---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cautious, careful people, always casting…"
description: "\"Cautious, careful people, always casting about to preserve their reputation and social standing, never can bring about a reform. Those who are really i..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69e/susan-b-anthony-2103_be-cautious_cautious-careful-people-always-casting-a_267117.png"
---

#  Cautious, careful people, always casting about to preserve…

![“Cautious, careful people, always casting about to preserve their reputation and social standing, never can bring about a reform. Those who are really in earnest must be willing to be anything or nothing in the world's estimation.” quote by Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69e/susan-b-anthony-2103_be-cautious_cautious-careful-people-always-casting-a_267117.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69e/susan-b-anthony-2103_be-cautious_cautious-careful-people-always-casting-a_267117.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69e/susan-b-anthony-2103_be-cautious_cautious-careful-people-always-casting-a_267117.png)

> “Cautious, careful people, always casting about to preserve their reputation and social standing, never can bring about a reform. Those who are really in earnest must be willing to be anything or nothing in the world's estimation.”

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Reform requires boldness; cautious people protect reputation but avoid change.

**In simple terms:** Bold action drives reform.

Key Takeaway

Be willing to risk reputation for change.

Themes

social reform courage reputation

Mood

determined inspirational

Type

activist motivational

When to use this quote

- political campaigns
- grassroots organizing
- public speaking
- advocacy

Key Concepts

risk tolerance social change activism

Questions to Reflect On

- What reputation are you willing to risk?
- How can cautiousness be channeled product?

A Different Perspective

Too much risk can alienate allies.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Be cautious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-cautious/) [Careful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careful/) [Careful People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careful-people-474230/) [Casting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/casting/) [Cautious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cautious/) [Cautious Careful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cautious-careful-2620489/) [Earnest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earnest/) [Estimation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/estimation/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Preserve Reputation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preserve-reputation-2620488/) [Preserves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preserves/) [Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform/) [Reform Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform-really-1444241/) [Reputation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reputation/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Standing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standing/) [Suffrage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffrage/) [Willing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willing/) [Woman suffrage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman-suffrage/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) [Women 's rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-s-rights/) [Women 's suffrage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-s-suffrage/) [Women rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-rights/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [Cautious, careful people, always casting about to preserve their reputation and social standing, never can bring about a reform. Those who are really in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/cautious-careful-people-always-casting-about-to-preserve-their-3/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [Cautious, careful people, always casting about to preserve their reputations... can never effect a reform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/cautious-careful-people-always-casting-about-to-preserve-their-2/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [Those who are really in earnest must be willing to be anything or nothing in the world's estimation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/those-who-are-really-in-earnest-must-be-willing-to-be-anything-or/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [Our 'pathway' is straight to the ballot box, with no variableness nor shadow of turning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-cady-stanton/our-pathway-is-straight-to-the-ballot-box-with-no-variableness-nor/)

[Elizabeth Cady Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-cady-stanton/)

> [Everybody counts in applying democracy. And there will never be a true democracy until every responsible and law-abiding adult in it, without regard to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-chapman-catt/everybody-counts-in-applying-democracy-and-there-will-never-be-a-true/)

[Carrie Chapman Catt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-chapman-catt/)

> [I tell them I have worked 40 years to make the W.S. platform broad enough for Atheists and Agnostics to stand upon, and now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/i-tell-them-i-have-worked-40-years-to-make-the-w-s-platform-broad/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [“You should always be defensive, but never be offensive. This will help you to preserve your reputation as a human being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saaif-alam/you-should-always-be-defensive-but-never-be-offensive-this-will-help/)

[Saaif Alam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saaif-alam/)

> [“Which is a greater sin in the eyes of God: to let a child suffer and die to preserve your reputation, or to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/which-is-a-greater-sin-in-the-eyes-of-god-to-let-a-child-suffer-and/)

[Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/)

> [There are people who are so cautious that they are careful not to waste their fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-langenhoven/there-are-people-who-are-so-cautious-that-they-are-careful-not-to/)

[C.J. Langenhoven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-langenhoven/)

