Dr. Mardy's Quotes of the Week -- December 18 - 24, 2011
DR. MARDY'S QUOTES OF THE WEEK -- Dec. 18 – 24, 2011
A WEEKLY CELEBRATION OF GREAT QUOTES IN HISTORY
(AND THE HISTORY BEHIND THE QUOTES)
THIS WEEK'S PUZZLER: On December 21, 1804, this man was born in London to a Jewish father with
Sephardic roots and a mother of Italian-Jewish heritage. Even though he
was circumcised in a Jewish ritual shortly after his birth and raised in
the Jewish faith, he was baptized as a Christian in the Church of England
at age 12. The decision was based in part on a longstanding feud that his
father had with the rabbi of the local synagogue. But it was also in part
strategic, since Jews were excluded by law from serving in Parliament at
the time. In 1826, at age 22, he became the talk of the town with his
novel "Vivian Grey." While continuing to write popular novels, he made
four unsuccessful runs for Parliament, finally winning in his fifth
attempt in 1837. He went on to serve twice as Prime Minister. One of
history's most quotable politicians, he said in an 1872 speech "The secret of success is constancy to purpose."
(often presented as "constancy of purpose") Who was this man? (Answer below)
THIS WEEK'S THEME FOR CHIEF PHILOSOPHICAL OFFICERS: "Is Your Life Characterized by a Sense of Purpose?" The phrase "constancy to purpose" may sound a bit old-fashioned to modern
ears, but there is no denying the importance of (a) having a purpose in
one's life and (b) keeping that purpose firmly in mind amid the setbacks,
obstacles, temptations, and other distractions that can cause us to lose
our focus. In his novel "Endymion" (1880), the author of the quotation in
this Week's Puzzler added these words on the subject: "I have brought myself, by long meditation, to the conviction
that a human being with a settled purpose must accomplish it,
and that nothing can resist a will
that will stake even existence for its fulfillment." Think about how this applies to you. Do you have a constant or settled
purpose in your life? As you think about it, be aware that not all
purposes are laudable or exemplary. Eric Hoffer offered two sobering
observations on the topic: "To have a grievance is to have a purpose in life." "Passionate hatred can give meaning and purpose to an empty life." In this week's examination of purpose, though, I'm thinking of something
more uplifting and inspirational. And I believe that people who want to
live a more purposeful life can benefit from occasionally having their
minds stimulated by quotations on the subject. I've featured a number of
such quotations in previous missives, most recently in my newsletter of
August 21-27, 2011, when I posed the question, "Do You Have a WHY to
Live?" To see that issue in the archives, go to: http://archive.mail-list.com/drmardy This week, I return to the same theme, with ten additional quotations on
the topic: "Purpose is the keystone in the temple of achievement.
It binds and holds together in a complete whole
that which would otherwise lie scattered and useless."
James Allen "The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder--
a waif, a nothing, a no man.
Have a purpose in life and, having it, throw such strength of mind
and muscle into your work as God has given you."
Thomas Carlyle "The secret of man's being is not only to live
but to have something to live for."
Fyodor Dostoevsky "The only failure a man ought to fear is
failure in cleaving to the purpose he sees to be best."
George Eliot "Everyone has his own specific vocation in life.
Therein he cannot be replaced, not can his life be repeated.
Thus everyone's task is as unique
as his specific opportunity to implement it.
We detect rather than invent our mission in life."
Viktor Frankl "As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence
is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being."
Carl Jung "The great and glorious masterpiece of man
is to know how to live to purpose."
Michel de Montaigne "An aim in life is the only fortune worth the finding;
and it is not to be found in foreign lands, but in the heart itself."
Robert Louis Stevenson "More men fail through lack of purpose than lack of talent."
Billy Sunday "Without knowing what I am and why I am here, it is impossible to live."
Leo Tolstoy THIS WEEK IN HISTORY: On December 23, 1812, Samuel Smiles was born in Haddington, Scotland. After studying medicine at the University of Edinburgh, he practiced
briefly before turning his attention to working on behalf of social reform
(he was an early advocate of women's suffrage) and delivering public
lectures on how to succeed in the world. Today, he is best known for
"Self-Help," an 1859 book that advocated "the gospel of work" and promoted
the values of perseverance, disciplined effort, and triumph over
adversity. A case could easily be made that Smiles is the father of the
modern "self-help" movement. In "Self-Help," he even offered a seminal
thought on the subject: "The spirit of self-help
is the root of all genuine growth in the individual." Smiles also wrote other books extolling virtues central to Victorian
culture: "Character" (1871), "Thrift" (1875), and "Duty" (1880). I have
scores of his quotations in my personal files, and many of them are as
relevant today as when they were written in the nineteenth century. Here
are ten of my favorites: "Life will always be to a large extent what we ourselves make it." "The reason why so little is done
is generally because so little is attempted." "The apprenticeship of difficulty
is one which the greatest of men have had to serve." "To set a lofty example is the richest bequest
a man can leave behind him." "Riches do not constitute any claim to distinction.
