Murals in restaurants are on a par with the food in museums.

Posted on 5 November 2013 by philosiblog

Murals in restaurants are on a par with the food in museums. – Peter De Vries

What are your strengths? Are you a restaurant or a museum? Do you know?

What are your strengths? Are you a restaurant or a museum? Do you know?

What does that mean?
This is a quote with a dry sense of humor, which is something I like quite a bit. Many restaurants have all kinds of artwork in them, sometimes murals which cover entire walls.

Sometimes the art is OK, but it rarely rises to the level which would qualify for a museum exhibit. After all, you’re there for the food, the art is strictly incidental.

Which brings us to the second part. Museums are about art, history, and many other things, but rarely about food. That’s pretty straight forward. If they stop for a quick bite to eat, it is strictly incidental.

The quote is about knowing what you want, and then going to the right place. If you’re hungry, you don’t go to a museum. If you want to see murals, you go to an art or history museum, right?

Why is knowing your strengths important?  Continue reading →

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The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite.

Posted on 4 November 2013 by philosiblog

The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite. – William Shakespeare

How much love can you give away before you run out?

How much love can you give away before you run out? Is it even possible to run out?

What does that mean?
A slightly more complete version of the quote is as follows:

My love as deep [as the sea]; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite.

While this is one of the most recognizable romantic love stories of all time, I believe that the quote can be used with a broader definition of love.

In short, the quote says that the love you give is infinite. That implies that you don’t have a fixed amount, no daily gift allotment which cannot be exceeded. You have available to you all that you care to give.

It also says that the love you have is infinite as well. No matter what, there is always something left. As deep as the sea, and as wide as well. Love is all that and more. Both romantic as well as all other varieties.

In the broader reading of the quote, the act of giving gives back to us. Think about that for a moment. The giving of love to another, even if not expressly returned, causes us to have even more love. I believe it, do you?

Why is sharing your love important?  Continue reading →

Posted in affection, friendship, giving, love, passion, self improvement | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Warm-heartedness is the key factor that allows me to smile and be happy, even in the company of strangers.

Posted on 3 November 2013 by philosiblog

Warm-heartedness is the key factor that allows me to smile and be happy, even in the company of strangers. – Dalai Lama

We all start this way, smiling and happy. Somehow, things change. It's time to change it back.

We all start this way, smiling and happy. Somehow, things change. It’s time to change it back.

What does that mean?
If you are feeling all mean and spiteful, how happy are you going to be? And it won’t matter if you are with strangers or not, because you simply won’t like anyone.

Most of us are less at ease when in the company of strangers, when compared to being with friends. This quote talks about being able to smile and to be happy, even when not in a comfortable or familiar place.

The key, the quote says, is warm-heartedness. Warm-heartedness is a state of being which includes kindness, sympathy and generosity for, or towards, others. In short, you’re a nice person.

By being nice towards others, it is far easier for them to be kind in return. And if you can smile and appear to be happy, it is easier still. All you have to do is do it. Being warm-hearted is a good first step.

Why is being warm-hearted important?  Continue reading →

Posted in caring, friendship, giving, happiness, kindness, sympathy | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

What difference does it make how much you have? What you do not have amounts to much more.

Posted on 2 November 2013 by philosiblog

What difference does it make how much you have? What you do not have amounts to much more. – Seneca and Aulus Gellius

You may have a day job that pays the bills, but what really matters?

Your day job pays the bills, but what really matters to you?

What does that mean?
This is a quote about perspective. We all have something, even if it is only ourselves or our minds. Yes, I know, perhaps not. But that’s deeper into philosophy than I want to go in this blog.

The point is that no matter how much you have, your share is a tiny part of all that there is in the world. Then, if you consider the solar system or even in the galaxy, you start to see how small your hoard actually is.

This quote, I believe, is an admonishment of those who are busying themselves in the fruitless pursuit of even more. Yes, we need a certain amount of ‘stuff’ to meet our basic needs, and a bit more to be comfortable.

