These quotes and passages are compiled from lesser known sources of wisdom. Developing varied sources of ideas are essential in looking at the constant change and decision-making in life. What makes a good decision good or bad? How does one figure out what to do with their life? These nine quotes cover the great things which make up life – change, resiliency, choosing the right things to focus on, and the humility to always be willing to learn, especially when it defies your previous notions.
One
“As I see it then, the formula runs something like this: a man must choose a path which will let his ABILITIES function at maximum efficiency toward the gratification of his DESIRES. In doing this, he is fulfilling a need (giving himself identity by functioning in a set pattern toward a set goal), he avoids frustrating his potential (choosing a path which puts no limit on his self-development), and he avoids the terror of seeing his goal wilt or lose its charm as he draws closer to it (rather than bending himself to meet the demands of that which he seeks, he has bent his goal to conform to his own abilities and desires).
In short, he has not dedicated his life to reaching a pre-defined goal, but he has rather chosen a way of life he KNOWS he will enjoy. The goal is absolutely secondary: it is the functioning toward the goal which is important. And it seems almost ridiculous to say that a man MUST function in a pattern of his own choosing; for to let another man define your own goals is to give up one of the most meaningful aspects of life— the definitive act of will which makes a man an individual.”
From Hunter S. Thompson’s Letter to Hume Logan, via Letters of Note
Succinctly put, focus on the kind of person you want to be, not the thing you want to do. Thompson’s insight on the journey giving all meaning to the destination is remarkable – simply focus on who you want to be and allow your abilities to bring you closer to realizing that ideal. We talked about this in our discussion on habits, but I really like the way Thompson phrased this idea in his letter. The manner in which you do things every day will result in the kind of life you look back on fondly and with satisfaction.
Two
“The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to [a fence] and says, “I don’t see the use of this; let us clear it away.” To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer: “If you don’t see the use of it, I certainly won’t let you clear it away. Go away and think. Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it.”
—G.K. Chesterton, The Thing (1929)
We can not decide whether an object or system is obsolete until we know the purpose the object or system serves. Chesterton’s fence illustrates our human inclination to clear away old things we don’t immediately see a use for. In his example, obviously, the fence was put up in a specific place for a specific reason; the necessary work is in finding the specific reason. Until you know the original purpose of the fence, you don’t know whether the fence is useless or not. The lesson for us is to make sure we understand the purpose of the systems in place before we change them simply to change them. The system in place may, in fact, be the best system, regardless of its age.
Three
“Good timber does not grow with ease:
From Douglas Malloch’s Good Timber
The stronger wind, the stronger trees;
The further sky, the greater length;
The more the storm, the more the strength.
By sun and cold, by rain and snow,
In trees and men good timbers grow.”
I’ve been reading poetry the last few weeks for a few reasons. One of my favorite reasons is the poems are usually short and the cadence often prompts my creativity for my morning writing sessions. One of my recent favorites is this passage on the importance of adversity in building a strong and capable person or tree. If we can practice perseverance, often we arrive on the other side of obstacles stronger, wiser, and more compassionate people because of our struggle. It’s always pertinent advice, but especially important given our current reality.
Four
“Let us rather run the risk of wearing out than rusting out.”
― Theodore Roosevelt
Our nation’s twenty-sixth president earned a reputation for jumping right in and doing it himself. A vocal advocate and practitioner of what he called the “strenuous life,” Roosevelt’s example is one of finding a path in life which both exhilarates and fulfills you. This exhortation does call to mind another, more famous Roosevelt quote, ad reminds us that opportunities don’t go to the person who sits around considering whether to jump or not, they find the person who leaps at the opportunity. Taking the chance and trying something new is where most of us fail, not in failing to persevere. It’s far better to have put our abilities toward a useful purpose, than to lose them by never practicing them. Let Roosevelt inspire you to put useful action toward your goals, rather than worrying about them.
Five
“Somebody who only reads newspapers and books of contemporary authors is like an extremely near-sighted person who scorns eyeglasses. He is completely dependent on the prejudices and fashions of his times, since he never gets to see or hear anything else.”
— Albert Einstein
Perspective can be a limiting factor in understanding the motivations and desires of people unlike ourselves. Fortunately, we’ve managed to distill all manner of perspectives, backgrounds, experiences, and ideas into portable and accessible documents widely available. I’m referring specifically to books, of course, but with the abundance of blogs, video, and podcasts which discuss and dissect the past, there really is no reason to be unfamiliar with ideas and people far removed from you, in time and space.