It is only the vulgar who admire riches as riches." "Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it,
casts the shadow of our burden behind us." "'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.'
But all play and no work makes him something worse." "Even happiness itself may become habitual.
There is a habit of looking at the bright side of things,
and also of looking at the dark side." "We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success.
We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do;
and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery." "The battle of life is, in most cases, fought uphill;
and to win it without a struggle were perhaps to win it without honor.
If there were no difficulties there would be no success;
if there were nothing to struggle for,
there would be nothing to be achieved."
PUZZLER ANSWER: Benjamin Disraeli
SUBSCRIBER QUOTE OF THE WEEK: This week's quote comes from Peggy Min, who writes: I've been enjoying your newsletter for years and have given several of
your books as gifts. Being a middle-aged hippie, the Occupy movement is
where my heart is right now. While looking at some demonstration posters
recently, I was delighted to see the following example of chiasmus by
prefix reversal: "Respect Existence
or
Expect Resistance." Peggy Min, who lives in Nashville, Tennessee, writes about herself: "Vocationally I'm a holistic nurse. I see the worldwide people's movement
as a healing process for the planet. I'm quadriplegic due to MS, which
makes me something of an oxymoron since I have such an active inner life,
and thanks to the Internet, the ability to be engaged with the world."
DR. MARDY'S QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "As a great vessel is meant to sail the seas
rather than drift, or lie at anchor,
a human being is meant to move in a purposeful direction,
and never to to be content with simply standing still."
Until next week, Dr. Mardy Grothe Visit Dr. Mardy's web site:
www.drmardy.com Check out my daily Twitter quotations: @drmardy Books by Dr. Mardy Grothe:
"Neverisms: A Quotation Lover's Guide to Things You Should
Never Do, Never Say, or Never Forget" (May, 2011)
"Ifferisms: An Anthology of Aphorisms That Begin with the Word 'If'" (2009)
"I Never Metaphor I Didn't Like" (2008)
"Viva la Repartee" (2005)
"Oxymoronica: Paradoxical Wit & Wisdom" (2004)
"Never Let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You" (1999) --------------------------------------------------
To peruse the mailing list archives:
http://archive.mail-list.com/drmardy -------------------------------------------------- mail-list.com 1302 Waugh Dr. #438 Houston, Texas 77019 USA
A WEEKLY CELEBRATION OF GREAT QUOTES IN HISTORY
(AND THE HISTORY BEHIND THE QUOTES)
THIS WEEK'S PUZZLER: On December 21, 1804, this man was born in London to a Jewish father with
Sephardic roots and a mother of Italian-Jewish heritage. Even though he
was circumcised in a Jewish ritual shortly after his birth and raised in
the Jewish faith, he was baptized as a Christian in the Church of England
at age 12. The decision was based in part on a longstanding feud that his
father had with the rabbi of the local synagogue. But it was also in part
strategic, since Jews were excluded by law from serving in Parliament at
the time. In 1826, at age 22, he became the talk of the town with his
novel "Vivian Grey." While continuing to write popular novels, he made
four unsuccessful runs for Parliament, finally winning in his fifth
attempt in 1837. He went on to serve twice as Prime Minister. One of
history's most quotable politicians, he said in an 1872 speech "The secret of success is constancy to purpose."
(often presented as "constancy of purpose") Who was this man? (Answer below)
THIS WEEK'S THEME FOR CHIEF PHILOSOPHICAL OFFICERS: "Is Your Life Characterized by a Sense of Purpose?" The phrase "constancy to purpose" may sound a bit old-fashioned to modern
ears, but there is no denying the importance of (a) having a purpose in
one's life and (b) keeping that purpose firmly in mind amid the setbacks,
obstacles, temptations, and other distractions that can cause us to lose
our focus. In his novel "Endymion" (1880), the author of the quotation in
this Week's Puzzler added these words on the subject: "I have brought myself, by long meditation, to the conviction
that a human being with a settled purpose must accomplish it,
and that nothing can resist a will
that will stake even existence for its fulfillment." Think about how this applies to you. Do you have a constant or settled
purpose in your life? As you think about it, be aware that not all
purposes are laudable or exemplary. Eric Hoffer offered two sobering
observations on the topic: "To have a grievance is to have a purpose in life." "Passionate hatred can give meaning and purpose to an empty life." In this week's examination of purpose, though, I'm thinking of something
more uplifting and inspirational. And I believe that people who want to
live a more purposeful life can benefit from occasionally having their
minds stimulated by quotations on the subject. I've featured a number of
such quotations in previous missives, most recently in my newsletter of
August 21-27, 2011, when I posed the question, "Do You Have a WHY to
Live?" To see that issue in the archives, go to: http://archive.mail-list.com/drmardy This week, I return to the same theme, with ten additional quotations on
the topic: "Purpose is the keystone in the temple of achievement.
