I’ve never seen a monument erected to a pessimist.

Posted on 4 September 2012 by philosiblog

I’ve never seen a monument erected to a pessimist. – Paul Harvey

75 years ago, rocketry was in it’s infantcy, and the thought of one of them going to the moon was science fiction. Starting very soon, Virgin Galactic will take you into suborbital flights for only $200K. Don’t be pessimistic you didn’t make it as an astronaut, pretty soon, everyone who can save up will be able to go!

What does that mean?
Have you ever heard someone introduced as “the world famous pessimist…” or anything similar? Nope, me neither. People are generally introduced as being upbeat, positive, or enthusiastic.

To me, this is the general meaning behind this quote. People erect monuments and remember the people who were great. The people who are remembered as great tend to be the people who faced great odds, and yet managed to survive or succeed despite the situation.

Pessimists, faced with that situation, usually just fold up, give up, or run away. They are generally not even remembered as having existed or having been there. Their only chance at fame is actually infamy, if they were the leader of the side that lost, or the group that failed.

While most of us aren’t striving for a monument to be erected in our honor, we should (I hope) be willing to live the kind of lives that might cause someone to be willing to honor you and your name, should the occasion arise.

Why is having a positive mental attitude important?  Continue reading →

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I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence.

Posted on 3 September 2012 by philosiblog

I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence. – Frederick Douglass

Born a slave, and an abolitionist, when being one wasn’t cool. But he remained true to himself, and ignored the ridicule of others. Quite the role model, in my opinion. Do you agree?

What does that mean?
To me, this appears to be a variant of the old Shaksperian statement (from Polonius to Laertes in ‘Hamlet’ A1S3) “To thine own self be true.”

In this quote, he states that he would rather incur the ridicule of others than betray himself (and presumably his values). He would rather be true to himself, then pander to the wishes or norms of others. In a world that usually demands conformity, that’s a very bold statement.

He says that if he were to be false to himself, he would incur his own abhorrence, his own loathing of self. To me, this part of the quote explains why one should be true to yourself. Failing to honor your values, or your self, you betray your values and yourself. And that is truly something worthy of abhorrence.

To me, this quote is as useful today as it was nearly a century and a half ago. It applies to free people as well as slaves. It applies to all who hold values, yet consider abandoning them in an attempt to gain popularity or to avoid ridicule. The message is clear, if we can find the strength to follow it.

Why is being steadfast important?  Continue reading →

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The many factors which divide us are actually much more superficial than those we share.

Posted on 2 September 2012 by philosiblog

The many factors which divide us are actually much more superficial than those we share. – Dalai Lama

Bears fans mixing with Packer fans at a pre-game party.

What does that mean?
Just think about this quote, and it’s implications, for a moment. You may disagree with a family member over a sports team. You may differ from your neighbor in what brand of car you prefer. You might have a different idea about what is fashionable than your friends. Yet somehow we are still all human, and as such, more the same than different.

The point of this quote, in my opinion, is to recognise that we are all human. We share the same form; arms, legs, torso, fingers, toes, head. We share the same organs. We share the basic love of friends and family. The places where we differ is around the edges, and in the smallest quantity.

While these differences can easily cause friction (especially in sports season), we’re still far more alike than we are different. However, wars and killings still occur because of these tiny differences. The sadness it brings to mind, when you think of all the good the dead could have done, if only they had lived, is very real.

While I don’t expect wars and killings to stop overnight because of this quote, it would be nice if more people spent as much time thinking about this fact as they do about their hatred for each-other. I can hope, I can wish, I can dream, can’t I?

Why is understanding important?  Continue reading →

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He who is not your friend will demand your neutrality, while he who is your friend will entreat you to declare yourself.

Posted on 1 September 2012 by philosiblog

He who is not your friend will demand your neutrality, while he who is your friend will entreat you to declare yourself. – Niccolò Machiavelli

This man was not neutral, he took a stand. He also paid the price for his renown.

What does that mean?
This is part of a longer Twitter-friendly quote: “Thus it will always happen that he who is not your friend will demand your neutrality, whilst he who is your friend will entreat you to declare yourself with arms.” This is from Chapter 21, where he discusses his ideas on how a Prince might gain renown.

