Speak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if thou art asked for little; by these three steps thou wilt go near the gods.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the importance of honesty, self-control, and generosity in one's life.
Confucius suggests that by adhering to three fundamental principles—speaking the truth, maintaining composure instead of succumbing to anger, and being generous even in small acts—we can elevate ourselves spiritually and morally. This guidance serves as a path towards a virtuous life, aligning ourselves with divine qualities.
In practice
This quote can be shared during a motivational speech to encourage honesty and emotional control.
Earnest in practicing the ordinary virtues, and careful in speaking about them, if, in his practice, he has anything defective, the superior man dares not but exert himself; and if, in his words, he has any excess, he dares not allow himself such license.
When you see a good person, think of becoming like her/him. When you see someone not so good, reflect on your own weak points.
Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.
The superior man is distressed by the limitations of his ability; he is not distressed by the fact that men do not recognize the ability that he has.
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An angry man is full of poison.
If I see one dilemma with Western man, it's that he can't accept how beautiful he is. He can't accept that he is pure light, that he's pure love, that he's pure consciousness, that he's divine.
Perspective is worth 80 IQ points.
In the past few years, I have made a thrilling discovery ... that until one is over sixty, one can never really learn the secret of living. One can then begin to live, not simply with the intense part of oneself, but with one's entire being.
Give so much to the improvement of yourself, that you don’t have time to criticize others.
A man who graduated high in his class at Yale Law School and made partnership in a top law firm would be celebrated. A man who invested wisely would be admired, but a woman who accomplishes this is treated with suspicion.
Before you can kill a demon, you have to be able to say it's name. Names have power. While the word Alzheimer's terrorizes us, it has power over us. When we are prepared to discuss it aloud, we might have power over it. It's thought of as a mental illness and it is a physical illness, affecting the brain. There should be no shame in having it, yet people still don't talk about it
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