Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something. – Plato
Another version of this is: only talk when doing so will improve upon the silence (paraphrased, from who I don’t know).
Talking just because you want to talk is needy, or narcissistic or disrespectful – or all three.
Take the time to consider if what you’re thinking of saying is useful, or helpful.
Sometimes, it’s not.
“How much larger your life would be if your [Ego] could become smaller in it.” – G.K. Chesterton When we let our Egos run our lives we constrict ourselves, significantly. We miss opportunities to help others, grow (in necessary ways) and connect with people that we might not have otherwise. More importantly, we deny our…
Seth Godin is a huge mentor and teacher for me. I subscribe to his blog updates and have read several of his books. Lately he has been talking a lot about the importance of shipping. Shipping is actually getting things done. It’s finishing stuff and getting it out the door. Shipping is not about perfection,…
My actions are my only true belongings. – Thich Nhat Hanh Your legacy, what you truly leave behind, is what you’ve done. All your possessions are fleeting and can be lost in an instant — and will fade and decay anyway. What endures are the choices you made, the work you’ve done and lives you’ve touched….
The True Gentleman is the man whose conduct proceeds from good will and an acute sense of propriety, and whose self-control is equal to all emergencies; who does not make the poor man conscious of his poverty, the obscure man of his obscurity, or any man of his inferiority or deformity; who is himself humbled…
Creation is a better means of self-expression than possession; it is through creating, not possessing, that life is revealed. – Vida Scudder I offer this for your contemplation. A mentor of mine is a big fan of “creation.” Meaning, it’s better to be creating than anything else. Not the sort of “creativity” that we so…
Every calamity is a spur and a valuable hint. – Emerson Yes, I am riffing off the recent political meme in the post title. (“Never let a crisis go to waste.” (Attributed, I believe, to Rahm Emanuel).) That aside, Emerson’s words are an extremely valuable reminder. We ignore “failures” and “calamities” at our peril. Every…