QUOTATIONS: Recent Episodes
quotationspod
Quotations is about words, written and spoken throughout history. Words speak to us through our eyes and our ears. They enrich our lives, allow us to communicate thoughts to others, and sometimes, last for generations.
This podcast explores not only the words, but the speaker, author, figure, or character who originated them. To whom were they said or written? What was their intended effect and on whom? What was the originator thinking? Find out each episode and we discover new quotations, some familiar, some not!
Romain Gary was a successful author and man of mystery and intrigue. He even tricked the nation of France into awarding him two of the same award, normally only given to a person once in a lifetime. His autobiography is seen to be somewhat inflated and enhanced, but his observations on the value of humor to our lives is profound.
In the final episode of this 5-part series on David Whyte’s book Consolations. This week, we discuss disappointment, an integral part of any journey of self improvement. We need not reject it or avoid it, but instead embrace it as a catalyst to our transformation. It reveals the potential future us, perhaps beyond what we could have imagined.
In this, the 4th of 5 episodes on David Whyte's book Consolations, we examine confession. Not the religious form, but the broadly applicable form. It is a type of self-aware rejection of the old ways and an adoption of the new, even at the expense of image or prestige.
In this, the 3rd of 5 episodes on David Whyte's Consolations, we explore love and closeness. They are not without risk, but the potential beauty in the act of laying down our arms and dropping our defenses can be incredible.
In the 2nd episode of this 5 part series, we examine anger through author David Whyte's words, both its origins and its impacts to identify that which we hold most dear. It's an important lesson as life is full of opportunities to be angry and therefore opportunities to grow and to learn.
David Whyte is an author and poet and his book Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words is one of my very favorite books. In this series we will explore his words and seek deeper meaning. We begin the new year with, appropriately, a quote on Courage.
Bill Whitaker is a host of the critically acclaimed 60 Minutes broadcast and has covered many challenging stories for years. He has seen the best and worst of humanity through the lens of a camera and at the end of a microphone. His message from a 2021 episode of the show is as accurate and encouraging today as it was then.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman lived around the turn of the 20th century and was a strong advocate for social change. She edited and published a magazine entitle The Forerunner and in it she explored a wide range of topics. She challenged the status quo for parents and children and the world took note. Her quote on a young person's duty to society is the topic of today's episode.
Former first lady Barbara Bush had both influence and wealth, yet one of her most quoted lines is about giving. As we are amid the holiday season, it is useful for us to remember that giving does more than make us feel good...it takes us out of ourselves and makes us aware of others. This is a lesson worth remembering year-round.
Austin von Letkemann is the creator of Mandatory Fun Day, a comedy/satire social media page that pokes fun at the military and all its quirks. He also drops some very profound and challenging thoughts on leadership. Today's quote is one such thought. Austin challenges us to challenge our subordinates but not waste their time, to be stable for them and not inject more friction than already exists in their lives.
Ed Helms portrayed the memorable character Andy Bernard on the hit show, The Office. Andy was quirky and unique and not unlike a coworker many of us would recognize. In the series finale, he delivered a truly memorable quote and punch to the gut to remind us to cherish where we are before it's over.
There isn’t a lot of well-known poetry by Rose Milligan, but Dust if You Must is one you should know. It’s a fantastic reminder that life can be cruel and short and that spending our time on superficial things that matter little might just be the thing we regret the most in the end.
Today’s episode is dedicated to my good friend Kenny Brown, who lost a shipmate and close friend early this year. He read this poem at her funeral and it is a fitting one indeed.
Today's quote is delivered by the late actor Alan Rickman in the movie Eye in the Sky. It is a challenging quote and is fitting for the week after Veterans Day/Armistice Day. Veterans bear a burden for their service but do appreciate the acknowledgement and appreciation we receive.
Steve Jobs was the cofounder of Apple and an icon in the modern technological age. He made more money than most of us could ever hope to make and his influence is felt around the world to this day. Yet, he often took time to write brief notes to his future self highlighting his basic humanity. Today's quote is one such note, sent in 2010, reminding himself of his place in the world.
