--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fear is never a good counselor and…" description: "\"“Fear is never a good counselor and victory over fear is the first spiritual duty of man.”\" — NICOLAS BERDYAEV" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/nicolas-berdyaev-105902_fear_fear-is-never-a-good-counselor-and-victo_893709.jpg" --- # Fear is never a good counselor and victory over fear is… ![“Fear is never a good counselor and victory over fear is the first spiritual duty of man.” quote by NICOLAS BERDYAEV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/nicolas-berdyaev-105902_fear_fear-is-never-a-good-counselor-and-victo_893709.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/nicolas-berdyaev-105902_fear_fear-is-never-a-good-counselor-and-victo_893709.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/nicolas-berdyaev-105902_fear_fear-is-never-a-good-counselor-and-victo_893709.jpg) > ““Fear is never a good counselor and victory over fear is the first spiritual duty of man.”” NICOLAS BERDYAEV ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fear misguides, and confronting it is a fundamental moral responsibility for personal growth. **In simple terms:** Overcoming fear is a spiritual duty. Key Takeaway Face fears to fulfill moral purpose. Themes courage spirituality ethics personal development Mood serious inspirational Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - self‑help - spiritual practice - ethical education Key Concepts philosophy psychology moral duty Questions to Reflect On - Why is confronting fear considered a spiritual duty? - How can fear be balanced with caution? A Different Perspective If fear is a protective instinct, ignoring it can be harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) ## Related quotes > [Victory over fear is the first spiritual duty of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/victory-over-fear-is-the-first-spiritual-duty-of-man/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [Fear is very often a part of the spiritual path. When people sit down and meditate it's not at all uncommon for fear to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/fear-is-very-often-a-part-of-the-spiritual-path-when-people-sit-down/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [The reality is that I feel that fear is a very spiritual emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/the-reality-is-that-i-feel-that-fear-is-a-very-spiritual-emotion/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [“One who cannot leave himself behind on the threshold of the moment and forget the past, who cannot stand on a single point, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/one-who-cannot-leave-himself-behind-on-the-threshold-of-the-moment/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Do research. Feed your talent. Research not only wins the war on cliche, it's the key to victory over fear and it's cousin, depression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/do-research-feed-your-talent-research-not-only-wins-the-war-on-cliche/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [In every life there is an element of victory over fear, which needs to be searched for, though it may be a false victory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-zeldin/in-every-life-there-is-an-element-of-victory-over-fear-which-needs-to/) [Theodore Zeldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-zeldin/) > [It is not for us to calculate our victory or fear our defeat, but to do our duty and leave the rest in God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-keyes/it-is-not-for-us-to-calculate-our-victory-or-fear-our-defeat-but-to/) [Alan Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-keyes/) > [Sometimes, fear is good. Sometimes it's a good thing to have a little bit of a reality check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/sometimes-fear-is-good-sometimes-it-s-a-good-thing-to-have-a-little/) [Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/) > [The fear of not being good enough, the fear of disappointing other people and the fear of failure can really hurt one's personality and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/the-fear-of-not-being-good-enough-the-fear-of-disappointing-other/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [“Perhaps I did nothing because I don't have enough fear to be a good parent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaui-hart-hemmings/perhaps-i-did-nothing-because-i-don-t-have-enough-fear-to-be-a-good/) [Kaui Hart Hemmings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaui-hart-hemmings/) > [Wicked me obey from fear; good men,from love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/wicked-me-obey-from-fear-good-men-from-love/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Fear is good and useful when it's deployed on the side of common sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hitchens/fear-is-good-and-useful-when-it-s-deployed-on-the-side-of-common-sense/) [Peter Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hitchens/) > [“Without that fear, we are all as good as dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-bondurant/without-that-fear-we-are-all-as-good-as-dead/) [Matt Bondurant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-bondurant/) > [“Make a picture for me, yes? So I can see what you fear.” “What good will that do?” “Fear is a strong enemy. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/make-a-picture-for-me-yes-so-i-can-see-what-you-fear-what-good-will/) [Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/) > [Fire and fear, good servants, bad lords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/fire-and-fear-good-servants-bad-lords/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) ## More by NICOLAS BERDYAEV > [ “The ego has been a fatality both for the human self and for God. 1 \[1 - This was once revealed to me in a dream.\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-berdyaev/the-ego-has-been-a-fatality-both-for-the-human-self-and-for-god-1-1/) Nicolas Berdyaev Explore all 2 NICOLAS BERDYAEV quotes ## More Fear quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. For eighteen months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-ashley/that-horrible-stinging-sensation-returned-the-muscles-behind-my-eyes/) [Devon Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-ashley/) > [“...Often that which most we fear births the resolve that spurs us on to altitudes we could not have achieved, had we continued walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/often-that-which-most-we-fear-births-the-resolve-that-spurs-us-on-to/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [What an incredible drug fear is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/what-an-incredible-drug-fear-is/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) Nagisa Tatsumi > [“We all know how the thing we secretly fear is not a secret at all but the open and eternal thing that predicts its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/we-all-know-how-the-thing-we-secretly-fear-is-not-a-secret-at-all-but/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [“Snip off the little worries and expressions of worry” like little branches atop a tall tree.28 If you are truly worried, sharing your concerns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sanders/snip-off-the-little-worries-and-expressions-of-worry-like-little/) [Tim Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sanders/) > [“Fear and desire for pleasure. Aggressiveness comes out of fear, predominantly, and sexuality predominantly out of the other. But they mix in the middle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/fear-and-desire-for-pleasure-aggressiveness-comes-out-of-fear/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [“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/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) [Browse all 35,569 Fear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Fear is never a good counselor and victory over fear is the first spiritual duty of man.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "NICOLAS BERDYAEV" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-berdyaev/fear-is-never-a-good-counselor-and-victory-over-fear-is-the-first/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fear" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-berdyaev/fear-is-never-a-good-counselor-and-victory-over-fear-is-the-first/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/nicolas-berdyaev-105902_fear_fear-is-never-a-good-counselor-and-victo_893709.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/nicolas-berdyaev-105902_fear_fear-is-never-a-good-counselor-and-victo_893709.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/nicolas-berdyaev-105902_fear_fear-is-never-a-good-counselor-and-victo_893709.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Fear is never a good counselor and victory over fear is the first spiritual duty of man.” — NICOLAS BERDYAEV", "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": "NICOLAS BERDYAEV", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-berdyaev/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Fear is never a good counselor...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-berdyaev/fear-is-never-a-good-counselor-and-victory-over-fear-is-the-first/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-berdyaev/fear-is-never-a-good-counselor-and-victory-over-fear-is-the-first/#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 } } ] } ```