In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.

Posted on 24 February 2012 by philosiblog

In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure. – Bill Cosby

His dream of serving his country was greater than his fear of death. At the bottom of the page, click on the 'Photo' link to read more about this Congressional Medal of Honor winner, Les Williams, and the success of the Tuskegee Airmen.

What does that mean?
How many of us have a fear of failure? For him, as a comic, the failure would be very public and the feedback would be immediate and brutal. He must really have truly wanted to succeed more than anything else in the world.

We all have something we fear. For each of us, it will be in different areas of our lives and in different amounts, as we are all different people. The people who succeed in life are the people who can manage their fear. While they may look fearless, most will tell you there is still fear, but they go forward anyway. Courage is another term for that force that moves you forward, despite your fear. To me, that is what this quote is about.

Why is courage important?  Continue reading →

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A slender acquaintance with the world must convince every man that actions, not words, are the true criterion of the attachment of friends.

Posted on 23 February 2012 by philosiblog

A slender acquaintance with the world must convince every man that actions, not words, are the true criterion of the attachment of friends. – George Washington

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he today that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile," ~ William Shakespeare, Henry V, A4, S3

What does that mean?
This quote is fairly typical of his day and age. Back then, you didn’t have strangers asking to be your friend on every Social Media site. You were expected to use the word friend very carefully. The word had a bit more solemn meaning, and wasn’t used commonly or casually, as it is today. Most of our ‘friends’ today would be considered acquaintances back then. Those people from the Social Media sites, they’d be considered strangers, as in reality, that’s what most of them are.

Someone who was called a friend would have certain expectations of how they would be treated, and how you would deal with them and their requests. Before attaining the status of friend, they would have to show their friendship by actions, not by words (or a ‘click here to be my friend’ button).

Also note that the quote uses the word ‘attachment’ in relation to the word ‘friend.’ In those days, there was an implied bond or obligation between friends. If you needed help, you would call on your friends, and could reasonably expect them to be there for you. You also were ready to be there for them, so you would hold them to as high a standard of effort and response as you hold yourself. Thus, friends were true and loyal, and expected to remain so for a very long time.

Why are actions important?  Continue reading →

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Education is that whole system of human training within and without the school house walls, which molds and develops men.

Posted on 22 February 2012 by philosiblog

Education is that whole system of human training within and without the school house walls, which molds and develops men. – W. E. B. Du Bois

Young or old, there is always time to read and to educate yourself.

What does that mean?
Allowing for the anachronism of the generic term ‘men’ (he lived in a less politically correct time), this quote is about education of the people of the world. It acknowledges that there is education occurring both inside the schools as well as outside of them. And while it isn’t stated explicitly, it is implied that the school of hard knocks is always in session.

This is an important fact to realize. We are being educated constantly, by our peers, by what information we consume, by what we do (or fail to do, or fail at trying to do), and by our own thoughts and introspection. As a historian (among his many degrees), he had an uncommon view of how people were educated, and, more importantly, were self-educated.

Why is education important?  Continue reading →

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If we insist on being as sure as is conceivable… we must be content to creep along the ground, and never soar.

Posted on 21 February 2012 by philosiblog

If we insist on being as sure as is conceivable… we must be content to creep along the ground, and never soar. – John Henry Newman

Are you willing to soar? And perhaps land on your head?

What does that mean?
To me, this is a quote about the necessity of action. It says if we procrastinate and wait until something is absolutely, 100% certain, beyond any doubt at all, that we will not accomplish much. We must, as the quote continues, be content to be stuck forever on the ground, never to soar in the heavens.

A slightly more earthy version of the quote might say something about having to stand among the turkeys instead of soaring with the eagles. But the quote, no matter how you think to word it, is a statement of fundamental truth. You must dare, you must risk, you must go beyond that which is certain, if you are to achieve anything worthwhile or significant.

Why is daring important?  Continue reading →

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History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.

Posted on 20 February 2012 by philosiblog

History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again. – Maya Angelou

His legacy continues, on and off the field. He has helped make the world a better place for those who will follow.

What does that mean?
This quote reminds us that we cannot change the past. What has happened is done and gone, there is no changing it. However happy, however painful, it has happened and is over and done. Whether it is your personal pain, or a pain on a societal scale, it is done and in the past.

The quote also reminds us that we need not live it again. While we cannot change the past, we can, with courage, change the future. By changing the future, we can help prevent others from suffering through the same painful history we lived through. We cannot unlive the past, but we can change the future. That is a truly noble and worthy goal.

Why is working towards a better future important?  Continue reading →

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In order to use human intelligence properly our mind should be calm.