I released a previous episode about Carl Sagan and his affinity for books. In today's episode of Quotations, I explore his famous quote from his book The Pale Blue Dot. The famous photo of Earth taken by Voyager 1 from 3.7 billion miles away shows us clearly just how small we really are in the grand scheme of things. It's a smallness worth remembering when the world seems to large.
Lupita Nyong'o has starred on the stage and on the silver screen. She won an Oscar for her role in 12 Years a Slave and during her very brief acceptance speech took a few moments to remind herself and the world that dreams are valid, regardless of from where you come.
Winston Churchill led his nation through one of the most trying times in human history by the strength of his will and his incredible speaking abilities. Naturally, I had to include a quote of his in my introduction music for this podcast. Today's quote comes from one of three incredible speeches he gave in the first two months of his time as Prime Minister of England in 1940. His words stir the soul and stiffen the spine.
In this, the first of four episodes in which we will explore the quotes snippets that are a part of the show's introductory music, we revisit Rudyard Kipling's famous poem "If." It is, arguably, one of the most recognizable and memorable poems of all time. I originally examined the poem in 2022 with my good friend Sean Powell in Episode 111. I enjoy this poem very much and it teaches me something every time I read it.
Aimee Lehto Schewe is a designer and marketer. Her words, the subject of today's episode, are often incorrectly attributed to the great boxer, Muhammad Ali. This means she is definitely good at her job! There were, in fact, part of an early 2000s ad campaign Aimee helped to create for the brand Adidas. Behind the words are great power and motivation.
Eddie Vedder...accomplished lead singer of Pearl Jam and solo artist and songwriter has a voice we all recognize. What makes today's quote so compelling is not only his voice but the words and meaning behind them. Society certainly is a crazy breed...and today we consider, pause, and ruminate on sufficiency, contentedness, and peace from his song, Society.
William Butler Yeats was a famous Irish poet of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He wrote a lot about loss and death in war, but today's poem is a bit different. It's about loss in a different form, a loss of love. Sad, but accepting. Sorrowful, but kind. It is the type of poem with which we can all relate. Join me as we explore When You are Old.
Meekness is not a word we use regularly in society. For many it connotes weakness or passivity. This is not necessarily what it truly means in practice. Humility and meekness go hand in hand and employing humility in equal measure to our certainties is a surefire way to make the world a better place. Today's quote is about exactly that.
Pearl Cleage is an author, poet, and playwright with a resume full of challenging works on difficult topics. Her accomplishments and publications are many and she is no stranger to late nights and long hours of hard work. That said, she also understands the importance of downtime and caring for ourselves amidst the hustle and bustle. Today's quote highlights that need and shows us the difference between solitude and loneliness.
Alfred North Whitehead was an accomplished mathematician and philosophy of the early 20th century. He taught the great Bertrand Russell and published long-lived titles in both academic disciplines. His writings, while challenging, are deep and insightful. His description of progress and how both change AND order collaborate within it is the subject of today's memorable quote.
Epicurus was a Greek philosopher who believed that philosophy should enhance the lives of its constituents, reducing their pain and suffering and fear to near zero. He provides us with a solid litmus test for those claiming to be philosophers or espousing philosophical certainty. His words we should apply broadly and relentlessly in our lives.
Helen Keller was a remarkable woman. Struck deaf and blind by childhood illness, she spent her entire life striving and achieving. She did more in her life than many people without the same disabilities could ever hope to achieve. She was the first deaf-blind woman to graduate with a bachelor's degree from Harvard, cofounded the ACLU, and met with and influenced Presidents for decades. Her message was simple...be educated, be tolerant.
It's easy to think that everyone else has it better than we do. It's tempting to hold others in higher esteem than we hold ourselves. We always find that, despite these thoughts, that the grass is not always greener on the other side. But where is it greenest? Where we water it.
Marc Chagall was an artist who understood the magic of his work. He understood that artists fulfill an important role for us. They maintain our sense of wonder. They push back against our (and their) tendency to want to sleep (or simply drift through life). His words are a challenge to us to maintain that wonder.
