---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The ability to be cool, confident, and…"
description: "\"The ability to be cool, confident, and decisive in crisis is not an inherited characteristic but is the direct result of how well the individual has pr..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc8/richard-m-nixon-727_ability_the-ability-to-be-cool-confident-and-dec_930839.jpg"
---

#  The ability to be cool, confident, and decisive in crisis…

![“The ability to be cool, confident, and decisive in crisis is not an inherited characteristic but is the direct result of how well the individual has prepared himself for the battle.” quote by Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc8/richard-m-nixon-727_ability_the-ability-to-be-cool-confident-and-dec_930839.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc8/richard-m-nixon-727_ability_the-ability-to-be-cool-confident-and-dec_930839.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc8/richard-m-nixon-727_ability_the-ability-to-be-cool-confident-and-dec_930839.jpg)

> “The ability to be cool, confident, and decisive in crisis is not an inherited characteristic but is the direct result of how well the individual has prepared himself for the battle.”

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Crisis competence is learned through deliberate preparation, not innate talent.

**In simple terms:** Preparedness builds confidence in emergencies.

Key Takeaway

Train for crises to act decisively.

Themes

leadership confidence preparation

Mood

determined focused

Type

motivational practical

When to use this quote

- emergency response
- public speaking
- military drills
- business negotiations

Key Concepts

psychology skill acquisition resilience

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you prepare for unexpected challenges?
- What habits reinforce calm under pressure?

A Different Perspective

Skill alone cannot guarantee success without experience.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Meaningful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaningful/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/)

## Related quotes

> [The ability to keep a cool head in an emergency, maintain poise in the midst of excitement, and to refuse to be stampeded are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-shannon/the-ability-to-keep-a-cool-head-in-an-emergency-maintain-poise-in-the/)

Robert R. Shannon

> [ “\[Rogan\] “I’ve been watching you, and you’re more confident and decisive than any woman I’ve ever known. There’s no pretense to you. No concern… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-j-damschroder/rogan-i-ve-been-watching-you-and-you-re-more-confident-and-decisive/)

[Natalie J. Damschroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-j-damschroder/)

> [“A lot of people think that in order to be attractive, you need to appear cool, together or confident. But REAL confidence comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-campbell/a-lot-of-people-think-that-in-order-to-be-attractive-you-need-to/)

Susan Campbell

> [There is no other course but the one we have chosen, except the course of humiliation and darkness, after which there will be no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saddam-hussein/there-is-no-other-course-but-the-one-we-have-chosen-except-the-course/)

[Saddam Hussein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saddam-hussein/)

> [As a two, you gotta see the guys I have to guard on a nightly basis, like Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant or J.R. Smith.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-beal/as-a-two-you-gotta-see-the-guys-i-have-to-guard-on-a-nightly-basis/)

[Bradley Beal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-beal/)

> [It's natural to have butterflies, sweaty palms... that's a good sign you're prepared for battle, prepared to take on something difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/it-s-natural-to-have-butterflies-sweaty-palms-that-s-a-good-sign-you/)

[Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/)

> [“God's fighting for us does not exclude the responsibility to be prepared for battle both in the area of strategy and in equipment. Trusting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-schaeffer/god-s-fighting-for-us-does-not-exclude-the-responsibility-to-be/)

[Edith Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-schaeffer/)

> [I'm prepared to do battle for a dream that is worth dreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/i-m-prepared-to-do-battle-for-a-dream-that-is-worth-dreaming/)

[Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/)

> [The man who is prepared has his battle half fought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/the-man-who-is-prepared-has-his-battle-half-fought/)

[Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/)

> [You are the love of my twitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/you-are-the-love-of-my-twitter/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [Men and women shop differently. Men know what they want before they see it. Women don't know what they want until they see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/men-and-women-shop-differently-men-know-what-they-want-before-they/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [Come at me bro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/come-at-me-bro/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/)

[Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/)

