The harvest of old age is the recollection and abundance of blessing previously secured. – Cicero What does that mean? This is another saying based on the concepts of agriculture. Harvesting is what you do at the end of the season, as winter approaches. This is the basis of the quote. It says as we come…
If you are lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it. – John Irving What does that mean? We each have this life of ours to live. We have the ability to make choices (I won’t get into free will here). Our lives are largely…
Serving and helping others out of compassion is non-violence in action. – Dalai Lama What does that mean? This quote defines non-violence in terms of compassion. Non-violence includes a lack of aggression and a lack of ill will. It precludes deliberate actions which harm others or causes them pain and anguish. Service to others, and helping…
A man’s as miserable as he thinks he is. – Seneca What does that mean? To me, this is a statement of our relative condition. Someone from the very cold regions of the planet might be miserable at the equator, while someone from there might feel just fine. Who is more miserable, a rich person…
Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular. – Tony Robbins What does that mean? This is the longer version of the quote: “One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their…
It is not enough to have a good mind, the main thing is to use it well. – René Descartes What does that mean? This is a quote from the same guy who said that because he thought, he was (that he existed). He obviously thought he had good mind. And I would imagine he thought he…
If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they’ll kill you. – Oscar Wilde What does that mean? This quote is a variant on an ancient Mongolian Proverb: “A Man About To Tell The Truth Should Keep One Foot In The Stirrup.” And that’s for the same reason. Telling the truth can be…
You have not converted a man because you have silenced him. – John Morley, 1st Viscount Morley of Blackburn What does that mean? This quote is about debates and how they appear to end. There are many reasons one might be silent in an argument, debate, or other exchange of ideas. The other person could be absolutely…
My heart is ever at your service. – William Shakespeare What does that mean? In the play, the words are spoken by Captain Alcibiades, who first pleads for Timon’s life, then (having been banished from Athens for trying save Timon) later revenges himself on those who exiled him, and conspired against Timon. (Timon of Athens [date uncertain,…
If we can refrain from harming others in our everyday actions and words, we can start to give more serious attention to actively doing good. – Dalai Lama What does that mean? This quote starts by asking us to consider how we act in our everyday life. What do we do, and what do we say? We…
Even after a bad harvest there must be sowing. – Seneca What does that mean? This is one of the most powerful truths of nature. No matter how poorly the harvest turned out, if you wish to have another crop, you must first sow your field. This is at the core of the old saying…
A problem is a question you haven’t yet answered to a level that has fulfilled you. – Tony Robbins and here What does that mean? This quote is about being done. As long as you aren’t fulfilled, as long as you are not satisfied, you aren’t done. You still have a problem (his term) and need to refine your…
Rowing harder doesn’t help if the boat is headed in the wrong direction. – Kenichi Ohmae What does that mean? This is quote is about understanding the nature of the challenge you face. If you don’t understand what you are up against, you can give it all you have, and end up worse off than when you…
Death smiles at us all, but all a man can do is smile back. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? This quote is attributed to Marcus Aurelius in the movie Gladiator, however I couldn’t find it in his surviving written works*. Somehow, I doubt he actually said it, but it does sound Stoic, doesn’t…
The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools. – Herbert Spencer What does that mean? This one is a fairly simple truth. If there are no consequences for our actions, there is no incentive to learn. The wise and the foolish both make mistakes. The…