Stephanie Hunt is an author and writer whose works have touched numerous publications. In addition to her writings, she teaches others to write, contributes to a non-profit radio station in South Carolina, and finds time in between all of that to read. Reading is so important and so powerful and Stephanie's words in today's quote highlight just how vital it is.
You can find Stephanie and her works at https://stephaniehuntwrites.com/ or on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/stephhuntwrites/?hl=en
William Faulkner was a Pulitzer Prize winning author and recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1949. At that time, the fear of nuclear annihilation was significant and everpresent and would be for decades to come. Faulkner used his few short moments at the podium to graciously (perhaps begrudgingly) accept his award and then turned his attention to the young authors and writers in the crowd and abroad. He chose to encourage them and forego applause, self-aggrandizement, and monetary gain, all to make them better. He challenged them then as his words challenge us now.
This week, we revisit one of my favorite episodes about Rapoport's Rules for critical commentary. I still struggle with this to this very day. I hope this challenges you as much as it does me.
Michael J. Fox has been an actor for decades. He starred in Back to the Future, Spin City, & Family Ties. He also happens to be an actor with Parkinson's. Despite that diagnosis, he maintains palpable optimism. How? Today he tells us the magic ingredient to sustained optimism...it's gratitude.
Oliver Warbucks is the fictional multi-millionaire in the classic musical Annie. Though he is not a real person, he offers us valuable advice as we scramble for evermore success, wealth, and notoriety. As you might expect, he reminds us that those things are not everything. Of course, this is easy for him to say...but it doesn't mean there's not truth behind his words.
Edmund Vance Cooke's poem is full of hardship, difficulty, and challenge. It's also full of hope and should embolden us to stand still, with stiffened spines, as life's challenges confront us. Let us have a good answer to the question "How did you die...?"
Chuck Palahniuk is the author of Fight Club, Choke, Invisible Monsters, and many other novels, often with troubled main characters and difficult circumstances. Today's quote comes from one such character, Brandy, in Invisible Monsters. We are the amalgamation of the people with whom we most often and closely associate. Importantly, we can (and should) curate that group carefully.
Augustine of Hippo is a saint in multiple churches and penned a fascinating autobiography entitled Confessions. In it, he describes his shortcomings as if to a priest and we, the readers, are able to get a unique glimpse into why he did what he did in life. In today's quote, Augustine cautions us to beware the smooth talker AND the imperfect one as neither is guaranteed to be telling us the truth.
There is trouble all around us. Society is frustrating and counterproductive and sometimes seems downright impossible to change. Today's quote by author and public speaker Barbara de Angelis acknowledges that we cannot singlehandedly fix all the injustices we see...but...we can initiate change and it's far easier than it seems.
Montaigne was a 16th century French philosopher and essayist who wrote short, single-page essay and far longer ones. Today's quote comes from one such essay and sets the tone, right from the start, that WE control how we respond to the inevitable hardships and torments of life. We can, with effort, choose not to be victims of circumstance and allow them to perpetually harm us, but instead repurpose them for good, both for ourselves and for others.
Steven Pressfield has written many amazing books. His story of the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae, Gates of Fire, is among the finest. In this week's episode, we explore Dienekes and his officership in the face of certain death at the hands of more 2 million Persian fighters. He stood strong, steadied his men, and we can all learn something from that.
Augustine Mandino was a highly successful salesman, author, and public speaker. He wrote and spoke extensively on success and, in today's quote, shows us how important it is to treat people well. If we do, then our lives will never be the same again.
Here's a great 10min speech of his that I reference in the episode:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV0Vmth4kT0&t=924s
Maya Angelou is one of the most well-known poets from the United States. She wrote and published for decades and had such an impact that her legacy will live on for centuries to come. Today, we explore her words about exploring ourselves. She encourages us to express ourselves through our creations and thus, to show the world both who we are and to show ourselves the same.