It comes after a brief example of a war between Rome and the Aetoleans, and how a third party, the Achaeans, are being asked to participate. Rome wants them to take up arms, while the Aetoleans want them to remain neutral in the war.

The point was that if you are neutral, you will be at the mercy of the victor no matter who wins. If you are active, win or lose, the party with whom you are allied owes you something, and you will be better off for having taken a side.

The advice given is very pragmatic and practical. I believe it is still practical in today’s world of caution and correctness. Everyone wants to be neutral, to stay out of it. But that’s now how one gains renown. Whether they think you’re brilliant or an idiot, they will know you are someone, not just another drone who plays it safe.

Why is standing out important?  Continue reading →

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It’s not the events of our lives that shape us, but our beliefs as to what those events mean.

Posted on 31 August 2012 by philosiblog

It’s not the events of our lives that shape us, but our beliefs as to what those events mean. – Tony Robbins and here

Birth. It is one of the greatest joys and the greatest pains a woman can have. Which do you believe, and how does the event appear to you?

What does that mean?
This is an interesting quote, as it seems contrary to our intuition at first glance. However, if we look at it more closely, I believe we will see that it is not only true, but that we have lived it in our lives. It says that we are impacted by the events in our lives, but the result is based not on the event, but in our beliefs about what the event means.

Using examples from real life, how do two people, experiencing a similar experience, end up with very different world views. Take any large disaster, where dozens, hundreds, even thousands of people being impacted. Some will come out stronger, others will fold up and collapse.

If you have a large enough sample, you can get past individuals who are particularly hearty or frail (large groups help with statistics). Consider an earthquake (with or without tsunami). Many people will lose possessions, yet while some are fine with the situation, others are a wreck. The difference isn’t the situation – they both lost everything in the quake. The difference is in their belief in what that loss means.

Why are empowering beliefs important?  Continue reading →

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One’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.

Posted on 30 August 2012 by philosiblog

One’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions. – Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

Once they get the idea of what a door knob does, their mind is forever expanded.

What does that mean?
This quote says that new thoughts, new ideas (especially the big ones) permanently change our minds. Our thought process is different, once we have a new idea with which to play. Our horizons of ‘possible’ have been moved, and there are now new spaces in which we can play.

As we hear new ideas, not only do we have new places to explore, our minds are often drawn there. To explore this new open space is almost an imperative. We may not always find this new space useful, but we still notice all that new space.

Even those ideas we dislike or with which we disagree leave our mind stretched, if only in our attempts to refute or disprove the new idea. Our minds are never going to return to the size they were before. And that is the point of the quote.

Why is exploring the expanding possibilities of life important?  Continue reading →

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Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow.

Posted on 29 August 2012 by philosiblog

Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow. – Plato

That looks like someone who is discouraged with fishing. While it’s not for everyone, an encouraging word might help.

What does that mean?
There are plenty of stories told of people, now known to be great, who had some difficulty in their youth. Many of these stories aren’t true, but they do serve to illustrate the point. Just because they aren’t going very fast, it doesn’t mean that they are completely hopeless.

Sometimes, especially with youth, their brains are developing and aren’t as receptive as at other times in their growing cycles. Other times, people just can’t wrap their heads around a concept, and are simply missing that final spark to have it all make sense.

If you don’t give up on them, and they don’t give up on themselves, eventually they will get it. That is what this quote is all about. Persistence. From both the teacher and the student. As long as there is progress, there is hope. Hope for more progress. Hope for a breakthrough. Hope for understanding and appreciation.

Why is persistence important?  Continue reading →

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As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.

Posted on 28 August 2012 by philosiblog

As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live. – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Which path will get you to where you truly wish to go? When you trust yourself, and answer honestly, then you will know.

What does that mean?
Trust yourself? That is the crux of this quote. Of course we trust ourselves, don’t we? Or do we? How many of us have, at one point in time or another, chosen to imitate someone else, instead of being ourselves, trusting ourselves? What of the times we did what our parents wanted of us, rather than what we wanted, rather than trusting ourselves?

