Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times.

Posted on 12 November 2011 by philosiblog

Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times. – Niccolò Machiavelli

Um, dude? Time to adapt! Change the color scheme!

What does that mean?
What this quote says to me is that things are always changing, that nothing stays the same. If you wish to enjoy continued success, you will have to adapt to the changing circumstances that surround you. You will have to change your conduct, as he puts it, if you wish to have continued success.

If you do the same thing over and over, but life has changed in the mean time, you won’t keep getting what you were getting, will you? And given the way things tend to go, if circumstances change, your results will likely tend to go from bad to worse, don’t they? So what will you do to adapt to how the world around you is changing?

Why is adaptation important?  Continue reading →

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Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you

Posted on 11 November 2011 by philosiblog

“Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact, and that is, everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you … the minute that you understand that you can poke life … that you can change it, you can mould it … that’s maybe the most important thing.” – Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs showing off the iPhone.

What does that mean?
To me, the quote talks about the power of one person. He points out that everything around you was created by ordinary people, and improved on by other ordinary people. From the coffee pot to the microwave, each invention, each improvement, happened one step at a time, and one person at a time.

He finishes by urging us to understand that each of us can make a difference, we all can participate in the change. Each of us can help move things forward, we can all be part of the next big thing, whatever it may be. It just takes a little belief and a lot of effort.

Why is imagination important?  Continue reading →

Posted in accomplishment, contribution, creativity, imagination, originality, setting an example | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

Experience is one thing you can’t get for nothing

Posted on 10 November 2011 by philosiblog

Experience is one thing you can’t get for nothing. – Oscar Wilde

Experience says: "Use a clean fork!"

What does that mean?
You might be able to bum a cigarette, invite yourself over to a friend’s house for a free lunch, or even get some free advice from a web site. But experience, it doesn’t come that cheap.

Experience, by definition, comes to you by way of having done something. The things that turned out well are usually labeled as ‘success,’ the things that do not are often labeled as ‘experience.’

In the quote, he is simply stating that experience doesn’t come free, it comes at a price. The price will vary by circumstance, but experience is never achieved without some toll.

Why is experience important?  Continue reading →

Posted in common sense, education, foolish, growth, knowledge, laughter | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The measure of a man is the way he bears up under misfortune

Posted on 9 November 2011 by philosiblog

The measure of a man is the way he bears up under misfortune. – Plutarch

Misfortune happens. Do you scream and kick the cucumber down the street, or do you take a deep breath, bend down and pick them up?

What does that mean?
I would imagine most of us could put up with good fortune without too much trouble. Really good fortune might test us (look at the history of lottery winners to get an idea of what could go wrong). However, a person’s true colors are never more evident than when they are under adverse conditions.

Misfortune in life comes in different intensities and can impact different aspects of our life. If financial misfortune happened, would you do without, run away or rob a bank. Which of those you did would tell the world what the measure of you actually is. “The measure of a man” is an old way of saying what kind of character you have.

Why is character important?  Continue reading →

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If past history is all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians

Posted on 8 November 2011 by philosiblog

If past history is all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians. – Warren Buffett

She might not be able to help you predict the stock market, but I bet she can help you find the archives section.

What does that mean?
Like the disclaimer says, past performance is not an indicator of future returns. The person who said this quote is considered one of the brightest guys on the planet when it comes to the stock market. He’s just saying that the past is the past, and the future is something that cannot be predicted.

He says that if all that there was to making a fortune in the market was past data, the librarians have all that, so they’d all be rich. There is obviously something besides just the past that influences the market’s future. The same is true for people. Their past doesn’t guarantee their future, for good or ill.

Why is perspective important?  Continue reading →

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Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony

Posted on 7 November 2011 by philosiblog

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. ― Mohandas Gandhi

I wonder if dogs are so happy because all that they think, all that they 'say', and all that they do is in harmony...

What does that mean?
This is all about being congruent. Some people will say what they believe is expected, not what is actually going through their mind. Others will do what they think is expected, even though it’s not what they think or believe to be correct.

