I'm not doing anything, and yet I'm also doing the most important thing a man can do: I'm listening to what I needed to hear from myself.
Paulo CoelhoRead
Let us be absolutely clear about one thing: we must not confuse humility with false modesty or servility.
Interpretation
Humility is a genuine quality, distinct from false modesty and servility, which can mislead others about one's true character.
In this quote, Paulo Coelho emphasizes the importance of understanding the true essence of humility, distinguishing it from other behaviors that may appear humble but are rooted in pretense or subservience. He advocates for authentic humility that comes from recognizing one's value without downplaying it in a deceptive manner, thus illuminating the path to genuine self-awareness and integrity.
In practice
These words would be impactful in a leadership speech to encourage genuine humility among team members.
I'm not doing anything, and yet I'm also doing the most important thing a man can do: I'm listening to what I needed to hear from myself.
Each stone, each bend cries welcome to him. He identifies with the mountains and the streams, he sees something of his own soul in the plants and the animals and the birds of the field.
We need to clear our minds of bad thoughts.
Having the courage to take the steps we always wanted to take is the only way of showing that we trust in God.
The fool who loves giving advice on our garden never tends his own plants
Sometimes the Warrior feels as if he were living two lives at once.
That which we acquire with the most difficulty we retain the longest; as those who have earned a fortune are usually more careful of it than those who have inherited one.
Risks are a measure of people. People who won't take them are trying to preserve what they have. People who do take them often end up having more. Some risks have a future, and some people call them wrong. But being right may be like walking backwards proving where you've been. Being wrong isn't in the future, or in the past. Being wrong isn't anywhere but being here. Best place to be, eh?
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Whoever is in a hurry shows that the thing he is about is too big for him.
Worry is a state of mind based upon fear. It works slowly, but persistently. It is insidious and subtle. Step by step it βdigs itself inβ until it paralyzes ones reasoning faculty, destroys self-confidence and initiative. Worry is a form of sustained fear caused by indecision therefore it is a state of mind which can be controlled.
The only thing that really worried me was the ether. There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge. And I knew we'd get into that rotten stuff pretty soon. Probably at the next gas station.
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