When you dig past all the ways you bury yourself, your needs, wants, and desires, and begin to listen to yourself, you begin to trust yourself. Once you can trust yourself, you can actually start to live your own life, for your own reasons.

That is what this quote is about. As you become more familiar with yourself and can trust yourself, your path will become more and more clear. Note that this will require absolute honesty with yourself, or you will go off on an ego trip, a pleasure chase, or a self-destructive crash.

Why is being honest with yourself important?  Continue reading →

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Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.

Posted on 27 August 2012 by philosiblog

Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love. – Mother Teresa

Have you ever tried to out-smile a baby? Not only is it hard to do, it can even make your face hurt, if you’re not used to smiling. Try it some time. 8)

What does that mean?
How good does it feel to say “Hi!” to someone, and have them look up with a scowl on their face? Compare that to having them look up with a smile on their face. It’s hard not to smile back, or at least it’s hard for me. To me, that is the heart of the quote. As a scowl often begets a scowl, and a frown begets a frown, so too does a smile beget a smile. There will always be exceptions, but that is the experience in my life.

The quote ends with the statement that a smile is the beginning of love. While it may be possible to smile without loving, it’s hard to love without smiling. Think about all the relationships you’ve had in your life, and how many of them started with a smile.

Not all of the smiles resulted in romantic love, but there are other flavors of love, right? I can’t think of a significant relationship in my life, whether present or past, which did not start with a smile. And nearly all of them can still bring a smile just by thinking about them.

Why is smiling important?  Continue reading →

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Cultivating inner discipline is something that takes time; expecting rapid results is simply a sign of impatience.

Posted on 26 August 2012 by philosiblog

Cultivating inner discipline is something that takes time; expecting rapid results is simply a sign of impatience. – Dalai Lama

I want patience, and I want it NOW!

What does that mean?
How many times have you become frustrated because you caught yourself doing something, even though you knew better? That is the heart of this quote. We all have things about us that we want to change, many of which are based on inner discipline.

However, that discipline isn’t always developed and made into habits as quickly as we might like. This frustration is a way of expressing our impatience. While such feelings are understandable, they must also be tempered with reality.

Things will rarely change as rapidly as we would like, and making them stick can be a problem. There are techniques that, when properly executed, can make powerful and lasting changes in our habits, inner discipline can, at times, be a challenge to nail down.

Why is patience important?  Continue reading →

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Many have dreamed up republics and principalities which have never in truth been known to exist…

Posted on 25 August 2012 by philosiblog

Many have dreamed up republics and principalities which have never in truth been known to exist… – Niccolò Machiavelli

Neville (left) & Adolph (right), one week before signing the Munich Agreement. It seemed to be the path to bring peace, or so the idealist thought. The end result, however, was quite the opposite.

What does that mean?
This is a Twitter friendly shortening of a fairly long quote: “Many have dreamed up republics and principalities that have never in truth been known to exist; the gulf between how one should live and how one does live is so wide that a man who neglects what is actually done for what should be done learns the way to self-destruction rather than self-preservation.”

This statement was a warning for those Princes of Renaissance Italy who were educated by the book, and not by experience. Those who read Plato’s Republic (overview, full book) or St. Augustine’s Confessions (summary, full book). For the bare-knuckle politics of the day, both book were hopelessly naive.

The quote was there to warn the idealists who were book wise and street foolish, and keep them from making terrible mistakes based on ideal theory, rather than actual experience. In the books, there are ideal cities, ideal structures, ideal behaviors, and ideal expectations.

It still applies today, as there are many people with great theories and grand plans, but absolutely no practical experience. That rarely ends well. Look at all the child Kings of Europe and how the idealistic ones ruled, and for a very short time. That doesn’t mean the others were evil, just a bit more practical. It’s a fine line, but it does exist.

Why is practicality important?  Continue reading →

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The more rules you have about how people have to be, how life has to be for you to be happy, the less happy you’re going to be!

