As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
William ShakespeareRead
Who knows himself a braggart, Let him fear this; for it will come to pass That every braggart will be found an ass.
Interpretation
Self-awareness is crucial; those who boast may reveal their own foolishness.
This quote by Shakespeare warns against the danger of arrogance and boasting. It implies that individuals who are overly proud or who frequently brag about their accomplishments may ultimately expose their own shortcomings and foolishness, suggesting that humility is a more admirable trait than vanity.
In practice
During a presentation, to remind the audience about the importance of humility.
As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
Love bears it out even to the edge of doom.
Good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people.
Absence doth sharpen love, presence strengthens it; the one brings fuel, the other blows it till it burns clear.
Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
If I look confused it is because I am thinking.
Listen to no one's advice except that of the wind in the trees. That can recount the whole history of mankind.
I have great faith in fools,β self-confidence my friends will call it.
I have one talent, and that is the capacity to be tremendously surprised, surprised at life, at ideas. This is to me the supreme Hasidic imperative: Don't be old. Don't be stale.
With reference to the younger generation..."If the experience of their exhausted, insomniac, dispirited elders makes them decide they'd prefer not to go straight from the classroom to the cubicle to the coffin, it doesn't mean they're lazy. It means they're sane."
Lasting fulfillment is attained only through gaining insight into the core of our human nature, unleashing the power to understand, appreciate, and enjoy our lives at the deepest level.
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