Dangerous Quote by Victor Hugo
“Nothing is more dangerous than to stop working. It is a habit that can soon be lost, one that is easily neglected and hard to resume. A measure of day-dreaming is a good thing, like a drug prudently used ... But too much submerges and drowns. Woe to the intellectual worker who allows himself to lapse wholly from positive thinking into day-dreaming. He thinks he can easily change back, and tells himself that it is all one. He is wrong! To substitute day-dreaming for thought is to confuse poison with a source of nourishment.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Les Misérables, Victor Hugo, 1862
Continuous work sustains productivity; abandoning it leads to loss of habit and difficulty resuming, while unchecked day‑dreaming can be harmful.
In simple terms: Work habit is vital; too much dreaming is harmful.
Key Takeaway
Maintain steady work, balance dreaming.
Themes
productivity
habit
mindset
Mood
reflective
cautious
Type
advice
philosophical
When to use this quote
- career development
- creative projects
- personal growth
- academic study
Key Concepts
self‑discipline
creativity
focus
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance imagination with disciplined work?
- What habits keep you from losing momentum?
A Different Perspective
Excessive day‑dreaming can replace essential thinking.
![“Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three [great teachers] did not tell - they catalyzed a burning desire to know. Under their influence, the horizons sprung wide and fear went away and the unknown became knowable. But most important of…” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/84c/john-steinbeck-71_art_teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-t_1738.jpg)
