--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He suffers more than necessary, who…" description: "\"“He suffers more than necessary, who suffers before it is necessary.”\" — Seneca" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/seneca-956_necessary_he-suffers-more-than-necessary-who-suffe_750088.jpg" --- # He suffers more than necessary, who suffers before it is… ![“He suffers more than necessary, who suffers before it is necessary.” quote by Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/seneca-956_necessary_he-suffers-more-than-necessary-who-suffe_750088.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/seneca-956_necessary_he-suffers-more-than-necessary-who-suffe_750088.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/seneca-956_necessary_he-suffers-more-than-necessary-who-suffe_750088.jpg) > ““He suffers more than necessary, who suffers before it is necessary.”” [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Unnecessary suffering comes from anticipating pain before it occurs. **In simple terms:** Worrying about future pain creates extra suffering. Key Takeaway Avoid pre‑emptive worry. Themes stoicism anticipation pain Mood reflective calm Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - personal anxiety - health decisions - relationship conflicts Key Concepts Stoic philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What future pain are you already feeling? - How can you stay present? A Different Perspective Even necessary pain can be endured without extra worry. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary/) [Necessary Suffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary-suffers-1519832/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Suffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffers/) [Suffers Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffers-necessary-1519830/) ## Related quotes > [A man who suffers before it is necessary, suffers more than is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/a-man-who-suffers-before-it-is-necessary-suffers-more-than-is/) [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) > [A man who suffers or stresses before it is necessary, suffers more than is necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/a-man-who-suffers-or-stresses-before-it-is-necessary-suffers-more/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Truth suffers, but never dies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/truth-suffers-but-never-dies/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [“A poet is a pet to the master that suffers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harpreet-singh-nanda/a-poet-is-a-pet-to-the-master-that-suffers/) [Harpreet Singh Nanda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harpreet-singh-nanda/) > [When you hate or get angry with someone, it's you who suffers, not that 'someone'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/when-you-hate-or-get-angry-with-someone-it-s-you-who-suffers-not-that/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“Her heart suffers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-summers/her-heart-suffers/) [Sasha Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-summers/) > [“And yet even in reaching for the beautiful there is beauty, and also in suffering whatever it is that one suffers en route.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/and-yet-even-in-reaching-for-the-beautiful-there-is-beauty-and-also/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Everyone suffers. Rain falls on the just and the unjust alike. It falls on both the rich and the poor too. Leftist materialists imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-knowles/everyone-suffers-rain-falls-on-the-just-and-the-unjust-alike-it-falls/) [Michael J. Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-knowles/) > [“Art suffers the moment other people start paying for it. The more you need the money, the more people will tell you what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-macleod/art-suffers-the-moment-other-people-start-paying-for-it-the-more-you/) [Hugh MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-macleod/) > [“When the Earth suffers, we do not stand outside it—we ache with her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-nault/when-the-earth-suffers-we-do-not-stand-outside-it-we-ache-with-her/) [Lawrence Nault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-nault/) > [I think that's what happens when you get scared, and you're rushing, and you don't have time. Rather than cut things out and take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-noonan/i-think-that-s-what-happens-when-you-get-scared-and-you-re-rushing/) [Tom Noonan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-noonan/) > [Our nation suffers when Congress fails to pay America's bills on time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/our-nation-suffers-when-congress-fails-to-pay-america-s-bills-on-time/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [For many years, I have lived uncomfortably with the belief that most planning and architectural design suffers for lack of real and basic purpose.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-rouse/for-many-years-i-have-lived-uncomfortably-with-the-belief-that-most/) [James Rouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-rouse/) > [When Another Person Makes you Suffer, It Is Because He Suffers Deeply Within Himself, And His Suffering Is Spilling Over. He Does Not Need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/when-another-person-makes-you-suffer-it-is-because-he-suffers-deeply/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) > [The hater always suffers more than the object of his hatred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-hater-always-suffers-more-than-the-object-of-his-hatred/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) ## More by Seneca > [“You should, I need hardly say, live in such a way that there is nothing which you could not as easily tell your enemy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/you-should-i-need-hardly-say-live-in-such-a-way-that-there-is-nothing/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [“The difficulty comes from our lack of confidence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/the-difficulty-comes-from-our-lack-of-confidence/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [Fate leads the willing and drags along the unwilling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/fate-leads-the-willing-and-drags-along-the-unwilling/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [“the wise man is self-sufficient, that he can do without friends, not that he desires to do without them. When I say "can," I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/the-wise-man-is-self-sufficient-that-he-can-do-without-friends-not/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [“This, I say, is the highest duty and the highest proof of wisdom, – that deed and word should be in accord, that”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/this-i-say-is-the-highest-duty-and-the-highest-proof-of-wisdom-that/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [“But both courses are to be avoided; you should not copy the bad simply because they are many, nor should you hate the many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/but-both-courses-are-to-be-avoided-you-should-not-copy-the-bad-simply/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [“Virtue alone affords everlasting and peace-giving joy; even if some obstacle arise, it is but like an intervening cloud, which floats beneath