> [“If you always try to be cautious and careful, you will never impress anyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-you-always-try-to-be-cautious-and-careful-you-will-never-impress/)

[M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/)

> [“It was all very well occupying the moral high ground on electoral reform, but what really mattered, she thought, was how you treated your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/it-was-all-very-well-occupying-the-moral-high-ground-on-electoral/)

[Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/)

> [Any time you do tax reform, you really need to have a transition period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-tillis/any-time-you-do-tax-reform-you-really-need-to-have-a-transition-period/)

[Thom Tillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-tillis/)

> [Truly, matters in the world are in a bad state; but if you and I begin in earnest to reform ourselves, a really good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-of-alcantara/truly-matters-in-the-world-are-in-a-bad-state-but-if-you-and-i-begin/)

[Peter of Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-of-alcantara/)

> [It's a funny thing, I think people meet us and they assume that we know a lot more about politics than we actually do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-simons/it-s-a-funny-thing-i-think-people-meet-us-and-they-assume-that-we/)

[Timothy Simons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-simons/)

> [The anti-suffragist talk of sheltering women from the fierce storms of life is a lot of cant. I have no patience with it. These…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/the-anti-suffragist-talk-of-sheltering-women-from-the-fierce-storms/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

## More by Susan B. Anthony

> [I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel...the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/i-stand-and-rejoice-every-time-i-see-a-woman-ride-by-on-a-wheel-the/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [Nothing is hopeless that is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/nothing-is-hopeless-that-is-right/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [It has always been thought perfectly womanly to be a scrub- woman in the Legislature and to take care of the spittoons; that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/it-has-always-been-thought-perfectly-womanly-to-be-a-scrub-woman-in/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [It is cruel for you to leave your daughter, so full of hopeand resolve, to suffer the humiliations of disfranchisement she already feels so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/it-is-cruel-for-you-to-leave-your-daughter-so-full-of-hopeand-resolve/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/let-me-tell-you-what-i-think-of-bicycling-i-think-it-has-done-more-to/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [The only question left to be settled now is: Are women persons?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/the-only-question-left-to-be-settled-now-is-are-women-persons/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [“I was born a heretic. I always distrusted people who know so much about what God wants them to do to their fellows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/i-was-born-a-heretic-i-always-distrusted-people-who-know-so-much/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [Many abolitionists have yet to learn the ABC of woman's rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/many-abolitionists-have-yet-to-learn-the-abc-of-woman-s-rights/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [To no form of religion is woman indebted for one impulse of freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/to-no-form-of-religion-is-woman-indebted-for-one-impulse-of-freedom/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/it-was-we-the-people-not-we-the-white-male-citizens-nor-yet-we-the/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [I shall never pay a dollar of your unjust penalty. All the stock in trade I possess is a $10,000 debt, incurred by publishing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/i-shall-never-pay-a-dollar-of-your-unjust-penalty-all-the-stock-in/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [Whichever way I turn, whatever phase of social life presents itself, the same conviction comes: Independent bread alone can redeem woman from her curse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/whichever-way-i-turn-whatever-phase-of-social-life-presents-itself/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [Oh, if I could but live another century and see the fruition of all the work for women! There is so much yet to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/oh-if-i-could-but-live-another-century-and-see-the-fruition-of-all/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [To be wedded to an idea may be, after all, the holiest and happiest of marriages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/to-be-wedded-to-an-idea-may-be-after-all-the-holiest-and-happiest-of/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [For twelve successive Congresses we have appeared before committees of the two Houses making this plea, that the underlying principle of our Government, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/for-twelve-successive-congresses-we-have-appeared-before-committees/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

[Explore all 186 Susan B. Anthony quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

## More Be cautious quotes

> [Having an eating disorder doesn't show ‘strength.’ Strength is when are able to overcome your demons after being sick and tired for so long.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/having-an-eating-disorder-doesn-t-show-strength-strength-is-when-are/)

[Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/)

> [Fear and caution are two different things. Be cautious - be conscious - but do not be fearful. Fear only paralyzes, while consciousness mobilizes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/fear-and-caution-are-two-different-things-be-cautious-be-conscious/)

[Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/)

> [We old roosters must be cautious. Don't try to outwit your arteries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-j-perelman/we-old-roosters-must-be-cautious-don-t-try-to-outwit-your-arteries/)

[S. J. Perelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-j-perelman/)

> [While business advertises, charity is taught to beg. While business motivates with a dollar, charity is told to motivate with guilt. While business takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pallotta/while-business-advertises-charity-is-taught-to-beg-while-business/)

[Dan Pallotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pallotta/)

> [Be cautious and bold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-rothschild-3rd-baron-rothschild/be-cautious-and-bold/)

[Victor Rothschild, 3rd Baron Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-rothschild-3rd-baron-rothschild/)

> [If you care about your personal liberty, you'll be cautious when you feel comfortable, blame all the illegal immigrants for everything. What you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/if-you-care-about-your-personal-liberty-you-ll-be-cautious-when-you/)

[Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/)

> [As a scientist I cannot say we don't want to hear anything about GMOs, because these are advances in science. But I think its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/as-a-scientist-i-cannot-say-we-don-t-want-to-hear-anything-about-gmos/)

[Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/)

> [Let us be cautious in making assertions and critical in examining them, but tolerant in permitting linguistic forms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-carnap/let-us-be-cautious-in-making-assertions-and-critical-in-examining/)

[Rudolf Carnap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-carnap/)

> [Be cautious, but not too cautious; do not be too much afraid of making a mistake; a man who never makes a mistake will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/be-cautious-but-not-too-cautious-do-not-be-too-much-afraid-of-making/)

[John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/)

> [One has to be cautious and respectful of the power of the "substance" guides. I don't advocate imbibing the "little saint children," as Maria…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-waldman/one-has-to-be-cautious-and-respectful-of-the-power-of-the-substance/)

[Anne Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-waldman/)

> [Mothers have the huge influence, and I feel like they're always teaching us from the day we're born what to be afraid of, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/mothers-have-the-huge-influence-and-i-feel-like-they-re-always/)

[Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/)

> [To be cautious, one should not take high confidence as any absolute guarantee of anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-loftus/to-be-cautious-one-should-not-take-high-confidence-as-any-absolute/)

[Elizabeth Loftus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-loftus/)

> [Some people swear you intentionally to get a reaction from you that would serve their cause. Be cautious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mufti-ismail-menk/some-people-swear-you-intentionally-to-get-a-reaction-from-you-that/)

[Mufti Ismail Menk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mufti-ismail-menk/)

> [ FDR, JFK, LBJ \[all Democratic presidents \] we have a pretty long list of presidents who maybe were not entirely forthcoming with intelligence information… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/fdr-jfk-lbj-all-democratic-presidents-we-have-a-pretty-long-list-of/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [It was leadership here at home that gave us strong American influence abroad, and the collapse of imperial Communism. Great nations have responsibilities to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/it-was-leadership-here-at-home-that-gave-us-strong-american-influence/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

[Browse all 67 Be cautious quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-cautious/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Cautious, careful people, always casting about to preserve their reputation and social standing, never can bring about a reform. Those who are really in earnest must be willing to be anything or nothing in the world's estimation.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Susan B. Anthony"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/cautious-careful-people-always-casting-about-to-preserve-their/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Be cautious"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/cautious-careful-people-always-casting-about-to-preserve-their/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69e/susan-b-anthony-2103_be-cautious_cautious-careful-people-always-casting-a_267117.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69e/susan-b-anthony-2103_be-cautious_cautious-careful-people-always-casting-a_267117.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69e/susan-b-anthony-2103_be-cautious_cautious-careful-people-always-casting-a_267117.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Cautious, careful people, always casting about to preserve their reputation and social standing, never can…” — Susan B. Anthony",
                "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": "Susan B. Anthony",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Cautious, careful people, always casting about...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/cautious-careful-people-always-casting-about-to-preserve-their/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/cautious-careful-people-always-casting-about-to-preserve-their/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
