--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's better to be impulsive than…" description: "\"“It's better to be impulsive than cautious; fortune is female and if you want to stay on top of her you have to slap and thrust. You'll see she's more ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/niccolo-machiavelli-368_fortune_it-s-better-to-be-impulsive-than-cautiou_219519.jpg" --- # It's better to be impulsive than cautious; fortune is… ![“It's better to be impulsive than cautious; fortune is female and if you want to stay on top of her you have to slap and thrust. You'll see she's more likely to yield that way than to men who go about her coldly. And being a woman she likes her men young, because they're not so cagey, they're…” quote by Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/niccolo-machiavelli-368_fortune_it-s-better-to-be-impulsive-than-cautiou_219519.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/niccolo-machiavelli-368_fortune_it-s-better-to-be-impulsive-than-cautiou_219519.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/niccolo-machiavelli-368_fortune_it-s-better-to-be-impulsive-than-cautiou_219519.jpg) > ““It's better to be impulsive than cautious; fortune is female and if you want to stay on top of her you have to slap and thrust. You'll see she's more likely to yield that way than to men who go about her coldly. And being a woman she likes her men young, because they're not so cagey, they're wilder and more daring when they master her.”” [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Impulsivity and bold action are portrayed as more effective than cautious restraint in gaining favor, especially with women. **In simple terms:** Bold action wins over caution. Key Takeaway Act boldly to seize opportunities. Themes power gender risk strategy Mood provocative assertive Type philosophical political When to use this quote - political maneuvering - romantic pursuit - career advancement - personal relationships Key Concepts Machiavellianism human nature courtship Questions to Reflect On - Is impulsivity always advantageous? - When does caution become a virtue? A Different Perspective Boldness can backfire if misapplied or unethical. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) ## Related quotes > [“I conclude therefore that, fortune being changeful and mankind steadfast in their ways, so long as the two are in agreement men are successful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/i-conclude-therefore-that-fortune-being-changeful-and-mankind/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [It is better to be adventurous than cautious, because fortune is a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-better-to-be-adventurous-than-cautious-because-fortune-is-a/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“IN MY VIEW…IT IS BETTER TO BE IMPETUOUS THAN CAUTIOUS, BECAUSE FORTUNE IS A WOMAN, AND IF YOU WISH TO DOMINATE HER YOU MUST…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/50-cent/in-my-view-it-is-better-to-be-impetuous-than-cautious-because-fortune/) [50 Cent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/50-cent/) > [“Being feared and not hated go well together, and the prince can always do this if he does not touch the property or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/being-feared-and-not-hated-go-well-together-and-the-prince-can-always/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [No government can be strong and flourishing while the national character is weak and degraded. A government must flourish and decay with its subjects;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-robbins-curtis/no-government-can-be-strong-and-flourishing-while-the-national/) [Benjamin Robbins Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-robbins-curtis/) > [I love the royal family. I even got up in the middle of the night to watch Kate and William's wedding. And I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-collins/i-love-the-royal-family-i-even-got-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night-to/) [Lily Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-collins/) > [I personally felt that his ad hominen attacks on British architects were not the sort of thing a Prince of Wales should be doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-holden/i-personally-felt-that-his-ad-hominen-attacks-on-british-architects/) [Anthony Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-holden/) > [“My uncle plans everything,’ said Laurent, as though reading Damen’s thoughts. ‘He plans for victory and he plans for defeat. It was you who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-pacat/my-uncle-plans-everything-said-laurent-as-though-reading-damen-s/) [C.S. Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-pacat/) > [Minneapolis has always been a mythical place for me because my mom is a massive Prince fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/minneapolis-has-always-been-a-mythical-place-for-me-because-my-mom-is/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [“The ache of loss didn’t make sense, because Laurent had never been his. He had known that. The delicate thing that had grown between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-pacat/the-ache-of-loss-didn-t-make-sense-because-laurent-had-never-been-his/) [C.S. Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-pacat/) > [“I’d like to say I deserve you, but the truth is I don’t and never will. You deserve a prince, and you’re not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-mclaughlin/i-d-like-to-say-i-deserve-you-but-the-truth-is-i-don-t-and-never-will/) [Jen McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-mclaughlin/) > [“The Prince had fallen in love. She was only a farmer's daughter, but she was was beautiful, and also smart, as the daughters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/the-prince-had-fallen-in-love-she-was-only-a-farmer-s-daughter-but/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [After we first met, Prince told me Graham Central Station was one of his biggest influences - then he went back and listened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-graham/after-we-first-met-prince-told-me-graham-central-station-was-one-of/) [Larry Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-graham/) > [People still knew me as Charles, so when I came across Charlemagne in a history book, that sounded good: Charles the Great, a warrior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlamagne-tha-god/people-still-knew-me-as-charles-so-when-i-came-across-charlemagne-in/) [Charlamagne tha God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlamagne-tha-god/) > [“Damen's understanding of Laurent rearranged itself, in order that he might despise him more accurately.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-u-pacat/damen-s-understanding-of-laurent-rearranged-itself-in-order-that-he/) [S.U. Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-u-pacat/) ## More by Niccolò Machiavelli > [Men generally decide upon a middle course, which is most hazardous, for they know neither how to be entirely good nor entirely bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-generally-decide-upon-a-middle-course-which-is-most-hazardous-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-there-are-three-classes-of-intellects-one-which-comprehends/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [It is the duty of a man of honor to teach others the good which he has not been able to do himself because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-the-duty-of-a-man-of-honor-to-teach-others-the-good-which-he/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Anyone who believes that new benefits make men of high station forget old injuries deceives himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/anyone-who-believes-that-new-benefits-make-men-of-high-station-forget/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [He who has once begun to live by rapine always finds reasons for taking what is not his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-has-once-begun-to-live-by-rapine-always-finds-reasons-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Everyone