--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the opposite of certainty is doubt…" description: "\"“If the opposite of certainty is doubt, humility must lie somewhere between the two,”\" — Ron Suskind" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/ron-suskind-10115_certainty_if-the-opposite-of-certainty-is-doubt-hu_1500437.png" --- # If the opposite of certainty is doubt, humility must lie… ![“If the opposite of certainty is doubt, humility must lie somewhere between the two,” quote by Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/ron-suskind-10115_certainty_if-the-opposite-of-certainty-is-doubt-hu_1500437.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/ron-suskind-10115_certainty_if-the-opposite-of-certainty-is-doubt-hu_1500437.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/ron-suskind-10115_certainty_if-the-opposite-of-certainty-is-doubt-hu_1500437.png) > ““If the opposite of certainty is doubt, humility must lie somewhere between the two,”” [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. 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. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Certainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainty/) [Certainty Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainty-doubt-406615/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Doubt Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt-humility-2804605/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Humility Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility-lie-5500224/) [Opposite Certainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposite-certainty-4368524/) ## Related quotes > [“The system wants to own your day until the day you die. The opposite of certainty in life is called freedom. If you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-norton/the-system-wants-to-own-your-day-until-the-day-you-die-the-opposite/) [Richie Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-norton/) > [ \[I\]f in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundations of knowledge… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bacon/i-f-in-other-sciences-we-should-arrive-at-certainty-without-doubt-and/) [Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bacon/) > [“In order to determine whether we can know anything with certainty, we first have to doubt everything we know”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-order-to-determine-whether-we-can-know-anything-with-certainty-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The opposite of certainty in life is called freedom. If you want to be free, you must be willing to advance your life into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-norton/the-opposite-of-certainty-in-life-is-called-freedom-if-you-want-to-be/) [Richie Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-norton/) > [“Faith, doubt, humility, and confidence—this is the stuff and substance of theology at its best. Swagger, smugness, and certainty—this is the stuff and substance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-fischer/faith-doubt-humility-and-confidence-this-is-the-stuff-and-substance/) [Austin Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-fischer/) > [I judge a man by his actions with men, much more than by his declarations Godwards -- When I find him to be envious,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/i-judge-a-man-by-his-actions-with-men-much-more-than-by-his/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [Humility is the only virtue that no devil can imitate. If pride made demons out of angels, there is no doubt that humility could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/humility-is-the-only-virtue-that-no-devil-can-imitate-if-pride-made/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) > [If in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundation of knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bacon/if-in-other-sciences-we-should-arrive-at-certainty-without-doubt-and/) [Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bacon/) > [“They say "doubt everything," but I disagree. Doubt is useful in small amounts, but too much of it leads to apathy and confusion. No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-jubert-jonas-kyratzes/they-say-doubt-everything-but-i-disagree-doubt-is-useful-in-small/) [Tom Jubert / Jonas Kyratzes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-jubert-jonas-kyratzes/) > [I have moved from certainty to doubt, from devotion to rebellion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-donahue/i-have-moved-from-certainty-to-doubt-from-devotion-to-rebellion/) [Phil Donahue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-donahue/) > [ “I don’t know,” \[my father\] said, after clearing his throat. “But I know that he loves you.” . . . Twenty years later, I’m… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-don-t-know-my-father-said-after-clearing-his-throat-but-i-know-that/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [In the mental disturbance and effort of writing, what sustains you is the certainty that on every page there is something left unsaid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/in-the-mental-disturbance-and-effort-of-writing-what-sustains-you-is/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [The past and the future become unimportant. There is only that moment, and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-past-and-the-future-become-unimportant-there-is-only-that-moment/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Sometimes we have the absolute certainty there's something inside us that's so hideous and monstrous that if we ever search it out we won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-selby-jr/sometimes-we-have-the-absolute-certainty-there-s-something-inside-us/) [Hubert Selby, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-selby-jr/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) ## More by Ron Suskind > [I don't have to deal with the issues of the daily news cycle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/i-don-t-have-to-deal-with-the-issues-of-the-daily-news-cycle/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [ The President \[Barack Obama\] is very focused on \[healthcare\]. He, of course, is also writing this speech at high speed. And right coming up… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/the-president-barack-obama-is-very-focused-on-healthcare-he-of-course/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [Reaching out to any fellow ghetto kids is an act he puts in the same category as doing drugs: the initial rush of warmth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/reaching-out-to-any-fellow-ghetto-kids-is-an-act-he-puts-in-the-same/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [The fact is that in a way, journalists become a kind of default in the system when you don't have substantive two-party back-and-forth inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/the-fact-is-that-in-a-way-journalists-become-a-kind-of-default-in-the/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [“Freshmen spend in unfathomable sitting on their beds – heads against the wall or propped pillows, semistudying or not, listening to music, catching a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/freshmen-spend-in-unfathomable-sitting-on-their-beds-heads-against/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [If you happened to be born on third base, you didn't rub it in the face of the guy who wasn't even born in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/if-you-happened-to-be-born-on-third-base-you-didn-t-rub-it-in-the/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [I've been a reporter for 20 years, and I don't ever get things wrong. That's important in terms of my professional status.