--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cowardice is how you decide to be in real…" description: "\"Cowardice is how you decide to be in real life\" — Veronica Roth" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c3/veronica-roth-66_coward_cowardice-is-how-you-decide-to-be-in-rea_2963250.png" --- # Cowardice is how you decide to be in real life ![“Cowardice is how you decide to be in real life” quote by Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c3/veronica-roth-66_coward_cowardice-is-how-you-decide-to-be-in-rea_2963250.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c3/veronica-roth-66_coward_cowardice-is-how-you-decide-to-be-in-rea_2963250.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c3/veronica-roth-66_coward_cowardice-is-how-you-decide-to-be-in-rea_2963250.png) > “Cowardice is how you decide to be in real life” [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cowardice is choosing avoidance over authentic living. **In simple terms:** Avoidance equals cowardice. Key Takeaway Face fears to live authentically. Themes courage authenticity choice Mood inspirational serious Type literary motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - relationships - personal growth - creative projects Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What fears keep you from acting? - When is caution justified? A Different Perspective May label all hesitation as cowardice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cowardice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cowardice/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-life/) ## Related quotes > [“Cowardice is how you decide to be in real life, and in real life, I am not getting pecked to death by crows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/cowardice-is-how-you-decide-to-be-in-real-life-and-in-real-life-i-am/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Soooooo Um Tell Me When You Decide To Be A Real Man And Like A Girl For Who She Is Not How Fast You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanyc/soooooo-um-tell-me-when-you-decide-to-be-a-real-man-and-like-a-girl/) TiffanyC > [“Cowardice can imitate heroism if given no where to flee”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/cowardice-can-imitate-heroism-if-given-no-where-to-flee/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [No cowardice, no sin, no crime, no weakness - the rest will come of itself. . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/no-cowardice-no-sin-no-crime-no-weakness-the-rest-will-come-of-itself/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [It's praiseworthy to be brave and fearless, but it's sometimes better to be a coward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-praiseworthy-to-be-brave-and-fearless-but-it-s-sometimes-better/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [They say cowardice is infectious; but then argument is, on the other hand, a great emboldener.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-say-cowardice-is-infectious-but-then-argument-is-on-the-other/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The greatest braggarts are usually the biggest cowards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-greatest-braggarts-are-usually-the-biggest-cowards/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“Tom's cowardice was as huge as his courage, as it must be in great men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/tom-s-cowardice-was-as-huge-as-his-courage-as-it-must-be-in-great-men/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Cowardice... is almost always simply a lack of ability to suspend functioning of the imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/cowardice-is-almost-always-simply-a-lack-of-ability-to-suspend/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [I'm a hero wid coward's legs, I'm a hero from the waist up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/i-m-a-hero-wid-coward-s-legs-i-m-a-hero-from-the-waist-up/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [The biggest coward is a man who awakens a womans love with no intention of loving her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-biggest-coward-is-a-man-who-awakens-a-womans-love-with-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No police or military in the world can protect people who are cowards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-police-or-military-in-the-world-can-protect-people-who-are-cowards/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“People run away from the love game because they know they won't win the race.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/people-run-away-from-the-love-game-because-they-know-they-won-t-win/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Is there cowardice with the acknowledgement of fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/is-there-cowardice-with-the-acknowledgement-of-fear/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“To stand at the very moment when all seems lost is the point of insanity for the coward, but it is the home of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/to-stand-at-the-very-moment-when-all-seems-lost-is-the-point-of/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) ## More by Veronica Roth > [How strange that something so simple could have been instrumental in my decision to ruin one of my most relationships and friendships, and damage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/how-strange-that-something-so-simple-could-have-been-instrumental-in/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“I was beginning to feel that I had finally found a place to stay, a place that was not so unstable or corrupt or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-was-beginning-to-feel-that-i-had-finally-found-a-place-to-stay-a/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“He acts so tough that he’s probably afraid of marshmallows and really bright sunrises or something. Overcompensating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/he-acts-so-tough-that-he-s-probably-afraid-of-marshmallows-and-really/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [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/) > [You always look like someone's sucked the life right out of you when something fascinates you. -Tris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/you-always-look-like-someone-s-sucked-the-life-right-out-of-you-when/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“We can be mended. We mend each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/we-can-be-mended-we-mend-each-other/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Don’t worry about me handling the pain," I say. "I’ve had a lot of practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/don-t-worry-about-me-handling-the-pain-i-say-i-ve-had-a-lot-of/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Soon I will honor my parents by dying as they died. and if all they believed about death was true, soon I will join…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/soon-i-will-honor-my-parents-by-dying-as-they-died-and-if-all-they/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Mas lembre-se, já agora, que por vezes as pessoas que oprimimos tornam-se mais