"Don't let your will roar when your power only whispers"
About this Quote
The intent isn’t to kill aspiration; it’s to discipline it. Fuller’s church-trained sensibility treats self-command as a virtue because unchecked desire is not merely embarrassing, it’s spiritually hazardous. A roaring will signals pride: the sin that makes people mistake intensity for authority. The whispering power suggests a world of limits - political, social, even physical - where overstatement invites correction by those who actually hold leverage.
Subtext: perform less, read the room more. It’s an early-modern version of “don’t write checks your body can’t cash,” aimed at courtiers, clergy, and anyone tempted to posture their way into influence. Fuller is also hinting at credibility: power doesn’t need to announce itself; it shows. If your will is doing all the talking, you’ve already confessed weakness.
In a culture obsessed with branding and hot takes, the line still lands: volume is not force, and wanting isn’t the same as being able.
Quote Details
| Topic | Humility |
|---|---|
| Source | Later attribution: Words of Wisdom (William Safire, Leonard Safir, 1990) modern compilation
Evidence: ... Thomas Jefferson ( See Peace , Force , Military , Preparedness - Military ). Will. Be master of your will and a ... Don't let your will roar when your power only whispers . -Thomas Fuller 392 Wisdom Wisdom Dare to be wise ! Energy of. Other candidates (2) The holy and profane states: By Thomas Fuller (Thomas Fuller, 1841) primary42.5% not but you will improve the power and honour bestowed on you for the protection Thomas Fuller (Thomas Fuller) compilation34.2% he natural defects of any which are not in their power to amend oh t is cruelty |
| Featured | This quote was our Quote of the Day on November 26, 2023 |
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Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Fuller, Thomas. (2026, February 7). Don't let your will roar when your power only whispers. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/dont-let-your-will-roar-when-your-power-only-36307/
Chicago Style
Fuller, Thomas. "Don't let your will roar when your power only whispers." FixQuotes. February 7, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/dont-let-your-will-roar-when-your-power-only-36307/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Don't let your will roar when your power only whispers." FixQuotes, 7 Feb. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/dont-let-your-will-roar-when-your-power-only-36307/. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.










