Ability without honor is useless. – Cicero What does that mean? A similar quote is attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson, who said “Ability without honor has no value,” so it appears to be a popular thought. Ability, in this quote, is talking about the capacity to do something. It doesn’t matter how impressive it is,…
Never confuse movement with action. – Ernest Hemingway What does that mean? This quote was related in the book by Marlene Dietrich, who added “In those five words he gave me a whole philosophy.” Let’s start with movement. Movement can be anything which causes a change in the situation, whether it’s the deck chairs on…
Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult. – Proverbs 12-16 NIV What does that mean? In this translation, it is all about keeping your head about you when things become difficult. What you do in such moments helps people determine what kind of person you are. Fools, as it says, will…
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…
Buy only what is necessary, not what is convenient. What is unnecessary, even if it costs one cent, it is expensive. – Seneca * What does that mean? While widely attributed to Seneca, I couldn’t find it in his works. Either it’s a ‘traditional’ attribution, or a very freely translated phrase. In any case, I…
The few who do are the envy of the many who only watch. – Jim Rohn What does that mean? I find this is an interesting quote, as in my life I have been both a doer and a watcher. And when I was a doing things, I could feel the envy of those who…
A volunteer is worth twenty pressed men – English Proverb What does that mean? Also seen as “worth 10 pressed men” and other numeric ratios. A ‘press gang’ was a term for people conscripted, usually informally, by military units to do work for them. While technically legal, formalities were often ignored in the interest…
Price your anger so expensive until no one can pay to see it. – HereTheQuotess What does that mean? There are times when others push us towards anger. In my opinion, this quote is asking us to raise the price of our anger. Not in a sense of increasing the repercussions or the cost of…
I am responsible for what I spoke, but not for what you understood. – Unknown What does that mean? To me, this is a tale of responsibility, and to whom it belongs. We are responsible for the words we say, but not for how others choose to hear them. Others might hear what you say,…
Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value. – Albert Einstein What does that mean? In the longer version of the quote, the balance between giving and taking is mentioned, as well as a direction for the giving (that what you make and give not to…
If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you. – Fred DeVito What does that mean? To me, this is saying that if a situation is so normal that it offers you no challenge at all, it isn’t able to change you in any way, shape or form. Stated another way, challenges are what change…
If you wish to be a writer, write. – Epictetus What does that mean? While it is usually hard to find these quotes, I have managed to find a precise source for this quote of Epictetus. It is in his Discourses, in a section talking about how Habits are Formed. The meaning is both simple…
Idealistic as it may sound, altruism should be the driving force in business, not just competition and a desire for wealth. – Dalai Lama What does that mean? Let’s start with a definition of altruism. From dictionary.com, we get “the principle or practice of unselfish concern for the welfare of others.” But how does this…
Whatever one of us blames in another, each one will find in his own heart. – Seneca What does that mean? This is a translator’s version of “And so each man will find in his own breast the fault which he censures in another.” Yet, however one chooses to word it, the blame or fault…
All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. – William Shakespeare What does that mean? This verse continues by detailing our places on the stage, as we grow and as we age. While it breaks things into seven steps (dare I say stages?), that is an arbitrary measure. To me,…
