Category Archives: thinking

No man was ever wise by chance.

Posted on 18 January 2014 by philosiblog

No man was ever wise by chance. – Seneca What does that mean? Another brutally short and compact quote. I guess he expected people would have to chisel it into stone or something. But seriously, I always like a quote … Continue reading →

Posted in belief, contemplation, learning, question, thinking, wisdom | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Remember happiness doesn’t depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely on what you think.

Posted on 6 January 2014 by philosiblog

Remember happiness doesn’t depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely on what you think. – Dale Carnegie What does that mean? The heart of this quote has been said many times, and in many different … Continue reading →

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Genius always gives its best at first; prudence, at last.

Posted on 4 January 2014 by philosiblog

Genius always gives its best at first; prudence, at last. – Seneca What does that mean? This quote is about the eternal battle between the bright idea, blurted out and the measured and thoughtful response, given after careful con-sideration. This … Continue reading →

Posted in caution, delay, observation, preparation, thinking, time | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

“Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?”

Posted on 1 January 2014 by philosiblog

“Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?” – Robert Burns What does that mean? This is a line from an old Scottish poem and song. It is a traditional ‘ending’ song, asking the rhetorical question “what if we forgot … Continue reading →

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The learner always begins by finding fault, but the scholar sees the positive merit in everything.

Posted on 31 December 2013 by philosiblog

The learner always begins by finding fault, but the scholar sees the positive merit in everything. – Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel What does that mean? We begin our learning with the word “NO!” As young children, it is a word we hear … Continue reading →

Posted in attitude, honest, judgement, perspective, thinking, vision | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Only the guy who isn’t rowing has time to rock the boat.

Posted on 24 December 2013 by philosiblog

Only the guy who isn’t rowing has time to rock the boat. – Jean-Paul Sartre What does that mean? If you have ever rowed a boat, you know it’s a pretty intense job. Even something as simple as paddling a canoe … Continue reading →

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The young have aspirations that never come to pass, the old have reminiscences of what never happened.

Posted on 18 December 2013 by philosiblog

The young have aspirations that never come to pass, the old have reminiscences of what never happened. – Saki aka H.H.Munro What does that mean? While this may have been a comment about human foibles of memory and imagination, it is … Continue reading →

Posted in concentration, focus, observation, patience, thinking, time | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.

Posted on 11 December 2013 by philosiblog

If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. – Eldridge Cleaver What does that mean? This quote, and variations of it, shows up attributed to a couple people, including as an African Proverb, but the longer version … Continue reading →

Posted in choice, doing, integrity, money, thinking, work | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

The beginning is the most important part of the work.

Posted on 9 December 2013 by philosiblog

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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We are not trying to entertain the critics. I’ll take my chances with the public.

Posted on 5 December 2013 by philosiblog

We are not trying to entertain the critics. I’ll take my chances with the public. – Walt Disney What does that mean? I think this is a great way to live our lives. No matter what we do, there will always … Continue reading →

Posted in advice, confidence, focus, judgement, perspective, thinking | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Don’t find fault, find a remedy.

Posted on 2 December 2013 by philosiblog

Don’t find fault, find a remedy. – Henry Ford What does that mean? As an engineer, this is my pet peeve. People bring me things, and say “It’s broken,” and walk away. That’s not very helpful, is it? I don’t think … Continue reading →

Posted in advice, cooperation, habits, help, improve, thinking | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Don’t find fault, find a remedy.

It is the power of the mind to be unconquerable.

Posted on 30 November 2013 by philosiblog

It is the power of the mind to be unconquerable. – Seneca What does that mean? This is an interesting quote, as anyone who as argued with someone may well have found out the hard way. Sometimes, their mind is just … Continue reading →

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Reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours.

Posted on 19 November 2013 by philosiblog

Reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours. – John Locke What does that mean? The longer, twitter unfriendly version is as follows: This is that which I think great readers are … Continue reading →

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Even if you have nothing to write, write and say so.

Posted on 13 November 2013 by philosiblog

Even if you have nothing to write, write and say so. – Cicero What does that mean? While I couldn’t find a hard citation for this quote, it is a very interesting thought to consider. What do writers write about when … Continue reading →

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Always look at what you have left. Never look at what you have lost.

Posted on 29 October 2013 by philosiblog

Always look at what you have left. Never look at what you have lost. – Robert Schuller What does that mean? This quote is urging us to go against a basic force of human nature. If you drop one thing, what do … Continue reading →

Posted in accomplishment, creativity, focus, goals, question, thinking | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments