Aces Quote by William Hazlitt
“One is always more vexed at losing a game of any sort by a single hole or ace, than if one has never had a chance of winning it.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: On the Pleasures of the Imagination, 1821
Losing by a narrow margin feels more frustrating than never having a chance to win, highlighting human tendency to magnify near-misses.
In simple terms: Close losses sting more than missed opportunities.
Key Takeaway
Accept that near-misses are part of competition.
Themes
competition
perception
psychology
Mood
frustrated
reflective
Type
observational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- sports
- games
- career contests
Key Concepts
loss aversion
cognitive bias
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we focus on near-misses?
- How can we reframe small defeats?
A Different Perspective
Close losses can distort perspective and cause undue distress.
![“I'm definitely playing next year. That's my ace in the hole. It's a little hard to sit back and watch the guys [this season], but it's easier knowing I've got something to look forward to.” quote by Tedy Bruschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/82f/tedy-bruschi-61728_aces_i-m-definitely-playing-next-year-that-s_67625.jpg)
![“There's always a villain in every book, in every movie. In every story you have the hero and what he wants, and that is the MacGuffin. The whole thing is about who's gonna get the MacGuffin. This piece that this Ace of Spades blog wrote is that's how the media covers [Barack] Obama, and I have…” quote by Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e43/rush-limbaugh-28_aces_there-s-always-a-villain-in-every-book-i_181419.jpg)
![“Behold me waiting—waiting for the knife… The thick, sweet mystery of chloroform, The drunken dark, the little death-in-life… [F]ace to face with chance, I shrink a little: My hopes are strong, my will is something weak. ...I am ready But, gentlemen my porters, life is brittle: You carry Cæsar and…” quote by William Ernest Henley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a68/william-ernest-henley-15193_aces_behold-me-waiting-waiting-for-the-knife_269698.jpg)
