---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man must not deny his manifest…"
description: "\"A man must not deny his manifest abilities, for that is to evade his obligations.\" — William Feather"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/william-feather-2664_ability_a-man-must-not-deny-his-manifest-abiliti_117142.png"
---

#  A man must not deny his manifest abilities, for that is to…

![“A man must not deny his manifest abilities, for that is to evade his obligations.” quote by William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/william-feather-2664_ability_a-man-must-not-deny-his-manifest-abiliti_117142.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/william-feather-2664_ability_a-man-must-not-deny-his-manifest-abiliti_117142.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/william-feather-2664_ability_a-man-must-not-deny-his-manifest-abiliti_117142.png)

> “A man must not deny his manifest abilities, for that is to evade his obligations.”

[William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/)

## About This Quote

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

Denial of one's innate talents evades personal duty; embracing abilities is essential to fulfill obligations and contribute meaningfully.

**In simple terms:** Own your talents, meet your duties.

Key Takeaway

Self‑recognition drives responsibility.

Themes

self‑awareness responsibility talent obligation

Mood

motivational serious

Type

advice ethical

When to use this quote

- career planning
- personal development coaching
- team role assignment

Key Concepts

psychological integrity moral duty

Practical Applications

- Conduct strengths assessments
- Set accountability frameworks

Questions to Reflect On

- What prevents people from acknowledging their strengths?
- How does recognizing talent affect ethical obligations?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation/)

## Related quotes

> [The logical man must either deny all miracles or none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-logical-man-must-either-deny-all-miracles-or-none/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Because he had not done what she, with her heart in her mouth, had hoped he would do, which was to be a man:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/because-he-had-not-done-what-she-with-her-heart-in-her-mouth-had/)

[Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/)

> [Abundance, like everything else in the universe, is simply a specific arrangement of energy and information. With our intention, we can change the energy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/abundance-like-everything-else-in-the-universe-is-simply-a-specific/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [The individualism of current economic theory is manifest in the purely self-interested behaviour it generally assumes. It has no real place for fairness, malevolence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-e-daly/the-individualism-of-current-economic-theory-is-manifest-in-the/)

[Herman E. Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-e-daly/)

> [It is this one Spirit who makes it possible for an infant to be regenerated . . . when that infant is brought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/it-is-this-one-spirit-who-makes-it-possible-for-an-infant-to-be/)

[Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/)

> [“But what a feeling can come over a man just from seeing the things he believes in and hopes for symbolized in the concrete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/but-what-a-feeling-can-come-over-a-man-just-from-seeing-the-things-he/)

[Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/)

> [Watch the thought and its ways with care, and let it spring from love born out of concern for all beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/watch-the-thought-and-its-ways-with-care-and-let-it-spring-from-love/)

[Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/)

> [If there's a lot of fear that's going on, if there's a lot of anxiety, it's manifesting itself in your nocturnal world so that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-harris/if-there-s-a-lot-of-fear-that-s-going-on-if-there-s-a-lot-of-anxiety/)

[Shelby Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-harris/)

> [Focus on being grateful for what you have already .. enjoy it!! Then release into the universe. The universe will manifest it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/focus-on-being-grateful-for-what-you-have-already-enjoy-it-then/)

[Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/)

> [It is the Prana that is manifesting as motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/it-is-the-prana-that-is-manifesting-as-motion/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [“The universe is an illusion, created by consciousness to entertain itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anje-kruger/the-universe-is-an-illusion-created-by-consciousness-to-entertain/)

Anje Kruger

> [I'm simply saying that our deepest thoughts, desires and preoccupations manifest themselves in art, whether we intend them to or not. That's what art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-pegg/i-m-simply-saying-that-our-deepest-thoughts-desires-and/)

[Simon Pegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-pegg/)

> [To husband is to use with care, to keep, to save, to make last, to conserve. Old usage tells us that there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/to-husband-is-to-use-with-care-to-keep-to-save-to-make-last-to/)

[Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/)