Posted on 19 February 2012 by philosiblog

In order to use human intelligence properly our mind should be calm. – Dalai Lama

A fine group of Nobel Prise Candidates this year. Actually, it is a group of people throwing stones after a soccer game. Not the pinnacle of human intelligence, eh?

What does that mean?
This quote is fairly straight forward. We humans are a fairly clever lot. We are intelligent and can do a great many things with our minds. However, the quote cautions us to have a calm mind when we are busy thinking. But what happens to our intelligence when we are not calm?

Do calm people riot in the streets or in the stadiums? Do calm people scream and fight and do terrible things to each other? Do calm people lead nations to do terrible things to their neighbors? The answer in each case is no.

Calm people solve problems. Calm people win Nobel prizes. Calm people lead people to do great things in peace with their neighbors. Calm people are able to use their intelligence to the maximum of human potential.

Why is remaining calm important?  Continue reading →

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There is no avoiding war; it can only be postponed to the advantage of others.

Posted on 18 February 2012 by philosiblog

There is no avoiding war; it can only be postponed to the advantage of others.– Niccolò Machiavelli

How many times do I have to tell you to clean this mess up? This means WAR!!

What does that mean?
At the time of the quote, there was a state of tension and often open warfare between any number the Italian City States, and the Princes who ran them. In observation of this phenomenon, the conclusion was reached that delay lead not to an advantage, but to disadvantage to the delayer.

So to me, this is saying you shouldn’t procrastinate. You need to strike while the iron is hot. It says when something cannot be avoided (war in this case), you shouldn’t waste time wishing it were otherwise or engaging in diplomatic negotiations. Instead, the quote urges us to saddle up and ride.

The quote says that there are things which cannot be avoided (war as his example). When you are in that situation, it is urgent that something be done and done quickly. Delays will only hurt you and your position, or help your opponent and theirs.

Why is avoiding procrastination important?  Continue reading →

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Real difficulties can be overcome, it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable.

Posted on 17 February 2012 by philosiblog

Real difficulties can be overcome, it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable. – Theodore N. Vail

My hands get clammy just looking at the picture. It's not a real difficulty, it's all in my head. I know this. However, I must change my focus, banish my imaginary fears, and then I can conquer my difficulties with effort.

What does that mean?
It’s all in your mind, at least that’s what today’s quote is saying to me. If you think you can’t, you never will. If you can’t imagine doing it, you won’t. If your mind is set against the possibility of it, then it is impossible. If you think you cannot overcome it, it will truly be unconquerable.

It has been said that if you argue for your limits, you will get them. If you focus on what you can’t do, you’ll never even try. Instead, the quote urges us to focus on overcoming the real difficulties that will test our resolve, as they are conquerable.

Why is focus important?  Continue reading →

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As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

Posted on 16 February 2012 by philosiblog

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. – King Solomon

This guy sure found an iron file to sharpen his chess skills! Hope he took good notes. His king is in the corner, hemmed in by the rook, with his opponent’s knight and king closing in for the kill – no wonder he looks glum.

What does that mean?
In many other translations, this quote ends with “sharpens the countenance of a friend.” In this context, countenance is an antiquated word meaning character of a person.

The first portion is interesting, when you consider the time of this quote. At that time, iron tools were available, but bronze ones were much cheaper. If you wanted to sharpen an iron tool, you needed an iron file to sharpen it with. A bronze file would be badly damaged by an iron tool, and the tool would be no sharper.

When put together with the second half of the quote, it takes a person of superior character to help sharpen the character of a friend, and bring it up to that level. In other words, if you wish to have a sharp iron character, or the best possible character, you should hang around with others of iron character, not those with merely bronze character, as they will be of little help to you.

Why is a friend of good character important?  Continue reading →

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I declare to you that woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself, and there I take my stand.

Posted on 15 February 2012 by philosiblog

I declare to you that woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself, and there I take my stand. – Susan B. Anthony

Will you be able to protect yourself or will you need someone to protect you? Even old ladies need to be ready for anything, from muggers to the zombie apocalypse! 😉

What does that mean?
While this quote is from a famous suffragette, I believe it is still applicable today. In the time of the saying, women were expected to be quiet and domestic, tending the home-fires, as it were. They were also expected to remain at home where they were safe, which was often used as an excuse to keep women home.

If a woman has the ability to defend herself, possessing both the skills and attitudes needed, they can be a good deal more independent. Instead of being passed from the protective custody of their father to that of their husband, women could exist on their own. This was a big part of the suffragette movement, to help women become the equals of men.

Why is self defense important?  Continue reading →

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Loving is not just looking at each other, it’s looking in the same direction.

