Nothing ventured nothing gained
Meaning
One cannot achieve success or benefit without taking risks or making an effort.
Origin
In the bustling marketplaces and perilous sea lanes of medieval Europe, the wisdom of taking risks for reward was a daily lesson. Though countless proverbs hinted at it, it was the famed English poet Geoffrey Chaucer who gave it a voice that resonates to this day. Around 1385, in his epic Troilus and Criseyde, he penned the line, "He that naught assayeth, naught acheveth" – a direct and elegant ancestor to our modern phrase. This enduring observation, that without trying one gains nothing, became a cornerstone of practical philosophy, urging merchants to sail further, scholars to delve deeper, and individuals to embrace the unknown in pursuit of their desires. It solidified a timeless truth: fortune favors the bold.
Examples
- I know you're nervous about applying for that dream job, but nothing ventured nothing gained, right?
- Deciding to start his own business was a huge leap of faith, but he knew that nothing ventured nothing gained.