Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage.

Posted on 24 March 2012 by philosiblog

Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. – Niccolò Machiavelli

Obstacle or opportunity? Looks like an opportunity for fun, and a chance to work with others to find the best route up.

What does that mean?
This quote is so spot on. I have known several entrepreneurs, and all have this quality. They tend to view obstacles as the best thing that can happen, as it keeps the less determined people from getting in their way. Every obstacle makes their life easier by thinning out their competition.

They then take their own view of the obstacle and use it to their advantage, not just to their competitors’ disadvantage. They find a way to make what would be a problem for others into a part of their signature or their style.

Why is treating obstacles as opportunities important?  Continue reading →

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Life is like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you represents determinism; the way you play it is free will.

Posted on 23 March 2012 by philosiblog

Life is like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you represents determinism; the way you play it is free will. – Jawaharlal Nehru

What have you been dealt? How will you play it?

What does that mean?
This is an interesting quote, in that it attempts to place both determinism and free will in play simultaneously. In this case, I would estimate that what he is calling determinism isn’t based on the classical definition but more closely on the Compatabilism version. See Free Will and Determinism for more information.

In my understanding of the quote, those things that are behind us, all that has already happened, that is Determinism (as well as being already determined). What we choose to do going forward, that is Free Will. While the future may have some Determinism to it, you still have some room to maneuver. I hope that makes some practical sense, even if it’s slightly sloppy for philosophical purists.

Why is playing the hand you’re dealt important?  Continue reading →

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The basic quality that any great story must have is a story that illustrates the human condition.

Posted on 22 March 2012 by philosiblog

The basic quality that any great story must have is a story that illustrates the human condition. – William Shatner

The story of Ben's life illustrates the human condition. It is, most definitely, a great story, and a great life.

What does that mean?
While this quote is about telling a story, I’m going to use an old quote from Ben Franklin and discuss this quote in terms of living the story, or writing it about someone else. The quote says that the heart of any great story is how it shows the human condition.

By that, we have to have something passionate about the story. A love or hatred of something (or someone). The pursuit of something (a dream, a goal, a person). The failings of humans (betrayal, lies, deceptions). Conflict between people (or ideas, ideals, emotions). Overcoming an obstacle (poverty, despair, hatred).

Why is living your story important?  Continue reading →

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I was obliged to be industrious. Whoever is equally industrious will succeed equally well.

Posted on 21 March 2012 by philosiblog

I was obliged to be industrious. Whoever is equally industrious will succeed equally well. – Johann Sebastian Bach

Transcription, modern style. It is still one of the best ways to learn; by imitation of the masters of your genre. Repeatedly.

What does that mean?
This quote says it all. If you wish to be successful, you need to be industrious. Being industrious means to be busy, like a beaver. There is also the implication that the work you do be useful, and little or no implication that the work must be difficult.

In the quote, Bach says that he was industrious by obligation, implying it might not have been his choice (but it’s hard to argue with results, right?). He also says that anyone who worked as hard and as consistently as he did could expect the same success.

What he left out (at least in my opinion) was his immense raw talent. I’ve known some people who couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. I doubt that there is any amount of industriousness would help them succeed as a performer or writer of music.

Why is being industrious important?  Continue reading →

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You know, you don’t have to look like everybody else to be acceptable and to feel acceptable.

Posted on 20 March 2012 by philosiblog

You know, you don’t have to look like everybody else to be acceptable and to feel acceptable. – Fred Rogers

He is tall, and thin, with a big nose, and ginger hair. Would you want to be his friend, or can you see past all that?

What does that mean?
I like the quote. While the guy was a bit quirky, and definitely from a different era, the quote hits home for me. The quote says that you don’t have to look like everybody else to be acceptable or to be considered right or OK.

While for some that might be skin color, accent, or favorite way to dress, it impacts almost all of us at some point in our lives. For those who aren’t physically perfect, this quote also has meaning. I’ve had the pleasure to make the acquaintance of a few Thalidomide babies, and they definitely don’t look like everyone else, but they were all great people.

Why is accepting people important?  Continue reading →

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After the game, the king and the pawn go into the same box.

Posted on 19 March 2012 by philosiblog

After the game, the king and the pawn go into the same box. – Italian Proverb

Despite the impossibility of the location of the pieces, the King, the Pawn, and the Queen are about to go back into the box. What remains behind?