> [Yes yes you can count on me - Fingers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/yes-yes-you-can-count-on-me-fingers/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/)

[Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/)

## More by Richard M. Nixon

> [I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is opposed to every instinct in my body. But as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-have-never-been-a-quitter-to-leave-office-before-my-term-is/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

> [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

> [I have earned every cent. And in all of my years of public life I have never obstructed justice,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-have-earned-every-cent-and-in-all-of-my-years-of-public-life-i-have/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

> [Restoring nature to its natural state is a cause beyond party and beyond factions. It has become a common cause of all the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/restoring-nature-to-its-natural-state-is-a-cause-beyond-party-and/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

> [What kind of nation we will be, what kind of world we will live in, whether we shape the future in the image of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/what-kind-of-nation-we-will-be-what-kind-of-world-we-will-live-in/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

> [Once you get into this great stream of history you can't get out. You can drown. Or you can be pulled ashore by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/once-you-get-into-this-great-stream-of-history-you-can-t-get-out-you/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

> [The ultimate test of a nation's character is not how it responds to adversity in war but how it meets the challenge of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-ultimate-test-of-a-nation-s-character-is-not-how-it-responds-to/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

> [History is a pathetic junkyard of broken treaties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/history-is-a-pathetic-junkyard-of-broken-treaties/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

> [I refuse to make a decision that somebody else can make. The first rule of leadership is to save yourself for the big decision.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-refuse-to-make-a-decision-that-somebody-else-can-make-the-first/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

> [Those who hate you don't win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/those-who-hate-you-don-t-win-unless-you-hate-them-and-then-you/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

> [I made my mistakes, but in all of my years in public life, I have never profited, never profited from public serviceI have earned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-made-my-mistakes-but-in-all-of-my-years-in-public-life-i-have-never/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

> [I know you heard what you thought I said, but what I said isn't what I meant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-know-you-heard-what-you-thought-i-said-but-what-i-said-isn-t-what-i/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

> [I want to be sure...that nothing is done on these veterans. Is that understood?...Is the word out? That they are not to touch em,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-want-to-be-sure-that-nothing-is-done-on-these-veterans-is-that/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

> [“Nations not possessing great power can indulge in the luxury of criticism of others; those possessing it have the responsibility of decision. Faced with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/nations-not-possessing-great-power-can-indulge-in-the-luxury-of/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

> [The peace we seek in the world is not the flimsy peace which is merely an interlude between wars, but a peace which can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-peace-we-seek-in-the-world-is-not-the-flimsy-peace-which-is/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

[Explore all 388 Richard M. Nixon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

## More Ability quotes

> [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/)

[Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/)

> [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/)

[Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/)

> [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/)

[Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/)

> [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/)

[Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/)

> [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/)

[Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/)

> [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/)

[Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/)

> [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [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/)

> [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/)

[Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/)

> [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/)

[Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/)

> [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/)

[Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/)

> [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/)

[Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/)

> [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/)

[Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/)

[Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The ability to be cool, confident, and decisive in crisis is not an inherited characteristic but is the direct result of how well the individual has prepared himself for the battle.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Richard M. Nixon"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-ability-to-be-cool-confident-and-decisive-in-crisis-is-not-an/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ability"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-ability-to-be-cool-confident-and-decisive-in-crisis-is-not-an/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc8/richard-m-nixon-727_ability_the-ability-to-be-cool-confident-and-dec_930839.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc8/richard-m-nixon-727_ability_the-ability-to-be-cool-confident-and-dec_930839.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc8/richard-m-nixon-727_ability_the-ability-to-be-cool-confident-and-dec_930839.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The ability to be cool, confident, and decisive in crisis is not an inherited characteristic but is the…” — Richard M. Nixon",
                "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": "Richard M. Nixon",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The ability to be cool, confident,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-ability-to-be-cool-confident-and-decisive-in-crisis-is-not-an/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-ability-to-be-cool-confident-and-decisive-in-crisis-is-not-an/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
