of the scientific life ... Greatness of position, respect for past accomplishments, the Nobel Prize itself -- none of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-gornick/research-is-the-live-heart-of-the-scientific-life-greatness-of/) [Vivian Gornick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-gornick/) > [“One man accomplishment Is another mans failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-sargent/one-man-accomplishment-is-another-mans-failure/) [Anthony Sargent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-sargent/) > [I expected college to feel like a major accomplishment. I walked across the stage, eight months pregnant with my almost seven-year-old daughter watching in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/i-expected-college-to-feel-like-a-major-accomplishment-i-walked/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [Our purpose on this earth is not one single event, an accomplishment we can check off a list. There is no test. No passing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-hand/our-purpose-on-this-earth-is-not-one-single-event-an-accomplishment/) [Cynthia Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-hand/) > [An untrained or uneducated Marine ... deployed to the combat zone is a bigger threat to mission accomplishment ... than the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/an-untrained-or-uneducated-marine-deployed-to-the-combat-zone-is-a/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) [Browse all 1,598 Accomplishment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplishment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We cannot be held to what is beyond our strength and means; for at times the accomplishment and execution may not be in our power, and indeed there is nothing really in our own power except the will: on this are necessarily based and founded all the principles that regulate the duty of man.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michel de Montaigne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/we-cannot-be-held-to-what-is-beyond-our-strength-and-means-for-at/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accomplishment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/we-cannot-be-held-to-what-is-beyond-our-strength-and-means-for-at/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db1/michel-de-montaigne-142_accomplishment_we-cannot-be-held-to-what-is-beyond-our_2518868.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db1/michel-de-montaigne-142_accomplishment_we-cannot-be-held-to-what-is-beyond-our_2518868.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db1/michel-de-montaigne-142_accomplishment_we-cannot-be-held-to-what-is-beyond-our_2518868.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We cannot be held to what is beyond our strength and means; for at times the accomplishment and execution…” — Michel de Montaigne", "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": "Michel de Montaigne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We cannot be held to what...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/we-cannot-be-held-to-what-is-beyond-our-strength-and-means-for-at/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/we-cannot-be-held-to-what-is-beyond-our-strength-and-means-for-at/#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 } } ] } ```