Posted on 24 August 2012 by philosiblog

The more rules you have about how people have to be, how life has to be for you to be happy, the less happy you’re going to be! – Tony Robbins and here

Look how happy she is. What are your rules? How warm does the air have to be? How warm must the water be? How big do the waves have to be before you can be happy?

What does that mean?
Think about this for a moment. Compare these two people. The first is someone who has a hundred rules, every one of which have to be met for them to allow themselves to be happy. The second person has no rules at all, and can be happy any time they chose to be. Which one will spend the most time being happy, and which one will not be happy much at all?

It sounds so simple, and yet how many of us never thought of it? But it has worked for me and several others with whom I have discussed the concept. Take a moment and consider what you think has to happen for a day to be a good one, one that lets you be happy. How much easier would it be to be happy if you got rid of a few of those rules? Could you be happier?

The happiest people on the planet, I am convinced, are little children. They will laugh and giggle for absolutely no apparent reason. They can be happy with nothing but their toes and fingers. How few rules must they have to be so happy with so little? It might be something to think about.

Why is allowing yourself to be happy important?  Continue reading →

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There is little that can withstand a man who can conquer himself.

Posted on 23 August 2012 by philosiblog

There is little that can withstand a man who can conquer himself. – Louis XIV

Do you really need to check your e-mail again? Will the world end if you don’t check your social media until this evening? What can you do with the time you just freed up coupled with the belief that you are unstoppable! Get busy!

What does that mean?
This quote is about what you do after you finish doing this quote. In that blog post I discussed how challenging it can be to change yourself and to conquer your desires. Today’s quote talks about the person who has (largely) completed this journey and is now looking for something new to do.

The person who could be that honest with themselves about their faults, be that dedicated to have eradicated each flawed desire in their life, these people will be hard to stop. On top of that, they will have few vices or other issues to hold them back or to slow them down.

Once they have conquered themselves, what could possibly be a challenge to them going forward? They have already beaten the toughest of all opponents, namely themselves. Now, as they turn their sights outward, can you imagine any obstacle lasting very long, if they decided that it was in their way?

Why is the conquest of self important?  Continue reading →

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I war not with the dead.

Posted on 22 August 2012 by philosiblog

I war not with the dead. – Homer (from the Iliad,  Book VII, Line 485, as translated by Alexander Pope, spoken by King Agamemnon)

Don’t wage war with the dead. Give them their funeral, then bury them, and go on with your life.

What does that mean?
This quote is spoken by King Agamemnon in agreeing to a truce to bury the dead on the battlefields of Troy. In this case, he was being literal, stating that he didn’t mind the claiming of the dead and the ensuing funerary rites. After all, he wasn’t fighting the dead.

Today, unless you’re preparing for the zombie apocalypse, you probably aren’t going to actually fight the dead either. Unless you keep bring up things that are already in the past. Over and over again. Just refusing to let go of whatever happened in the past.

The modern interpretation, in my opinion, would be re-fighting old battles, wasting time wondering “what if?” and otherwise being unproductive. Yes, we should review what happened and learn from the experience. But then we should let it go and move on with our lives.

Why is moving on important?  Continue reading →

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How would you know what happy is if you’ve never been otherwise.

Posted on 21 August 2012 by philosiblog

How would you know what happy is if you’ve never been otherwise. – Malcolm S. Forbes

There are homeless everywhere. These hungry people are in Denver, Colorado. They’re probably below a 1 on your scale. How would it help you feel, if you were willing and able to help them?

What does that mean?
This is an interesting quote. On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you? Now define what a 10 means to you, and what a 1 means to you. Do you see how your points of reference can be part of the equation? How can you know how good a 7 can be, when the lowest you’ve ever been is a 5?

Put another way, if you had always been happy, how would you know just how happy you were? Wouldn’t happy become normal, and you become discontented, longing for more happiness? By having a rich and vibrant life, with a wide range of experiences, you can fill out the scale, right?

This is, to me, what the quote is saying. How much can you enjoy the ‘good life’ if you’ve never been down and out? If you’ve been through life’s highs and lows, you can better appreciate the good times, because you’ve already suffered through the rough ones.

Why is perspective important?  Continue reading →

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