Laugh at yourself, but don't ever aim your doubt at yourself. Be bold. When you embark for strange places, don't leave any of yourself safely on shore. Have the nerve to go into unexplored territory.
Alan AldaRead
I think most people are interested in our origins; once we understand, it might be easier to become the people we'd like to be. Or, better, become the people we think we already are.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Understanding our origins can help us become who we aspire to be or realize our true selves.
In this quote, Alan Alda suggests that a deep understanding of our backgrounds and origins is crucial for personal development. By reflecting on where we come from, we can more effectively shape our identities and potentially align ourselves with the individuals we wish to become or recognize the authenticity of who we truly are.
Themes
OriginsSelf-DiscoveryIdentityPersonal Growth
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about self-discovery, I would use this quote to emphasize the importance of understanding one's past.
More from Alan Alda
All quotes →Begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile, or the light won't come in.
Alan AldaRead
Laugh at yourself, but don't ever aim your doubt at yourself.
Alan AldaRead
Here's my Golden Rule for a tarnished age: Be fair with others, but keep after them until they're fair with you.
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If you know what you're looking for, that's all you'll get - what's previously known. But when you're open to what's possible, you get something new - that's creativity.
Alan AldaRead
I found I wasn't asking good enough questions because I assumed I knew something. I would box them into a corner with a badly formed question, and they didn't know how to get out of it. Now, I let them take me through it step by step, and I listen.
Alan AldaRead
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