Teachers open the door but you must walk through it yourself. – Chinese Proverb What does that mean? The world is a big place. There are many things to do, and many places to visit. But what if you don’t know about it, or have fears or worries about what you do know? This is…
He who has great power should use it lightly. – Seneca What does that mean? This quote is from a play by Seneca, wherein the Greek heroes Pyrrhus (son of Achilles) and Agamemnon are discussing the fate (death) of a prisoner. Pyrrhus says no law forbids it, but Agamemnon cautions that the victor should be…
Therefore the wise man will lose nothing which he will be able to regard as loss; for the only possession he has is virtue, and of this he can never be robbed. – Seneca What does that mean? This is an interesting quote in that it teaches you a new way to look at what…
Be wary of the man who urges an action in which he himself incurs no risk. – Joaquín Setantí What does that mean? Often cited to Seneca, it appears to actually be from an Early Renaissance Spanish Philosopher. But either way, it is a useful quote to consider. What happens when you take action? You…
The proud peacock of today may be only a feather duster tomorrow. – Rick Barnes (also attributed to E. P. Atkins) What does that mean? This quote seems to have been around for quite some time, but the theme remains the same. Top of the world one day, mundane cleaning implement the next. A usual…
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 web page gives a massive lecture on the definition, use and value of prudence. It…
We are more often frightened than hurt: and we suffer more from imagination than from reality. – Seneca What does that mean? Given that this is October, and the scariest night of the year is just a few weeks away, this is a very appropriate quote. This is what being frightened is all about, for those who…
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 have changed since his day, roughly 300 years ago. The quote talks about the two…
To keep oneself safe does not mean to bury oneself. – Seneca What does that mean? Even dare-devils have a need to feel safe. We all have that need. We each might express it in a different manner, but we all have it. But is hiding the proper way to go about feeling safe? The quote…
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 as one might hope. It can be funny when someone else does it, but usually…
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 important in our lives. The quote contrasts the definition of ‘good things’ in times of…
The only way to avoid risks is never to have lived at all. – Winston Churchill What does that mean? The complete quote is quite a bit longer, and is included at the bottom of the post. It is a full paragraph which starts by questioning the incorrect notion that we have an entitlement to safety or…
To win without risk is to triumph without glory. – Pierre Corneille What does that mean? This quote is interesting, as it seems to imply different things, depending on what you value. If you value glory, then you will most likely look to seek out risk, while still winning. If you value safety over glory, you…
A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new. – Albert Einstein What does that mean? How often do you make mistakes when you are doing something which you have mastered? When was the last time you fell down while walking? When was the last time you stabbed yourself in the face with a…
We become wiser by adversity; prosperity destroys our appreciation of the right. – Seneca What does that mean? This is an interesting viewpoint, one which probably isn’t immediately apparent to most of us. The quote states that in adversity, we gain wisdom more readily than in times of prosperity. I believe that this is true, because…