poderosas do que nós gostaríamos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/mas-lembre-se-j-agora-que-por-vezes-as-pessoas-que-oprimimos-tornam/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“am aware of how little space there is between us—six inches at most. That space feels charged with electricity. I feel like it should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/am-aware-of-how-little-space-there-is-between-us-six-inches-at-most/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Oh, good,” I say, a sour taste in my mouth. “Heroism is what I was focused on. Not, you know, trying not to die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/oh-good-i-say-a-sour-taste-in-my-mouth-heroism-is-what-i-was-focused/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Caleb frowns at him. "How old are you, anyway?" "Eighteen." "And you don't think you're too old to be with my little sister?" Tobias…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/caleb-frowns-at-him-how-old-are-you-anyway-eighteen-and-you-don-t/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [What do you think they're going to do to us when they find us guilty?" she says after a few minutes of silence have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/what-do-you-think-they-re-going-to-do-to-us-when-they-find-us-guilty/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“La paz está restringida, eso es libertad”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/la-paz-est-restringida-eso-es-libertad/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [In some parts of the ancient world, the hawk symbolized the sun. Back when I got this, I figured if I always had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/in-some-parts-of-the-ancient-world-the-hawk-symbolized-the-sun-back/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) [Explore all 1,589 Veronica Roth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) ## More Coward quotes > [Only a coward will use a gun to protect and get respect for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-jal/only-a-coward-will-use-a-gun-to-protect-and-get-respect-for-themselves/) [Emmanuel Jal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-jal/) > [“The Coward will run away from danger, only to strike in the dark. The Heroine will run through the dark, even though she knows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-cleinman/the-coward-will-run-away-from-danger-only-to-strike-in-the-dark-the/) David A. Cleinman > [“A thousand times a coward and not once a dead man”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suad-amiry/a-thousand-times-a-coward-and-not-once-a-dead-man/) Suad Amiry > [Boasting and bravado may exist in the breast even of the coward, if he is successful through a mere lucky hit; but a just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/boasting-and-bravado-may-exist-in-the-breast-even-of-the-coward-if-he/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [“It is true that only a coward can be brave, as a man who feels no fear has conquered nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-david-iggulden/it-is-true-that-only-a-coward-can-be-brave-as-a-man-who-feels-no-fear/) Conn & David Iggulden > [If you're a generous person, when you get money and fame, you're going to be more generous. If you're a sharer, you're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harvey/if-you-re-a-generous-person-when-you-get-money-and-fame-you-re-going/) [Steve Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harvey/) > [Where is the coward that would not dare to fight for such a land as Scotland?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/where-is-the-coward-that-would-not-dare-to-fight-for-such-a-land-as/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [“To stand at the very moment when all seems lost is the point of insanity for the coward, but it is the home of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/to-stand-at-the-very-moment-when-all-seems-lost-is-the-point-of/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [My advice to you, if you should ever be in a hold up, is to line up with the cowards and save your bravery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-henry/my-advice-to-you-if-you-should-ever-be-in-a-hold-up-is-to-line-up/) [O. Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-henry/) > [People who keep dogs are cowards who haven't got the guts to bite people themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/people-who-keep-dogs-are-cowards-who-haven-t-got-the-guts-to-bite/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [Is there cowardice with the acknowledgement of fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/is-there-cowardice-with-the-acknowledgement-of-fear/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [It is the disease of cowards, who do not have the courage to speak upfront and so talk behind one's back... Watch out against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/it-is-the-disease-of-cowards-who-do-not-have-the-courage-to-speak/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [If our principles are right, why should we be cowards?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretia-mott/if-our-principles-are-right-why-should-we-be-cowards/) [Lucretia Mott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretia-mott/) > [I found from working on the film that I am a bigot, at times. And that I am also a coward, at times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-howard/i-found-from-working-on-the-film-that-i-am-a-bigot-at-times-and-that/) [Terrence Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-howard/) > [A coward is the kindest animal; 'Tis the most forgiving creature in a fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/a-coward-is-the-kindest-animal-tis-the-most-forgiving-creature-in-a/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) Browse all 1,331 Coward quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Cowardice is how you decide to be in real life", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Veronica Roth" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/cowardice-is-how-you-decide-to-be-in-real-life/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Coward" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/cowardice-is-how-you-decide-to-be-in-real-life/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c3/veronica-roth-66_coward_cowardice-is-how-you-decide-to-be-in-rea_2963250.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c3/veronica-roth-66_coward_cowardice-is-how-you-decide-to-be-in-rea_2963250.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c3/veronica-roth-66_coward_cowardice-is-how-you-decide-to-be-in-rea_2963250.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Cowardice is how you decide to be in real life” — Veronica Roth", "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": "Veronica Roth", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Cowardice is how you decide to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/cowardice-is-how-you-decide-to-be-in-real-life/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/cowardice-is-how-you-decide-to-be-in-real-life/#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 } } ] } ```