--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But heroes, at times, had to be fools." description: "\"But heroes, at times, had to be fools.\" — Steve Berry" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/steve-berry-10744_fool_but-heroes-at-times-had-to-be-fools-1162_1162614.jpg" --- # But heroes, at times, had to be fools. ![“But heroes, at times, had to be fools.” quote by Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/steve-berry-10744_fool_but-heroes-at-times-had-to-be-fools-1162_1162614.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/steve-berry-10744_fool_but-heroes-at-times-had-to-be-fools-1162_1162614.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/steve-berry-10744_fool_but-heroes-at-times-had-to-be-fools-1162_1162614.jpg) > “But heroes, at times, had to be fools.” [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Heroes may need to act foolishly to achieve greater good, embracing risk and humility. **In simple terms:** Heroes sometimes act like fools for a cause. Key Takeaway Embrace humility and risk when needed. Themes heroism foolishness risk Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - leadership - activism - creative problem solving Key Concepts moral paradox self-sacrifice Questions to Reflect On - When is it wise to appear foolish? - How does humility affect leadership? A Different Perspective Foolish actions can be misinterpreted or harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Heroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroes/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Everyone gets scared at times. It's only the fools who won't admit it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/everyone-gets-scared-at-times-it-s-only-the-fools-who-won-t-admit-it/) [Jennifer A. Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/) > [When we look at history, we see history is made up of the heroes of their times. Yet, somehow we miss this when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-mcmanus/when-we-look-at-history-we-see-history-is-made-up-of-the-heroes-of/) [Erwin McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-mcmanus/) > [Audiences arent fools - their judgement really is important. And the true heroes of films are the investors. They take the risk, after all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-frears/audiences-arent-fools-their-judgement-really-is-important-and-the/) [Stephen Frears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-frears/) > [Men will cease to be fools only when they cease to be men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/men-will-cease-to-be-fools-only-when-they-cease-to-be-men/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [You're brilliant,"he says."But you're a fool to stay with someone like me." I close my eyes at the touch of his hand."Then we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/you-re-brilliant-he-says-but-you-re-a-fool-to-stay-with-someone-like/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) > [God looks out for fools and babies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meshell-ndegeocello/god-looks-out-for-fools-and-babies/) [Meshell Ndegeocello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meshell-ndegeocello/) > [Only fools use their mouth to speak. A smart man uses his brain, and a wise man uses his heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/only-fools-use-their-mouth-to-speak-a-smart-man-uses-his-brain-and-a/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Controversy equalizes fools and wise men in the same way - and the fools know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr-2/controversy-equalizes-fools-and-wise-men-in-the-same-way-and-the/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr-2/) > [The wise are wise only because they love. The fool are fools only because they think they can understand love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-wise-are-wise-only-because-they-love-the-fool-are-fools-only/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/fools-learn-from-experience-i-prefer-to-learn-from-the-experience-of/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [“What would have been the fate of sages if there were no fools?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogwo-david-emenike/what-would-have-been-the-fate-of-sages-if-there-were-no-fools/) [Ogwo David Emenike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogwo-david-emenike/) > [The majority is never right. Never, I tell you! That's one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/the-majority-is-never-right-never-i-tell-you-that-s-one-of-these-lies/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prefer-to-be-defeated-in-the-presence-of-the-wise-than-to-excel-among/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every man must wear out at least one pair of fools shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-derr-biggers/every-man-must-wear-out-at-least-one-pair-of-fools-shoes/) [Earl Derr Biggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-derr-biggers/) > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) ## More by Steve Berry > [“What a difference from words on a page, or images on a video screen. Surrounding him was one of the oldest fortresses in England,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/what-a-difference-from-words-on-a-page-or-images-on-a-video-screen/) [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) > [I can only write new words at my desk, the one I've owned for 25 years. When we moved to our new house I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/i-can-only-write-new-words-at-my-desk-the-one-i-ve-owned-for-25-years/) [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) > [“Knowledge is far more powerful than any weapon,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/knowledge-is-far-more-powerful-than-any-weapon/) [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) > [“Never hate your enemy. That clouded judgment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/never-hate-your-enemy-that-clouded-judgment/) [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) > [“He’d read once that the measure of an idea was how relative it was not only to its time, but