But at some point, it becomes a pursuit for no other reason than to pursue. If that makes you happy, and harms no others, I don’t see why you should stop. But if you are using it as a distraction from other issues, you probably should change your focus.

Why is pursuing what matters to you important?  Continue reading →

Posted in contentment, exceptionalism, happiness, help, perspective, value | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.

Posted on 1 November 2013 by philosiblog

Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it. – Maya Angelou

Is this how you define success? We all have at some time. But how do you define it now?

Is this how you define success? We all have at some time. But how do you define it now?

What does that mean?
We all have days when we like ourselves, and then there are days when we don’t. But if, on average, we don’t really like ourselves, it would be hard to consider ourselves a success.

We all have had days, and even jobs, where we really didn’t like what we were doing. If that was the norm, rather than the exception, it would be hard to consider ourselves a success.

Even if we liked ourselves and what we did, but were uncomfortable with how we did it (for legal or ethical reasons), it would be hard to consider ourselves a success.

However, when we have all three, when we like who we are, what we do, and how we do it, it’s hard not to consider ourselves successful. Even if the results of your efforts are a bit lacking, there is still much about which to be happy.

Why is properly defining success important?  Continue reading →

Posted in advice, belief, desire, integrity, money, success | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Person who chases two rabbits catches neither.

Posted on 31 October 2013 by philosiblog

Person who chases two rabbits catches neither. – Confucius or Romanian Proverb

Which cookie will taste better? How long will it take to count the chocolate chips, calculate the volume, or otherwise analyze the cookies?

Which cookie will taste better? How long will it take to count the chocolate chips, calculate the volume, or otherwise analyze the cookies?

What does that mean?
I was surprised that I hadn’t covered this quote yet, when I tried to reference this quote in a recent blog, but couldn’t. The reason might have been the attribution, given by many as Confucius, but only sourced to a Romanian proverb. Rather than chase both possible sources, let’s delve into the quote, shall we?

This is another quote on focus, and it states what can happen when you divide your focus. While catching a rabbit by chasing it is a difficult task to begin with, it is certainly not going to be easier when a second rabbit is included in the chase.

Specifically, what do you do when the two rabbits separate and go different directions? If you are following one in preference to the other, you ignore the other and follow your rabbit.

If you are still trying to following both, the tendency is to try to follow both, and split the difference between their paths. That leads to you going straight when one went left and the other went right. In short, chasing both means you loose both.

Why is a clear decision important?   Continue reading →

Posted in action, choice, decision, judgement, knowledge, wisdom | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

No new post tonight…

Posted on 30 October 2013 by philosiblog

Sorry, but I’m in the process of re-hosting, and there are issues with the host and how to properly access it.

http://philosiblog.wordpress.com seems to be working, but just plain https://philosiblog.com appears to be broken, or  may warn you of being transferred to philosiblog.bluehost.com – which is where it now resides.

Things should start to settle down within the next day or so, as the info on all of the DNS are updated, and your local copies are updated as well. Thanks for hanging in there.

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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

If the top scoop slips off, what are the odds he will focus on the scoop on the ground, at the risk of what is left in the cone?

If the top scoop slips off, what are the odds he will focus on the scoop on the ground, at the risk of what is left in the cone? You don’t want to learn that lesson twice!

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 you look at, the one you dropped, or all the things you didn’t drop?

Just like the kid with the three-scoop ice cream cone, when the top scoop slide off and hits the floor, what do they do? They look down. And they lean over a little bit, and the second scoop falls off.

Have you ever done that? It’s not a lesson you forget. But still, we tend to be like that child, staring at the lost ice cream scoop, at the risk of the remainder of our desert.

Why would we do that? I have no idea. But I’ve done that and seen it plenty of other people do the same thing. The quote urges us to avoid looking at our losses, but instead, to look at what remains.

This is a matter of focus. If you are looking for, and focused on, what has been lost, you will see nothing but loss. That’s not going to be good for your attitude or motivation, is it? Somehow, I doubt it.

Why is focus important?  Continue reading →

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

In dreams and in love there are no impossibilities.

