Examine men’s ruling principles, even those of the wise, what kind of things they avoid, and what kind they pursue. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? To me, this is about choosing friends, acquaintances and associates. It asks who they are, and by extension, if they are the kind of people you want to…
If you desire to make a difference in the world, you must be different from the world. – Elaine S. Dalton What does that mean? How much change will happen if everyone is the same? If everyone thinks the same, acts the same, and no one is different, how can change happen at all? That…
Every step you take, is a step away from where you used to be. – Brian Chargualaf What does that mean? Each day, we move. We take steps, we evolve, we change, we learn. Each of those steps changes us in some small way. Each step makes us a little different than we were before….
Money is human happiness in the abstract. – Schopenhauer What does that mean? The longer version of the quote (included at the bottom of the post) goes on to state that once one can no longer be happy, in concrete form, the person will focus solely on money. Happiness comes to humans in many forms….
Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous. – Confucius What does that mean? This quote is about the synergy between knowledge and ideas of how to do things. Learning brings knowledge. Thought brings ideas of how to do things. Knowledge of how to do something without actually giving any consideration to…
Don’t let the darkness from your past block the light of joy in your present. – Karen Salmansohn What does that mean? This quote, to me, is about keeping the past in the past. It warns us against allowing the darkness, presumably a metaphor for less than helpful feelings, thoughts and emotions, to encroach on…
Be here now. Be somewhere else later. Is that so complicated? – David Bader What does that mean? This quote is about the fundamentals of Zen, at least as I understand it. Being present. Where are you and where is your mind, your focus and your energy? This quote reminds us to be here in…
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. – Mother Teresa What does that mean? Hello. Thank you. That’s nice. I’m happy for you. You’re welcome. All these are kind words, as are many others. It costs you next to nothing to share such kindness with another person….
Being concerned about others does not mean you forgo fulfilling your own needs, but that if you do help others there is mutual benefit. – Dalai Lama What does that mean? The quote starts out by reminding us that being concerned with others, and the action implied therein, isn’t supposed to be to the exclusion…
Worry is a misuse of imagination. – Dan Zadra What does that mean? This quote, sometimes with a “the” in place of “a,” is about the close relationship between worry and imagination, and the implications of that closeness. Our imaginations are wonderful and powerful forces in our lives. As kids, we use our imaginations to…
It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? While this appears to be an interesting German to English translation, the core of the quote remains the same, and a longer version is included at the bottom of the post….
Those who haven’t committed to mastery have resigned themselves to mediocrity. – Robin Sharma What does that mean? While I am not usually fond of dichotomies, this could be easily be rephrased as “those who haven’t committed to mastery have resigned themselves to be something less.” In either case, your choice is clear, you either…
Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive. – Elbert Hubbard What does that mean? Too many people seem to take life so very seriously. This quote advises us against that path, urging us to loosen up a little bit and have some fun. Why, you ask? The quote…
One kind word can warm three winter months. – Japanese Proverb What does that mean? This quote, like many metaphors, has much to imply. Starting with the core of it, the one kind word. The one kind word is the nice thing you say to a loved one, a friend, a neighbor, or even a…
Be patient and tough; someday this pain will be useful to you. – Ovid What does that mean? This Latin verse has also translated as “Have patience and endure; this unhappiness will one day be beneficial.” I have been unable to locate a more complete section of the work from which to gather more context….
