Top 54 Discretion Quotes and Sayings (VALOR)

Top 10 Most Famous Discretion Quotes (BEST)

“I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them but to inform their discretion.”
Thomas Jefferson

Discretion is the perfection of reason, and a guide to us in all the duties of life. - Walter Scott — Discretion is the perfection of reason, and a guide to us in all the duties of **life**. – Walter Scott

Great ability without discretion comes almost invariably to a tragic end. - Leon Gambetta — Great ability without discretion comes almost invariably to a tragic end. – Leon Gambetta

Nothing is more dangerous than a friend without discretion; even a prudent enemy is preferable. - Jean de La Fontaine — Nothing is more dangerous than a friend without discretion; even a prudent enemy is preferable. – Jean de La Fontaine

The better part of valor is discretion, in the which better part I have saved my life. - William Shakespeare — The better part of valor is discretion, in the which better part I have saved my life. – **William Shakespeare**

Even in a hero's heart. Discretion is the better part. - Charles Churchill — Even in a hero’s heart. Discretion is the better part. – Charles Churchill

“Freedom is about authority. Freedom is about the willingness of every single human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do.”
Rudy Giuliani

There are many more shining qualities in the mind of man, but there is none so useful as discretion. - Joseph Addison — There are many more shining qualities in the mind of man, but there is none so useful as discretion. – Joseph Addison

Be not too tame neither, but let your own Discretion be your tutor; suit the action to the word, the word to the action. - William Shakespeare — Be not too tame neither, but let your own Discretion be your tutor; suit the action to the word, the word to the **action**. – William Shakespeare

Judgment is not upon all occasions required, but discretion always is. - Lord Chesterfield — Judgment is not upon all occasions required, but discretion always is. – Lord Chesterfield

3 Discretion Quotes on Speaking

Great is our admiration of the orator who speaks with fluency and discretion. - Marcus Tullius Cicero — Great is our admiration of the orator who speaks with fluency and discretion. – **Marcus Tullius Cicero**

Discretion of speech is more than eloquence, and to speak agreeably to him with whom we deal is more than to speak in good words, or in good order. - Francis Bacon — Discretion of speech is more than eloquence, and to speak agreeably to him with whom we deal is more than to speak in good words, or in good order. – Francis Bacon

Having two ears and one tongue, we should listen twice as much as we speak.

16 Discretion Quotes that Will Inspire Determination

“I pray for discretion every single night, that I can see through people, see what their greater good is. Sometimes that individual ‘wows’ you by the eye, but when it come to heart to heart, that person’s not there for you. That’s not just females. That may be friends, people who come into your life just to use you for who you are.”
Cam Newton

Merit consists in the virtue of love alone, flavored with the light of true discretion without which the soul is worth nothing. - St. Catherine of Siena — Merit consists in the virtue of **love** alone, flavored with the light of true discretion without which the soul is worth nothing. – St. Catherine of Siena

Discretion is the salt, and fancy the sugar of life; the one preserves, the other sweetens it. - Christian Nestell Bovee — Discretion is the salt, and fancy the sugar of life; the one preserves, the other sweetens it. – Christian Nestell Bovee

“I wish to spend my life’s twilight being just who I am. I could claim noble reasons as coming out in order to move gay rights forward, but I must admit it is for far more selfish reasons. Now is the time I wish to find someone, and I do not desire to force any potential partner to live a life of extreme discretion with me.”
David Ogden Stiers

A sound discretion is not so much indicated by never making a mistake as by never repeating it. - Christian Nestell Bovee — A sound discretion is not so much indicated by never making a mistake as by never repeating it. – Christian Nestell Bovee

Discretion is nothing other than the sense of justice with respect to the sphere of the intimate contents of life. - Georg Simmel — Discretion is nothing other than the sense of **justice** with **respect** to the sphere of the intimate contents of life. – Georg Simmel

“Though a man has all other perfections, and wants discretion, he will be of no great consequence in the world; but if he has this single talent in perfection, and but a common share of others, he may do what he pleases in his station of life.”
Joseph Addison

One can pass on responsibility, but not the discretion that goes with it. - Benvenuto Cellini — One can pass on **responsibility**, but not the discretion that goes with it. – Benvenuto Cellini

Let your own discretion be your tutor suit the action to the word, the word to the action. - Hamlet — Let your own discretion be your tutor: suit the action to the word, the word to the action. – Hamlet

“Every human has four endowments – self awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom… The power to choose, to respond, to change.”
Stephen Covey

Because to take away a man's freedom of choice, even his freedom to make the wrong choice, is to manipulate him as though he were a puppet and not a person. - Madeleine L'Engle — Because to take away a man’s freedom of choice, even his freedom to make the wrong choice, is to manipulate him as though he were a puppet and not a person. – **Madeleine L’Engle**

So long as we are brave enough to accept the consequences of our actions, no one can take away our freedom of choice. - Mike Norton — So long as we are brave enough to accept the consequences of our actions, no one can take away our freedom of choice. – Mike Norton

“Even against the greatest of odds, there is something in the human spirit – a magic blend of skill, faith, and valor – that can lift men from certain defeat to incredible victory.”
Walter Lord

The strongest principle of growth lies in the human choice. - George Eliot — The strongest principle of **growth** lies in the human choice. – **George Eliot**

Sometimes life is hard but the hardship is measured in the mind, so we should not flee the challenges we face. For with the challenges of life, discretion should be used. — Sometimes life is hard but the **hardship** is measured in the mind, so we should not flee the **challenges** we face. For with the challenges of life, discretion should be used.

