Each has his past shut in him like the leaves of a book known to him by his heart, and his friends can only read the title.

Posted on 25 January 2012 by philosiblog

Each has his past shut in him like the leaves of a book known to him by his heart, and his friends can only read the title. – Virginia Woolf

Read a chapter from 'the book of you' to your closest friend.

What does that mean?
To me, this quote speaks of the differences between our private lives and our public lives, those things we express and the things which remain hidden deep within us. How our friends can only read the outside of us, not what is truly in our hearts.

We all have events in our past we are reluctant to discuss with others. Some of these events are never spoken of to anyone, others only with the closest friends we have. Everyone else only can see the title, the spine of the book, sitting on the shelf. While this quote was more appropriate in the rather formal era of the author, for many of us, it still holds true today.

Why is communication important?  Continue reading →

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You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life

Posted on 24 January 2012 by philosiblog

You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life. – Winston Churchill

If you are going to fight your enemies, might I suggest a snowball fight?

What does that mean?
This quote is about enemies, and one of the ways you accumulate them. Specifically, this quote talks about getting enemies by taking a stand for something. Standing for something tends to annoy those who stand against that thing, and usually means that you have generated some animosity at a minimum, and (at most) an enemy (or enemies, as the case may be).

This quote is a stated in a congratulatory manner, as the author of the quote considers having enemies as a badge of honor. It is considered the logical result of standing for something in today’s world, which the author values quite highly. So, what have you stood for in your life, and how many enemies have you accumulated in the process?

Why is standing for something important?  Continue reading →

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Things are never so bad they can’t be made worse

Posted on 23 January 2012 by philosiblog

Things are never so bad they can’t be made worse. – Humphrey Bogart

The movie poster, showing some of the troubles endured by the Captain and his passenger on his trip down the river.

What does that mean?
This quote is listed as being from the motion picture “The African Queen,” where he is the Captain of an ill-fated little steamer. Without going into the details, his ship gets banged up, shot up, sunk, suffers attacks by wild animals, and he almost gets himself hung. It just keeps getting worse. To some, that sounds like a bit depressing, but it is a simple fact. Things can always get worse.

The opposite is also true. Even when you think things can’t get any better, they can, and sometimes do. In reality, it’s just math (statistics, specifically). At any given point, things can get better or they can get worse. In the movie, the Captain just keeps rolling with the punches, taking what he can from each new situation. He’s not happy, but he keeps on going, as there aren’t any other options. This, I believe, is the heart of the quote, to not get too upset with what life sends your way.

Why is a realistic view important?  Continue reading →

Posted in attitude, choice, emotion, observation, pride, risk | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

The key to human happiness lies within our own state of mind, and so too do the primary obstacles to that happiness

Posted on 22 January 2012 by philosiblog

The key to human happiness lies within our own state of mind, and so too do the primary obstacles to that happiness. – Dalai Lama

Happiness - it's in the mind, not in the money.

What does that mean?
This quote says it’s all in your mind. To be happy, or to not be happy. Happiness already exists within you, in your state of mind and in your attitude. If you decide you are going to be happy, are you more likely to find things that make you happy? If you have decided you are not happy, will you find more things that make you not happy? The mind is a very powerful tool, be careful how you use it.

The obstacles to your happiness are also largely in your mind. Even in areas where those of us from the “first world” would call abject poverty, there is happiness. I imagine it would be hard for us to be happy, but somehow, the residents manage to be happy. Our obstacles might include a certain minimum wealth, or certain level of amenities to qualify as happy. Aren’t those requirements purely in our mind?

Why is attitude important?  Continue reading →

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Men almost always walk in paths beaten by others and act by imitation

Posted on 21 January 2012 by philosiblog

Men almost always walk in paths beaten by others and act by imitation. – Niccolò Machiavelli

I took the one less traveled by...

What does that mean?
This is a Twitter friendly version of the full quote. However, I believe that it stands well on it’s own, and it shall be addressed in this blog as it stands.

This quote talks about originality, or the lack of it. People tend to move in groups. Groups of friends, groups of people who think alike, groups of people who act alike, groups of people who want to belong. Groups tend to have something in common or have a need to be together. Is it a survival trait, like a herd, or is it some kind of tribal bonding thing? Whatever the reason, it is observable fact.

Travelling the well-worn path is usually much easier, or at least requires less effort, than blazing a new trail. Sometimes the well-worn path is well-worn for good reason. Other times, it’s just a game of follow the leader. It is such a well known theme, there is even a famous poem about a road “less traveled” in which the poet apparently discusses his choice of vocation.

