Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.

Posted on 8 October 2015 by philosiblog

Good judgement comes from experience. Experience often comes from bad judgement. – Mulla Nasrudin

That's not a sand beach, it's cold hard (and sharp) lava flow. Barefoot?

That’s not a sand beach, it’s cold hard (and sharp) lava flow. Has bad judgement become experience?

What does that mean?
This quote about judgement is hard to source, having been attributed to dozens of people all the way back to the 13th century. But through the centuries, it rings true.

The quote, usually in two parts, says that your judgement is either good or bad. Good judgement results in success and happiness, while the bad judgements results in experience.

But not always. You have to learn something from your bad judgement to actually gain experience. To continue to good judgement, you have to act on the experience. In short, you have to learn.

So the quote says you have to make a judgement and do something to get a result. If the result is beneficial, it was good judgement. If not, you now have experience, provided you learn from it.

Why is judgement important? Continue reading →

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And what he greatly thought, he nobly dared.

Posted on 5 October 2015 by philosiblog

And what he greatly thought, he nobly dared. – Homer

Where would we be if they hadn't greatly thought, and nobly dared?

Where would we be if they hadn’t greatly thought, and nobly dared? Still stuck on the ground, I’d say.

What does that mean?
This quote is spoken to the son of Odysseus (Ulysses) by Athena (Minerva) in the guise of an old and trusted friend, as the son considered undertaking a long and difficult journey.

In context, the quote is part of the goddess urging him to go, as he is the son of a great man, and then extols the virtues of the father. Key among them is the ability to think great thoughts and the courage to dare to accomplish them.

I believe that this quote can and should be applied to all of us, no matter what our parents may have done, or failed to do. We can all think great thoughts. We can all greatly dare.

The other side of this quote is to think few or no great thoughts, and to never dare to even attempt to accomplish them. Rather than a great life, this is the recipe for a mediocre one at best.

Why is daring important? Continue reading →

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It is not fit that I should give myself pain, for I have never intentionally given pain even to another.

Posted on 1 October 2015 by philosiblog

It is not fit that I should give myself pain, for I have never intentionally given pain even to another. – Marcus Aurelius

Why did they cut you off? Does it really matter? Relax.

Why did they cut you off? Does it really matter? Don’t let their bad day become a bad influence on yours.

What does that mean?
Inflicting pain on others. The vast majority of us do not do inflict pain on others deliberately. In the heat of passion, perhaps we might. But then we apologize, right?

Coming from a professional warrior and Roman Emperor, that may seem an odd thing for him to say. To me, it just means he separated his duty to country from what he considered to be his duty.

To me, the important application to us in today’s world is that we do our best to keep from intentionally hurting others. Most of us do that well enough. Which brings us to the other half of the quote.

We must also not inflict pain on ourselves. That can be mental anguish, beating ourselves up for something we once did. It could be doing things we know are wrong, but do it anyway. We must forgive and be kind to ourselves.

Why is not inflicting pain important? Continue reading →

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Compassion is a source of happiness, while self-centerdness can lead ultimately to violence.

Posted on 28 September 2015 by philosiblog

Compassion is a source of happiness, while self-centerdness can lead ultimately to violence. – Dalai Lama

Are they showing compassion or self-centeredness? Imagine how bad it looks when adults do this...

Are they showing compassion or self-centeredness? Imagine how bad it looks when adults act like this…

What does that mean?
To me, this quote is about the dichotomy of life. In it we have a pair of polar opposites, with self-centeredness in opposition to compassion, or selflessness.

Compassion is the sympathy we feel when others suffer. It is also our own suffering in conjunction with their suffering. We become them, we feel their pain, anguish and suffering, and we share in it.

This bring happiness not from the sharing of sorrow, but the sharing of everything else, for sorrow and suffering are not all that is shared. In the act of compassion, we share everything.

We share in their lives and, when we interact personally, they share in ours. We share in their triumphs and they share in our joys. Compassion, when allowed, is a two-way street.

