Think Now and Again There Is a Man Who Would Give His Life

21 Quotes That (If Applied) Change Yous Into a Ameliorate Person

As long as man has been alive, he has been collecting piddling sayings almost how to live. Nosotros observe them carved in the rock of the Temple of Apollo and etched equally graffiti on the walls of Pompeii. They appear in the plays of Shakespeare, the commonplace book of H. P. Lovecraft, the nerveless proverbs of Erasmus, and the ceiling beams of Montaigne's study. Today, they're recorded on iPhones and in Evernote.

But whatever generation is doing it, whether they're written by scribes in China or commoners in some European dungeon or just passed forth by a kindly grandfather, these footling epigrams of life advice have taught essential lessons. How to respond to adversity. How to think about coin. How to meditate on our mortality. How to take courage.

And they pack all this in in so few words. "What is an epigram?" Coleridge asked, "A dwarfish whole; Its torso brevity, and wit its soul." Epigrams are what Churchill was doing when he said: "To improve is to change, so to exist perfect is to have changed oft." Or Balzac: "All happiness depends on courage and piece of work." Ah yes, epigrams are often funny too. That'southward how we recollect them. Napoleon: "Never interrupt an enemy making a mistake." François de La Rochefoucauld: "We hardly notice any persons of good sense save those who agree with the states." Voltaire: "A long dispute means that both parties are incorrect."

Below are some wonderful epigrams that bridge some 21 centuries and 3 continents. Each one is worth remembering, having queued in your brain for one of life's crossroads or to drib at the perfect moment in chat. Each will change and evolve with you as y'all evolve (Heraclitus: "No man steps in the same river twice") and still each volition remain strong and unyielding no matter how much you may one twenty-four hour period attempt to wiggle out and away from them.

Fundamentally, each one will teach y'all how to exist a improve person. If you let them.

"Nosotros must all either article of clothing out or rust out, every one of us. My option is to wearable out." — Theodore Roosevelt

At the beginning of his life, few would have predicted that Theodore Roosevelt fifty-fifty had a choice in the thing. He was sickly and delicate, doted on past worried parents. So, a chat with his father sent him driven, almost maniacally in the other direction. "I will brand my body," he said, when told that he would not go far in this world with a bright heed in a frail body. What followed was a montage of boxing, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, angling, swimming, boldly charging enemy burn, and and then a grueling work stride every bit one of the almost prolific and admired presidents in American history. Again, this epigram was prophetic for Roosevelt, because at but 54 years old, his body began to wear out. An assassination attempt left a bullet lodged in his torso and it hastened his rheumatoid arthritis. On his famous "River of Doubtfulness" expedition he developed a tropical fever and the toxins from an infection in his leg left him near dead. Dorsum in America he contracted a severe pharynx infection and was later diagnosed with inflammatory rheumatism, which temporarily confined him to a wheelchair (saying famously, "All correct! I can work that way too!") and and so he died at age sixty. But there is not a person on the planet who would say that he had not made a fair trade, that he had not worn his life well and not lived a total 1 in those 60 years.

"It'south not what happens to you, but how you react to information technology that matters." — Epictetus

There is the story of the alcoholic father with two sons. Ane follows in his father'due south footsteps and ends upwardly struggling through life every bit a drunk, and the other becomes a successful, sober man of affairs. Each are asked: "Why are you the fashion you are?" The respond for both is the aforementioned: "Well, information technology'south because my male parent was an alcoholic." The same event, the aforementioned childhood, two different outcomes. This is true for almost all situations — what happens to united states is an objective reality, how nosotros answer is a subjective choice. The Stoics — of which Epictetus was 1 — would say that we don't command what happens to us, all nosotros control are our thoughts and reactions to what happens to united states. Remember that: You're defined in this life not by your good luck or your bad luck, but your reaction to those strokes of fortune. Don't let anyone tell you different.

"The best revenge is not to be like that." — Marcus Aurelius

There is a proverb about revenge: Earlier setting out for a journey of revenge, dig ii graves. Because revenge is so plush, because the pursuit of it often wears on the 1 who covets information technology. Marcus's communication is easier and truer: How much improve it feels to permit it go, to get out the wrongdoer to their wrongdoing. And from what we know, Marcus Aurelius lived this communication. When Avidius Cassius, one of his most trusted generals rebelled and declared himself emperor, Marcus did not seek vengeance. Instead, he saw this equally an opportunity to teach the Roman people and the Roman Senate virtually how to deal with civil strife in a compassionate, forgiving way. Indeed, when assassins struck Cassius downwardly, Marcus supposedly wept. This is very different than the idea of "Living well existence the best revenge" — it's not about showing someone upward or rubbing your success in their face. Information technology'due south that the person who wronged you is non happy, is non enjoying their life. Exercise non go like them. Reward yourself past being the opposite of them.

