It is important to let people know that they have the source of contentment and happiness within themselves.

Posted on 6 October 2013 by philosiblog

It is important to let people know that they have the source of contentment and happiness within themselves. – Dalai Lama

He seems to have made a good choice. Will you join him?

He seems to have made a good choice. Will you join him?

What does that mean?
I like this quote, as it is a reminder of something we all know, and have experienced, yet so often forget. This quote is a reminder of all the days when we didn’t have the “gotta have” item in our life, yet somehow managed to be happy.

Contentment is defined at thefreedictionary.com as “peace of mind; mental or emotional satisfaction.” How do you find that in the outside world? Think about that for a moment.

How do you get peace of mind from something or someone else? They can provide the tools which allow YOU to get there, but that’s up to you, not them, to find contentment.

The same goes for happiness. Others can contribute, but it is up to you to decide you will be happy. There are plenty of people with all the neat things, good friends and family, yet are unhappy. Again it is up to you to choose happiness.

Why is choosing important?  Continue reading →

Posted in attitude, choice, contentment, habits, happiness, strength | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Consider, when you are enraged at any one, what you would probably think if he should die during the dispute.

Posted on 5 October 2013 by philosiblog

Consider, when you are enraged at any one, what you would probably think if he should die during the dispute. – Seneca

Uh Oh! Now what? How mad do you get back at him? Or do you cut him a little slack, and try to remain calm?

Uh Oh! Now what? How mad do you get back at him? Or do you cut him a little slack, and try to keep yourself calm? You are the adult.

What does that mean?
This quote is about how mad a person should, or should not, become. This is something many of us, as humans, do from time to time. We have all done it at some point in time, get mad, that is.

The question is how mad have we become? What is a proper level of mad? What is acceptable and under what circumstances? That will depend on your values and your culture.

The quote does pose an interesting question. How would you feel if the person with whom you were enraged suddenly dropped dead? How do you score that argument, is that a win, or a draw?

I am presuming that you are not considered the direct cause, but would you want the last thing they did on this planet be argue with you, or defend themselves against your accusations? I find the thought a little unpleasant.

Why is remaining calm important?  Continue reading →

Posted in anger, compassion, contemplation, emotion, judgement, reflection | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Failure is only postponed success as long as courage coaches ambition. The habit of persistence is the habit of victory.

Posted on 4 October 2013 by philosiblog

Failure is only postponed success as long as courage coaches ambition. The habit of persistence is the habit of victory. – Herbert Kaufman

Persistence, the one thing failure cannot stop. Success will come.

Persistence, the one thing failure cannot stop. Keep at it, success will come.

What does that mean?
There is a lot packed into those two short lines. The very first part defines failure as step on the road to success, or as success postponed.

The first sentence finishes by adding a catch. It says that you have to have courage, and it has to be a coach to your ambition. If you want success, you have to keep your ambition, or motivation, and that takes courage.

The other sentence talks about the key to victory. It says that the habit of persistence is key. A habit is doing something over, and persistence is not giving up, but trying again.

Doing it over and over, never giving up, leads to victory. In this case, success at whatever you are attempting to accomplish. I agree, and firmly believe, that victory is a habit.

Why is are good habits important?  Continue reading →

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To succeed in the world it is not enough to be stupid; you must also be well-mannered.

Posted on 3 October 2013 by philosiblog

To succeed in the world it is not enough to be stupid; you must also be well-mannered. – Voltaire

He's happy. He got the loan, and now has the car. Will he still be smiling after he gets done with the insurance paperwork? Did he think ahead, or was he a little stupid?

He’s happy. He got the loan, and now has the car. Will he still be smiling after he gets done getting the insurance? Did he think ahead, or was he a little stupid?

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 things you need to get ahead in the world.

The first is stupidity. Yes, that sounds the opposite of what you would expect, but far more people achieve ‘success’ by attaching themselves to someone powerful than by making it on their own. Those too stupid to do it on their own need to find a benefactor.