It binds and holds together in a complete whole
that which would otherwise lie scattered and useless."
James Allen "The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder--
a waif, a nothing, a no man.
Have a purpose in life and, having it, throw such strength of mind
and muscle into your work as God has given you."
Thomas Carlyle "The secret of man's being is not only to live
but to have something to live for."
Fyodor Dostoevsky "The only failure a man ought to fear is
failure in cleaving to the purpose he sees to be best."
George Eliot "Everyone has his own specific vocation in life.
Therein he cannot be replaced, not can his life be repeated.
Thus everyone's task is as unique
as his specific opportunity to implement it.
We detect rather than invent our mission in life."
Viktor Frankl "As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence
is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being."
Carl Jung "The great and glorious masterpiece of man
is to know how to live to purpose."
Michel de Montaigne "An aim in life is the only fortune worth the finding;
and it is not to be found in foreign lands, but in the heart itself."
Robert Louis Stevenson "More men fail through lack of purpose than lack of talent."
Billy Sunday "Without knowing what I am and why I am here, it is impossible to live."
Leo Tolstoy THIS WEEK IN HISTORY: On December 23, 1812, Samuel Smiles was born in Haddington, Scotland. After studying medicine at the University of Edinburgh, he practiced
briefly before turning his attention to working on behalf of social reform
(he was an early advocate of women's suffrage) and delivering public
lectures on how to succeed in the world. Today, he is best known for
"Self-Help," an 1859 book that advocated "the gospel of work" and promoted
the values of perseverance, disciplined effort, and triumph over
adversity. A case could easily be made that Smiles is the father of the
modern "self-help" movement. In "Self-Help," he even offered a seminal
thought on the subject: "The spirit of self-help
is the root of all genuine growth in the individual." Smiles also wrote other books extolling virtues central to Victorian
culture: "Character" (1871), "Thrift" (1875), and "Duty" (1880). I have
scores of his quotations in my personal files, and many of them are as
relevant today as when they were written in the nineteenth century. Here
are ten of my favorites: "Life will always be to a large extent what we ourselves make it." "The reason why so little is done
is generally because so little is attempted." "The apprenticeship of difficulty
is one which the greatest of men have had to serve." "To set a lofty example is the richest bequest
a man can leave behind him." "Riches do not constitute any claim to distinction.
It is only the vulgar who admire riches as riches." "Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it,
casts the shadow of our burden behind us." "'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.'
But all play and no work makes him something worse." "Even happiness itself may become habitual.
There is a habit of looking at the bright side of things,
and also of looking at the dark side." "We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success.
We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do;
and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery." "The battle of life is, in most cases, fought uphill;
and to win it without a struggle were perhaps to win it without honor.
If there were no difficulties there would be no success;
if there were nothing to struggle for,
there would be nothing to be achieved."
PUZZLER ANSWER: Benjamin Disraeli
SUBSCRIBER QUOTE OF THE WEEK: This week's quote comes from Peggy Min, who writes: I've been enjoying your newsletter for years and have given several of
your books as gifts. Being a middle-aged hippie, the Occupy movement is
where my heart is right now. While looking at some demonstration posters
recently, I was delighted to see the following example of chiasmus by
prefix reversal: "Respect Existence
or
Expect Resistance." Peggy Min, who lives in Nashville, Tennessee, writes about herself: "Vocationally I'm a holistic nurse. I see the worldwide people's movement
as a healing process for the planet. I'm quadriplegic due to MS, which
makes me something of an oxymoron since I have such an active inner life,
and thanks to the Internet, the ability to be engaged with the world."
DR. MARDY'S QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "As a great vessel is meant to sail the seas
rather than drift, or lie at anchor,
a human being is meant to move in a purposeful direction,
and never to to be content with simply standing still."
Until next week, Dr. Mardy Grothe Visit Dr. Mardy's web site:
www.drmardy.com Check out my daily Twitter quotations: @drmardy Books by Dr. Mardy Grothe:
"Neverisms: A Quotation Lover's Guide to Things You Should
Never Do, Never Say, or Never Forget" (May, 2011)
"Ifferisms: An Anthology of Aphorisms That Begin with the Word 'If'" (2009)
"I Never Metaphor I Didn't Like" (2008)
"Viva la Repartee" (2005)
"Oxymoronica: Paradoxical Wit & Wisdom" (2004)
"Never Let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You" (1999) --------------------------------------------------
To peruse the mailing list archives:
http://archive.mail-list.com/drmardy -------------------------------------------------- mail-list.com 1302 Waugh Dr. #438 Houston, Texas 77019 USA