the sun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/virtue-alone-affords-everlasting-and-peace-giving-joy-even-if-some/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [“I’ve come across people who say that there is a sort of inborn restlessness in the human spirit and an urge to change one’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/i-ve-come-across-people-who-say-that-there-is-a-sort-of-inborn/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [“Withdraw into yourself, as far as you can. Associate with those who will make a better man of you. Welcome those whom you yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/withdraw-into-yourself-as-far-as-you-can-associate-with-those-who/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [Economy is too late at the bottom of the purse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/economy-is-too-late-at-the-bottom-of-the-purse/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [“On Epicurus; He says: "Contended poverty is an honourable estate." Indeed, if it is contented, it is not poverty at all. It is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/on-epicurus-he-says-contended-poverty-is-an-honourable-estate-indeed/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [“...certain people have good, ordinary blood and others have an animated, lively sort of blood that comes to the face quickly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/certain-people-have-good-ordinary-blood-and-others-have-an-animated/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [“we perish because we follow other men's examples: we should be cured of this if we were to disengage ourselves from the herd;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/we-perish-because-we-follow-other-men-s-examples-we-should-be-cured/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [“they Whatever can make life truly happy is absolutely good in its own right because it cannot be warped into evil From whence then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/they-whatever-can-make-life-truly-happy-is-absolutely-good-in-its-own/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [“And when the soul has yielded to pleasure, its functions and actions grow weak, and any undertaking comes from a nerveless and unsteady source.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/and-when-the-soul-has-yielded-to-pleasure-its-functions-and-actions/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) [Explore all 286 Seneca quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) ## More Necessary quotes > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [It is absolutely necessary... for me to have persons that can think for me, as well as execute orders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-absolutely-necessary-for-me-to-have-persons-that-can-think-for/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [I've always made it clear that I do not believe that global government is either necessary or feasible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-strong/i-ve-always-made-it-clear-that-i-do-not-believe-that-global/) [Maurice Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-strong/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [The length of the journey has to be borne with, for every moment is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-length-of-the-journey-has-to-be-borne-with-for-every-moment-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes, it is necessary to step beyond what you have known and to reach for something more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/sometimes-it-is-necessary-to-step-beyond-what-you-have-known-and-to/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [It was both necessary and desirable for us to be so strong at sea that no Sea Power could attack us without risk, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-von-bulow/it-was-both-necessary-and-desirable-for-us-to-be-so-strong-at-sea/) [Bernhard von Bulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-von-bulow/) > [There is no bigger waste of time than doing 90% of what is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/there-is-no-bigger-waste-of-time-than-doing-90-of-what-is-necessary/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“One should not make more assumptions than are absolutely necessary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-kerner/one-should-not-make-more-assumptions-than-are-absolutely-necessary/) [Ian Kerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-kerner/) > [I am not concerned about getting reelected. I can make the unpopular but necessary decision. Your focus from day one is on your legacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benigno-aquino-iii/i-am-not-concerned-about-getting-reelected-i-can-make-the-unpopular/) [Benigno Aquino III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benigno-aquino-iii/) > [I'm not going to marry a third time. It is just not necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-robinson/i-m-not-going-to-marry-a-third-time-it-is-just-not-necessary/) [Anne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-robinson/) > [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Art is not necessary at all. All that is necessary to make this world a better place to live in is to love -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/art-is-not-necessary-at-all-all-that-is-necessary-to-make-this-world/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [While sleep is clearly vital to emotional well-being, what is it, exactly, about sleep that is so necessary? As it turns out, mood disorders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-weil/while-sleep-is-clearly-vital-to-emotional-well-being-what-is-it/) [Andrew Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-weil/) > [If there is a risk in a bank, our first question should be 'Okay, what are you in the bank going to do about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeroen-dijsselbloem/if-there-is-a-risk-in-a-bank-our-first-question-should-be-okay-what/) [Jeroen Dijsselbloem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeroen-dijsselbloem/) [Browse all 1,020 Necessary quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He suffers more than necessary, who suffers before it is necessary.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seneca" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/he-suffers-more-than-necessary-who-suffers-before-it-is-necessary/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Necessary" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/he-suffers-more-than-necessary-who-suffers-before-it-is-necessary/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/seneca-956_necessary_he-suffers-more-than-necessary-who-suffe_750088.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/seneca-956_necessary_he-suffers-more-than-necessary-who-suffe_750088.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/531/seneca-956_necessary_he-suffers-more-than-necessary-who-suffe_750088.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He suffers more than necessary, who suffers before it is necessary.” — Seneca", "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": "Seneca", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“He suffers more than necessary, who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/he-suffers-more-than-necessary-who-suffers-before-it-is-necessary/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/he-suffers-more-than-necessary-who-suffers-before-it-is-necessary/#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 } } ] } ```