Posted on 14 February 2012 by philosiblog

Loving is not just looking at each other, it’s looking in the same direction. – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Standing side by side, looking the same direction, and fireworks. 😉

What does that mean?
Lovers looking at each other is the infatuation stage of a relationship, although even old married couples do it from time to time. They seem to stare as much for the pleasure derived from it, as they do to convince themselves that the relationship isn’t a dream.

As the relationship deepens and matures, people start spending less time staring at each other, and more time facing their future together. Prior to this point, they have been two people considering the possibility of becoming one.

After this point, they are two people in the process of becoming one. Their relationship is sufficiently stable that constant looking at each other isn’t necessary for reassurance. They begin to look beyond themselves and face their future together, side by side.

Why is looking forward important?  Continue reading →

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You don’t concentrate on risks. You concentrate on results. No risk is too great to prevent the necessary job from getting done.

Posted on 13 February 2012 by philosiblog

You don’t concentrate on risks. You concentrate on results. No risk is too great to prevent the necessary job from getting done. – Chuck Yeager

Worried about proper form for skydiving? Risk identified. Practice your form indoors until you get it right. Risk mitigated. Now get the job done!

What does that mean?
This quote is from one of the greatest test pilots ever. For those who don’t know, the job of a test pilot is to take a new airplane up and try to keep it in the air. It’s a very risky proposition on the best of days, and Chuck had some rough days. This quote isn’t theory, it’s a hard won lesson from his life.

People tend to get what they focus on. In some scenarios, it’s called target fixation; look at the tree, hit the tree. That’s an example of concentrating on the risk. The quote urges us not to ignore the risks, but to manage them as necessary. Focus on the result you want, and work your way towards that end, and get the job done.

Why is recognizing, mitigating, and then taking risks important?  Continue reading →

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Genuine friendship can only be based on trust and affection, which can only arise when there is a mutual sense of concern and respect.

Posted on 12 February 2012 by philosiblog

Genuine friendship can only be based on trust and affection, which can only arise when there is a mutual sense of concern and respect. – Dalai Lama

They seem to have a sense of concern and respect for each other.

What does that mean?
Can you call someone “my friend” if you don’t trust them? Do you really want to call someone “my friend” if you don’t have some affection for them? That’s what the first half of the quote is talking about. The quote defines a genuine friend in terms of trust and affection.

While I’m sure it’s not the only way to define friendship, it’s as good as any and better than most of the ones I’ve heard.

The quote finishes with a statement that trust and affection grow from a mutual sense of concern and respect. I think it would be hard to trust someone you didn’t respect, or if you thought they had no concern for you. I think it also would be hard to have affection towards someone you don’t have any concern for, or if you thought they didn’t respect you.

Why is friendship important?  Continue reading →

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and this is a common failing of mankind, never to anticipate a storm when the sea is calm.

Posted on 11 February 2012 by philosiblog

(and this is a common failing of mankind, never to anticipate a storm when the sea is calm) –  Niccolò Machiavelli

A savage storm in the spring of 1897 left this ship wrecked in the mud flats. If they could have anticipated the storm, they could have been someplace else.

What does that mean?
This is a neat quote, as it is literally a parenthetical note at the end of a discussion of two Princes who lost their cities due to complacency (thus the lack of traditional punctuation). By not anticipating that things, once they had become calm, could ever stir back up, they were caught unprepared when trouble arose. This lack of preparation, in turn, cost them their cities.

This holds true today. How many of the leaders of Arab Spring countries were prepared for the storm? There are a few countries that were able to quash the uprisings, or are still working on it, but most were not prepared, and have been swept aside.

I would caution that this quote is not just for princes and dictators, but for all of us. Life can throw a storm at you at any moment. Being prepared for the storm is important. Anticipation of the storm is important. Anticipation of the events leading to the storm is even more important.

Why is anticipation important?  Continue reading →

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It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.

Posted on 10 February 2012 by philosiblog

It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see. – Henry David Thoreau

Do you see a face, or a man on a horse and a girl by a river? Did you even see the stone arch over the river?

What does that mean?
What do you see, or do you usually just look? It’s only human to not see everything. There is just too much to see and process, so our minds delete that which it believes to be unnecessary. As an example, if you looked for everything in a room that was red, and then were asked to close your eyes and describe everything that was blue, what would happen?

That makes our selection of what we see even more important. Even when you carefully examine the same thing as another person, you might see something completely different. If the two of you were asked to describe what you saw, things could get interesting, right? Can you make allowances for others to see the same thing, but describe it differently?

Why is observation important?  Continue reading →

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