--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The wise man does at once what the fool…" description: "\"The wise man does at once what the fool does finally.\" — Niccolo Machiavelli" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ead/niccolo-machiavelli-368_fool_the-wise-man-does-at-once-what-the-fool_2283304.jpg" --- # The wise man does at once what the fool does finally. ![“The wise man does at once what the fool does finally.” quote by Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ead/niccolo-machiavelli-368_fool_the-wise-man-does-at-once-what-the-fool_2283304.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ead/niccolo-machiavelli-368_fool_the-wise-man-does-at-once-what-the-fool_2283304.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ead/niccolo-machiavelli-368_fool_the-wise-man-does-at-once-what-the-fool_2283304.jpg) > “The wise man does at once what the fool does finally.” [Niccolo 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. Wise people act promptly; fools delay and eventually achieve the same result, highlighting the value of foresight and decisive action. **In simple terms:** Act quickly, unlike fools who delay. Key Takeaway Act promptly and plan ahead. Themes wisdom decisiveness timing foolishness strategy Mood strategic motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - leadership - project management - personal productivity - crisis response Key Concepts foresight decision making efficiency Questions to Reflect On - What decisions could you make more swiftly? - How do you ensure speed doesn’t compromise quality? A Different Perspective Hasty decisions can lead to errors if not considered. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Does Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does-fool-707780/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Fool Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool-does-707779/) [Man Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-does/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) [Wise man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-man/) ## Related quotes > [The wise does at once what the fool does at last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/the-wise-does-at-once-what-the-fool-does-at-last/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [A wise person does at once, what a fool does at last. Both do the same thing; only at different times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-wise-person-does-at-once-what-a-fool-does-at-last-both-do-the-same/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is true that a man who does this is a fool. I have only proved that a man who does anything else is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-coolidge/it-is-true-that-a-man-who-does-this-is-a-fool-i-have-only-proved-that/) [Julian Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-coolidge/) > [A fool does not see the same trees a wise man sees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-hilles/a-fool-does-not-see-the-same-trees-a-wise-man-sees/) [Rick Hilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-hilles/) > [Only a fool does not look to explain his mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/only-a-fool-does-not-look-to-explain-his-mistakes/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [It ain't what a man don't know that makes him a fool, but what he does know that ain't so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/it-ain-t-what-a-man-don-t-know-that-makes-him-a-fool-but-what-he-does/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Love doesn't conquer everything. And whoever thinks it does is a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/love-doesn-t-conquer-everything-and-whoever-thinks-it-does-is-a-fool/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [George Burns . . . the only man I know who does fool Mother Nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/george-burns-the-only-man-i-know-who-does-fool-mother-nature/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“What does a fool who doesn't see the worth of others see in himself?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-m-stunich/what-does-a-fool-who-doesn-t-see-the-worth-of-others-see-in-himself/) [C.M. Stunich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-m-stunich/) > [A wise man will see to it that his acts always seem voluntary and not done by compulsion, however much he may be compelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/a-wise-man-will-see-to-it-that-his-acts-always-seem-voluntary-and-not/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [How strange it is, that a fool or knave, with riches, should be treated with more respect by the world, than a good man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-radcliffe/how-strange-it-is-that-a-fool-or-knave-with-riches-should-be-treated/) [Ann Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-radcliffe/) > [A wise man first thinks and then speaks and a fool speaks first and then thinks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/a-wise-man-first-thinks-and-then-speaks-and-a-fool-speaks-first-and/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [Always win fools first. They talk much, and what they have once uttered they will stick to; whereas there is always time, up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/always-win-fools-first-they-talk-much-and-what-they-have-once-uttered/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [Only fools use their mouth to speak. A smart man uses his brain, and a wise man uses his heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/only-fools-use-their-mouth-to-speak-a-smart-man-uses-his-brain-and-a/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [A wise man listens no matter how stupidly someone is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-wise-man-listens-no-matter-how-stupidly-someone-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Niccolo 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 Niccolo Machiavelli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## More Fool quotes > [Do I look like a fool to you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/do-i-look-like-a-fool-to-you/) [Tamika-leeigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamika-leeigh/) > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“Not wise, perhaps, to be rude to the Pope's favorite son, but my viper tongue still required a fool now and then on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/not-wise-perhaps-to-be-rude-to-the-pope-s-favorite-son-but-my-viper/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [A fool and his money get a lot of publicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-bernstein/a-fool-and-his-money-get-a-lot-of-publicity/) [Al Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-bernstein/) > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) > [Every man must wear out at least one pair of fools shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-derr-biggers/every-man-must-wear-out-at-least-one-pair-of-fools-shoes/) [Earl Derr Biggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-derr-biggers/) > [If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wc-fields/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-try-try-again-then-quit-no-use-being-a/) [WC Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wc-fields/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [I'd be a fool to be in this for the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-hinn/i-d-be-a-fool-to-be-in-this-for-the-money/) [Benny Hinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-hinn/) > [It is a fool of a shepherd who culls his dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-smith/it-is-a-fool-of-a-shepherd-who-culls-his-dogs/) [Jefferson Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-smith/) > [Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prefer-to-be-defeated-in-the-presence-of-the-wise-than-to-excel-among/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A mistake doesnt make you a fool, but denying it surely makes you one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-mistake-doesnt-make-you-a-fool-but-denying-it-surely-makes-you-one/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) [Browse all 5,535 Fool quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The wise man does at once what the fool does finally.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Niccolo Machiavelli" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/the-wise-man-does-at-once-what-the-fool-does-finally/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fool" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/the-wise-man-does-at-once-what-the-fool-does-finally/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ead/niccolo-machiavelli-368_fool_the-wise-man-does-at-once-what-the-fool_2283304.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ead/niccolo-machiavelli-368_fool_the-wise-man-does-at-once-what-the-fool_2283304.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ead/niccolo-machiavelli-368_fool_the-wise-man-does-at-once-what-the-fool_2283304.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The wise man does at once what the fool does finally.” — Niccolo 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": "Niccolo Machiavelli", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The wise man does at once...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/the-wise-man-does-at-once-what-the-fool-does-finally/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/the-wise-man-does-at-once-what-the-fool-does-finally/#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 } } ] } ```