who wants to know what will happen ought to examine what has happened: everything in this world in any epoch has their replicas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/everyone-who-wants-to-know-what-will-happen-ought-to-examine-what-has/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Speaking generally, men are ungrateful, fickle, hypocritical, fearful odanger and covetous ogain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/speaking-generally-men-are-ungrateful-fickle-hypocritical-fearful/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [There is nothing as likely to succeed as what the enemy believes you cannot attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/there-is-nothing-as-likely-to-succeed-as-what-the-enemy-believes-you/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearance, as though they were realities and are often more influenced by the things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/for-the-great-majority-of-mankind-are-satisfied-with-appearance-as/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [That prince is highly esteemed who conveys this impression of himself, and he who is highly esteemed is not easily conspired against; for, provided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/that-prince-is-highly-esteemed-who-conveys-this-impression-of-himself/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Anyone who studies present and ancient affairs will easily see how in all cities and all peoples there still exist, and have always existed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/anyone-who-studies-present-and-ancient-affairs-will-easily-see-how-in/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without concern, any man after he is dead since every reason and supervision for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/i-believe-that-it-is-possible-for-one-to-praise-without-concern-any/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Men are always averse to enterprises in which they foresee difficulties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-are-always-averse-to-enterprises-in-which-they-foresee/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“He who causes another to become powerful ruins himself, for he brings such a power into being either by design or by force, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-causes-another-to-become-powerful-ruins-himself-for-he-brings/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [One never finds anything perfectly pure and ... exempt from danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/one-never-finds-anything-perfectly-pure-and-exempt-from-danger/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) [Explore all 590 Niccolò Machiavelli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## More Fortune quotes > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Five World Series rings, 3000-plus hits, the fame, the fortune and playing for the second most historic franchise in baseball... These are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/five-world-series-rings-3000-plus-hits-the-fame-the-fortune-and/) [Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/) > [What has drug addiction done for me? It's cost me my career, my fortune and basically my sex life when I found out I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbin-crosby/what-has-drug-addiction-done-for-me-it-s-cost-me-my-career-my-fortune/) Robbin Crosby > [From these inconsiderable attempts, some idea may be formed with what success, should Fortune afford an opportunity, I am likely to treat matters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giraldus-cambrensis/from-these-inconsiderable-attempts-some-idea-may-be-formed-with-what/) [Giraldus Cambrensis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giraldus-cambrensis/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [You have a little bit of talent, a certain amount of good fortune and a lot of hard work in pursuit of whatever truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/you-have-a-little-bit-of-talent-a-certain-amount-of-good-fortune-and/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/honesty-by-evil-fortune-tried-finds-in-adversity-the-seed-of-praise/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [No state of society or laws can render men so much alike but that education, fortune, and tastes will interpose some differences between them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/no-state-of-society-or-laws-can-render-men-so-much-alike-but-that/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [A great JRPG captures that feeling of going on an unusual adventure, of bringing a ragtag group of heroes from famine to fortune or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-schreier/a-great-jrpg-captures-that-feeling-of-going-on-an-unusual-adventure/) [Jason Schreier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-schreier/) > [A writer can make a fortune in America, but he can't make a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/a-writer-can-make-a-fortune-in-america-but-he-can-t-make-a-living/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [We make our fortunes and we call them fate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/we-make-our-fortunes-and-we-call-them-fate/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [What is taken from the fortune, also, may haply be so much lifted from the soul. The greatness of a loss, as the proverb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/what-is-taken-from-the-fortune-also-may-haply-be-so-much-lifted-from/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) > [“We can so educate the will power that it will focus the thoughts upon the bright side of things, and upon objects which elevate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/we-can-so-educate-the-will-power-that-it-will-focus-the-thoughts-upon/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [Let a man who has to make his fortune in life remember this maxim: Attacking is the only secret. Dare and the world yields,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/let-a-man-who-has-to-make-his-fortune-in-life-remember-this-maxim/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) [Browse all 2,945 Fortune quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It's better to be impulsive than cautious; fortune is female and if you want to stay on top of her you have to slap and thrust. You'll see she's more likely to yield that way than to men who go about her coldly. And being a woman she likes her men young, because they're not so cagey, they're wilder and more daring when they master her.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Niccolò Machiavelli" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-s-better-to-be-impulsive-than-cautious-fortune-is-female-and-if/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fortune" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-s-better-to-be-impulsive-than-cautious-fortune-is-female-and-if/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/niccolo-machiavelli-368_fortune_it-s-better-to-be-impulsive-than-cautiou_219519.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/niccolo-machiavelli-368_fortune_it-s-better-to-be-impulsive-than-cautiou_219519.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9c/niccolo-machiavelli-368_fortune_it-s-better-to-be-impulsive-than-cautiou_219519.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's better to be impulsive than cautious; fortune is female and if you want to stay on top of her you have…” — Niccolò Machiavelli", "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": "Niccolò Machiavelli", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It's better to be impulsive than...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-s-better-to-be-impulsive-than-cautious-fortune-is-female-and-if/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-s-better-to-be-impulsive-than-cautious-fortune-is-female-and-if/#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 } } ] } ```