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/i-ve-been-a-reporter-for-20-years-and-i-don-t-ever-get-things-wrong/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [I think that there's a lot of anxiety out there in people wanting their children to be part of the mainstream, to achieve based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/i-think-that-there-s-a-lot-of-anxiety-out-there-in-people-wanting/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [“If the breadth of perspectives is wide enough to represent the fullest range of views, consensus is unlikely. If consensus is swiftly achieved, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/if-the-breadth-of-perspectives-is-wide-enough-to-represent-the/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [“Two hours a day for two days per week. Four hours. At $7.25 an hour, that gave him a gross income of $29 a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/two-hours-a-day-for-two-days-per-week-four-hours-at-7-25-an-hour-that/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [All of the leading terrorism experts are clear on one thing: that in terms of protecting America, we are almost never going to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/all-of-the-leading-terrorism-experts-are-clear-on-one-thing-that-in/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [It is one thing to rouse the passion of a people, and quite another to lead them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/it-is-one-thing-to-rouse-the-passion-of-a-people-and-quite-another-to/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [ I think that \[Barack Obama\] does say something that's - that is telling on that score, when he talks about the \[George W.\] Bush… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/i-think-that-barack-obama-does-say-something-that-s-that-is-telling/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [ \[Barack Obama\] says that he thinks America felt better, more confident, because Washington was not simply in a gridlock, in stasis, where nothing was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/barack-obama-says-that-he-thinks-america-felt-better-more-confident/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [You try to hold on to some notions you might have had before, that this will somehow work out, this is a spell that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/you-try-to-hold-on-to-some-notions-you-might-have-had-before-that/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) [Explore all 67 Ron Suskind quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) ## More Certainty quotes > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [Sometimes we have the absolute certainty there's something inside us that's so hideous and monstrous that if we ever search it out we won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-selby-jr/sometimes-we-have-the-absolute-certainty-there-s-something-inside-us/) [Hubert Selby, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-selby-jr/) > [The past and the future become unimportant. There is only that moment, and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-past-and-the-future-become-unimportant-there-is-only-that-moment/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [In the mental disturbance and effort of writing, what sustains you is the certainty that on every page there is something left unsaid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/in-the-mental-disturbance-and-effort-of-writing-what-sustains-you-is/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Of course I doubt. I do not practice a certainty. I practice a faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/of-course-i-doubt-i-do-not-practice-a-certainty-i-practice-a-faith/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [The world is a wonderfully weird place, consensual reality is significantly flawed, no institution can be trusted, certainty is a mirage, security a delusion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-world-is-a-wonderfully-weird-place-consensual-reality-is/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As a businessman, I know that businesses need certainty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/as-a-businessman-i-know-that-businesses-need-certainty/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [It is suggested that in domestic violence at least the presence or absence of a firearm, or of any other type of weapon, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenwood/it-is-suggested-that-in-domestic-violence-at-least-the-presence-or/) [Colin Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenwood/) > [Every single person who is a member of our party deserves to have certainty. They deserve to know that my attention and focus is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annamie-paul/every-single-person-who-is-a-member-of-our-party-deserves-to-have/) [Annamie Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annamie-paul/) > [The significance and volume of repairs that are needed across the country demand that we give state and local governments the long-term certainty they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-graves/the-significance-and-volume-of-repairs-that-are-needed-across-the/) [Sam Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-graves/) > [“Death is the one great certainty in life. That’s what my dad used to say. Nothing else is certain. Not love. Not happiness. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mila-gray/death-is-the-one-great-certainty-in-life-that-s-what-my-dad-used-to/) [Mila Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mila-gray/) > [ \[I\]f in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundations of knowledge… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bacon/i-f-in-other-sciences-we-should-arrive-at-certainty-without-doubt-and/) [Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bacon/) > [Do not lose hope; St. Joseph also experienced moments of difficulty, but he never lost faith and was able to overcome them, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/do-not-lose-hope-st-joseph-also-experienced-moments-of-difficulty-but/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [As the future is never known with certainty, the evaluation of the prospective benefits requires the formation of expectations. An acceptable house, partner or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-t-mortensen/as-the-future-is-never-known-with-certainty-the-evaluation-of-the/) [Dale T. Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-t-mortensen/) > [Finding someone that trusted my vision helped me find certainty in who I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/finding-someone-that-trusted-my-vision-helped-me-find-certainty-in/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) [Browse all 1,776 Certainty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If the opposite of certainty is doubt, humility must lie somewhere between the two,”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ron Suskind" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/if-the-opposite-of-certainty-is-doubt-humility-must-lie-somewhere/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Certainty" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/if-the-opposite-of-certainty-is-doubt-humility-must-lie-somewhere/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/ron-suskind-10115_certainty_if-the-opposite-of-certainty-is-doubt-hu_1500437.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/ron-suskind-10115_certainty_if-the-opposite-of-certainty-is-doubt-hu_1500437.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/ron-suskind-10115_certainty_if-the-opposite-of-certainty-is-doubt-hu_1500437.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If the opposite of certainty is doubt, humility must lie somewhere between the two,” — Ron Suskind", "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": "Ron Suskind", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If the opposite of certainty is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/if-the-opposite-of-certainty-is-doubt-humility-must-lie-somewhere/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/if-the-opposite-of-certainty-is-doubt-humility-must-lie-somewhere/#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 } } ] } ```