"There is adept in everything, if only we await for it." — Laura Ingalls Wilder

Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the archetype series Little House, lived this, facing some of the toughest and unwelcoming elements on the planet: harsh and unyielding soil, Indian territory, Kansas prairies, and the humid backwoods of Florida. Not agape, not jaded — because she saw it all as an adventure. Everywhere was a chance to do something new, to persevere with cheery pioneer spirit whatever fate befell her and her husband. That isn't to say she saw the world through delusional rose-colored spectacles. Instead, she just chose to meet each situation for what it could be — accompanied by hard work and a little upbeat spirit. Others make the opposite option. Retrieve: There is no good or bad without us, at that place is only perception. In that location is the event itself and the story we tell ourselves well-nigh what information technology means.

"Character is fate." — Heraclitus

In the hiring procedure, about employers look at where someone went to school, what jobs they've held in the by. This is because past success can be an indicator of future successes. But is it ever? There are plenty of people who were successful because of luck. Maybe they got into Oxford or Harvard considering of their parents. And what about a immature person who hasn't had time to build a rails tape? Are they worthless? Of course not. This is why character is a far better measure of a man or woman. Not just for jobs, merely for friendships, relationships, for everything. When you seek to advance your own position in life, grapheme is the best lever — perchance not in the short term, but certainly over the long term. And the same goes for the people you invite into your life.

"If y'all encounter fraud and do not say fraud, you are a fraud." — Nicholas Nassim Taleb

A homo shows up for piece of work at a company where he knows that management is doing something wrong, something unethical. How does he respond? Can he cash his checks in skilful conscience because he isn't the one running up the stock price, falsifying reports or lying to his co-workers? No. I cannot, as Budd Schulberg says in one of his novels, deal in filth without becoming the thing he touches. Nosotros should look up to a beau at Theranos equally an example here. After discovering numerous bug at the health care startup, he was dismissed past his seniors and eventually contacted the regime. Later on, non only was this immature homo repeatedly threatened, bullied, and attacked by Theranos, but his family unit had to consider selling their house to pay for the legal bills. His relationship with his grandfather — who sits on the Theranos board — is strained and peradventure irreparable. Equally Marcus Aurelius reminded himself, and us: "Just that you do the correct thing. The balance doesn't matter." It'south an important reminder. Doing the right thing isn't free. Doing the right matter might even cost you everything.

"Every man I run across is my master in some point, and in that I learn of him." — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Everyone is better than you at something. This is a fact of life. Someone is improve than you lot at making heart contact. Someone is better than you at quantum physics. Someone is better informed than yous on geopolitics. Someone is better than y'all are at speaking kindly to someone they dislike. At that place are improve gift-givers, name-rememberers, weight-lifters, temper-controllers, confidence-carriers, and friendship-makers. There is no one person who is the best at all these things, who doesn't have room to meliorate in one or more of them. So if you tin can find the humility to accept this near yourself, what you will realize is that the globe is one giant classroom. Get about your twenty-four hours with an openness and a joy about this fact. Expect at every interaction as an opportunity to learn from and of the people you lot meet. You will be amazed at how quickly you grow, how much better you get.

"This is not your responsibility but information technology is your trouble." — Cheryl Strayed

It is not your responsibility to fill up a stranger's gas tank, but when their motorcar dies in front end of you, blocking the road, it'due south even so your trouble isn't information technology? Information technology is non your responsibleness to negotiate peace treaties on behalf of your country, but when war breaks out and yous're drafted to fight in it? Guess whose problem it is? Yours. Life is similar this. It has a way of dropping things into our lap — the consequences of an employee's negligence, a spouse's momentary lapse of judgement, a freak weather event — that were in no way our fault but by nature of existence in our lap, our f*cking problem. Then what are you going to do? Complain? Are y'all going to litigate this in a blogpost or an argument with God? Or are you only going to get to work solving it the all-time you can? Life is defined past how you lot answer that question. Cheryl Strayed is right. This thing might not be your responsibility but it is your problem. And so take it, deal with it, kicking its ass.