In order to understand the world and people around us, we have to expose ourselves to a variety of influences, including from different points in time. It’s not enough to just know your own opinion about current events. What actions or decisions led to these events? How did the past shape the path to today? How did previous generations and leaders attempt to solve problems like the lack of public harmony, injustice, or divisive leadership? In what ways did they fail or succeed? It’s only by “zooming out” of the current moment we can understand the bigger picture of all the decisions, norms, and events which lead to today’s current realities.
One aspect of what Einstein advocates in this quote is a long view of history – an understanding of the issues in question and their history. The modern tendency is to consider someone who knows about all the stories in the news cycle as “informed,” but this is a misnomer. Knowing the current news cycle takes about ten minutes of listening to headlines or scanning Google News. In order to actually be informed, one needs to acquire pertinent information about those topics, which involves educating yourself on the subjects in the news cycle. The person with a long view of history is removed enough from the daily topics to develop an informed opinion. Ironically, in order to learn about the stories of the day, we have to get away from the daily headlines and dig into the past.
Six
“It is our knowledge — the things we are sure of — that makes the world go wrong and keeps us from seeing and learning.”
— Lincoln Steffens
Certainty in what you already know is the surest way to stop learning. Steffens alludes to the need to always remain a humble student for life in the things we’ve learned, and to remain hungry for the truth. To continue learning over a lifetime, we have to be willing to reconsider the facts or truths we’ve previously learned. As science and technology advance, the facts of today may be rendered outdated or even incorrect by future breakthroughs. What once was true, may not always be true. We cannot cling to what we know to be true for the sake of being right – this is to choose ignorance. Instead, we have to be willing to adapt and grow as our understanding deepens. We must hold our assurances or certainties loosely and be willing to accommodate and process new information as it becomes available.
Seven
“The greatest achievements of the human mind are generally received with distrust.”
– Arthur Schopenhauer
New things force change, confusion, and new norms on everyone – things we humans notoriously dislike. However, our distaste for change shouldn’t blind us to the new opportunities such changes and breakthroughs present. Our aversion to change says nothing about whether the change will be positive or helpful. For example, at one point the newest achievement was penicillin, and people, predictably, were skeptical of it. It has certainly been one of the greatest breakthroughs in human history, despite the initial distrust.
The Father of Pessimism himself, Schopenhauer understood that humans are loathe to change, despite life being nothing but series of changes. I personally interpret his words here in two ways; first, as a challenge to accept change with optimism; and second, as a comfort when trying a new venture but receiving mixed results.
Rather than being annoyed when others don’t see the utility in a new way of solving a problem, or when you find yourself growing annoyed with change, remind yourself that the tendency to be suspicious of change is normal, but not helpful. Look instead at how you can benefit from the changes you’re weathering.
Eight
“Manners are apt to be regarded as a surface polish. That is a superficial view. They arise from an inward control. A fresh realization of their importance is needed in the world today, and their revival might prove the salvation of civilization. For only manners in the deeper sense, of mutual restraint for mutual security, can control the risk that outbursts of temper over political and social issues man lead to mutual destruction in the atomic age.”
From B.H. Liddell Hart’s Why Don’t We Learn from History?
The way we treat those around is truly is a reflection of our personal character and values. How we regard those different from us matters. How we treat other people in general matters. It reveals our character and demonstrates self-control. Self-restraint is the only way to improve our public society – whether in person or online. It truly depends on the actions of everyone, including you and me. We often hear complaints about basic decency being lost and no one today having any regard for politeness. Will a revival of self-restraint and a humble disposition help society become kinder and more tolerant? Basic decency, respect, and kindness certainly couldn’t hurt.
Nine
“Men do not care how nobly they live, but only how long, although it is within the reach of every man to live nobly, but within no man’s power to live long.”
– Seneca
It’s a fascinating observation – we obsess over lengthening our time on the planet, but how often do we consider how to enrich that time?
We have our priorities backward, Seneca reminds us. It’s entirely within our control to make our daily routines meaningful and practice living well. Instead, we’re concerned with living forever. Why are we concerned with gaining more time, when we already squander the little time we have? What will you do with the time you have? Central to embracing the art of living nobly is educating yourself on history, how the great men and women of the past conducted themselves, how they approached decisions, and what they did in their idle time. Another part is embracing the fact that most of life is mundane, and making peace with that reality. I humbly suggest by putting more thought and life into our days, the significance of the years will take care of themselves.
The power in quotes like these is they pack so much truth into a few words. They fit a lot of life into a small space. I keep such quotes in my commonplace book, and look through them often as reminders of the kind of person I want to be and the quality of decisions I want to make. Hopefully, at least one of these quotes inspires you to turn knowledge into action and to make a positive change in your own life, whether it’s a major change in career, or as simple as choosing your next book to read.