beyond. His”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/he-d-read-once-that-the-measure-of-an-idea-was-how-relative-it-was/) [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) > [“They’re like chocolate-chip cookies, though. Can’t have just one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/they-re-like-chocolate-chip-cookies-though-can-t-have-just-one/) [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) > [“If men were angels, no government would be necessary - James Madison”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/if-men-were-angels-no-government-would-be-necessary-james-madison/) [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) > [I love all of my children equally, all of my printed books, and each one bears a special piece of me. But the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/i-love-all-of-my-children-equally-all-of-my-printed-books-and-each/) [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) > [“We find what we search for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/we-find-what-we-search-for/) [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) > [“even the blind-eyed biscuit thrower occasionally hits the target.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/even-the-blind-eyed-biscuit-thrower-occasionally-hits-the-target/) [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) > [If all my friends jumped off a bridge, I wouldn't jump with them. I'd be at the bottom, hoping to catch them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/if-all-my-friends-jumped-off-a-bridge-i-wouldn-t-jump-with-them-i-d/) [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) > [“It's true that the early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/it-s-true-that-the-early-bird-gets-the-worm-but-the-second-mouse-gets/) [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) > [“More access to information meant more dissent, more informed discussion, more widespread criticism of authority. Information changed the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/more-access-to-information-meant-more-dissent-more-informed/) [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) > [If what you know and what you love are the same thing, that's great. But if not, write what you love. I love history,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/if-what-you-know-and-what-you-love-are-the-same-thing-that-s-great/) [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) > [Follow your heart. It rarely leads you astray. It's thinking that gets us into trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/follow-your-heart-it-rarely-leads-you-astray-it-s-thinking-that-gets/) [Steve Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) [Explore all 62 Steve Berry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/) ## More Fool quotes > [Do I look like a fool to you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/do-i-look-like-a-fool-to-you/) [Tamika-leeigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamika-leeigh/) > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“Not wise, perhaps, to be rude to the Pope's favorite son, but my viper tongue still required a fool now and then on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/not-wise-perhaps-to-be-rude-to-the-pope-s-favorite-son-but-my-viper/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [A fool and his money get a lot of publicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-bernstein/a-fool-and-his-money-get-a-lot-of-publicity/) [Al Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-bernstein/) > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) > [Every man must wear out at least one pair of fools shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-derr-biggers/every-man-must-wear-out-at-least-one-pair-of-fools-shoes/) [Earl Derr Biggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-derr-biggers/) > [If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wc-fields/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-try-try-again-then-quit-no-use-being-a/) [WC Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wc-fields/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [I'd be a fool to be in this for the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-hinn/i-d-be-a-fool-to-be-in-this-for-the-money/) [Benny Hinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-hinn/) > [It is a fool of a shepherd who culls his dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-smith/it-is-a-fool-of-a-shepherd-who-culls-his-dogs/) [Jefferson Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-smith/) > [Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prefer-to-be-defeated-in-the-presence-of-the-wise-than-to-excel-among/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A mistake doesnt make you a fool, but denying it surely makes you one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-mistake-doesnt-make-you-a-fool-but-denying-it-surely-makes-you-one/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) [Browse all 5,535 Fool quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But heroes, at times, had to be fools.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steve Berry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/but-heroes-at-times-had-to-be-fools/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fool" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/but-heroes-at-times-had-to-be-fools/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/steve-berry-10744_fool_but-heroes-at-times-had-to-be-fools-1162_1162614.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/steve-berry-10744_fool_but-heroes-at-times-had-to-be-fools-1162_1162614.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/steve-berry-10744_fool_but-heroes-at-times-had-to-be-fools-1162_1162614.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But heroes, at times, had to be fools.” — Steve Berry", "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": "Steve Berry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-berry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "But heroes, at times, had to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/but-heroes-at-times-had-to-be-fools/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-berry/but-heroes-at-times-had-to-be-fools/#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 } } ] } ```