Wisdom is one of those words that we are all either tired of hearing or afraid of finding out more about.
It has been overused and even commoditized.
However, I still believe in it, and one of my favorite things to do in life is to learn from people who are wise.
Wise people to me are not only those who have earned PhDs or who have won Nobel Prizes. Wise people to me are those who have gone through shit in their lives and have been able to understand the problem, suffer through it, and then come out on the other side with some learnings that help them and could be valuable for others.
Under these criteria, many of us could be wise. The main difference is in the last sentence, because we all go through shit in our lives and careers. However, not everybody learns from those tumultuous times, and even fewer people are capable of articulating the learnings and sharing them with others.
Below you have four quotes that I find fascinating and I go back to them over and over when I want to have clarity in my own life.
Jürgen Klopp on near misses
“If you don’t get the results you want, try again, harder.”
How many times have you been so close to getting that thing that you really want, but in the end you did not?
A promotion, a new job, love, money, etc.
We all have many near misses. The difference between those who finally get what they want and those who don’t is, according to what the new German national team coach said on The Diary of a CEO podcast, in how hard you are willing to try again and again after losing the previous times.
Ben Horowitz on overcoming fear
“The difference between a hero and a coward isn’t what they feel. They’re both scared. It’s what they do.”
I love this quote from the businessman and investor because we all feel fear. Fear of rejection or failure accompanies everybody, like our shadows. The difference is how we all deal with it.
If we allow it to paralyze us, it will take full control of our lives and we will not do anything out of fear.
If we still take action despite that panic we can feel, that automatically makes a difference in our lives and puts us closer to the results we want.
Daniel Ek on dealing with other people
“Be kind; everyone is on their own journey.”
The Spotify founder, in his conversation with Tim Ferriss back in 2020, emphasized the importance of assuming that everyone out there is doing their best and fighting their own battles.
This simple approach has changed my days. Understanding that everyone has their own concerns and problems to worry about is a superpower for me.
First, it gets me out of that mind of mine that used to think that people paid too much attention to me, and as a result they noticed that I did something wrong, and as a result they look mad or are not being kind to me.
Second, giving people a chance allows me to see the world in a positive way (non-toxic) while still keeping open the opportunity to get to know others.
James Clear on the power of each action
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.”
The famous writer put this phrase in his bestseller “Atomic Habits” and it hit me hard.
It makes me think about the importance of the small things and how everything that I do helps me (or not) to be the person that I want to be.
If you made it this far, I want to ask you to share the quotes that are important in your life.
Which phrase or line helps you at work or in your personal life?
P.S. If these quotes sounded cheesy to you, it is okay, maybe you are not the kind of person who consumes wisdom in this format.