The best fighter is never angry
“The best fighter is never angry.” (Lao Tzu)
Philosophical insights
Leadership, in its essence, is not only about action, but also about reflection, a continuous quest to understand oneself, others and the world.
As leaders, we are often called upon to navigate ambiguity, make decisions that affect countless lives and remain steadfast in the face of uncertainty.
“Philosophical Insights” offers a space to step away from the demands of daily responsibilities and grapple with timeless questions: What is the purpose of our work? How do we define true success? What does it mean to lead a life of value and integrity?
This section draws on the wisdom of great thinkers and the universal truths that have guided humanity for centuries.
From meditations on resilience and humility to reflections on ambition and the nature of existence, these quotes challenge us to look beyond the surface and consider the deeper motivations and values that shape our choices.
In moments of doubt or decision, philosophy provides us with a compass, a stable guide that helps us align our actions with our principles.
As you explore this section, may these insights be a source of clarity, inspiration, and introspection.
A room without books …
“A room without books is like a body without a soul.” (Cicero)
The very existence of libraries …
“The very existence of libraries affords the best evidence that we may yet have hope for the future of man.” (T.S. Eliot)
Though I may not have wings to fly …
“Though I may not have wings to fly, the dark falls have shown me How to rise from the shadows, and reach for the sky.” (Franco Battiato, Aforismi per una Nuova Umanità)
While the future torments us …
“While the future torments us and the past holds us back… the present slips away from us in the meantime.” (Gustave Flaubert)
You meet saints everywhere …
“You meet saints everywhere. They can be anywhere. They are people behaving decently in an indecent society.” (Kurt Vonnegut)
To live a life of virtue …
To live a life of virtue, you have to become consistent, even when it isn‘t convenient, comfortable or easy.” Epictetus
Think not of the books you have bought …
“Think not of the books you have bought as a “to be read” pile. Instead, think of your bookcase as a wine cellar. You collect books to be read at the right time, the right place, and the right mood.” (Luc van Donkersgoed)
If you pursue your star …
“If you pursue your star, you cannot fail to reach a splendid harbor,if in fair life, I judged you properly …” (Dante Alighieri Divine Comedy Canto XV of Hell)
Love all, trust a few …
Love all, trust a few, Do wrong to none: be able for thine enemy Rather in power than use; and keep thy friend Under thy own life’s key: be check’d for silence, But never tax’d for speech. (William Shakespeare,All’s well that ends well)
Our history is not our destiny
“Our history is not our destiny.” (Alan Cohen)
You must never confuse faith …
“You must never confuse faith that you will eventually make it – something you can never afford to lose – with the discipline to face the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they may be.” (James Stockdale)
Being literate …
“Being literate does not mean remembering all the notions, but knowing where to look for them. That is why it is important to have a large personal library of unread books.” (Umberto Eco)
You can buy a man’s work …
“You can buy a man’s work, his experience, his advice, but you can never buy enthusiasm, initiative, devotion of heart, mind, soul. These things you must deserve by your loyalty to him.” (Plato)
We are what we repeatedly do
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not a single act but a habit.” (Aristotle)
For every winner …
For every winner there are dozens of losers: it is very likely that you are among the latter. It could be that your only purpose in life is to be a warning to others. (Arthur Bloch)
By what parameter do you measure your own life standing?
By what parameter do you measure your own life standing? “When the Soviet authorities during the 1940s exhibited the 1940 movie of ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ as evidence of how miserable the poor were in capitalist America, it backfired. What amazed the Soviet audiences was that the Joad family fled starvation BY CAR.” (Deirdre N. … Read more
It’s never too late …
“It’s never too late, it’s never too bad, and you’re never too old or too sick to start from scratch once again.” (Bikram Choudhury Yoga Master, born 1946)
Religion is for …
“Religion is for people who fear hell. Spirituality is for people who have been there.” (David Bowie)
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls …
Today it is Easter, it inspires me to expand my thoughts. Today’s quote is well known, and I propose it as it was originally written to show that the need to consider all as part of a group is not a new sentiment and was not elaborated in times of virtual meetings. No man is … Read more