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Know how to keep anticipation alive: always strive to feed it, by letting the much promise more, and the one achievement be the announcement only of a greater. Put not all your reserves into the first throw; the great trick is to dole out strength, and to dole out mind, in such a fashion as to bring forward increasingly the fulfillment of what was expected of you.
Baltasar Gracian
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote emphasizes the importance of sustaining anticipation and gradually revealing one's potential for greater achievements.

Baltasar Gracian's quote reflects on the strategy of maintaining excitement and motivation by building expectations over time. It suggests that one should not reveal all their capabilities at once but rather let achievements act as stepping stones to even greater accomplishments, thereby keeping oneself and others engaged and inspired.

Themes

AnticipationAchievementStrategyExpectationMotivation

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech about goal setting and perseverance.

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