Of the twenty-two civilizations that have appeared in history, nineteen of them collapsed when they reached the moral state the United States is in now.
Arnold J. ToynbeeRead
No being can be what he is unless he is putting his essence into action in his field.
Interpretation
What this quote means
You can only fulfill your true potential by actively engaging in your chosen pursuits.
This quote by Arnold J. Toynbee emphasizes the importance of taking action in order to realize one's true identity and potential. It suggests that mere existence is not enough; one must invest their essence—values, passion, and efforts—into their endeavors to truly become who they are meant to be.
Themes
EssenceActionPotentialIdentityEngagement
In practice
Example use cases
Motivational speeches at business conferences.
More from Arnold J. Toynbee
All quotes →It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that goal itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it.
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Write regularly, day in and day out, at whatever times of day you find that you write best. Don't wait till you feel that you are in the mood. Write, whether you are feeling inclined to write or not.
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I do not believe that civilizations have to die because civilization is not an organism. It is a product of wills.
Arnold J. ToynbeeRead
Sooner or later, man has always had to decide whether he worships his own power or the power of God.
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Love's way of dealing with us is different from conscience's way. Conscience commands; love inspires. What we do out of love, we do because we want to.
Arnold J. ToynbeeRead
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i am perfect because i am inseparable from the infinite, the force of life that creates the stars and the entire universe of light. i am God's creation. i don't need to be what i am not.
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Although you may not stumble across a Martian in the garden, you might stumble across yourself. The day that happens, you'll probably also scream a little. And that'll be perfectly all right, because it's not every day you realize you're a living planet dweller on a little island in the universe.
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You can always cope with the present moment, but you cannot cope with something that is only a mind projection - you cannot cope with the future.
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Remember that everyone's life is measured by the power that individual has to make the world better-this is all life is.
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