Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.
DemosthenesRead
Nothing is so easy as to deceive oneself; for what we wish, we readily believe.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Self-deception is easy, as we tend to believe what aligns with our desires.
This quote by Demosthenes highlights the human tendency to deceive oneself, motivated by personal desires or wishes. It suggests that when we want something to be true, we often convince ourselves of its truth, disregarding evidence or reality that contradicts our beliefs.
Themes
Self-DeceptionBeliefWishTruthHuman Nature
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about self-awareness.
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Success has a great tendency to conceal and throw a veil over the evil deeds of men.
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A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true.
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Close alliances with despots are never safe for free states.
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