These conflicts within yourself are one of many ways to rob yourself of happiness. Yes, I said rob yourself. No one else can steal happiness from you in this manner, only you can. If you do what you say, and say what you think (and truly believe), then all is in alignment, and you have the opportunity for happiness. When they are out of alignment, you have internal conflict, and happiness will be hard to achieve.

Why is congruence important?  Continue reading →

Posted in character, clarity, conscience, courage, integrity, virtue | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

If we find we cannot help others, the least we can do is to desist from harming them

Posted on 6 November 2011 by philosiblog

If we find we cannot help others, the least we can do is to desist from harming them. – Dalai Lama

I am grateful for bees, for without them, we would have so few flowers.

What does that mean?
This is an old truism, crossing cultures and the ages, dating back to at least the 4th century BC. It is quoted in Latin (as “first, do no harm” or primum non nocere) and Greek (as part of the Hippocratic Oath “abstain from doing harm”). It is a truly universal expression of concern and compassion for our fellow human beings.

We cannot always help everybody every time we see someone in need. We can try as often as we can, but sometimes we come up short. This quote says it clearly; if you can’t help, at least don’t hurt them. It’s one thing to not be able to give food to a hungry person. It is another thing entirely to insult them or yell at them or otherwise cause them physical or emotional harm.

Why is gratitude important?  Continue reading →

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Politics have no relation to morals

Posted on 5 November 2011 by philosiblog

Politics have no relation to morals. – Niccolò Machiavelli

Yes, the coach is supposed to help motivate the players, but what motivates the coach? Is it concern about the skills of the players, or his next contract negotiation?

What does that mean?
Having grown up in the greater Chicago-land area, this quote really makes sense to me. Morals are about doing what is right for the right reasons. The definition of what is or isn’t moral is influenced by culture and environment, but there is a general consensus in most of the world.

In politics, however, things are all about power. Gaining power, maintaining power, maximizing power and wielding power. Yes, there are some who have a more altruistic view about power, but they tend to be the exception to the rule. Power attracts corruption like a flame attracts moths.

Why is motivation important?  Continue reading →

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Success is not built on success. It’s built on failure. It’s built on frustration. Sometimes its built on catastrophe

Posted on 4 November 2011 by philosiblog

Success is not built on success. It’s built on failure. It’s built on frustration. Sometimes it’s built on catastrophe. – Sumner Redstone

It's not how many times you get knocked down, it's how many times you get back up. Be sure to persevere!

What does that mean?
This quote seems to be the story of my life! The quote implies that strings of successes are the exception, not the rule. Life tends to twist and turn too much for you to succeed the same way over and over again. What worked last time often fails the next time. Why? Because the situation is subtly different.

Sometimes you get a diminished return, other times it just doesn’t work. And then there are the times when the whole thing crashes and burns. The trick, I believe the quote implies, is to remember that success is still possible. Like a Phoenix arising from the ashes, you need to learn from your mistakes, get back up, and press on.

Why is perseverance important?  Continue reading →

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I think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it begins to make sense

Posted on 3 November 2011 by philosiblog

I think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it begins to make sense. – Harold S. Kushner

You're never too old to learn something interesting. Looks like he's a coin collector.

What does that mean?
To me, it sounds like the story of my life. When I started out, I knew nothing. 8) Since then I’ve learned a few things about life. This, the quote says, is like a book. At the start of the book, you know nothing, and as you begin to work through the chapters, more and more is revealed.

In life, one hopes, you gain knowledge and wisdom with time, and life begins to make sense. It’s the same in a book, with more and more of the plot coming out as the book comes to it’s close. The only problem is none of us will finish the book before we die. Some things in life will simply never make sense.

Why is learning important?  Continue reading →

Posted in accomplishment, contemplation, discovery, education, personal growth, self improvement | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Worry is a down payment on a problem you may never have

Posted on 2 November 2011 by philosiblog

Worry is a down payment on a problem you may never have. – Unknown

Does that look like the face of a calm and focused individual, or does he look worried?

