The charm of history and its enigmatic lesson consist in the fact that, from age to age, nothing changes and yet everything is completely different.
— Aldous Huxley (1927, painting by John Collier; Public Domain)
The Static Nature of Human Behavior
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Humor Friday
I only go out to get a fresh appetite for being alone. —Lord Byron (1813, by Thomas Phillips; Public Domain)
Few Fully Appreciate the Extent to Which Our Thoughts Dictate the Quality of Our Lives
Our life always expresses the result of our dominant thoughts. —Søren Kierkegaard (1840 sketch by his cousin; Public Domain)
A Wealth of Knowledge Surrounds Us, but It takes Humility to Observe It and Acumen to Apply It
Wise men profit more from fools than fools from wise men; for the wise men shun the mistakes of fools, but fools do not imitate the successes of the wise. —Cato the Elder (Public Domain)
Turning Misfortune Into Fuel
On the occasion of every accident that befalls you, remember to turn to yourself and inquire what power you have for turning it to use. —Epictetus, Greek Philosopher, 55 AD – 135 AD (Public Domain)
When You Need to Stop Dwelling, Start Working
Shun idleness. It is a rust that attaches itself to the most brilliant metals. —Voltaire (1724, by Nicolas de Largillière; Public Domain) It took me a number of obstinate decades to figure this...
Humor Friday: Hubris vs Humility
It is an interesting facet of the human condition that the less people know, the more answers they are willing to share. —Mike Hazell (Image licensed by Penn Wealth Pub.) Having been an...
The Beautiful Audacity of Focus and Resolve
I have had my results for a long time, but I do not yet know how I am to arrive at them. —Carl Friedrich Gauss, German mathematician and physicist (1840, by Christian Albrecht Jensen; Public Domain)
Step Away from Your Passions; Which Beckon You Back with the Most Force?
Absence diminishes mediocre passions and increases great ones, as the wind extinguishes candles and fans fires. —François de La Rochefoucauld (Image licensed by Penn Wealth Pub.)
What a Wonderful Time of Year to Ponder Personal Renewal
We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise, we harden. —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Image licensed by Penn Wealth Pub.)
While On the Journey, Remember to Enjoy the Scenery Along the Way
Not what we have, but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance. — Epicurus, Greek philosopher, 3rd/4th century BC (Image licensed by Penn Wealth Pub.)
Humor Friday: The Cynic’s Dictionary
Sustainability (suh-stey-nuh-bil-i-tee) A board’s aggregate effort to portray their company as an environmental organization in order to sustain their own roles and salaries at the firm. —The...
Powerful Attributes We Can Adopt Immediately
The simple virtues of willingness, readiness, alertness and courtesy will carry a person farther than mere intelligence. — Henry Pomeroy Davison (Image licensed by Penn Wealth Pub.)
Measure Virtue by the Routine, Not the Random Displays
The strength of one’s virtue should not be measured by their special exertions, but by their habitual acts. — Blaise Pascal (Image licensed by Penn Wealth Pub.)
Efficiency: A Critical Component to Success
During a very busy life I have often been asked, ‘How did you manage to do it all?’ The answer is very simple: It is because I did everything promptly. — Sir Richard Tangye, renowned British...
Gather Wisdom from All of Your Actions, And Use it to Create a Better Life
Life is divided into three terms – that which was, which is, and which will be. Let us learn from the past to profit by the present, and from the present, to live better in the future. — William...
Humor Friday
Some people see things that are and ask, “Why?” Some people dream of things that never were and ask, “Why not?” Some people have to go to work and don’t have time for all that. — George Carlin...
Whatever Path You Choose for Yourself, Make Sure it Emboldens You with Passion
Without passion man is a mere latent force and possibility, like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark. — Henri Frédéric Amiel (Image licensed by Penn...
Define Your Own Personal Frontier and Then Move Onward
There will always be a Frontier where there is an open mind and a willing hand. — Charles F. Kettering, American inventor (Image licensed by Penn Wealth Pub.)
Maintain an Action Environment
One of the greatest and simplest tools for learning more and for growing is to simply do more. — Washington Irving (1809, by John Wesley Jarvis; Public Domain) Washington Irving was a prolific...
Don’t Seek Approval; Forge Ahead With Your Bold Plan
Whatever task you undertake, do it with all your heart and soul. Always be courteous; never be discouraged. Do not blame anybody else for your mistakes and failures. Do not look for approval...