Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect.

Ralph Waldo Emerson, Worship (The Conduct of Life, 1860)

What it means

Blaming luck lets you off the hook. Strong people look for the causes they can control and work on them. Results usually trace back to choices.

The source

"Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect." Ralph Waldo Emerson said it in Worship (The Conduct of Life, 1860). Written in English: The Conduct of Life, 1860.

"Shallow men believe in luck, believe in circumstances ... Strong men believe in cause and effect."

Original English (The Conduct of Life, 1860), Worship (The Conduct of Life, 1860). Text read at gutenberg.org.

Who said it

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882). American essayist and lecturer who led the Transcendentalists. His lines here come from Nature, Self-Reliance and his Essays.

Questions

What does "Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect." mean?: Blaming luck lets you off the hook. Strong people look for the causes they can control and work on them. Results usually trace back to choices.
Who said "Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect."?: Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882). Source: Worship (The Conduct of Life, 1860).
What is the original wording?: Shallow men believe in luck, believe in circumstances ... Strong men believe in cause and effect (Original English (The Conduct of Life, 1860)). Written in English: The Conduct of Life, 1860.
Is "Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect." on a shirt?: Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

Cite this line

"Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect." (Ralph Waldo Emerson, Worship (The Conduct of Life, 1860), trans. Original English (The Conduct of Life, 1860)). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/shallow-men-believe-in-luck-strong-men-believe