Reproof should not exhaust its power upon petty failings.
Interpretation
Criticism should be reserved for significant mistakes rather than minor faults.
This quote by Samuel Johnson emphasizes the importance of focusing our corrective efforts on substantial issues rather than trivial errors. It suggests that being overly critical of small failings can diminish the effectiveness of feedback and hinder growth, advocating for a more balanced approach to reproof that distinguishes between greater and lesser faults.
In practice
In a team meeting, when discussing performance reviews, one might reference this quote to advocate for constructive feedback on major issues instead of minor mistakes.
To be of no church is dangerous. Religion, of which the rewards are distant, and which is animated only by faith and hope, will glide by degrees out of the mind unless it be invigorated and reimpressed by external ordinances, by stated calls to worship, and the salutary influence of example.
He that reads and grows no wiser seldom suspects his own deficiency, but complains of hard words and obscure sentences, and asks why books are written which cannot be understood.
To let friendship die away by negligence and silence is certainly not wise. It is voluntarily to throw away one of the greatest comforts of the weary pilgrimage.
Fly-fishing may be a very pleasant amusement; but angling or float fishing I can only compare to a stick and a string, with a worm at one end and a fool at the other.
When any anxiety or gloom of the mind takes hold of you, make it a rule not to publish it by complaining; but exert yourselves to hide it, and by endeavoring to hide it you drive it away.
A fishing rod is a stick with a hook at one end and a fool at the other.
Only a soul full of despair can ever attain serenity and, to be in despair, you must have loved a good deal and still love the world.
For the most part, I do the thing which my own nature prompts me to do. It is embarrassing to earn so much respect and love for it.
When you're concentrating hard, hours can fly by, and it's just you and a math problem.
We can know only that we know nothing. And that is the highest degree of human wisdom.
The best investment you can make, is an investment in yourself... The more you learn, the more you'll earn.
Genius is another word for magic, and the whole point of magic is that it is inexplicable.
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