QuoteProject
To develop patience, you need someone who willfully hurts you. Such people give us real opportunities to practice tolerance. They test our inner strength in a way that even our guru cannot. Basically, patience protects us from being discouraged.
Dalai Lama
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

Patience is cultivated through adversity and the challenges posed by others.

This quote by the Dalai Lama highlights the importance of patience in personal growth. It suggests that individuals who provoke us or cause us harm serve as valuable teachers, giving us the chance to cultivate tolerance and resilience. The adversities we face from others challenge our inner strength and offer lessons that may not be taught by traditional mentors. Ultimately, developing patience is essential for maintaining our composure and preventing discouragement in the face of difficulties.

Themes

PatienceToleranceStrengthAdversityGrowth

In practice

Example use cases

During a team meeting when discussing handling conflicts with coworkers.

More from Dalai Lama

Human beings are not intrinsically selfish, which isolates us from others. We are essentially social animals who depend on others to meet our needs. We achieve happiness, prosperity and progress through social interaction. Therefore, having a kind and helpful attitude contributes to our own and others' happiness.
Dalai LamaRead
Material objects give rise to physical happiness, while spiritual development gives rise to mental happiness. Since we experience both physical and mental happiness, we need both material and spiritual development. This is why, for our own good and that of society we need to balance material progress with inner development.
Dalai LamaRead
All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion and forgiveness the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives.
Dalai LamaRead
The ultimate source of a happy life is warm-heartedness. This means extending to others the kind of concern we have for ourselves. On a simple level we find that if we have a compassionate heart we naturally have more friends. And scientists today are discovering that while anger and hatred eat into our immune system, warm-heartedness and compassion are good for our health.
Dalai LamaRead
My religion is kindness. _x000D_ A good mind, a good heart, _x000D_ warm feelings these are _x000D_ the most important things.
Dalai LamaRead
If a person's basic state of mind is serene and calm, then it is possible for this inner peace to overwhelm a painful physical experience. On the other hand, if someone is suffering from depression, anxiety, or any form of emotional distress, then even if he or she happens to be enjoying physical comforts, he will not really be able to experience the happiness that these could bring.
Dalai LamaRead

Similar quotes

Living well is the best revenge.
George HerbertRead
If one is sufficiently lavish with time, everything possible happens.
HerodotusRead
Be watchful - the grace of God appears suddenly. It comes without warning to an open heart.
RumiRead
I have great respect for the semicolon; it is a mighty handy little fellow.
Abraham LincolnRead
You have no need to travel anywhere - journey within yourself. Enter a mine of rubies and bathe in the splendor of your own light.
RumiRead
To know when to be generous and when firm—that is wisdom.
Edith WhartonRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.