Self-centeredness, on the other hand, ignores the needs, the pain, and the suffering of others. All that matters is the self, and our needs. Others become obstacles and obstructions, to be defeated. Where does that lead?

Why is compassion important? Continue reading →

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It ain’t over till it’s over.

Posted on 24 September 2015 by philosiblog

It ain’t over till it’s over. – Yogi Berra

Don't give up early, fight on until the end, you never know what may happen.

Don’t ever give up early, fight on until the end, you never know what may happen. Just ask Yogi.

What does that mean?
This is a strongly sourced quote: “In July 1969, Berra’s Mets trailed the Chicago Cubs by 9½ games in the National League East. The Mets rallied to win the division title on the final day of the season.”

The quote is about not giving up, not giving in, not until it is actually over. Other similar quotes might include “Dum Spiro Spero.” or “While I breathe I hope.”

The quote urges us to never stop, to give it our all, right up to the final moment. In this case, he was talking about winning a title.

But it is also poignant today, as he has just died. To me, it seemed natural to consider how to apply this quote to our lives, and to live every day.

Why is not giving up important? Continue reading →

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How much time he gains who does not look to see what his neighbor says or does or thinks.

Posted on 21 September 2015 by philosiblog

How much time he gains who does not look to see what his neighbor says or does or thinks. – Marcus Aurelius

How much time do you think he spends wondering if you approve?

How much time do you think he spends wondering if you approve of his hair or clothes?

What does that mean?
This is a shorter, Twiter-friendly version of a passage from his book Meditations regarding time, and the efficient use thereof. The more complete quote is listed below:

“How much time he gains who does not look to see what his neighbor says or does or thinks, but only at what he does himself, to make it just and holy.”

This quote is about minding our own business, and doing what we think is right. It is about doing what is congruent within ourselves, and not worrying what others think.

It asks us how much time have we lost wondering or worrying what others say, do, or think? It reminds us to focus on doing what we think is proper, and doing that above all else.

Why is doing what we think is right important? Continue reading →

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Fortune gives us nothing which we can really own.

Posted on 17 September 2015 by philosiblog

Fortune gives us nothing which we can really own. – Seneca

Fortune can give, and Fortune can take away.

Fortune can give, and it can take away; what it gives, you do not own.

What does that mean?
This quote makes me wonder what we really own. According to the quote, nothing gained from fortune (luck) is really ours to own.

That makes sense, because what comes by chance can just as easily be lost by chance. Ask anyone with a Fantasy Sports team how that goes.

The same goes for card games, dice games and other things largely left to chance. Compare that to the things you work hard to gather, gain, and keep.

Your knowledge, learned from books or experience, cannot be taken from you. Nor can your character, your integrity or your love. Those are what you made them, and cannot be taken without your permission.

Why is focusing on what you can own (and keep) important? Continue reading →

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Success is focusing the full power of all you are on what you have a burning desire to achieve.

Posted on 14 September 2015 by philosiblog

Success is focusing the full power of all you are on what you have a burning desire to achieve. – Wilfred Peterson

How do you define success?

How do you define success?

What does that mean?
Success is defined differently for each of us. Yet however we each define it, success is something we all desire.

For some, success is measured in money or possessions. For others, it is measured in spirituality or awareness. For others it is family or friends. What is it for you?

Yet we rarely achieve any success without having a strong, or even burning desire to achieve something. Without it, we simply rely on luck.

To get there via the quickest and most effective way, we need to focus on our desire, and put everything we have behind it. The goal gives us direction, the focus of power gives us the thrust.

Why is success important? Continue reading →

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The human race is governed by its imagination.

Posted on 10 September 2015 by philosiblog

The human race is governed by its imagination. –
Napoleon

If you can't imagine a clean kitchen, can you imagine a clean drawer or two? Don't be governed by a lack of imagination.

If you can’t imagine a clean kitchen, can you imagine a clean drawers? Don’t be governed by a lack of imagination.