That’s where the second half of the quote comes in. By having good manners, you can more easily ingratiate yourself, and stay in their good graces. Think about it, they even invented names for these people, including toadie and lick-spittle. They existed then, and they exist now.

Why is effort important?  Continue reading →

Posted in caution, decision, effort, foolish, intelligence, judgement | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it.

Posted on 2 October 2013 by philosiblog

A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein

If you always come back from pool parties all red and sore, are you forgetting your sun block, or is it something else? What can you do to avoid it?

If you always come back from pool parties all red and sore, are you forgetting your sun block, or is it something else? What can you do to avoid it?

What does that mean?
This quote is attributed to Albert Einstein, but probably isn’t true. However, I believe that it is still an interesting quote nonetheless. The quote is about the three stages of learning, clueless, cleverness, and wisdom.

The clueless people don’t notice an obstacle until after they have bumped into it, and then have no idea what to do, and have to puzzle their way out.

The clever people, as noted in the first part of the quote, while still not noticing the obstacle in advance, know what to do after bumping into the obstacle.

The wise people, according to the quote, not only notices the obstacle, they manage to avoid it. Getting to that point takes a bit of learning.

First you’re clueless, then you figure out how to get out of the situation. Finally, with some attention to detail a person can begin to spot the situation before it gets there.

Why is learning important?  Continue reading →

Posted in creativity, doing, judgement, knowledge, obstacles, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go in.

Posted on 1 October 2013 by philosiblog

Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go in. – Napoleon Bonaparte and Andrew Jackson

Yes, colorful pens and pictures can add some clarity and flair to a plan. But when it comes time to take action, be prepared to put them down and get to it!

Yes, colorful pens and pictures can add some clarity and flair to a plan. But when it comes time to take action, be prepared to put them down and get to it!

What does that mean?
Put another way, there’s a time to cut bait, and a time to fish. You can only prepare for so long. Beyond a certain point, it becomes pointless. It also implies that we shouldn’t rush in without some thought, either.

There is such a thing as too prepared, where you stop learning new things and begin to become complacent, or even sloppy. And, of course, things could happen which call you to action immediately.

Either way, there is a time for doing all the preparations, all the deliberations, and all the planning. Then there is the time to do things, the time to take action.

Usually there is a fairly clear indication that life has changed from one to the other. Sometimes we choose to ignore taking action, and remain where we are comfortable, in a risk-limited environment. But that’s not how life works.

Why is taking action important?  Continue reading →

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Harmony is pure love, for love is a concerto.

Posted on 30 September 2013 by philosiblog

Harmony is pure love, for love is a concerto. – Lope de Vega

One wrong note will be noticed. Harmony makes good music. Practice makes harmony easier.

One wrong note will be noticed. Harmony makes good music. Practice makes harmony easier. They are going to be practicing, what will you be doing?

What does that mean?
A concerto is music played by a soloist (or group of soloists) and a small orchestra. This allows for a great deal of interplay between both the soloist(s) and the orchestra.

Doing so in a random manner would lead to all kinds of nasty sounds, or disharmony. To make a concerto work, everyone needs to play in proper intervals or in harmony with each other.

While this quote is almost certainly about romantic love, I would say that harmony is needed in any loving relationship. Whether it’s a platonic love for your co-workers and friends, or a notional love for country, freedom, or justice, disharmony isn’t going to help.

Why is harmony important?  Continue reading →

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Despite the superficial differences between us, we need to have a sense that all 7 billion human beings belong to one human family.

Posted on 29 September 2013 by philosiblog

Despite the superficial differences between us, we need to have a sense that all 7 billion human beings belong to one human family. – Dalai Lama

They consider themselves family, despite their differences. I believe we should follow their lead.

They consider themselves family, despite their differences. Don’t you think that the rest of us should follow their lead? I do.

What does that mean?
This quote acknowledges that there are differences between each of us. Both as individuals, and as groups. Different DNA at the base of it all, and then differences in cultures and traditions, languages, and geographical regions.