> [Like many other scientists who hold the Catholic faith, I see the Creator's plan and purpose fulfilled in our universe. I see a planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-r-miller/like-many-other-scientists-who-hold-the-catholic-faith-i-see-the/)

[Kenneth R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-r-miller/)

> [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

## More by William Feather

> [Before it can be solved, a problem must be clearly defined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/before-it-can-be-solved-a-problem-must-be-clearly-defined/)

[William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/)

> [Deliver me from all evildoers that talk nothing but sickness and failure. Grant me the companionship of men who think success and men who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/deliver-me-from-all-evildoers-that-talk-nothing-but-sickness-and/)

[William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/)

> [Unnecessary hustle is one of the American follies. We hustle at both work and play, and consequently enjoy neither to the utmost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/unnecessary-hustle-is-one-of-the-american-follies-we-hustle-at-both/)

[William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/)

> [Business is like a wheelbarrow-it stands still until someone pushes it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/business-is-like-a-wheelbarrow-it-stands-still-until-someone-pushes-it/)

[William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/)

> [A good man likes a hard boss. I don't mean a nagging boss or a grouchy boss. I mean a boss who insists on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/a-good-man-likes-a-hard-boss-i-don-t-mean-a-nagging-boss-or-a-grouchy/)

[William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/)

> [Loneliness is something you can't walk away from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/loneliness-is-something-you-can-t-walk-away-from/)

[William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/)

> [Success in business hinges mostly on the ability to get the important things done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/success-in-business-hinges-mostly-on-the-ability-to-get-the-important/)

[William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/)

> [It's not the increasing competition; it's going back to real work that most of us complain about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/it-s-not-the-increasing-competition-it-s-going-back-to-real-work-that/)

[William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/)

> [Always remember that there is a law of compensation which operates just as infallibly as gravitation, and that victory goes at last where it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/always-remember-that-there-is-a-law-of-compensation-which-operates/)

[William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/)

> [When ordering lunch, the big executives are just as indecisive as the rest of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/when-ordering-lunch-the-big-executives-are-just-as-indecisive-as-the/)

[William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/)

> [Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/success-seems-to-be-largely-a-matter-of-hanging-on-after-others-have/)

[William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/)

> [Too many of us vote for our prejudices instead of our desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/too-many-of-us-vote-for-our-prejudices-instead-of-our-desires/)

[William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/)

> [Indifference and inaction must always pay a penalty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/indifference-and-inaction-must-always-pay-a-penalty/)

[William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/)

> [He that succeeds makes an important thing of the immediate task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/he-that-succeeds-makes-an-important-thing-of-the-immediate-task/)

[William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/)

> [One right and honest definition of business is mutual helpfulness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/one-right-and-honest-definition-of-business-is-mutual-helpfulness/)

[William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/)

[Explore all 155 William Feather quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/)

## More Ability quotes

> [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/)

[Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/)

> [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/)

[Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/)

> [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/)

[Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/)

> [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/)

[Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/)

> [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/)

[Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/)

> [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/)

[Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/)

> [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/)

[Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/)

> [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/)

[Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/)

> [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/)

[Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/)

> [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/)

[Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/)

> [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/)

[Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/)

[Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "A man must not deny his manifest abilities, for that is to evade his obligations.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "William Feather"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/a-man-must-not-deny-his-manifest-abilities-for-that-is-to-evade-his/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ability"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/a-man-must-not-deny-his-manifest-abilities-for-that-is-to-evade-his/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/william-feather-2664_ability_a-man-must-not-deny-his-manifest-abiliti_117142.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/william-feather-2664_ability_a-man-must-not-deny-his-manifest-abiliti_117142.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/william-feather-2664_ability_a-man-must-not-deny-his-manifest-abiliti_117142.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“A man must not deny his manifest abilities, for that is to evade his obligations.” — William Feather",
                "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": "William Feather",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "A man must not deny his...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/a-man-must-not-deny-his-manifest-abilities-for-that-is-to-evade-his/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/a-man-must-not-deny-his-manifest-abilities-for-that-is-to-evade-his/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
