A ship is safe in harbour, but that’s not what ships are for. – Grace Hopper (Rear Admiral, USN) – Also seen as attributed to William Shedd. What does that mean? Well, this one is fairly self explanatory. A ship may be safe in a harbor, but if you wanted something safe, you would have built a fortress,…
When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps. – Confucius What does that mean? To me, this says when the going gets tough, don’t give up. The toughness is a clue that you need to adjust your approach. This is important, as many people will…
You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough. – Mae West What does that mean? As the naughty vixen of the early talkies (movies with sound), she used this line as a calling card for her sensual side. However, this is a valid quote absent the innuendo. We do only…
Today, when we face problems or disagreements, we have to arrive at solutions through dialogue. – Dalai Lama What does that mean? This is a variation of “violence begets more violence” but is stated from the opposite direction. He is calling for dialogue, or discussion, as the peaceful path to the resolution of our differences. I…
A large part of mankind is angry not with the sins, but with the sinners. – Seneca What does that mean? To me, this speaks of the envy and bitterness that is part of the lives of so many people. They aren’t so mad that you are doing something prohibited by law or societal values, they are…
Ordinary riches can be stolen; real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you. – Oscar Wilde What does that mean? Ordinary riches are the things we buy, keep, hoard, hide and treasure. Those can be protected, but they can still be stolen. The riches of your soul,…
If you hear a voice within you say “you cannot paint,” then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. – Vincent Van Gogh What does that mean? This is similar to yesterday’s post, which dealt with fear. Here, we are talking about overcoming doubt. This post, by a troubled and misunderstood artist,…
Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain. – Mark Twain What does that mean? This quote is admonishing us to face our fears. And not just face them, but to do the very thing we fear. With that action, fear dies, it dissolves because it is just an illusion…
Copy from one, it’s plagiarism; copy from two, it’s research. ~ Wilson Mizner What does that mean? Also quoted as “If you steal from one author, it’s plagiarism; if you steal from many, it’s research.” and sometimes attributed to John Burke. And with the right accent, it almost sounds Russian… This is the age old challenge…
Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they’re yours. – Richard Bach What does that mean? Put another way, if you argue for your limitations, who will argue against you and against your limitations? Unless you have a full-time side-kick, probably nobody. So whatever you say you can’t do, you won’t likely ever try, as…
Everyone can understand from natural experience and common sense that affection is crucial from the day of birth; it is the basis of life. – Dalai Lama What does that mean? This one seems straight forward enough. He says that affection, the showing of love and compassion, is crucial from the day of our birth. He also…
A happy life is one which is in accordance with its own nature. – Seneca What does that mean? To me, that sounds a little clunky. I presume it has to do with how Latin references work, and how they are translated then into English. I would like to restate it in a more personal form:…
Arrogance is all about trying to prove yourself. Confidence is about improving yourself. – Sean Stephenson What does that mean? Well, it’s kind of self explanatory, isn’t it? If you have something to prove, then it’s all about you, and you are being arrogant. If you are trying to improve yourself, then it’s not about…
It is wise to keep in mind that neither success nor failure is ever final. – Roger Babson What does that mean? To me, this is a core belief. I believe neither is final. If you try to do something and fail, you can always make an adjustment and try again, and again and again. Eventually,…
A heart that loves is always young. – Greek Proverb What does that mean? Can you remember the euphoria of the early stages of love? I believe this is what is being described in this quote. Your strength, vigor, energy and enthusiasm all seem to spike, as does you mood. At least that’s how it…