Yet we are all humans. We are, all 7 plus billion of us, one family. While even the closest of families have their squabbles, a family of 7 billion can be expected to have a few as well. But they will be minor, so long as we remember we are all family.

Things can get really bad when we forget that we are family. Some of the most brutal wars and slaughters have come from the idea that the other people were not only not members of our family, but not even members of the human race.

Why is family important?  Continue reading →

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A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.

Posted on 28 September 2013 by philosiblog

A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials. – Seneca

Like these raw stones, we need a little friction to become our best. Don't look at them as obstacles, think of them as a training ground!

Like these raw stones, we need a little friction to become our best. Don’t look at the trials before you as obstacles, consider them as a training ground, and improve!

What does that mean?
Back in the time of this quote, gemstones were polished by grinding. Cutting and cleaving, as we know them today, had yet to be invented.

If you wanted something shiny, you ground it to the basic shape, then smoothed it with fine grit, and then polished it. Each stage was done by way of friction, and the grinding off of the parts which were unwanted.

The result of a great deal of work was a perfected gemstone, polished and shiny. Similarly, humans are perfected through the learning process, which include pop quizzes and the occasional essay test, or trial.

In this manner, we polish ourselves. We go through trials, and the ideas that don’t work are eliminated and better ones are created or found. With each learning experience, we become better, and we approach perfection.

Why is learning important?  Continue reading →

Posted in attitude, focus, improve, obstacles, repetition, struggle | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Knowledge is not power…it’s potential power. Execution will trump knowledge any day.

Posted on 27 September 2013 by philosiblog

Knowledge is not power…it’s potential power. Execution will trump knowledge any day. – Tony Robbins

Even if you didn't know first aid, a quick guide and a little action will be more help than someone who knows, but does not do.

Even if you didn’t know first aid, a quick guide and a little action will be more help than someone who knows it, but takes no action.

What does that mean?
I truly love this quote. How many people have you seen, sitting there doing something they KNOW they shouldn’t be doing, but do it anyway?

Even worse is when they see you looking at them, and they say that they know it’s not good for them and they shouldn’t be doing it, but then keep right on doing it? Smokers, I’m looking at you. I only pick on you because I care.

Now think of all the people who didn’t know what they were doing, but managed to get things accomplished anyway. What did Thomas Edison know about light bulbs? But he executed, over and over and over, until he found the solution. Then he knew.

That is the point of the quote. We don’t always know the way to do something. But by doing, we learn. If we don’t do, what we know is nothing more than a library book locked in our head. And that just doesn’t get things done, now does it?

Why is doing things important?  Continue reading →

Posted in doing, inspire, knowledge, potential, power, procrastination | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refuse to be reduced by it.

Posted on 26 September 2013 by philosiblog

I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refuse to be reduced by it. – Maya Angelou

The owner of this diploma was sent home. But she didn't allow it to reduce her to the status of a failure. She went back and finished.

The owner of this diploma was sent home. But she didn’t allow what happened to her to reduce her self-image to that of a failure. She went back and finished. Congratulations!

What does that mean?
Things happen in life. Some of those things change our path in life. Some of them even change our lives. These changes could be for the better, or they could be for the worse. But that’s life.

That is what I believe the first part of the quote is about. The second part of the quote talks about how we react to that event. It says that no matter what happens, we can refused to be reduced, or made less, by it.

We can choose how we react. We can choose to respond or to ignore what has just happened. The quote urges us to stand firm and not allow what happened to us to make us any less than we were before it happened.

Why is being resolute important?  Continue reading →

Posted in choice, dignity, failure, goals, self-image, struggle | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.

Posted on 25 September 2013 by philosiblog

You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength. – Marcus Aurelius

If we are too weak, we blow away. If we are too strong, we are broken by the storm. If we are flexible like the willow, we can be strong and still yield when it is proper.

If we are too weak, we blow away. If we are too strong, we are broken by the storm. If we are flexible like the willow, we can be strong and still yield when it is appropriate.

