--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The brave man is an inspiration to the…" description: "\"The brave man is an inspiration to the weak, and compels them, as it were, to follow him.\" — Samuel Smiles" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/samuel-smiles-2037_brave_the-brave-man-is-an-inspiration-to-the-w_1692242.png" --- # The brave man is an inspiration to the weak, and compels… ![“The brave man is an inspiration to the weak, and compels them, as it were, to follow him.” quote by Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/samuel-smiles-2037_brave_the-brave-man-is-an-inspiration-to-the-w_1692242.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/samuel-smiles-2037_brave_the-brave-man-is-an-inspiration-to-the-w_1692242.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/samuel-smiles-2037_brave_the-brave-man-is-an-inspiration-to-the-w_1692242.png) > “The brave man is an inspiration to the weak, and compels them, as it were, to follow him.” [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A courageous individual inspires and motivates those who feel powerless, prompting them to follow his example. **In simple terms:** Brave people inspire the weak to follow. Key Takeaway Lead by example to inspire others. Themes leadership inspiration strength Mood motivational encouraging Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - team projects - community activism - mentorship - public speaking Key Concepts courage social influence role modeling Questions to Reflect On - How can you embody courage to inspire others? - What barriers prevent the weak from following? A Different Perspective Inspiration may not translate into concrete action without support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/) [Brave man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave-man/) [Compels Follow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compels-follow-1067614/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Inspiration Weak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration-weak-1067615/) [Man Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-inspiration-579907/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Weak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weak/) [Weak Compels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weak-compels-1067616/) ## Related quotes > [My wish for the American woman is that she may always be an elevating influence-man's inspiration. Let him go forth to duty while she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/my-wish-for-the-american-woman-is-that-she-may-always-be-an-elevating/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [Me personally as a man is nothing without the inspiration of JAH](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-marley/me-personally-as-a-man-is-nothing-without-the-inspiration-of-jah/) [Bob Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-marley/) > [It is my faith and conviction that the Constitution came not alone of the brain and purpose of man, but of the inspiration of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/it-is-my-faith-and-conviction-that-the-constitution-came-not-alone-of/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [“They say a man's inspiration is visual, but for a woman, it's the narrative. Abandon both the narrative and the visual. Close your eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-thompson/they-say-a-man-s-inspiration-is-visual-but-for-a-woman-it-s-the/) [Craig Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-thompson/) > [Patrick Swayze is a fantastic man and an inspiration to work with. He is a fearless cowboy type and a movie icon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-fimmel/patrick-swayze-is-a-fantastic-man-and-an-inspiration-to-work-with-he/) [Travis Fimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-fimmel/) > [Where does a man get inspiration to write a song like that? Well, he gets it from the landlady once a month.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-michael-hayes/where-does-a-man-get-inspiration-to-write-a-song-like-that-well-he/) [John Michael Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-michael-hayes/) > [He lay back, put his arm over his eyes, and tried to hold onto the anger, because the anger made him feel brave. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/he-lay-back-put-his-arm-over-his-eyes-and-tried-to-hold-onto-the/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The coward dies a thousand deaths — the brave man only 500.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-willson/the-coward-dies-a-thousand-deaths-the-brave-man-only-500/) [Meredith Willson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-willson/) > [Even brave men, and D'Arnot was a brave man, are sometimes frightened by solitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-rice-burroughs/even-brave-men-and-d-arnot-was-a-brave-man-are-sometimes-frightened/) [Edgar Rice Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-rice-burroughs/) > [“A craven can be as brave as any man, when there is nothing to fear. And we all do our duty, when there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-rr-martin/a-craven-can-be-as-brave-as-any-man-when-there-is-nothing-to-fear-and/) [George RR Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-rr-martin/) > [I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-learned-that-courage-was-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-triumph/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Manifestly, dying is nothing to a really great and brave man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/manifestly-dying-is-nothing-to-a-really-great-and-brave-man/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [The sea's vast depths lie open to the fish; Wherever the breezes blow the bird may fly; So to the brave man every land's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/the-sea-s-vast-depths-lie-open-to-the-fish-wherever-the-breezes-blow/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [There is a destiny in war, to which a brave man knows how to submit with the same courage that he faces his foes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/there-is-a-destiny-in-war-to-which-a-brave-man-knows-how-to-submit/) [James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/) > [New Mexico is full of brave men and women who have dedicated their lives to service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-udall/new-mexico-is-full-of-brave-men-and-women-who-have-dedicated-their/) [Tom Udall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-udall/) ## More by Samuel Smiles > [Biographies of great, but especially of good men are most instructive and useful as helps, guides, and incentives to others. Some of the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/biographies-of-great-but-especially-of-good-men-are-most-instructive/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Diligence, above all, is the mother of good luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/diligence-above-all-is-the-mother-of-good-luck/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The women of the poorer classes make sacrifices, and run risks, and bear privations, and exercise patience and kindness to a degree that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-women-of-the-poorer-classes-make-sacrifices-and-run-risks-and/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Self-respect is the noblest garment with which a man can clothe himself, the most elevating feeling with which the mind can be inspired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/self-respect-is-the-noblest-garment-with-which-a-man-can-clothe/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The experience gathered from books, though often valuable, is but of the nature of learning; whereas, the experience gained from actual life is of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-experience-gathered-from-books-though-often-valuable-is-but-of/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The apprenticeship of difficulty is one which the greatest of men have had to