Ryan Holiday, author of The Obstacle is the Way, and other books is a modern stoic and has thought a lot about how we can and should deal with hardship and difficulty, the universal certainty of human existence. His perspective on objectivity, taken directly from his book, is a great starting point.
Coolio was a rapper whom many of us remember from our youth. His song Gangster's Paradise is as well known as any song out there. In the song, which is catchy and memorable, he talks about death and how near to all of us it is at any moment.
We've talked about death a lot recently and this is another reminder to live and enjoy living every moment that you can because you never can know when your time is up.
Evelyn Waugh was a writer in the early to mid-20th century. In a book review, of all places, he penned today's quote which highlights for us, once again, the potential creation of beauty from the ugly. We are equally capable of being both.
Chief Tecumseh was a Shawnee Chief and a warrior who spent the majority of his life fighting. As such, he was familiar with and accepted death as a constant companion. His words on death, both preparation and respect for it are as accurate today as they were more than 100 years ago.
Today's episode features a quote by Sam Harris from his podcast Making Sense. In it, Sam talks about the finiteness of life. We do everything for the last time at some point. We often don't even realize we're doing a thing for the very last time. This means that we have the opportunity to savor each moment, even the unpleasant ones, as we may never repeat them again. This is a perspective changer, to be certain.
This is our explication of the second half of W.H. Auden's September 1, 1939. Though the poem depicts a very dark day, it ends in hope and...a lesson to all of us.
W. H. Auden was a British-American poet who wrote an iconic poem about the day WWII officially began. In September 1, 1939, he gives us a glimpse into the thoughts and feelings of a speaker living through what was the beginning of a multi-million casualty war. The poem describes how we got here and, importantly, how we might emerge. This is the first of a two-part series.
Thomas Macaulay was a historian, author, and British Secretary of War. He wrote a massive tome on the history of England from 1685-1702, covering 5 volumes. He also wrote a collection of essays on various topics, compiled into a book entitled Critical and Historical Essays. It is from this work that we draw today's quote.
If you've ever felt like the world is coming to an end or that your or our way of life is threatened, Macaulay has salve for that concern. The trajectory of the world is, in fact, upward, not downward.
Joseph Rost was a professor of leadership and published a fantastic book on the topic Leadership for the 21st Century.From that book, I examine today's quote about leader-follower influence relationships. They can be difficult to establish and maintain, but well worth the effort when systemic change is needed.
Rabbi Lawrence Kushner has practiced his faith and led for decades. He's a regular contributor on NPR and in this week's episode, we explore a pearl of his wisdom from his 1977 book Honey from the Rock. He compares each of us to incomplete puzzles, wholly dependent on others to complete our puzzle and us theirs.
Pink Floyd is one of the most recognizable and unique-sounding bands of all time. Their music is as memorable as it is haunting. In today's episode, we explore the lyrics to Time, a hit from their Dark Side of the Moon album of 1973. Time is precious.
Renana Brooks is a practicing Psychologist and, in 2003, penned an article in The Nation entitled The Character Myth. In it, she describes how a fallacious outward appearance of morality and character does not necessarily indicate character beneath. This episode serves as a caution to us to be wary of those who claim to have "strong character" without the sustained, outward manifestations of that character.
Barbara Drescher is a cognitive psychologist and writer for Skeptic.com. She is highly accomplished and published in her field and today's quote is all about rational behavior. Sometimes we do stupid things, things we know better than to do, and yet we do them anyway. Why? And more importantly HOW do we avoid doing them? Drescher has a solution...escrow.
Brian Greene is the Director of Columbia University's Center for Theoretical Physics and the Chairman of the World Science Festival. In 2011, he published an article titled On Being a Physicist. In it, Greene lays out how he came to love the sciences and desire to "push the rock" himself. His words are motivating and give us meaning and purpose in our sometimes seemingly pointless and unending endeavors.
Nandini Sethi is a poet and lead fundraiser at Justice Without Borders. She works tirelessly to raise money to help exploited and trafficked persons get what is rightfully theirs. Not only is poetry excellent, but her work is noble. I can't think of a better challenge to start the new year than the one she lays out in this poem.