What does that mean?
In the literal sense, it means that when you’re done playing chess, all the pieces go back in the same box, no matter how lofty or lowly their position was in the game, no matter which side they were on.

In life, when we are done with the ‘game,’ we all go into the same box. In the age of this quote, that meant a catacomb or in the ground. Everyone, from a King to a serf (or slave) would end up dead when the game was over. In short, the game is rigged, and no one gets out alive. Kind of sad, but true none the less.

Why is the motivation of your life important?  Continue reading →

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While revenge weakens society, forgiveness gives it strength.

Posted on 18 March 2012 by philosiblog

While revenge weakens society, forgiveness gives it strength. – Dalai Lama

As long as you desire revenge, you are as much a prisoner as he is. You can free yourself, but the price is forgiveness.

What does that mean?
The quote starts by saying that revenge weakens society. Think about all those angry people, all looking to take revenge on those they feel have done wrong to them. How cohesive would that society be? Will people be looking to lend a hand, or will they be looking over their shoulder?

On the other hand, forgiveness gives a society strength. That is because forgiveness strengthens the individual people the way revenge weakens them. A person who can forgive another is a stronger person than the one who cannot, or who seeks, instead, revenge. While all societies have a mix of both types of people, if a society can have a majority granting forgiveness, it will be stronger than those who have a majority seeking revenge.

Why is forgiveness as a society important?  Continue reading →

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Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions.

Posted on 17 March 2012 by philosiblog

Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions. – Niccolò Machiavelli

And we didn't even get to the topic of self deception, which can be the most damaging deception of all...

What does that mean?
In this statement to the Princes of Renaissance Italy, the point is that their subjects are fairly simple folk. Their primary focus is their needs, such as food, shelter, and safety. By manipulating their emotions, centered on their needs, a deceiver could whip the populace to their own ends.

Having not read the quote in the full context, I’m not sure if this was meant to point a way the Prince could manipulate their own populace, or if it was a warning to them. Agents of a foreign power, or disaffected members of the populace could use the tools of deception against the Prince and threaten their rule.

Either way, the populace, in order to protect itself, must be vigilant and keep a keen eye on those in power. The price of failing to do so is to risk losing yourself in a storm of emotion, whipped into a frenzy by deceivers, and willing to protect what you feel is important, while they steal you blind.

Why is awareness important?  Continue reading →

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He who deliberates fully before taking a step will spend his entire life on one leg.

Posted on 16 March 2012 by philosiblog

He who deliberates fully before taking a step will spend his entire life on one leg. – Chinese Proverb

Whether he is procrastinating or just 'reflecting,' he's not going anywhere while balanced on just one leg. To take action, he'll need both feet on the ground.

What does that mean?
The quote opens by considering someone who spends the time to fully deliberate all possible outcomes and ramifications of an action before acting. The implied question is ‘How long will that take to accomplish this task?’

The quote finishes by answering that question. The statement is that they will spend their entire life standing on one leg. The implication is that they will start the step, but never complete it, because of the complexity of fully deliberating their action.

This attitude will lead, according to the quote, never doing anything but continuously deliberating and refining your thoughts on the action you wish to eventually get around to doing. Does that remind you of anyone, or have you ever experienced even a little of this yourself?

Why is action important?  Continue reading →

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You can tell a man is clever by his answers. You can tell a man is wise by his questions.

Posted on 15 March 2012 by philosiblog

You can tell a man is clever by his answers. You can tell a man is wise by his questions. – Naguib Mahfouz

How often do you set some time aside to ask yourself some questions, and contemplate your answers?

What does that mean?
Clever answers are one of my favorite things. But, according the quote, all that clever answers tells us is how clever the person providing the answers happens to be. And clever, the quote implies, is different from being wise.

Wisdom, the quote says, can be determined by the questions that are asked by the person. Wise questions get to the heart of the issue, and help to bring the important aspects to the fore. Wise questions promote discussion and encourage thinking. They also tend to be open ended.

Why are questions important?  Continue reading →

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I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.

Posted on 14 March 2012 by philosiblog

I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious. – Albert Einstein

Look deep into the center of the flower and see the math involved, neat, eh?

What does that mean?
In this quote, Einstein tries to explain his genius. He says that he has no special talents. While there are many theories on that portion of the quote, some of the leading explanations include how ‘folded’ his brain was, where some of the folds were (or were not), and how he used his brain (visual thinking vs verbal thinking). See Einstein’s Brain for more details.

