Category Archives: foolish

To the wise, life is a problem; to the fool, a solution.

To the wise, life is a problem; to the fool, a solution. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? To me, and my understanding of Stoicism, a closer translation of problem might well be puzzle or challenge. Stoics take the … Continue reading

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Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult.

Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult. – Proverbs 12-16 NIV What does that mean? In this translation, it is all about keeping your head about you when things become difficult. What you do in … Continue reading

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He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.

He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever. – Chinese Proverb What does that mean? This, like most ancient proverbs, was difficult to source, but quite … Continue reading

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Wisdom and Folly are taking opposite sides. Which shall I join?

Wisdom and Folly are taking opposite sides. Which shall I join? – Seneca What does that mean? In the letter from which this quote is taken, Seneca is discussing the difference between Stoics and others when it comes to defining … Continue reading

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Luck is probability taken personally.

Luck is probability taken personally. – Penn Jillette, who attributes this quote to Chip Denman What does that mean? Think about that for a moment. Were you lucky, or did statistics simply favor you that one time? Or, perhaps, for … Continue reading

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The talk of the ignorant is like the rumblings which issue from the belly.

The talk of the ignorant is like the rumblings which issue from the belly. – Demetrius the Cynic What does that mean? I like this quote. It is one of the snarkier bits of Ancient Wisdom with which I have … Continue reading

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The beginning is the most important part of the work.

The beginning is the most important part of the work. – Plato What does that mean? The wikiquote translation of the quote is “the beginning in every task is the chief thing” which I consider to be close enough to be … Continue reading

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By changing nothing, nothing changes.

By changing nothing, nothing changes. – Tony Robbins What does that mean? This quote is about procrastination, and what results from doing nothing. I imagine every one of us have something we wish we’d started last year. A diet, started last … Continue reading

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If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.

If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid. – Epictetus What does that mean? I like this quote, because I have lived it so many times. While we can learn a lot from books, the internet, and … Continue reading

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To succeed in the world it is not enough to be stupid; you must also be well-mannered.

To succeed in the world it is not enough to be stupid; you must also be well-mannered. – Voltaire What does that mean? This is another example of the biting wit of Voltaire. He was also showing us how little things … Continue reading

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Enjoy present pleasures in such a way as not to injure future ones.

Enjoy present pleasures in such a way as not to injure future ones. – Seneca What does that mean? This is a great quote for the weekend. Consider the pleasure, as some call it, of a few drinks. That can be … 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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A man’s character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation.

A man’s character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation. – Mark Twain What does that mean? While this quote shows up on many quote sites, I couldn’t find a definitive source for the quote, so it’s … Continue reading

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Control your thoughts; they may break into words at anytime.

Control your thoughts; they may break into words at anytime. – Anonymous What does that mean? This quote is about the things people say. It implies that sometimes that filter between our mind and our mouth doesn’t work as well … Continue reading

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People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do.

People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do. – Lewis Cass What does that mean? This is a classic, which has been said many ways before, from elegant, through practical, to downright crass. But the … Continue reading

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