Comparing oneself with one's fellow writers is a bad idea. I would not review a fellow writer unless I had something terribly positive to say.
W. G. SebaldRead
If you want to obtain the secrets of such wonderful techniques, drill yourself, harden yourself, undergo severe training, abandoned body and mind; follow this course for years and you will naturally reach the profoundest levels. To know if water is hot or cold you must taste it yourself.
Interpretation
Mastery requires dedication and personal experience.
This quote emphasizes the importance of personal effort and rigorous training in mastering complex skills or knowledge. It suggests that true understanding and proficiency come from firsthand experience and a deep commitment to the journey of learning and self-improvement.
In practice
In a motivational speech about achieving personal goals.
Comparing oneself with one's fellow writers is a bad idea. I would not review a fellow writer unless I had something terribly positive to say.
I prefer to be refuted than to refute, for it is a greater good for oneself to be freed from the greatest evil than to free another.
Look wise, say nothing, and grunt. Speech was given to conceal thought.
Cultivate an attitude of gratitude, of giving and forgiving. Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.
Love your rage, not your cage.
Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned.
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