The only antidote to dangerous ideas is strong alternatives vigorously advocated.
A good rule of thumb for many things in life holds that things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then happen faster than you thought they could.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Expectations in life can often be misleading; progress may feel slow initially but can accelerate unexpectedly.
This quote by Lawrence Summers highlights the unpredictable nature of progress and accomplishments in life. It suggests that while we often underestimate the time required for tasks and goals, once they start to unfold, they can progress much more quickly than anticipated. This perspective can be applied to various situations, including personal projects, career advancements, and even relationships, illustrating that patience and perseverance are essential as outcomes can often surprise us.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used during a motivational speech to encourage perseverance in long-term projects.
More from Lawrence Summers
All quotes →Global capital markets pose the same kinds of problems that jet planes do. They are faster, more comfortable, and they get you where you are going better. But the crashes are much more spectacular.
It used to be said that when the U.S. sneezed, the world caught a cold. The opposite is equally true today.
Most investors want to do today what they should have done yesterday.
We are inheriting the worst financial system since the Depression. We're inheriting a situation - when people go back and study major banking crises a quarter century from now, the one that America developed in 2007 and 2008 is going to be one of those crises.
The idea that we should be open to all ideas is very different from the supposition that all ideas are equally valid.
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Being on the tightrope is living; everything else is waiting.
God is infinitely valuable. I can't think of anything that would have a greater impact on your life than for you to believe that.
When we walk like (we are rushing), we print anxiety and sorrow on the earth. We have to walk in a way that we only print peace and serenity on the earth... Be aware of the contact between your feet and the earth. Walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet.