I should not proceed by land to the East, as is customary, but by a Westerly route, in which direction we have hitherto no certain evidence that any one has gone.
Interpretation
This quote reflects the courage to take unconventional paths in pursuit of discovery and exploration.
Christopher Columbus expresses his determination to take a route less traveled, emphasizing the importance of venturing into the unknown rather than following the traditional, safer paths. This mindset showcases the courage required to explore new territories and the willingness to face uncertainty for the sake of potential discovery.
In practice
In an inspirational speech about innovation at a tech conference.
Weep for me, whoever has charity, truth and justice! I did not come on this voyage for gain, honor or wealth, that is certain; for then the hope of all such things was dead. I came to Your Highnesses with honest purpose and sincere zeal; and I do not lie. I humbly beseech Your Highnesses that, if it please God to remove me hence, you will help me to go to Rome and on other pilgrimages.
For the execution of the voyage to the Indies, I did not make use of intelligence, mathematics or maps.
Sailed this day nineteen leagues, and determined to count less than the true number, that the crew might not be dismayed if the voyage should prove long.
I like to think of Everest as a great mountaineering challenge, and when you've got people just streaming up the mountain - well, many of them are just climbing it to get their name in the paper, really.
I wanted to find my limitations so I decided to do Shylock. And if I fail? I've never been afraid of that. I have other fears - doing bad work knowingly is the worst fear.
I feel very adventurous. There are so many doors to be opened, and I'm not afraid to look behind them.
Bullies are always cowards at heart and may be credited with a pretty safe instinct in scenting their prey.
Obviously, the real issue has nothing to do with fear itself, but, rather, how we hold the fear. For some, the fear is totally irrelevant. For others, it creates a state of paralysis. The former hold their fear from a position of power (choice, energy, and action), and the latter hold it from a position of pain (helplessness, depression, and paralysis).
We need the courage to face the truth about what we are doing in the world and act responsibly to change it.
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