Happy New Year and welcome to 2023!
What's a better way to start the new year than another challenge from a great thinker of the last century?
Bertrand Russell was a logician and philosopher who was known for his eloquent dissent and even suffered some jail time for his beliefs. But still, he kept on. He warns us this episode that hate can ruin us and the world....
Frances "Fanny" Wright was a prolific feminist and abolitionist long before it was popular to be either. She spoke on equality and liberty in the 19th century and did so with compelling words. Her quote today is presented in challenge to "blind faith," though she did use that exact phrase. She implores us to question what we believe and why we believe it.
This is not only wise, but a worthwhile way to end this year and begin a new one!
Tom Stoppard is a highly acclaimed and accomplished playwriter and screenwriter. He has even been knighted. His expert ability to craft words on difficult topics into his plays is what makes him stand out to me. The dramatic effect of his lines on the viewer is profound. Today's quote is about sacred words and their power. It strikes right at the heart of what this podcast is all about.
Relationships can be wonderful while also being challenging. We get the best and the worst of a partner the more time we spend with them. Today's quote teaches us how to have the best relationship, marriage or otherwise, that we can with one simple action.
Rush is a classic rock band from Canada with dozens of hits and a multi-decade career on the stage. They knew first-hand the challenges of fame and notoriety. While, on the outside, it might appear to be an easy life, it's not. Their song Limelight lays that out and it is the topic of today's episode.
Vivian Clayton is an accomplished professor and author in the field of geriatric neuropsychology. She's studied what makes and keeps people smart and wise through their lives and into their old age. Her words bring something we think we know into full clarity today. Join me as we explore both intellect and wisdom.
A centuries-old proverb from France is the subject of today's episode. Who originated it, we may never know. What we can know is that it holds a valuable lesson in humility for all of us.
In this, the second in a series on Charlie Chaplin's film The Great Dictator, I look at the second half of the closing speech, in which Chaplin's acting skills really shine. His delivery is phenomenal, his words moving, and his message long-living. His call for peace and justice and freedom is as valid and important today as it ever was.
Charlie Chaplin wrote, produced and acted in dozens of films during a career that spanned more than seven decades. In one of his most enduring and iconic films, The Great Dictator, Chaplin boldly denounces facism and dictatorial behavior in ways only he could. His speech is so grand that we'll cover it in two episodes, the first of which focuses on the part of the speech related to the goodness in humanity.
Steven Novella is a neurologist and professor at Yale. He is also a skeptic, steeped in science and doggedly in search of what's right over what's comfortable. In this episode's quote, he cautions us to beware our emotions, lest they lead us to incorrect, simple conclusions that we then retroactively reinforce with our logic.
It is an important lesson for all of us.
Daniel Burnham is one of the most accomplished American Architects of all time. In addition to numerous buildings of note still standing today, he was also the driving force behind the 1892 Chicago World's Fair. He made grand plans and set out to accomplish them, piece by painful piece. His thoughts on how and why we make plans are the topic of today's episode.
John Adams was the 2nd President of the United States. He also served multiple very long periods overseas doing the duties of his fledgling nation. While he was away, he wrote to his wife often. In a letter from 1780, while on assignment in France, Adams told his wife of all of the wonders of the city and then told her of the things he must do so that his children may live a better life than he. It's solid advice for all of us today.
Alex Honnold does what few others can or would even dare. He climbs some of the world's most challenging rocks, hundreds and thousands of feet in the air, without safety equipment. No ropes, no helmet, no crash pads. To do this, Alex must perform at the highest levels of focus, skill, and determination. We can learn a lot from him.
Ralph Waldo Emerson's work Letters and Social Aims contains many words of wisdom. They've survived the test of time, though not always in their original form. Today we look at the true, original words of Emerson himself. He reminds us that who we are is far more important than what we say.
Winifred Holtby was an early 20th century feminist poet who wrote and edited numerous newspaper and famously, the feminist magazine Time & Tide. Her poem, Boats in the Bay puts forth, in very easily understood prose, a challenge we all face.
