--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: True men of this world do not wish. They…" description: "\"True men of this world do not wish. They change that which they know can be changed, they accept what cannot, and they always strive for the wisdom to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/sigmund-brouwer-54282_accepting_true-men-of-this-world-do-not-wish-they_1222214.jpg" --- # True men of this world do not wish. They change that which… ![“True men of this world do not wish. They change that which they know can be changed, they accept what cannot, and they always strive for the wisdom to know the difference.” quote by Sigmund Brouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/sigmund-brouwer-54282_accepting_true-men-of-this-world-do-not-wish-they_1222214.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/sigmund-brouwer-54282_accepting_true-men-of-this-world-do-not-wish-they_1222214.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/sigmund-brouwer-54282_accepting_true-men-of-this-world-do-not-wish-they_1222214.jpg) > “True men of this world do not wish. They change that which they know can be changed, they accept what cannot, and they always strive for the wisdom to know the difference.” [Sigmund Brouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-brouwer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True men act to change what they can, accept what they cannot, and seek wisdom to discern the difference. **In simple terms:** Change what you can, accept what you cannot, seek wisdom. Key Takeaway Cultivate discernment. Themes wisdom change acceptance Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership - policy making - conflict resolution - spiritual practice Key Concepts philosophy psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide what is changeable? - What practices help develop discernment? A Different Perspective Distinguishing changeable from unchangeable can be ambiguous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accepting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) [Change Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-know-388490/) [Changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-world-328946/) [Strive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strive/) [Strive Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strive-wisdom-3747357/) [This world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-world/) [True man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-man/) [True Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-men-328949/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wisdom to know the difference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom-to-know-the-difference/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [Wish Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish-change-544903/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [It is true that men themselves made this world of nations... but this world without doubt has issued from a mind often diverse, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giambattista-vico/it-is-true-that-men-themselves-made-this-world-of-nations-but-this/) [Giambattista Vico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giambattista-vico/) > [I am dedicated to the belief that it is God's will that all men should strive for wisdom in themselves, not look to it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-zimmer-bradley/i-am-dedicated-to-the-belief-that-it-is-god-s-will-that-all-men/) [Marion Zimmer Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-zimmer-bradley/) > [True men and women are all physicians to make us well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-a-bartol/true-men-and-women-are-all-physicians-to-make-us-well/) [C. A. Bartol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-a-bartol/) > [“In proper men there is hidden a light which darkness makes visible. I believe that the hope of mankind is in this buried glory;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-kersh/in-proper-men-there-is-hidden-a-light-which-darkness-makes-visible-i/) [Gerald Kersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-kersh/) > [If it were true that men could achieve their good by means of turning some men into sacrificial animals, and . . . if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/if-it-were-true-that-men-could-achieve-their-good-by-means-of-turning-2/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [How true it is that men live for Things and women for People!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/how-true-it-is-that-men-live-for-things-and-women-for-people/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [Ability wins us the esteem of the true men; luck, that of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/ability-wins-us-the-esteem-of-the-true-men-luck-that-of-the-people/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [No man dies for what he knows to be true. Men die for what they want to be true, for what some terror in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/no-man-dies-for-what-he-knows-to-be-true-men-die-for-what-they-want/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The true men of action in our time, those who transform the world, are not the politicians and statesmen, but the scientists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/the-true-men-of-action-in-our-time-those-who-transform-the-world-are/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/to-believe-your-own-thought-to-believe-that-what-is-true-for-you-in-2/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“God became man that dehumanized men might become true men. We become true men in the community of the incarnate, the suffering and loving,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/god-became-man-that-dehumanized-men-might-become-true-men-we-become/) [Jürgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [“To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men—that is genius.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/to-believe-your-own-thought-to-believe-that-what-is-true-for-you-in/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [“If it were true that men could achieve their good by means of turning some men into sacrificial animals, and I were asked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/if-it-were-true-that-men-could-achieve-their-good-by-means-of-turning/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [We honor our heroic and patriotic dead by being true men, as true men by faithfully fighting the battles of our day as they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mcmurtrie-gregg/we-honor-our-heroic-and-patriotic-dead-by-being-true-men-as-true-men/) [David McMurtrie Gregg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mcmurtrie-gregg/) > [“True is what men believe, and they believe this of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/true-is-what-men-believe-and-they-believe-this-of-you/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) ## More by Sigmund Brouwer > [“Outside, most people knew that decades ago, the religious fundamentalists lost the ability to transform society when they became a political movement. Their boycotts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-brouwer/outside-most-people-knew-that-decades-ago-the-religious/) [Sigmund Brouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-brouwer/) > [“Are you insane? You still not convinced that chances are better with me?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-brouwer/are-you-insane-you-still-not-convinced-that-chances-are-better-with-me/) [Sigmund Brouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-brouwer/) > [“I hope it doesn't get worse. But even if it gets worse, I won't regret it. I would rather be dead than live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-brouwer/i-hope-it-doesn-t-get-worse-but-even-if-it-gets-worse-i-won-t-regret/) [Sigmund Brouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-brouwer/) > [For each of us, time is a thief of flory. What give meaning to our lives and deaths is love and hope, if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-brouwer/for-each-of-us-time-is-a-thief-of-flory-what-give-meaning-to-our/) [Sigmund Brouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-brouwer/) > [“Yet truth is a diamond; even mishandles, smeared with grease, or buried in mud, it cannot be marred and waits for one with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-brouwer/yet-truth-is-a-diamond-even-mishandles-smeared-with-grease-or-buried/) [Sigmund Brouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-brouwer/) [Explore all 6 Sigmund Brouwer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-brouwer/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) [Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "True men of this world do not wish. They change that which they know can be changed, they accept what cannot, and they always strive for the wisdom to know the difference.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sigmund Brouwer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-brouwer/true-men-of-this-world-do-not-wish-they-change-that-which-they-know/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accepting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-brouwer/true-men-of-this-world-do-not-wish-they-change-that-which-they-know/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/sigmund-brouwer-54282_accepting_true-men-of-this-world-do-not-wish-they_1222214.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/sigmund-brouwer-54282_accepting_true-men-of-this-world-do-not-wish-they_1222214.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/sigmund-brouwer-54282_accepting_true-men-of-this-world-do-not-wish-they_1222214.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“True men of this world do not wish. They change that which they know can be changed, they accept what…” — Sigmund Brouwer", "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": "Sigmund Brouwer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-brouwer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "True men of this world do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-brouwer/true-men-of-this-world-do-not-wish-they-change-that-which-they-know/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-brouwer/true-men-of-this-world-do-not-wish-they-change-that-which-they-know/#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 } } ] } ```