But I despised men who accepted their fate. I shaped mine twenty times and had it broken twenty times in my hands.
Interpretation
The quote expresses a strong rejection of passivity in the face of adversity, advocating for active resistance and shaping one's own destiny.
In this quote, Dorothy Dunnett asserts the importance of taking control of one's life and not simply accepting the circumstances that come one's way. She highlights her determination to mold her own fate, even if it means facing repeated failures. This resilience reflects a courageous spirit that refuses to succumb to resignation, instead embracing the challenges of actively shaping one’s future despite the risks involved.
In practice
Using this quote at a motivational seminar focused on personal development.
For an hour, blended with all she could offer, something noble had been created which had nothing to do with the physical world. And from the turn of his throat, the warmth of his hair, the strong, slender sinews of his hands, something further; which had. Though she combed the earth and searched through the smoke of the galaxies there was no being she wanted but this, who was not and should not be for Philippa Somerville.
Sometimes it takes more courage to get up and run than to stay. You either just do it or you don't. I got so scared the first day in combat I just decided to go along with it.
Remember, we are not fighting for the freedom of the Negro alone, but for the freedom of the human spirit a larger freedom that encompasses all mankind.
Girls can do anything. We do do anything and we expect to be treated as equals.
The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek. Fear of the unknown is our greatest fear. Many of us would enter a tiger's lair before we would enter a dark cave. While caution is a useful instinct, we lose many opportunities and much of the adventure of life if we fail to support the curious explorer within us.
From the Battle of Trenton to the Argonne, Marines have won foremost honors in war, and in the long eras of tranquility at home, generation after generation of Marines have grown gray in war in both hemispheres and in every corner of the seven seas, that our country and its citizens might enjoy peace and security.
You wouldn’t be normal if you were never afraid. Even the bravest men experience fear. One of the biggest jobs we all face in combat is to overcome fear.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.