Why is originality important?  Continue reading →

Posted in choice, creativity, friendship, habits, individuality, self-image | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

You know you’re getting old when you stoop to tie your shoes and wonder what else you can do while you’re down there

Posted on 20 January 2012 by philosiblog

You know you’re getting old when you stoop to tie your shoes and wonder what else you can do while you’re down there. – George Burns

George: "Say 'Good Night,' Gracie." Gracie, dutifully: "Good Night, Gracie."

What does that mean?
This is another light-hearted quote, in honor of George Burns’ birthday. The quote talks about how you know you’re getting old. Coming from a gentleman who made it to 100, still plenty active (if a bit stiff), it seems sound advice.

While I’m not yet to that point, I am far enough along to find both humor and wisdom in the statement. While we won’t all make it to 100, we can still try to keep active in body and mind. And when you do start to get old and creaky, keep this quote in mind when you bend over for any reason. Tie your shoes, pull up your socks, straighten your slacks, scratch anything that itches down there, pick up loose change, or whatever else you might need to do.

Why is keeping active important?  Continue reading →

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If you wish to forget anything on the spot, make a note that this thing is to be remembered

Posted on 19 January 2012 by philosiblog

If you wish to forget anything on the spot, make a note that this thing is to be remembered. – Edgar Allan Poe

Why do you write things down?

What does that mean?
I literally laughed out loud when I saw this one. It is amazing, and so true (at least for me). I regularly tell people, “I don’t know, I wrote it down so I wouldn’t have to remember it!” That said, I would have forgotten it anyway, so by writing it down, I now also have to remember where I put that piece of paper. 8)

While this quote is humorous, it also reminds us that there are ways to besides our minds to help us remember things. The quote implies making a note on some paper, but there are other things we can use. These include diaries, notebooks, planners, calendars, cell phones, tablets, notebooks, and computers. Whew!

Why are reminders important?  Continue reading →

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Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. A. A. Milne

Posted on 18 January 2012 by philosiblog

Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. (Christopher Robbin to Pooh) – A. A. Milne

Sometimes, profound wisdom can come from children's books.

What does that mean?
This quote, being spoken by a fictional character, might seem a little less weighty than might otherwise be expected, but I still find it quite interesting. This quote is urging us to remember, even as the reader, that we truly are braver, stronger and smarter than we might admit, even to ourselves.

In our crazy, work-a-day world, we adults often forget this little bit of advice. We become timid, more afraid of what we have to lose than what we might gain. We become subservient, forgetting our inner strength. We become dull and habit-bound, forgetting our intelligence and our resourcefulness. We forget our true selves, or allow them to become so distant as to be mere stories, dreams, or faded memories. We are admonished by the quote to always remember.

Why is living up to your true potential important?  Continue reading →

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Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is

Posted on 17 January 2012 by philosiblog

Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is. – German proverb

"Hello, pleased to meet you, Mr. Lunch" said the 50 foot tall wolf.

What does that mean?
To me, this quote is reminding us that our emotions are powerful, and can be used to help us or to hurt us. A wolf is not a good thing to run into, especially since they rarely come alone. Even today, with modern methods of defending yourself, I would hate to be in the woods surrounded by wolves.

If you keep a level head, you stand a chance. If you let fear take over, you are in real trouble. This applies not only to wolves but anything that you fear. Committment? Skydiving? Public Speaking? All are things that can induce a little bit of concern, and are considered difficult for many of us. To handle on their own can be trouble. Throw fear into the mix, and suddenly the problem seems ten times larger. And that’s a darn big wolf!

Why is resolve, despite fear important?  Continue reading →

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Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude

Posted on 16 January 2012 by philosiblog

Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude. – Martin Luther King Jr.

In my experience, when asking forgiveness, a little gift helps. Flowers, as seen in the picture, are an example.

What does that mean?
To forgive is defined at theFreeDictionary.com as “To excuse for a fault or an offense; pardon.” or “To renounce anger or resentment against.” This quote urges us not to just engage in this great act of compassion on a rare occasions, but to make it a constant attitude.

By making this state of forgiveness, and the willingness to forgive others, a constant attitude, we are of the mindset to forgive more easily, more frequently, and more profoundly. Forgiveness, like any other activity, responds well to repetition. The more often we do it, the easier it becomes, until it becomes second nature, a constant attitude.

Why is forgiveness important?  Continue reading →

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In our quest for happiness and the avoidance of suffering, I believe we are all fundamentally the same, and therefore equal.