What does that mean?
To me, this says that we should quit worrying. The quote goes on to point out that the problem you are worrying about might not even happen.

The quote implies that we should focus our time and energy on enjoying what we have or working on the problems that are already present. How much more do you think you could get done if you could banish worry from your life and instead live it?

Why is focus important?  Continue reading →

Posted in calm, focus, imagination, obstacles, self improvement, worry | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Keeping score of old scores and scars, getting even and one-upping, always makes you less than you are

Posted on 1 November 2011 by philosiblog

Keeping score of old scores and scars, getting even and one-upping, always makes you less than you are. – Malcolm Forbes

How many squirrels would starve to death if they spent their time and energy scheming and plotting, trying to "get even" or one-up the next squirrel?

What does that mean?

To me, this quote is full of fairly straight forward advice. The quote works from both a time perspective and an energy perspective. If you are busy keeping track of old scores and scars, what is the opportunity cost? What else could you be spending your time and energy on that would be both more productive and make you a better person?

If you are busy getting even and one-upping someone else (or several someones), what is the opportunity cost? What else could you be spending your time and effort on that would be both more productive and make you a better person? Every moment you spend in those pursuits is lost to you, and cannot be used to make yourself better. Does that make sense?

Why is letting go important?  Continue reading →

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Silence is one of the great arts of conversation

Posted on 31 October 2011 by philosiblog

Silence is one of the great arts of conversation. – Cicero

Is he actually listening? Is his mind silent and his focus on understanding? Or is he simply nodding his head while rehearsing his rebuttal?

What does that mean?
To me, it basically says “Shut up already!” We know that you can’t have a conversation with both (or all) of the people talking at the same time. So somehow we have to take turns. There are some social conventions that help with this turn taking, but it doesn’t always work as well as we might hope.

Silence, I believe, is not just for the mouth. I believe that the silence of which the quote speaks is also for the mind. One must quiet the mind if one is to actually listen and understand. How often do people spend their ‘quiet’ time thinking of what they will say next instead of actually listening?

Why is silence golden (I mean important)?  Continue reading →

Posted in anger, communication, listening, patience, reflection, understanding | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Disturbing emotions not only disturb our own state of mind, they also disturb the minds of others.

Posted on 30 October 2011 by philosiblog

Disturbing emotions not only disturb our own state of mind, they also disturb the minds of others. – Dalai Lama

Do you think that this face, and it's underlying emotions, would change the emotional feeling of everyone else in the room?

What does that mean?
Our lives intersect the lives of others. When we are with others, if we have any empathy at all (most of us do, to some extent), we can get a sense of how the other person is feeling. Subtle clues and uncharacteristic actions, these can be indicators that we pick up and notice.

Once we have noticed, we have been influenced in some manner. What we choose to do after that is up to us. If they are happy, we can share in their joy, which enhances it. If they are sad, we can share in their sorrow, diminishing it.

Disturbing emotions, like hate and anger, can be felt just as clearly, and can influence others just as easily. When someone becomes very angry, you and all those around you can feel it, and are influenced by the disturbing emotion. This is what the saying means to me.

Why is emotion important?  Continue reading →

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One change always leaves the way open for the establishment of others

Posted on 29 October 2011 by philosiblog

One change always leaves the way open for the establishment of others. – Niccolò Machiavelli

Change Happens to PDA's. You don't want to carry a vintage 80's cell phone!

What does that mean?
While this quote is almost certainly about political change, and how a ruler might use this to their advantage, I believe it also works well for us as individuals. When you change one habit, what happens next? You just spent a fair bit of effort, self control and will power to change how you respond, do you now freeze in place, having achieved perfection?

I know that the more I have changed myself, the more I have seen that needs changing. Unfortunately, this can be a negative spiral, as well as a positive one. Do you think a heavy user of drugs just decided one day to take up heroin? While it is possible, most seem to make a little change at a time, slowly moving down the path of destruction.

Why is change important?  Continue reading →

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