--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Simplicity is freedom. Duplicity is…" description: "\"“Simplicity is freedom. Duplicity is bondage. Simplicity brings joy and balance. Duplicity brings anxiety and fear.”\" — Richard J. Foster" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a30/richard-j-foster-1460_anxiety-and-fear_simplicity-is-freedom-duplicity-is-bonda_1887162.png" --- # Simplicity is freedom. Duplicity is bondage. Simplicity… ![“Simplicity is freedom. Duplicity is bondage. Simplicity brings joy and balance. Duplicity brings anxiety and fear.” quote by Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a30/richard-j-foster-1460_anxiety-and-fear_simplicity-is-freedom-duplicity-is-bonda_1887162.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a30/richard-j-foster-1460_anxiety-and-fear_simplicity-is-freedom-duplicity-is-bonda_1887162.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a30/richard-j-foster-1460_anxiety-and-fear_simplicity-is-freedom-duplicity-is-bonda_1887162.png) > ““Simplicity is freedom. Duplicity is bondage. Simplicity brings joy and balance. Duplicity brings anxiety and fear.”” [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Simplicity leads to freedom and joy, while duplicity creates fear and anxiety. **In simple terms:** Simplicity frees, duplicity shackles. Key Takeaway Choose simplicity to gain peace. Themes freedom joy balance anxiety fear Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal decisions - relationships - workplace - political discourse Key Concepts philosophy ethics psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does simplicity improve your daily life? - What hidden duplicities do you notice? A Different Perspective Simplicity may be hard to maintain under pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety and fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety-and-fear/) [Duplicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duplicity/) [Duplicity Bondage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duplicity-bondage-2702860/) [Duplicity Brings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duplicity-brings-2702861/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom Duplicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-duplicity-2702859/) [Simplicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simplicity/) [Simplicity Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simplicity-freedom-1329841/) ## Related quotes > [Simplicity is freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/simplicity-is-freedom/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [The simple person lives the way he breathes, with no more effort or glory, with no more affectation and without shame Simplicity is freedom,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andr-comte-sponville/the-simple-person-lives-the-way-he-breathes-with-no-more-effort-or/) [Andre Comte-Sponville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andr-comte-sponville/) > [In simplicity, there is freedom - freedom to do less and enjoy more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kenison/in-simplicity-there-is-freedom-freedom-to-do-less-and-enjoy-more/) [Katrina Kenison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kenison/) > [I love the simplicity and freedom of running. A pair of shoes, and you are all set to explore new trails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-boston/i-love-the-simplicity-and-freedom-of-running-a-pair-of-shoes-and-you/) [Rachel Boston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-boston/) > [“  SIMPLICITY IS FREEDOM FROM THE PASSION TO POSSESS Modern culture has bought into the lie that the good life is found in accumulating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-becker/simplicity-is-freedom-from-the-passion-to-possess-modern-culture-has/) [Joshua Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-becker/) > [Anxiety and fear are cousins but not twins. Fear sees a threat. Anxiety imagines one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/anxiety-and-fear-are-cousins-but-not-twins-fear-sees-a-threat-anxiety/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“Evolutionarily, the function of attachment has been to protect the organism from danger. 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Concepts and ideas are incapable of expressing reality as it is. Nirvana, the ultimate reality, cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/the-word-suchness-describes-reality-as-it-is-concepts-and-ideas-are/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [I promise you nothing is as chaotic as it seems. Nothing is worth your health. Nothing is worth poisoning yourself into stress, anxiety, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/i-promise-you-nothing-is-as-chaotic-as-it-seems-nothing-is-worth-your/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [“...nothing is more blissful than to occupy the heights effectively fortified by the teaching of the wise, tranquil sanctuaries from which you can look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/nothing-is-more-blissful-than-to-occupy-the-heights-effectively/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [None of us, remember, knew that 9/11 was gonna happen. We didn't live in a state of anxiety and fear about Osama Bin Laden.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/none-of-us-remember-knew-that-9-11-was-gonna-happen-we-didn-t-live-in/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [The only thing we have to fear is fear itself-and possibly teh bogey man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-paulsen/the-only-thing-we-have-to-fear-is-fear-itself-and-possibly-teh-bogey/) [Pat Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-paulsen/) > [When you look fear in the face, you are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/when-you-look-fear-in-the-face-you-are-able-to-say-to-yourself-i/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) ## More by Richard J. Foster > [Prayer is - listening for the still small voice of God. Listening with the "ear of our hearts."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/prayer-is-listening-for-the-still-small-voice-of-god-listening-with/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [Over-consumption is a cancer eating away at our spiritual vitals. It distances us from the great masses of broken bleeding humanity. It converts us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/over-consumption-is-a-cancer-eating-away-at-our-spiritual-vitals-it/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“To believe that God can reach us and bless us in the ordinary junctures of daily life is the stuff of prayer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/to-believe-that-god-can-reach-us-and-bless-us-in-the-ordinary/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [Prayer is simply saying "thank you, bless you, praise you."