What does that mean?
I can’t imagine what he could possibly have meant. Well, sarcasm aside, the human imagination is responsible for almost everything we have.

Someone had to imagine light at night to see in the dark before candles or light bulbs could be figured out and made real in our lives.

Our limits are only what is beyond us to imagine. When our imagination is great, we find great things and do great things. When it is not, we do not.

We are ruled by what we can imagine as much as we are ruled by our governments. Just think of all the despots who have fallen because we imagined freedom.

Why is imagination important? Continue reading →

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Nowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul.

Posted on 7 September 2015 by philosiblog

Nowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul. – Marcus Aurelius

In loud and troubled times, can you find solace within your soul?

In loud and troubled times, where better a place to find solace than within your soul?

What does that mean?
To me, this quote is a bit of a double edged sword. If your soul (to me, this means our inner self, our mind) isn’t calm, then it might not be an ideal retreat.

But, on the other hand, if it isn’t, you know on what you to start your self-improvement, right? And there is always room for improvement for all of us.

To me, this quote is about introspection, and the peace to be found therein. The world is full of distractions and difficulties.

With a properly trained mind, you can find refuge from the noise and tumult within yourself, a safe place which is always available to you.

Why is a calm mind important? Continue reading →

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The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision

Posted on 3 September 2015 by philosiblog

The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision. – Helen Keller

You do not need to use your eyes to have vision.

You do not need to use your eyes in order to have vision.

What does that mean?
This is an interesting quote from a blind person about the difference between having sight, and having vision.

Sight is a function of the eyes, and allows us to see. This is something a blind person doesn’t have, but the rest of us have. While she thinks it’s bad, it could be worse.

Vision, on the other hand, is in the mind or the mind’s eye. It is a proactive portion of our imagination, and helps us plan and think about our ideas.

The quote states that while she is not happy with being unable to see, she feels it is better than being able to see, but not being able to imagine, to plan, to think beyond our meager existence.

Why is vision (and having one) important? Continue reading →

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He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.

Posted on 1 September 2015 by philosiblog

He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever. – Chinese Proverb

If you don't understand, then ask. You may seem foolish at the time, but you will learn the answer.

If you don’t understand, then ask. You may seem foolish at the time, but you will learn the answer.

What does that mean?
This, like most ancient proverbs, was difficult to source, but quite interesting to contemplate. In this case, we have all been there, right?

You have a question, but you’re afraid to ask it. You don’t want to look foolish, stupid, or inattentive in front of your peers. You say nothing, and having not asked, you never learn what you need to know.

Yes, you might get some grief for asking the question, but that sting soon wears off. You were a fool, but just for a short time. But if you did not ask, when would you have learned?

By not asking, you leave yourself a fool for the rest of your life. You had a chance to get the answer, but you let it pass. Perhaps you’ll learn later, but at how high a price? Fool for five, or fool forever?

Why are questions important? Continue reading →

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Three Million Views!

Posted on 18 August 2015 by philosiblog
Thanks so very much for your support.

Thanks so very much for your support.

 

Sometime yesterday, the blog had its three millionth page view. I never thought it would be this enduring, to still be getting over 4000 views a day, even after taking a ‘brief break’, now over a year-long!

Thanks to all who have viewed my posts over the years, and to those just now seeing it. I plan to get back to once a week, and then see what I can do from there.

Photo by Jeff Golden

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Testing in progress – please stand by

Posted on 27 October 2014 by philosiblog

I’m converting to a new theme, so things may look a little different for a while.

Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments

Just one of those weeks…

Posted on 15 August 2014 by philosiblog

Nope, it’s not a quote. It’s just my life. Spent most of this week in the hospital (blood clot in the lungs – in my case, not very dangerous – they were very small), and will spend the rest of it recovering. I’ll be back soon. Until then, there is a search button in the corner you can use to keep yourself amused. What is your favorite quotation? Have I tried my hand at it? Only one way to find out, right?

Posted in Uncategorized | 12 Comments