"Waste no more time arguing what a good human should be. Exist one." — Marcus Aurelius

In Rome just as America, in the forum merely as on Facebook, there was the temptation to replace activeness with statement. To philosophize instead of living philosophically. Today, in a society obsessed with content, outrage, and drama, information technology's even easier to get lost in the echo chamber of the debate of what'south "ameliorate." We can have countless discussions virtually what's right and incorrect. What should we do in this hypothetical situation or that i? How can nosotros encourage other people to be better? (We can even debate the meaning of the higher up line: "What's a human? What's the definition of proficient? Why doesn't information technology mention women?") Of course, this is all a distraction. If you want to try to make the globe a slightly better place, at that place'southward a lot you tin practice. But merely one thing guarantees an impact. Step away from the argument. Dig yourself out of the rubble. Stop wasting time with how things should be, would be, could exist. Be that thing. (Here's a absurd poster of this quote).

"You are only entitled to the action, never to its fruits." — Bhagavad Gita

In life, it'southward a fact that: Y'all will exist unappreciated. You will exist sabotaged. You will experience surprising failures. Your expectations will non be met. You will lose. Yous will fail. How do you carry on and then? How do you take pride in yourself and your work? John Wooden's advice to his players says it: Change the definition of success. "Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self satisfaction in knowing you made the endeavour to practise your all-time to become the best that you are capable of becoming." "Appetite," Marcus Aurelius reminded himself, "means tying your well-being to what other people say or do . . . Sanity means tying it to your ain actions." Practise your work. Exercise it well. Then "allow get and allow God." That's all there needs to be. Recognition and rewards — those are just extra.

"Self-sufficiency is the greatest of all wealth." — Epicurus

A lot has been said of so-called "F*ck You Money." The idea existence that if one can earn enough, become rich and powerful plenty, that suddenly no one tin can touch them and they can practice any they want. What a mirage this is! How oft the target seems to mysteriously move correct as we arroyo information technology. Information technology calls to listen the observation of David "DHH" Heinemeier Hansson who said that "beyond a specific amount, f*ck-you money can be a state of mind. One that you can acquire well in accelerate of the respective banking concern account. One that'due south founded mostly on a personal confidence that fifty-fifty if nigh of the textile trappings went away, you'd still be happier for standing your ground." The truth is being your own man, being cocky-contained, having fewer needs, and better, resilient skills that allow you to thrive in any and all situations. That is real wealth and freedom. That's what Emerson was talking about in his famous essay on self-reliance and it'south what Epicurus meant besides.

"Tell me to what you pay attention and I will tell you lot who you are." — Jose Ortega y Gasset

It was one of the great Stoics who said that if you alive with a lame man, before long plenty you will walk with a limp. My male parent told me something similar as a kid: "You go like your friends." Information technology is true not just with social influences but informational ones besides: If you are fond to the chatter of the news, you will soon find yourself worried, resentful, and perpetually outraged. If you swallow nothing just escapist entertainment, you lot will notice the real globe effectually you lot harder and harder to deal with. If all you lot do is watch the markets and obsess over every fluctuation, your worldview will get divers past coin and gains and losses. Simply if you drink from deep, philosophical wisdom? If you take regularly in your mind role models of restraint, sobriety, backbone, and laurels? Well, y'all will start to become these things as well. Tell me who you lot spend time with, Goethe said, and I volition tell y'all who you are. Tell me what y'all pay attention to, Gasset was saying, and I can tell you the same thing. Call back that the next time you feel your finger itching to pull up your Facebook feed.

"Amend to trip with the feet than with the tongue." — Zeno

Y'all can e'er become upwards afterwards you fall, but call back, what has been said tin can never exist implied. Specially cruel and hurtful things.

"Space I can recover. Time, never." — Napoleon Bonaparte

Lands can be reconquered, indeed in the course of a battle, a hill or a certain patently might merchandise hands several times. But missed opportunities? These can never be regained. Moments in time, in culture? They tin can never be re-made. 1 can never go back in time to set for what they should have prepared for, no one tin ever get dorsum critical seconds that were wasted out of fear or ego. Napoleon was brilliant at trading space for time: Certain, yous tin make these moves, provided you lot are giving me the time I need to drill my troops, or movement them to where I want them to be. Yet in life, most of the states are terrible at this. We trade an hour of our life here or afternoon there like it can be bought back with the few dollars we were paid for it. And it is only much much later, as they are on their deathbeds or when they are looking dorsum on what might take been, that many people realize the awful truth of this quote. Don't exercise that. Embrace it at present.