What does that mean?
This quote is about finding a fundamental truth of life. While many quotes focus on happiness coming from within, this covers the rest of the game, as we live in our mind.

We are the only one with power over our mind. Yes, we can fail to apply that power, and allow it to drift with the forces of the day. That can lead some to believe that the outside world and outside events have power over our minds.

But it isn’t true. The outside world can apply pressure, but we make the decisions about what we will do. We will chose to yield or oppose, or to find another way. There will always be a price to pay, but that is part of living.

Once we recognize that we are the only ones with the power to change our minds, we will find that it provides us with great strength. With that simple realization, we gain the strength to face the next challenge, and to choose what we will.

Why is strength of will important?  Continue reading →

Posted in belief, choice, decision, strength, thinking, value | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Every path has its puddle.

Posted on 24 September 2013 by philosiblog

Every path has its puddle. – English Proverb

While we may not be able to see her path, she is certainly not afraid of a puddle. How about you?

While we may not be able to see her path, she is certainly not afraid of a puddle. Are you?

What does that mean?
To me, this is a fairly good represen-tation of life in general. We all travel down our path. We often come to forks or intersections among the paths.

Choosing which path to take next is a complex one, involving many variables. Yes, there will be the occasional monomaniac on a mission, but most will take a little time to try to figure out what would be the best path for us.

This quote reminds us that every path has a puddle. There is no perfect path with absolutely no issues, problems, or puddles. All we can do is prepare for them, and vow to find a way forward despite them.

It also helps if our attitude towards puddles is to jump into them with both feet! Yes, we might get a little wet, but unless we’re in our best clothes, who cares? Is life about staring vexedly at puddles, or having fun?

Why is our attitude important?  Continue reading →

Posted in attitude, goals, obstacles, plan, risk, self improvement | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

To love is to receive a glimpse of heaven.

Posted on 23 September 2013 by philosiblog

To love is to receive a glimpse of heaven. – Karen Sunde

This might not be for everyone, but I love sailing. This is a big sailing ship, and that's even better. Almost heaven...

This might not be the thing for everyone, but I love sailing. This is a big sailing ship, and that’s even better. The smell of canvas and sea-spray, it’s almost heaven…

What does that mean?
I find this to be a very interesting quote. It doesn’t (by itself) state that it is specifically about romantic love, although it isn’t difficult to come to that conclusion.

Yet I firmly believe that it can be applied to other forms of love. Love of Country, love of Freedom, and love of Justice are but a few forms of love which I believe fit this quote admirably.

I also noted that every reference I found of this quote had the lower-case heaven. Not a religious Heaven, but a generic great place to be. But just a glimpse, as we are still human. Our lives are flawed, and grace is temporary.

But just a glimpse is enough. It keeps us motivated. It keeps us energized. It keeps us trying again and again. It keeps us pursuing an ever deeper, ever stronger love. So that we might get another glimpse.

Why is love important?  Continue reading →

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Among human beings trust comes about, not from expressions of wealth or fame, but from our showing affection.

Posted on 22 September 2013 by philosiblog

Among human beings trust comes about, not from expressions of wealth or fame, but from our showing affection. – Dalai Lama

Is there any doubt that they trust each-other? The affection is obvious.

Is there any doubt that they trust each-other? The affection is obvious to the observer.

What does that mean?
This quote is about trust, and how we go about earning it. Animals may have a different method, but for we humans, it is pretty straight forward.

The quote lists a few ways that it isn’t earned. Expressions of wealth may attract envy, greed, or other emotions, but not trust. You cannot buy that. All you get are people who are there for the cash and the good times.

It also mentions fame. Fame also attracts envy, greed and a host of other emotions. Fame may get you an entourage, but it that doesn’t mean that they trust, it only gets you people who are there just for the party.

The quote finishes by stating what it believes is the proper way for humans to build trust, which is by showing affection. By showing our affection for others, they begin to believe that we care about them, and that is what builds trust.

Why is affection important?  Continue reading →

Posted in affection, caring, friendship, judgement, love, motivation | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments