Category Archives: desire

In order to exercise creativity, freedom of thought is essential.

In order to exercise creativity, freedom of thought is essential. – Dalai Lama What does that mean? This quote is about one aspect of the creative process. How are you creative, and what are some of the essential parts of it? … Continue reading

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If you want change, create the causes.

If you want change, create the causes. – Dalai Lama What does that mean? This is another of those ‘Doh!’ kind of quotes. It is so simple and so obvious, you wonder why you didn’t think of it first. But that makes … Continue reading

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Until we have begun to go without them, we fail to realize how unnecessary many things are.

Until we have begun to go without them, we fail to realize how unnecessary many things are. – Seneca What does that mean? This is a great minimalist quote. Not in that it is as brief as some of the famous … Continue reading

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It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.

It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages. – Nietzsche What does that mean? This quote is about nothing less than the curious situation where there is love, even passion, but nothing deeper … Continue reading

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He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.

He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have. – Socrates What does that mean? This quote is a variant of a few other of his quotes, so I imagine … Continue reading

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I’m optimistic that there is a growing appetite for peace in the world. Many young people are fed up with war and violence.

I’m optimistic that there is a growing appetite for peace in the world. Many young people are fed up with war and violence. – Dalai Lama What does that mean? There have always been people against war. There have always been people … Continue reading

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Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.

Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it. – Maya Angelou What does that mean? We all have days when we like ourselves, and then there are days when we don’t. But if, on average, we … Continue reading

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If you desire to be good, begin by believing that you are wicked.

If you desire to be good, begin by believing that you are wicked. – Epictetus What does that mean? This is an interesting way of putting forward the question. How would you find ways to become better if you didn’t think you … Continue reading

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Where we love is home, home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.

Where we love is home, home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts. – Oliver Wendell Holmes What does that mean? This quote is, to me, about the difference between a physical location and an emotion. The quote says that … Continue reading

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We naturally have self-interest but it should be wise rather than foolish self-interest by taking others needs into account as well as ours.

We naturally have self-interest but it should be wise rather than foolish self-interest by taking others needs into account as well as ours. – Dalai Lama What does that mean? I like this quote, as it acknowledges a basic human behavior, yet … Continue reading

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Measure wealth not by the things you have, but by the things you have for which you would not take money.

Measure wealth not by the things you have, but by the things you have for which you would not take money. – Anonymous What does that mean? This one hits consumerism below the belt. This quote is a call-out to … Continue reading

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It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.

It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor. – Seneca What does that mean? This is a classic quote, and explains the futility of comparing yourself to others. Yes, we … Continue reading

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True love begins when nothing is looked for in return.

True love begins when nothing is looked for in return. – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry What does that mean? I have heard a lot of variants of this quote, but many seem to take it in a different direction. To me, this … Continue reading

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The good things of prosperity are to be wished; but the good things that belong to adversity are to be admired.

The good things of prosperity are to be wished; but the good things that belong to adversity are to be admired. –  Seneca What does that mean? To me, this quote is about our focus and about what is truly … Continue reading

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Great minds have purposes; others have wishes.

Great minds have purposes; others have wishes. – Washington Irving What does that mean? This is another Twitter-friendly quote. A slightly longer version of the quote goes like this: “Great minds have purpose, others have wishes. Little minds are tamed and subdued … Continue reading

Posted in desire, doing, goals, hope, wonder, work | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments