Greatness is not found in possessions, power, position, or prestige. It is discovered in goodness, humility, service, and character.
William Arthur WardRead
We can learn much from wise words, little from wisecracks, and less from wise guys.
Interpretation
Wise words are valuable for learning, while jokes and foolishness provide little insight.
This quote highlights the importance of meaningful and insightful communication over trivial or sarcastic remarks. It suggests that while we can gain knowledge and perspective from truly wise individuals, we should be cautious about placing value on witty comments or those who exhibit foolishness, as they contribute less to our understanding and growth.
In practice
In a motivational speech about the value of education and thoughtful discussion.
Greatness is not found in possessions, power, position, or prestige. It is discovered in goodness, humility, service, and character.
The optimist lives on the peninsula of infinite possibilities; the pessimist is stranded on the island of perpetual indecision.
Four steps to achievement: Plan purposefully. Prepare prayerfully. Proceed positively. Pursue persistently.
A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.
Change, like sunshine, can be a friend or a foe, a blessing or a curse, a dawn or a dusk.
Do more than be fair: be kind.
Not to waste time on nonsense. Not to be taken in by conjurors and hoodoo artists with their talk about incantations and exorcism and all the rest of it. Not to be obsessed with quail-fighting or other crazes like that.
I've never been convinced that experience is linear, circular, or even random. It just is. I try to put it in some kind of order to extract meaning from it, to bring meaning to it.
Telling a true story about personal experience is not just a matter of being oneself, or even or finding oneself. It is also a matter of choosing oneself.
We must always think about things, and we must think about things as they are, not as they are said to be.
There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep.
It isn't the big troubles in life that require character. Anybody can rise to a crisis and face a crushing tragedy with courage, but to meet the petty hazards of the day with a laugh - I really think that requires spirit. It's the kind of character that I am going to develop. I am going to pretend that all life is just a game which I must play as skillfully and fairly as I can. If I lose, I am going to shrug my shoulders and laugh - also if I win.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.