However his brain might have been formed, and whatever talents it may have given him, the second part of the quote is rock solid. He was passionately curious. When coupled with a keen intellect and an unwillingness to let a problem sit unfinished, the result is practically unstoppable.

Why is passionate curiosity important?  Continue reading →

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Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes.

Posted on 13 March 2012 by philosiblog

Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes. – Oscar Wilde

Experience says that next time, you should use smaller balls of cookie dough.

What does that mean?
This quote is also listed in several places as “Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.”

So, what do you call your mistakes? “My Ex” might work for some of them, but what about the rest? Does the word ‘experience’ fit fairly well for you? Experience, learning, tiny bits of wisdom, lessons from the school of hard knocks, or any other similar word(s) would work, right?

I would agree, but with one caveat. If you have learned nothing from having gone through the process, is it really experience? To me, experience only comes when you learn something from your mistake. If you learn nothing, you will likely repeat the same mistake, for the same reasons, again and again and again. Only when you learn from the mistake does it become experience. Does that make sense?

Why is experience important?  Continue reading →

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To be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile.

Posted on 12 March 2012 by philosiblog

To be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile. – Plato

What do you mean, the whole office knows?

What does that mean?
This is a Twitter friendly version of the full quote:

“The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile.”

To me, this quote is talking about discipline, and in specific, self-discipline. In the full quote, it starts by stating the first and greatest victory is in the conquering of self. Not just the greatest victory, but the first victory. Nothing else is of consequence until you have gained some level of self-discipline, or mastery of yourself.

The quote continues, stating that to be conquered by your lack of self-discipline is the most shameful and vile of all fates that could befall you. Look at any number of powerful people who couldn’t keep their trousers up. Sports figures, politicians, powerful international bankers, all brought down because they couldn’t keep their pants up. Self-discipline failure? Yep.

Lapses in self-discipline are not just for the high and mighty, though. In countless divorce cases, and in the breakups of millions of relationships prior to that point, infidelity is a leading cause. Again, another lapse in self-discipline. And that’s just one type of lapse in self- discipline. We humans have many, many weaknesses to be exploited.

Why is self-discipline important?  Continue reading →

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The human capacity to care for others isn’t something trivial or something to be taken for granted. Rather it is something we should cherish.

Posted on 11 March 2012 by philosiblog

The human capacity to care for others isn’t something trivial or something to be taken for granted. Rather it is something we should cherish. – Dalai Lama

What can you do to help care for your friends, neighbors, or even for complete strangers? What organizations exist to help care for others in time of need?

What does that mean?
This quote is about the gentle side of human nature. It urges us to cherish the ability we have to care for others. It asks us not to consider it to be trivial. It asks us not to take it for granted. It also seems to be urging us not only to cherish the capacity to care, but to actually take the action itself.

I infer that it is asking us to celebrate, reward, and encourage those who care, and the action of caring. As it is not as common as it could be, anything that can be done to nurture the spirit of caring should be done. I also infer that we are being urged to go forth and be caring souls, helping others when we can.

Why is caring important?  Continue reading →

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Of mankind we may say in general they are fickle, hypocritical, and greedy of gain.

Posted on 10 March 2012 by philosiblog

Of mankind we may say in general they are fickle, hypocritical, and greedy of gain.– Niccolò Machiavelli

Would anyone call a dog fickle, hypocritical, or greedy of gain? Not the way this quote means it. What can you learn from a dog?

What does that mean?
Kind of scathing, wouldn’t you say? I’m sure he wasn’t talking about us, specifically. Those other guys, yeah, that’s who he was talking about. Not to put too fine a point on it, that’s a fairly apt description of the bulk of humanity, isn’t it? Especially those who are in, or seek, power?

From theFreeDictionary.com come the following definitions: Fickle is defined as “Characterized by erratic changeableness or instability.” Hypocritical is defined as “Characterized by practice of professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess.” Greedy is defined as “Excessively desirous of acquiring or possessing more than what one needs or deserves.”

Doesn’t that about sum it up? Humanity, as a whole, is erratic, two-faced, and wants more than it deserves? Again, this quote admits that it is painting with a broad brush, but it still gets it more right than wrong. All of these things are the opposite of a humble and upstanding person, and that is how humanity should behave, in my opinion.

Why is humble and upstanding important?  Continue reading →

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