Posted on 28 October 2013 by philosiblog

In dreams and in love there are no impossibilities. – János Arany

Is this possible, or impossible? Look more closely, this is a real place, not something from the imagination of MCEscher. Are you tricking yourself into believing that something is impossible?

Is this possible, or impossible? Look closely, it’s a real place, not something from the imagination of MC Escher. Are you tricking yourself into believing that something is impossible?

What does that mean?
This quote is from a poet and writer of ballads in Hungary in the 1800s. Given the way poets tend to write things, this makes perfect sense.

Many things are impossible, given our present knowledge and technology. But dreams are not ruled by the laws of physics, at least most of the time.

And so it is in love, at least according to the poets and the hopeless romantics. But can this romantic notion be applied to a broader definition of love?

Can love conquer all (to paraphrase another quote)? Love of country, love of charity, love of justice? These have prevailed throughout the ages, and I believe they can triumph even in the face of impossible odds.

Why is belief important?  Continue reading →

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The opponent of peace of mind is not something external, but within us.

Posted on 27 October 2013 by philosiblog

The opponent of peace of mind is not something external, but within us. – Dalai Lama

How much peace of mind would you guess this guy has?

How much peace of mind would you guess this guy has? It’s obviously the computer’s fault.

What does that mean?
Everyone I know is looking for peace of mind. If they have none, they want some. If they have some, they want more. And I include myself in that group. How about you?

The thing that we keep forgetting is that peace of mind is like happiness. It does not exist in the outside world. If we have it, it is because it is within us, not because of our surroundings.

The quote reminds us that we need to stop looking outside of ourselves, and check within if we wish to find what we desire. Peace, happiness, fulfillment, these are the things most of us seek. But none come from outside of ourselves.

We have these things within us, and it is up to us to remember to abandon our pursuits of them outside of ourselves and to remember to seek them within ourselves. It might take some practice, but we can cultivate peace of mind, we just have to do the work.

Why is peace of mind important?  Continue reading →

Posted in calm, focus, inspire, knowledge, preparation, relaxation | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

True happiness is… to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future.

Posted on 26 October 2013 by philosiblog

True happiness is… to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future. – Seneca

Could you remain in the present and enjoy the sunset, or would you be thinking of what was going to come next?

Could you remain in the present and enjoy the sunset? Would you be worried, thinking of what was going to come next? One thing at a time, stay focused on the present.

What does that mean?
This quote is about relaxing and being ‘in the moment.’ How often do we hurry to get here or there?

How often do we rush to finish something so that we can then rush to work on the next thing on our list? How often do we spend an evening worrying about tomorrow, instead of relaxing?

Yes, it is important to think about the future, and to plan for it. However far too many of us spend so much time thinking of the future, we ignore the present, until it has become the past.

That time is gone, and if it was spent worrying or being anxious, it was largely wasted. We allowed a perfectly enjoyable moment to slip by while we engaged our overactive, and quite negative, imagination to run away with us.

Why is the present important?  Continue reading →

Posted in fear, focus, happiness, preparation, relaxation, worry | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Most people would not see an awful movie a second time, yet they play the same bad memories over and over in their heads.

Posted on 25 October 2013 by philosiblog

Most people would not see an awful movie a second time, yet they play the same bad memories over and over in their heads. – Tony Robbins

Ever been that person? Ever been paralyzed or intimidated or just plain scared? All because of a bad memory?

Ever been that person? Ever been paralyzed or intimidated or just plain scared? All because of a bad memory, of something which happened a long time ago? Let it go.

What does that mean?
We’ve all seen a bad movie, once. But do you go back and see it again and again and again? Not usually, right?

That is what this quote is about, the repeated viewing of a bad movie or a bad memory. Neither makes much sense, but many more people go over a bad memory time and time again.

To me, the life/movie is a good parallel, as nearly all of us have a life, and most of us have seen a bad movie. The question becomes why will we refuse to go back to watch a bad movie, but will go back to watch a bad memory?

