Some people like my advice so much that they frame it upon the wall instead of using it. – Gordon R. Dickson What does that mean? While this is another commonly associated quote that has not yet been sourced, it is so true that I couldn’t pass it up. How many of you have seen the…
No other way to guard self against flattery than by making people understand that telling U the truth DO NOT offend U. – Niccolò Machiavelli What does that mean? This is another quote that’s just a little longer than what easily fits on Twitter. “There is no other way to guard yourself against flattery than by making…
I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence. – Frederick Douglass What does that mean? To me, this appears to be a variant of the old Shaksperian statement (from Polonius to Laertes in ‘Hamlet’ A1S3) “To…
The quickest way to become troubled is to be concerned with what people are gonna say about your life and your work. – Ahmad Jamal What does that mean? This is another way of saying that you can’t please all the people all the time. This quote advises us to not trouble ourselves with the opinions…
Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. – William Shakespeare What does that mean? This line is from the Bard’s play “All’s Well That Ends Well“, Act 1 Scene 1, where the line is spoken by the mother to the son. This quote is truly worthy life advice for one who is being sent…
Before all else, be armed. – Niccolò Machiavelli What does that mean? In it’s original form, this quote was intended as advice to a ruler of a city-state. It meant to urge them to be prepared for armed conflict with another city-state, or to defend themselves from roving gangs of brigands. Without arms (a generic term of…
Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. (Christopher Robbin to Pooh) – A. A. Milne What does that mean? This quote, being spoken by a fictional character, might seem a little less weighty than might otherwise be expected, but I still find it…
Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they’re yours. – Richard Bach What does that mean? Put another way, if you argue for your limitations, who will argue against you and against your limitations? Unless you have a full-time side-kick, probably nobody. So whatever you say you can’t do, you won’t likely ever try, as…
Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn’t. – Erica Jong What does that mean? Asking for advice. It is a a desperate cry for help. We have figured out what is happening, and don’t like what it looks like or where it’s going to take us in…
