Certainty Quote by Ron Suskind
““If the opposite of certainty is doubt, humility must lie somewhere between the two,””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Last Lecture, 2012
Certainty and doubt are extremes; humility resides between them, balancing confidence and openness.
In simple terms: Humility lies between certainty and doubt.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate humility by embracing uncertainty.
Themes
humility
certainty
doubt
balance
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- decision making
- learning
- team collaboration
Key Concepts
philosophy
psychology
leadership
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance confidence and doubt?
- When has humility helped you?
A Different Perspective
Some argue certainty is needed for action; too much doubt can paralyze.
![“[I]f in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundations of knowledge in mathematics, in so far as disposed through it we are able to reach certainty in other sciences and truth by the exclusion of error.” quote by Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d13/roger-bacon-15067_able_i-f-in-other-sciences-we-should-arrive-a_24209.jpg)
![“I don’t know,” [my father] said, after clearing his throat. “But I know that he loves you.” . . . Twenty years later, I’m convinced it is the most important thing my father ever told me. . . . I used to think that the measure of true faith is certainty. Doubt, ambiguity, nuance, uncertainty…” quote by Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a12/rachel-held-evans-2876_certainty_i-don-t-know-my-father-said-after-cleari_2734372.jpg)
![“The President [Barack Obama] is very focused on [healthcare]. He, of course, is also writing this speech at high speed. And right coming up until the speech, he is convinced that a full plan, letter and verse of what the administration wants, will be released.” quote by Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/457/ron-suskind-10115_administration_the-president-barack-obama-is-very-focus_40912.jpg)
![“I think that [Barack Obama] does say something that's - that is telling on that score, when he talks about the [George W.] Bush tax cuts and the swap he makes after the midterm elections, which is he doesn't agree with the Bush tax cuts.” quote by Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a96/ron-suskind-10115_agree_i-think-that-barack-obama-does-say-somet_613559.jpg)
![“[Barack Obama] says that he thinks America felt better, more confident, because Washington was not simply in a gridlock, in stasis, where nothing was being done. And he talks about that as a positive.” quote by Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/eab/ron-suskind-10115_america_barack-obama-says-that-he-thinks-america_617384.jpg)