What if we could walk out of a bad memory, just like we might walk out of a bad movie? It can be done, with varying degrees of success. And a lot of effort. I have done it, and I believe you can as well.

Why is letting go important?  Continue reading →

Posted in fear, forgiveness, gratitude, humor, improve, time | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Asking “Is this possible?” is rarely relevant. The real question is, “Is this worth doing?”

Posted on 24 October 2013 by philosiblog

Asking “Is this possible?” is rarely relevant. The real question is, “Is this worth doing?” – Andrew Sliwinski

Travelling so fast the plane stretched several inches as it heated up at Mach 3, was it possible? Yes. And the reason it existed was to see things without being seen. Now they are Museum Pieces, as we have Satilites to do that, so now it is no longer worth flying.

Travelling so fast the plane stretched several inches as it heated up at Mach 3, was it possible? Yes. And the reason it existed was to see things without being seen. Now they are Museum Pieces, as we have satellites to do that, so now it is no longer worth flying.

What does that mean?
This is the measure of human ingenuity. So many things which were once considered impossible are now routinely done. The word impossible is almost a punch-line in a barely funny joke.

We humans seem to take the label ‘impossible’ as a challenge. And with amazing regularity, change the impossible into the possible, and then into the practical. That’s just how we roll.

The quote finishes by asking the question of worthiness of the challenge and of the product. Is it possible to build a rocket ship to take people to Mars? Yes, but is it worth doing, given the astronomical price?

Is it possible to get a set of flat-ware made from Titanium? Sure, but is it worth doing, given the expense and difficulty? We can accomplish almost anything we set our minds to do. Do you really need that much strength and lightness?

Why is “Why?” important?  Continue reading →

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Don’t make excuses for why you can’t get it done. Focus on all the reasons why you must make it happen.

Posted on 23 October 2013 by philosiblog

Don’t make excuses for why you can’t get it done. Focus on all the reasons why you must make it happen. – Ralph Marston

The artist said that life got in the way, and that's why the painting is unfinished. Excuse or reason? We can't tell how busy his life is, or what priority his paintings are to him.

The artist said that life got in the way, and that’s why the painting is unfinished. Excuse or reason? We can’t tell how busy his life is, or what priority his paintings are to him.

What does that mean?
This is a line from a much longer text, about 6 tweets long. The full text will be attached at the bottom of the post, and this is the 4th paragraph in the quote.

This quote starts by asking us to not make excuses for our difficulties or failures. The tough things take time and effort. If you keep trying, you stand a better chance than if you quit. That is all that excuses are, the foundation for quitting.

So if we aren’t going to quit, we need to focus on something other than what isn’t working or why we can’t do it. The quote urges us to focus on why this is a ‘must’ in our lives. This will help us build our resolve as well as our motivation.

With our resolve steeled and our motivation re-motivated, we should be ready to get back into it, and learn from the last round of effort. With those lessons in mind, it’s time to apply motivation, focus, and lessons to the next attempt. Because it must happen!

Why is avoiding excuses important?  Continue reading →

Posted in accomplishment, failure, focus, goals, motivation, obstacles | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

If you desire to be good, begin by believing that you are wicked.

Posted on 22 October 2013 by philosiblog

If you desire to be good, begin by believing that you are wicked. – Epictetus

Sometimes, it takes a little creativity to help yourself improve by eliminating excuses.

Sometimes, it takes a little creativity to help yourself improve by eliminating excuses.

What does that mean?
This is an interesting way of putting forward the question. How would you find ways to become better if you didn’t think you had imper-fections?

To find a way to improve, the first step should be the declaration of a need to improve. The greater the margin for improvement, the easier the first step will be, and the greater the distance you will cover.

If you want to be good, and you’re already pretty good, you’re going to have trouble finding those little things where you can try to improve. However, if you start from a position of having a long way to go, it’s easier.

By starting from the standpoint that where you are (no matter how good that may be) is the definition of wicked, you define a broad field for improvement, and a fair bit of incentive as well. And that is a big bonus.

Why is improvement important?  Continue reading →

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