Ansel Adams captured a sense of awe in all of his photographs that lives on to today. His images captured both the sights and feelings of the moment and he took took them to compel others to protect the lands he held so dear. We have him to thank, in part, for the more than 5 dozen natural parks and scores of monuments and other protected spaces in the United States today.
Today I speak with author and philosopher, Jason Merchey, whose book Living a Life of Value is one of the very best modern-day collections of quotations. This makes it and our interview instant favorites for me.
When you're done listening, be sure to check out his website and quote database of more than 35,000 searchable quotes at www.valuesofthewise.com.
If you'd like a copy of Living a Life of Value, reach out to Jason via the contact form at https://valuesofthewise.com/contact/.
Admiral William McRaven (USN-Ret.) gave a wildly popular commencement address at the University of Texas in 2014. In it, he laid out 10 edicts to the class so they (and we) can change the world. While many of you are familiar with the "make your bed" edict, you may not know today's by heart. McRaven advises the class of 2014 and all of us that we simply can't change the world alone...
Elon Musk is an entrepreneur and tackler of hard problems. He aims to make electric vehicles affordable and ubiquitous, take human beings to Mars, and enable rapid subterranean transportation, among other things. To solve these hard problems, he actively seeks and internalizes feedback. So should we.
Carl Rogers, father of Humanistic Psychology understood deeply that humans are good and unique. He developed a complex theory on the subject that persists to today and influences therapists around the world. His quote today compares people to sunsets and we'd be well-advised to remember it.
Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astronomer, astrophysicist, author, and science educator. He is truly one of the greats with a CV longer than some books. He has written and spoken a lot and has documented opinions and statements about many things, most profound and easy to digest. But he resists answering one question in the way many wish he would. In today's quote, he cautions us to be careful in what we think we know of a person based on association.
William George Jordan was a writer, editor, and speaker. He recognized the importance of measured approaches to things, to remaining calm in the face of inflammatory things. He published a book, available online in PDF for free, called The Majesty of Calmness. In that book, he describes calmness as the ultimate goal and compares it to a Heron's calmness in the face of an attacking Eagle. Be the Heron, not the Eagle.
Clint Smith is a writer, author, father, and poet. He is a staff writer at the Atlantic and a few years, he tweeted something that has stuck with me since then. With his 240 characters, Clint described an interaction with a teacher that changed his perspective. His tweet changed mine and hopefully this episode about that tweet about that interaction changes yours.
Richard Dawkins is an accomplished scientist and author whose incredible book Unweaving the Rainbow provides a scientist's view of the world of art. He writes of the improbability of our very existence and it is those words that are the source of today's episode.
Jessica Mills, or Dixie, as she's known on trail, has extensive backpacking experience, having completed more than 10,00 trail miles and the Triple Crown of backing, the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail. She shares her experiences and lessons on her YouTube channel, Homemade Wanderlust. She serves as an inspiration and source of knowledge on all things long trail there and her quote today is particularly profound, both on and off the trail.
Sean Powell is a dear friend of mine and today he joins me on the podcast to discuss and dissect "If" by Rudyard Kipling. The conversation meanders from poetry to leadership to discipline to education. Enjoy!
Donald Rumsfeld served in the United States Navy, as a member of Congress and was twice the Secretary of Defense. While not without his faults, in today's quote he gives us much to consider about we approach what we know and don't know. Internalizing this lesson will shape the way we think about the world, the people in it, and how certain we really can be.
David Marquet is a retired Navy Submariner as well as a student and teacher of leadership, in addition to be a twice-published author. I had the privilege to interview David and dig into his thoughts on empowerment vs. emancipation, leading vs. managing, and how we might implement leadership best practices, as seen through the eyes of an accomplished naval commander on one of the most technologically sophisticated platforms in the United States Navy.
Mitch Hedberg was one of the most unique comics. His subjects, delivery, and demeanor are unreplicated. In his humor were often hidden small lessons on life. This week's quote is no exception. While we all lost Mitch too soon, his legacy lives on in humor and in the hidden value of his words.
