It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both. --Niccolo Machiavelli
The Good Wolf
Characteristics of a good wolf:
He prioritizes and protects his own pack.
His stated values are in alignment with those in his pack.
He acts according to his values, with rare exception.
He takes immediate responsibility and makes amends for mistakes.
—Steven R. Hobbs
Motive or Ignorance
Never ascribe to motive what is likely better ascribed to ignorance. —Allen Estrin
Blessed Are Those Who Find Wisdom
13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,
those who gain understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;
those who hold her fast will be blessed.
19 By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place;
20 by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.
Life Unlived
“The amount of death terror experienced is closely related to the amount of life unlived.” — Irvin D. Yalom
He Is a Person
Modern man needs to be considered as more than a psycho-physical reality. His spiritual existence cannot be neglected. He is not a mere organism. He is a person. ― Viktor E. Frankl
Largest Burden
The purpose of life is finding the largest burden that you can bear and bearing it. ― Jordan B. Peterson
No Regrets
People who say, “I have no regrets,” are not telling the truth. They should truthfully say either, “I avoid thinking about my regrets,” or, “I am content with the regrets I have chosen.” Every choice made in life excludes the opportunity for another experience, given the limits of time and resources. If I choose to go to the mountains this weekend, I cannot at the same time go to the beach. While I may prefer the benefits of going to the mountains, I am still missing out on the benefits of going to the beach. I may choose benefits of self employment, but I miss out on the opportunity to have the relative stability of being an employee of someone else. I may choose the benefits of not marrying, but I miss out on the opportunity of experiencing the depth of committed relationships of a spouse and children in a cohesive family. There is a price to be paid for every choice, an opportunity missed for every opportunity taken, a regret to be had for every regret avoided. The best we can do is to choose our regrets wisely. --Steven R. Hobbs
Secret of Life
The whole secret of life is to be interested in one thing profoundly and in a thousand things well. --Horace Walope
The Life We Have Planned
“We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” --E.M. Forster
Great Man
“A man is great by deeds, not by birth.” --Chanakya
Significance and Fame
“The famous are rarely significant, and the significant are rarely famous.” —Dennis Prager
First Duty
“I think the first duty of society is justice.” --Alexander Hamilton
Lasting Business
“All lasting business is built on friendship.” --Alfred A. Montapert
Courage
“Courage is being scared to death...and saddling up anyway.” --John Wayne
Cannot Do, Can Do
“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” --John Wooden
Change, Grow, Live
“If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living.” --Gail Sheehy
I've Failed
“I’ve failed over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.” --Michael Jordan
Learning to Trust
“Learning to trust is one of life’s most difficult tasks.” --Isaac Watts