[To a young diplomat:] Don’t be eager!

Attributed to Talleyrand as a piece of practical counsel to an inexperienced diplomat, the remark warns against visible eagerness—whether for agreement, advancement, or applause. In negotiation, impatience signals need, and need weakens leverage; it can also prompt premature concessions or indiscreet speech. The advice reflects a classic diplomatic ideal associated with Talleyrand’s reputation: cultivate composure, let others reveal their aims first, and allow time and silence to work. “Don’t be eager” thus becomes a shorthand for strategic restraint—an ethic of self-control in which calm timing and measured ambiguity can be more effective than energetic persuasion.