serve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-apprenticeship-of-difficulty-is-one-which-the-greatest-of-men/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The spirit of self-help is the root of all genuine growth in the individual; and, exhibited in the lives of many, it constitutes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-spirit-of-self-help-is-the-root-of-all-genuine-growth-in-the/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The wise man... if he would live at peace with others, he will bear and forbear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-wise-man-if-he-would-live-at-peace-with-others-he-will-bear-and/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Those who are the most persistent, and work in the true spirit, will invariably be the most successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/those-who-are-the-most-persistent-and-work-in-the-true-spirit-will/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The iron rail proved a magicians' road. It virtually reduced England to a sixth of its size. It brought the country nearer to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-iron-rail-proved-a-magicians-road-it-virtually-reduced-england-to/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [This extraordinary metal, the soul of every manufacture, and the mainspring perhaps of civilised society. Of iron.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/this-extraordinary-metal-the-soul-of-every-manufacture-and-the/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Man cannot aspire if he looked down; if he rise, he must look up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/man-cannot-aspire-if-he-looked-down-if-he-rise-he-must-look-up/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The life of a good man is at the same time the most eloquent lesson of virtue and the most severe reproof of vice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-life-of-a-good-man-is-at-the-same-time-the-most-eloquent-lesson/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [It is a grand old name, that of gentleman, and has been recognized as a rank and power in all stages of society. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/it-is-a-grand-old-name-that-of-gentleman-and-has-been-recognized-as-a/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [“Many are the lives of men unwritten, which have nevertheless as powerfully influenced civilization and progress as the more fortunate Great whose names are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/many-are-the-lives-of-men-unwritten-which-have-nevertheless-as/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) [Explore all 189 Samuel Smiles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) ## More Brave quotes > [In the current climate, things that are true, brave human stories become political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/in-the-current-climate-things-that-are-true-brave-human-stories/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [If You Love Someone, Be Brave Enough To Tell Them., Otherwise Be Brave Enough To Watch Them To Be Loved By Someone Else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bilal-zahoor/if-you-love-someone-be-brave-enough-to-tell-them-otherwise-be-brave/) [Bilal Zahoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bilal-zahoor/) > [Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/be-convinced-that-to-be-happy-means-to-be-free-and-that-to-be-free/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [It's always brave to be yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-yifei/it-s-always-brave-to-be-yourself/) [Liu Yifei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-yifei/) > [“Victory is for the fucking brave, not the timid and excuse-riddled weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zakk-wylde/victory-is-for-the-fucking-brave-not-the-timid-and-excuse-riddled-weak/) [Zakk Wylde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zakk-wylde/) > [I'm very proud of 'Every Girl's a Super Girl.' I want all girls to know that no matter what size, color, or shape, whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo-siwa/i-m-very-proud-of-every-girl-s-a-super-girl-i-want-all-girls-to-know/) [JoJo Siwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo-siwa/) > [And I read the moral--A brave endeavour To do thy duty, whate'er its worth, Is better than life with love forever, And love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jeffrey-roche/and-i-read-the-moral-a-brave-endeavour-to-do-thy-duty-whate-er-its/) [James Jeffrey Roche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-jeffrey-roche/) > [I admire machinery as much is any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be for what it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-admire-machinery-as-much-is-any-man-and-am-as-thankful-to-it-as-any/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [You know what really made me sick? I was in Washington, D.C. at another time reading in a paper where the U.S. gives Byron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/you-know-what-really-made-me-sick-i-was-in-washington-d-c-at-another/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [To be able to live and train in Iraq under these circumstances you need to be brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-able-to-live-and-train-in-iraq-under-these-circumstances-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's a fallacy with stand up comedy, which is, people come up to comedians, and they go, 'You say what I think but I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/there-s-a-fallacy-with-stand-up-comedy-which-is-people-come-up-to/) [Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/) > [Fortune helps the brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence/fortune-helps-the-brave/) [Terence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence/) > [“A ‘good’ father will tenderly cultivate his children. But a ‘good’ father who is also a ‘brave’ father will let the children without cultivate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/a-good-father-will-tenderly-cultivate-his-children-but-a-good-father/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [And is it selfish of me to crave victory, or is it brave?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/and-is-it-selfish-of-me-to-crave-victory-or-is-it-brave/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [THE British are brave people. They can face anything, except reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/the-british-are-brave-people-they-can-face-anything-except-reality/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) [Browse all 3,314 Brave quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The brave man is an inspiration to the weak, and compels them, as it were, to follow him.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Smiles" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-brave-man-is-an-inspiration-to-the-weak-and-compels-them-as-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brave" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-brave-man-is-an-inspiration-to-the-weak-and-compels-them-as-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/samuel-smiles-2037_brave_the-brave-man-is-an-inspiration-to-the-w_1692242.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/samuel-smiles-2037_brave_the-brave-man-is-an-inspiration-to-the-w_1692242.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/samuel-smiles-2037_brave_the-brave-man-is-an-inspiration-to-the-w_1692242.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The brave man is an inspiration to the weak, and compels them, as it were, to follow him.” — Samuel Smiles", "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": "Samuel Smiles", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The brave man is an inspiration...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-brave-man-is-an-inspiration-to-the-weak-and-compels-them-as-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-brave-man-is-an-inspiration-to-the-weak-and-compels-them-as-it/#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 } } ] } ```