To do nothing was disgraceful; therefore I made use of my understanding.
Interpretation
Taking action is essential, and inaction can lead to shame.
Horatio Nelson emphasizes the importance of taking initiative and using one's intellect to make decisions. He reflects on the disgrace of idleness, suggesting that it is better to engage and utilize one's understanding rather than remain passive, as active participation is both a responsibility and a path to honor.
In practice
Using this quote in a motivational speech about taking action in personal life.
Firstly, you must always implicitly obey orders, without attempting to form any opinion of your own respecting their propriety. Secondly, you must consider every man your enemy who speaks ill of your king; and thirdly, you must hate a Frenchman, as you do the devil.
Never break the neutrality of a port or place, but never consider as neutral any place from whence an attack is allowed to be made.
Let me alone: I have yet my legs and one arm. Tell the surgeon to make haste and his instruments. I know I must lose my right arm, so the sooner it's off the better.
In honour I gained them, and in honour I will die with them.
Duty is the great business of a sea officer; all private considerations must give way to it, however painful it may be.
First gain the victory and then make the best use of it you can.
A lot of kids are bullied because of their sexual identity or expression. It's often the effeminate boys and the masculine girls, the ones who violate gender norms and expectations, who get bullied.
I've had journalists asking me, 'What do we call you - is it handicapped, are you disabled, physically challenged?' I said, 'Well hopefully you could just call me Aimee. But if you have to describe it, I'm a bilateral below-the-knee amputee.'
Know how sublime a thing it is to suffer and be strong.
My dad was in a hospital for months. The doctors told my dad he would never be able to walk again. My dad beat all the odds. He came back and was able to walk and start boxing again. He went to No. 1 in the world at welterweight to fight for the world title. But he never had his chance to fight for a world title.
Obstacles are like wild animals. They are cowards but they will bluff you if they can. If they see you are afraid of them... they are liable to spring upon you; but if you look them squarely in the eye, they will slink out of sight.
The bravest sight in the world is to see a great man struggling against adversity.
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