John Augustus Shedd:
(1859 – 1928). American author and professor.
In 1928 he wrote “Salt from My Attic”.
A ship is safe in the harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.
– “A ship in harbor is safe”
→ staying in a “safe” place avoids risk.
– “Ships are not built for that”
→ the whole purpose of a ship is to ’travel and face challenges’, not to sit idle.
– ‘Overall message’:
‘Don’t live only in comfort/safety; use your abilities for their intended purpose—even if it involves risk or effort.’
🗺️ Origin / Background:
– The line is most commonly traced to John A. Shedd (an American businessman and author).
– It appears in collections of his quotations and is widely cited as:
– John A. Shedd:
“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”
> Note: Like many popular quotations, exact documentation of the earliest publication date can be difficult to confirm, but ‘Shedd is the standard attributed source’ used in reputable quotation references.
👤 Author:
– John A. Shedd ✅
– (Typically listed as John A. Shedd, American minister/business executive, 1850–1926)
📌 Where You’ll Often See It Used
– Motivation / leadership quotes
– Encouraging taking action instead of playing it safe
– “Purpose over comfort” themes.
He who thanks but with the lips, thanks but in part; the full, the true thanksgiving comes from the heart.
