“You are here not merely to gratify your impulses and consume what others have made but to make and contribute as well, to serve a higher purpose. To serve this higher purpose, you must cultivate what is unique about you. Stop listening so much to the words and opinions of others, telling you who you are and what you should like and dislike. Judge things and people for yourself.”
Robert Greene, The Daily Laws (Page 31)
“Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual’s conscious life, the blacker and denser it is.”
Carl Jung, via The Daily Laws (Page 30)
“The truth is that creative activity is one that involves the entire self—our emotions, our levels of energy, our characters, and our minds. To make a discovery, to invent something that connects with the public, to fashion a work of art that is meaningful, inevitably requires time and effort. This often entails years of experimentation, various setbacks and failures, and the need to maintain a high level of focus. You must have patience and faith that what you are doing will yield something important.”
Robert Greene, The Daily Laws (Page 29)
“No calling is superior to another. What matters is that it be tied to a personal need and inclination, and that your energy moves you toward improvement and continuous learning from experience.”
Robert Greene, The Daily Laws (Page 28)
“Scoff at the need for attention and approval—they will lead you astray. Feel some anger and resentment at the parental forces that want to foist upon you an alien vocation. It is a healthy part of your development to follow a path independent of your parents and to establish your own identity. Let your sense of rebellion fill you with energy and purpose.”
Robert Greene, The Daily Laws (Page 26)
“There are a limitless number of different sciences, but without one basic science, that is, what is the meaning of life and what is good for the people, all other forms of knowledge and art become idle and harmful entertainment.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 30)
“A scholar knows many books; a well-educated person has knowledge and skills; an enlightened person understands the meaning and purpose of his life.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 30)
“If you can teach a person kindness and love, but you do not, you lose a brother.”
Chinese Proverb, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 29)
“Live for your soul, and without trying or even understanding that you’re doing it, you will contribute to the improvement of society.”
Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 29)
“We should be ready to change our views at any time, and slough off prejudices, and live with an open and receptive mind. A sailor who sets the same sails all the time, without making changes when the wind changes, will never reach his harbor.”
Henry George, A Calendar of Wisdom (Page 28)