Every man has his dignity. I'm willing to forget mine, but at my own discretion and not when someone else tells me to. - Denis Diderot — Every man has his **dignity**. I’m willing to forget mine, but at my own discretion and not when someone else tells me to. – Denis Diderot

6 Discretion Quotes on Leadership and Governance

“Precision, speed, unambiguity, knowledge of files, continuity, discretion, unity, strict subordination, reduction of friction and of material and personal costs – these are raised to the optimum point in the strictly bureaucratic administration.”
Max Weber

One of the things I expect Mr. Trump would look for in a vice president is discretion. - Michael T. Flynn — One of the things I expect Mr. **Trump** would look for in a vice president is discretion. – Michael T. Flynn

“Discretion is the most powerful tool a police officer carries on the beat, because an appropriate level of discretion can short-circuit the use of lethal force. Discretion and de-escalation measures are pro-community, pro-police, and create more trust while making everyone safer.”
John Fetterman

Corruption is the by-product of discretion when there is scope for interpretation of policies. - Piyush Goyal — Corruption is the by-product of discretion when there is scope for interpretation of policies. – Piyush Goyal

“Police on the street need the discretion to deal quickly and easily with routine misdemeanors which need to be recorded but need not take up court time – and where there is no doubt about guilt.”
Chris Grayling

“For centuries, the courts took the view that preserving the discretion of the authorities trumped the rights of victims to hold them to account. It was because of the Human Rights Act that this began to change.”
Emily Thornberry

19 Discretion Quotes that Will Make You Think & Ponder

“The way a woman carries herself and the way she dresses ought to promote the following types of words: modesty, discretion, wisdom, beauty, elegance and refinement, but not sensuality, luxury, extravagance.”
Paul Washer

Covering discretion with a coat of folly. - William Shakespeare — Covering discretion with a coat of folly. – William Shakespeare

Be wiser than other people if you can; but do not tell them so. - Lord Chesterfield — Be wiser than other people if you can; but do not tell them so. – Lord Chesterfield

“I don’t know what to say about it except Tom Hanks is a great person, a serious person; he’s dissatisfied in a very likeable way, in a very discreet way, and Steven Spielberg is similar in his discretion and drive. But Spielberg is calm. He’s this driven filmmaker and visionary. He really is.”
Tom Sizemore

Perish discretion, when it interferes with duty! - Hannah More — Perish discretion, when it interferes with duty! – Hannah More

I serve at the discretion of the prime minister. - George Osborne — I serve at the discretion of the prime minister. – George Osborne

A lover without indiscretion is no lover at all. - Thomas Hardy — A lover without indiscretion is no lover at all. – **Thomas Hardy**

“The decision to allow clergy to perform same-sex marriages at the discretion of the congregation poses challenges for seminaries training new pastors who come from denominations fundamentally opposed on biblical grounds to same-sex marriage.”
Anthea Butler

Judgment is not upon all occasions required, but discretion always is. - Philip Stanhope — Judgment is not upon all occasions required, but discretion always is. – Philip Stanhope

The first duty of a state is to see that every child born therein shall be well housed, clothed, fed and educated till it attains years of discretion. - John Ruskin — The first duty of a state is to see that every **child** born therein shall be well housed, clothed, fed and **educated** till it attains years of discretion. – **John Ruskin**

Discretion is the polite word for hypocrisy. - Christine Keeler — Discretion is the polite word for hypocrisy. – Christine Keeler

“Silence, as someone has said, is the mother of prayer and the nurse of holy thoughts. Silence cuts down on our sins, doesn’t it? We can’t be sinning in so many different ways if we are being quiet before God. Silence nourishes patience, charity, discretion.”
Elisabeth Elliot

Absolute discretion is a ruthless master. It is more destructive of freedom than any of man’s other inventions. - William O. Douglas — Absolute discretion is a ruthless master. It is more destructive of freedom than any of man’s other inventions. – William O. Douglas

Discretion is a very valuable asset. - Shahid Khan — Discretion is a very valuable **asset**. – Shahid Khan

“When you are posessed by evil spirits, it is crafty manipulations that you follow; but when you are posessed by the Holy Spirit of God, it is wise discretions you pursue!”
Israelmore Ayivor