Too Clever by Half Often Fail in Their Mission

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam

26 December 2025

I've always loved and pondered this famous aphorism which is attributed to many authors: To succeed in life, you need two things: ignorance and confidence.

It suggests that in order to succeed in life, one must possess a certain level of ignorance and confidence. Ignorance can be seen as a form of blissful naivety, a lack of awareness of the obstacles or potential failures that may stand in one's way. This allows individuals to take risks and pursue their goals without being weighed down by self-doubt or the fear of failure. Confidence, on the other hand, provides the self-assurance and belief in one's abilities needed to persevere and overcome challenges. By combining ignorance and confidence, individuals may be more inclined to take bold and decisive actions, ultimately leading them to achieve their goals and find success in life. 

Too much calculated approach to life is also undesirable> Aaghaaz se pahle anjaam ka dar hota hai / Doorandesh bada tang-nazar hota hai (The end frightens before the beginning / A farsighted person is often quite apprehensive). This stops you from achieving your goal. Foresight, farsight and intelligence are all very good but they may also prove to be impediments to achieving your bigger and greater objectives> Utthe na ahtiyaat mein ahl-e-khirad ke paaon / ahl-e-junoon toh jhaad kar daaman nikal gaye (Too much precautions didn't let the wise men take bold and life-changing steps/ But the people with a devil-may-care attitude came and returned with success and nonchalance). Remember the Turkish adage, "Akıllı köprüden geçmez, tembel dereyi geçer " (The smart one doesn't cross the bridge, the lazy one crosses the stream). Overthinking causes the problem. " Yahi sochte rahe aur bahaar khatm hui / Kahan chaman mein aashiyaana bane, kahan na bane " (I kept thinking and planning; alas, the spring sneaked away / Where to build the abode in the garden and where not to). Allama Iqbal summed it up with his immortal couplet, " Acchha hai dil ke saath rahe paasbaan-e-aql / Lekin kabhi-kabhi ise tanha bhi chhod de " (The combination of heart and the guardian of intellect is good but at times, one had better leave the heart alone).

One has to have confidence in right measure but even the surfeit of it may be the cause of one's undoing. Aatish Devasi says, " Khud pe baawar rakh/ Par zaroorat se zyada se bach " (Have confidence in your abilities but don't overreach yourself).

So, a perfect amalgamation of confidence (not over-confidence) and a little ignorance may take you places. A Turkish adage encapsulates it, " Çok zeki olmak kazıklar. " They say in Urdu, "Naa-kaamyaab wahi hua jo bahut zyada hi chaalaak aur chatur nikla " (Who’re too clever by half often fail in their mission). In short, don't be too smart for your own good. Avoid irritating smugness.

A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian

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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-spiritualism/cleaver-half-fail-mission/d/138173

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