"Yous never know who'south swimming naked until the tide goes out." — Warren Buffett

The problem with comparing yourself to other people is y'all really never know anyone else's situation. The co-worker with a nice car? It could exist a unsafe and dangerous salvage with 100,000 miles. The friend who always seems to be traveling to far off places? They could exist upwards to their eyeballs in credit card debt and about to get fired by their boss. Your neighbors' marriage which makes you then insecure near your own? Information technology could be a nightmare, a complete lie. People practise a very good job pretending at things, and their well-maintained fronts are ofttimes covers for incredible risk and irresponsibility. Y'all never know, Warren Buffett was saying, until things go bad. If you're living the life you lot know to exist correct, if you are making expert, solid decisions, don't exist swayed by what others are doing — whether that is taking the form of irrational exuberance or panicked pessimism. See the high flight lives of others every bit a cautionary tale — like Icarus with his wings — and not as an inspiration or a source of insecurity. Keep doing what you lot're doing and don't be caught pond naked! Because the tide volition go out. Prepare for information technology! (Premeditatio Malorum)

"Search others for their virtues, thyself for thy vices." — Benjamin Franklin

Marcus Aurelius would say something similar: "Exist tolerant with others and strict with yourself." Why? For starters considering the simply person you command is yourself. Information technology's a consummate waste of time to get around projecting strict standards on other people — ones they never agreed to follow in the get-go identify — then beingness aghast or experience wronged when they fall curt. The other reason is you have no thought what other people are going or take been through. That person who seemed to rudely decline the invitation y'all and then kindly offered? What if they were working hard to recommit themselves to their family unit and as much as they'd like to have coffee with you lot, are doing their best to spend more time with their loved ones? The point is: You have no idea. So give people the do good of the doubt. Look for good in them, assume skilful in them, and let that proficient inspire your own deportment.

"The world was not large enough for Alexander the Great, just a coffin was." — Juvenal

Ah, the way that a good one liner can humble even the globe's greatest conqueror. Remember: we are all equals in death. It makes quick work of all of us, large and small. I carry a coin in my pocket to call up this: Memento Mori. What Juvenal reminds united states is the aforementioned thing that Shakespeare spoke about in Hamlet:

"Imperious Caesar, dead and turned to clay,
Might cease a hole to keep the current of air abroad.
O' that that earth which kept the earth in awe
Should patch a wall t' expel the winder'south flaw!"

Information technology doesn't affair how famous you lot are, how powerful you are, how much you call back you have left to do on this planet, the same matter happens to all of us, and it can happen when nosotros least expect it. And and then we will be wormfood and that's the stop of information technology.

"To improve is to alter, so to be perfect is to have changed ofttimes." — Winston Churchill

While this is probably not a Churchill original (he near probable borrowed from Fundamental Newman: "In a higher world information technology is otherwise, only here below to live is to alter, and to be perfect is to accept changed often"), Churchill certainly abided this in his life. He'd even quip about his abiding change of political affiliation: "I said a lot of stupid things when I worked with the Conservative Party, and I left information technology because I did not want to go along proverb stupid things." As Cicero would say when attacked that he was irresolute his stance: "If something strikes me every bit probable, I say it; and that is how, unlike everyone else, I remain a free agent." There is cipher more than impressive — intellectually or otherwise — than to modify long held beliefs, opinions, and habits. The more than you've inverse, the better you probably are.

"Judge not, lest you be judged." — Jesus

Not simply here would Jesus call united states of america on one of our worst tendencies but immediately also ask: "And why do yous look at the speck in your brother'due south middle, simply do not consider the plank in your own eye?" This line is like to what the Stoic philosopher Seneca, who historical sources advise was born the same twelvemonth as Jesus, would say: "Y'all look at the pimples of others when you yourselves are covered with a mass of sores." Waste matter no fourth dimension judging and worrying well-nigh other people. You have plenty of problems to deal with in your own life. Chances are your own flaws are probably worse — and in any case, they are at least in your command. And then do something about them.

"Time and patience are the strongest warriors." — Leo Tolstoy

Tolstoy puts the higher up words in the oral fissure of Field Marshall Mikhail Kutuzov in War and Peace. In real life, Kutuzov gave Napoleon a painful lesson in the truth of the epigram over a long winter in Russia in 1812. Tolstoy would also say, "Everything comes in time to him who knows how to look." When it comes to accomplishing anything meaning, you are required to showroom patience and fortitude, and then much patience, equally much equally you'd call back you'd need boldness and courage. In my volume Conspiracy, about Peter Thiel'south plot to destroy Gawker, his operative describes a similar idea: With enough fourth dimension and patience, you tin can exercise anything.

"No one saves united states but ourselves / No one tin and no one may." — Buddha

Volition we wait for someone to save us, or will we listen to Marcus Aurelius's empowering call to "become active in your ain rescue — if you care for yourself at all — and do it while you lot tin."

Because at some point, we must put articles like this 1 bated and take activity. No i tin can blow our nose for usa. Some other blog post isn't the answer. The right choices and decisions are. Who knows how much fourth dimension yous have left, or what awaits united states of america tomorrow? And then become to it.