Posted on 15 January 2012 by philosiblog

In our quest for happiness and the avoidance of suffering, I believe we are all fundamentally the same, and therefore equal. – Dalai Lama

Beautiful, but more suffering that I would endure. How about you?

What does that mean?
We are all equal in a couple ways, and unequal in plenty of others. We all have exactly the same number of hours in the day. We are all trying to avoid suffering, as we define suffering, which isn’t always the same from person to person or culture to culture. However, we all do it.

We are all trying to find happiness, as we define happiness, which isn’t always the same from person to person or culture to culture. However, we all do it. These are strong traits within us, and whether we use our urge for pleasure to subjugate nations, or humbly serve them, the underlying principle of gaining pleasure is the same.

Why is finding happiness and avoiding suffering important?  Continue reading →

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Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great

Posted on 14 January 2012 by philosiblog

Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great. – Niccolò Machiavelli

A girl and a pony, and no room full of poop. (read the post)

What does that mean?
To me, the first part of the quote is the essence of enthusiasm. If you are ready, willing and able, nothing will be able to withstand your efforts for very long. Your willingness becomes the core of the effort, allowing you to remain motivated and to push aside the little things that cause less willing people to give up.

The second part of the quote is just as straight forward. Those things that seem to be too difficult for those who lack enthusiasm are not to difficult for you. Nothing is too big, nothing is overwhelming, you just keep at it until you get it done.

Why is enthusiasm important?  Continue reading →

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There’s nothing noble in being superior to your fellow men. True nobility is being superior to your former self

Posted on 13 January 2012 by philosiblog

There’s nothing noble in being superior to your fellow men. True nobility is being superior to your former self. – Hemingway

Learning a language is simple: a set of headphones with a mic, a computer, and the software. And setting aside the time to practice. Beverage is optional.

What does that mean?
This quote is also attributed to Elijah Wood, who is a bit younger than the Ernest Hemingway. When I find a quote with multiple attributions, I usually go with the oldest.

This is the quintessential self improvement quote. Tony (the guy who tweeted this) has an acronym for it: CANI or Constant And Never-ending Improvement. To me, that’s what the second half of the quote is all about. It is about working your way to becoming the best possible you and moving towards it each day.

The first half, to me, is a straight forward warning about the problems of pride in excess. We know where that leads, and it’s not good. In my experience, everyone in the world is better at something than I am, and I am better at something than any of them are. If you haven’t guessed it, that something is being yourself. 8)

Why is self improvement important?  Continue reading →

Posted in communication, desire, discipline, pride, repetition, self improvement | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Buying books would be a good thing if one could also buy the time to read them in

Posted on 12 January 2012 by philosiblog

Buying books would be a good thing if one could also buy the time to read them in. – Arthur Schopenhauer

Just some of the physical books on my read / re-read list. Click for the big picture.

What does that mean?
The Twitter version of this quote is interesting enough, but the full version of the quote is, I believe, a bit more interesting: “Buying books would be a good thing if one could also buy the time to read them in: but as a rule the purchase of books is mistaken for the appropriation of their contents.”

The Twitter version reminds us of how much there is to know, and how little time we have to read even the small portion that is of interest to us. My stack of ‘to be read’ books has long since become too unstable to be a single stack and is now a multi-column colossus in the corner of the room.

The full quote goes a bit deeper, pointing a finger at me (and perhaps a few of you as well), warning us that buying the book doesn’t automatically transmit the contents of the book into your head. I hope someday that will be the case.

For now, consider your bookcases. How many books are in your bookcases that you have not read? And how many are in there which you have forgotten the contents of? I try to keep my unread books separate, but there are a few up there that I haven’t read and more than a few which I have long since forgotten.

Why is knowledge important? Continue reading →

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The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal

Posted on 11 January 2012 by philosiblog

The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal. – Aristotle

All over the world, girls chat and boys play in mud. Didn't you?

What does that mean?
For those who never had two or more dogs, this might not make much sense. But if you ever had more than one dog at the same time, you know that there is no such thing as equal dogs. One is always first. If you try to greet any other dog first, there will be trouble. You cannot make unequal things equal no matter how much you might want the to be.

While humans have this idea of equality, in the real world, equality is rare. Have you ever found two rocks that were the same size? Same weight? Same composition? Not all that common, is it? While it’s in our best nature to try to make people equal, they are all unique and, by definition, unequal.

Why is inequality important?  Continue reading →

Posted in beauty, effort, friendship, ideals, integrity, sympathy | Tagged , , , , | 23 Comments