All the world knows me in my book, and my book in me.
Michel De MontaigneRead
Saying is one thing and doing is another; we are to consider the sermon and the preacher distinctly and apart.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Actions speak louder than words, and we should evaluate both the message and the person delivering it separately.
This quote by Michel De Montaigne emphasizes the distinction between what is said and what is done. It serves as a reminder that merely speaking about ideals or values is insufficient; one must also embody those principles through actions. It urges us to critically assess both the content of a message and the credibility or conduct of the person conveying it, as they may not always align.
Themes
ActionsWordsMessageCredibilityValues
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about leadership, one might use this quote to highlight the importance of integrity in leaders.
More from Michel De Montaigne
All quotes βAll I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed.
Michel De MontaigneRead
Pythagoras used to say that life resembles the Olympic Games: a few people strain their muscles to carry off a prize; others bring trinkets to sell to the crowd for gain; and some there are, and not the worst, who seek no other profit than to look at the show and see how and why everything is done; spectators of the life of other people in order to judge and regulate their own.
Michel De MontaigneRead
There is not much less vexation in the government of a private family than in the managing of an entire state.
Michel De MontaigneRead
Those who have compared our life to a dream were right... we were sleeping wake, and waking sleep.
Michel De MontaigneRead
Such as are in immediate fear of a losing their estates, of banishment, or of slavery, live in perpetual anguish, and lose all appetite and repose; whereas such as are actually poor, slaves, or exiles, ofttimes live as merrily as other folk.
Michel De MontaigneRead
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