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/prayer-is-simply-saying-thank-you-bless-you-praise-you/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [There is an old proverb to the effect that 'all those who open their mouths, close their eyes!' The purpose of silence and solitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/there-is-an-old-proverb-to-the-effect-that-all-those-who-open-their/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [It is an occupational hazard of devout folk to become stuffy bores. This should not be. Of all people, we should be the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/it-is-an-occupational-hazard-of-devout-folk-to-become-stuffy-bores/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“Lord God, you deserve my best. Forgive me for the times I have offered you only the dregs, whether it be half-heartedly muttered prayers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/lord-god-you-deserve-my-best-forgive-me-for-the-times-i-have-offered/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/superficiality-is-the-curse-of-our-age-the-doctrine-of-instant/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [If worship does not change us it has not been worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/if-worship-does-not-change-us-it-has-not-been-worship/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“I want to mention one other reason why we shy away from commitment. It is, very simply, the fear that we will not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/i-want-to-mention-one-other-reason-why-we-shy-away-from-commitment-it/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“It is one thing to act like a servant; it is quite another to be a servant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/it-is-one-thing-to-act-like-a-servant-it-is-quite-another-to-be-a/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“we hold on so tightly to the good that we do know that we cannot receive the greater good that we do not know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/we-hold-on-so-tightly-to-the-good-that-we-do-know-that-we-cannot/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“Once we have made generous latitude for individual differences and schedules, we must firmly discipline ourselves to a regular pattern of prayer. We cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/once-we-have-made-generous-latitude-for-individual-differences-and/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [Freedom in the Gospel does not mean license. It means opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/freedom-in-the-gospel-does-not-mean-license-it-means-opportunity/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“The tongue is our most powerful weapon of manipulation. A frantic stream of words flows from us because we are in a constant process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/the-tongue-is-our-most-powerful-weapon-of-manipulation-a-frantic/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) [Explore all 239 Richard J. Foster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) ## More Anxiety and fear quotes > [When you look fear in the face, you are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/when-you-look-fear-in-the-face-you-are-able-to-say-to-yourself-i/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [The only thing we have to fear is fear itself-and possibly teh bogey man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-paulsen/the-only-thing-we-have-to-fear-is-fear-itself-and-possibly-teh-bogey/) [Pat Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-paulsen/) > [None of us, remember, knew that 9/11 was gonna happen. We didn't live in a state of anxiety and fear about Osama Bin Laden.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/none-of-us-remember-knew-that-9-11-was-gonna-happen-we-didn-t-live-in/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [“...nothing is more blissful than to occupy the heights effectively fortified by the teaching of the wise, tranquil sanctuaries from which you can look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/nothing-is-more-blissful-than-to-occupy-the-heights-effectively/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [I promise you nothing is as chaotic as it seems. Nothing is worth your health. Nothing is worth poisoning yourself into stress, anxiety, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/i-promise-you-nothing-is-as-chaotic-as-it-seems-nothing-is-worth-your/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [“THE WORD suchness describes reality as it is. Concepts and ideas are incapable of expressing reality as it is. Nirvana, the ultimate reality, cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/the-word-suchness-describes-reality-as-it-is-concepts-and-ideas-are/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“And so we see people who are spiritually disconnected, living in boxes and driving in boxes, perhaps once a year going "out to nature"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-hartmann/and-so-we-see-people-who-are-spiritually-disconnected-living-in-boxes/) [Thom Hartmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-hartmann/) > [There are elements of Piglet that are me: the shyness and the anxieties and fears. Even after all these years. The more you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fiedler/there-are-elements-of-piglet-that-are-me-the-shyness-and-the/) [John Fiedler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fiedler/) > [“Evolutionarily, the function of attachment has been to protect the organism from danger. The attachment figure, an older, kinder, stronger, wiser other (Bowlby, 1982),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-siegel-m-d-2/evolutionarily-the-function-of-attachment-has-been-to-protect-the/) [Daniel J. Siegel M.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-siegel-m-d-2/) > [Anxiety and fear are cousins but not twins. Fear sees a threat. Anxiety imagines one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/anxiety-and-fear-are-cousins-but-not-twins-fear-sees-a-threat-anxiety/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“I promise you nothing is as chaotic as it seems. Nothing is worth diminishing your health. Nothing is worth poisoning yourself into stress, anxiety,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/i-promise-you-nothing-is-as-chaotic-as-it-seems-nothing-is-worth/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [Courage is not the absence of fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stengel/courage-is-not-the-absence-of-fear/) [Richard Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stengel/) > [I'll have all of the thoughts, from anxiety and fear to confidence, excitement, exhilaration, joy, celebration with my teammates and my coaches. All of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-tucker/i-ll-have-all-of-the-thoughts-from-anxiety-and-fear-to-confidence/) [Justin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-tucker/) > [Throughout evolutionary history, anxiety and fear have helped every species to be wary and to survive. 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