While the provenance of today's quote eluded me, the words resonate with me. The mysterious originator of the quote clearly spoke to something inside of me, the tenacious part that refuses to just give up and must "take the road less-traveled."
Whomever said it knocked down many of the common, easy paths which lead to nowhere and replaced them with a challenge...to get better.
David Foster Wallace was an author and professor of English and Philosophy. Sadly, he died in 2008, but not before delivering one of the finest, most raw and real commencement addresses of any age. In it, Wallace conveyed real life in a brutal but truthful way to the graduates of Kenyon College. We are fortunate to have a recording of this speech and more fortunate still that his words are as true in 2022 as they were in 2008, and I suspect they will be for countless years to come.
Iain Thomas is a world-renowned author and poet. His I Wrote This For You blog contains countless gems of thoughtful, insightful prose and poetry. Today's quote originates there, in the aftermath of a traumatic life experience that led Iain, then a very successful career professional to put his talents to use to improve the lives of others. To give them hope and happiness and joy. To encourage others to see the world as a beautiful place.
Michelle Obama is a lawyer, a mother, a wife, a former First Lady, and has done a lot in her life for the benefit of others. In her book Becoming, she outlines for us both the importance of and the method for opening doors to others. If we take her advice to heart, we will likely see our world differently, the people in it differently, and make the world one tiny little bit better for our efforts.
Derren Brown is a mentalist, illusionist and author. In his show Miracle, he shows us some wonderful and captivating illusions and explain a bit about the human mind. He also begins with a challenge to live life all the time, not just in the milestones or at the end. We're supposed to be dancing...
Wilfred Owen died at age 25 while fighting on the front lines in France during the last days of WWI. He died for his country, but not before penning this haunting poem. In it, he describes the horrors of death by gas attack, all too common in WWI. He cautions us to not glamorize or view through rose-colored glasses, what is, and always will be, the nightmare that is war.
John Stuart Mill was a utilitarian thinker who spent a lot of time considering what was "right" and how we can be reasonably certain of our rightness before we act. In his book, On Liberty he attempts not to define "rightness" but rather to provide us with a litmus test for the rightness (or wrongness) of our opinions. That test is the topic of today's episode.
In this, the 100th episode of Quotations, we'll explore the words of the great Dr. Albert Schweitzer. Missionary, medical doctor, and Nobel Laureate. He paved a way for many to follow in humanitarianism, kindness, and altruism. He also understood that gratitude is a necessary response to the assistance we receive during the challenges we face. Today, I thank you, listener, for standing by me through 100 episodes.
THANK YOU
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, or "RBG" as she was often called, was just the 2nd woman ever sit on the highest court in the United States. As you would expect, she had a lot to say in her years on the bench and today we'll look at just a few of those words and see that underlying the professionalism and capability of this frontrunner was a heart built of compassion, empathy, and community.
This is the 2nd episode about the S.W.E.A.T. Pledge and in it we discuss statements 7-12 of the pledge required of all MikeRoweWORKS scholarship applicants. What's important is not just the contents, but that we recognize and acknowledge that we need not be pursuing a trade or a scholarship at all. These statements, together with the first 6 comprise a list from which we can all learn something. Perhaps then...it is a pledge we should all take.
Mike Rowe is a household name. You've likely seen him on Dirty Jobs or Deadliest Catch or heard him on The Way I Heard It. He also runs a scholarship foundation called MikeRoweWORKS. Applicants for his scholarships must read, internalize, and sign a S.W.E.A.T. Pledge, which stands for "Skill & Work Ethic Aren't Taboo." In this two-part series, we'll explore the pledge, looking at each statement for its value to us. This is the first part covering 6 of the 12 statements.
Ulysses S. Grant, General, President, and protector of the Union, was as imperfect as the rest of us. He fought well at Vicksburg, Chattanooga, Petersburg and others, but was nearly undone by his imperfections as President. When Grant interacted with Sheridan at Charlestown in 1864, he showed his finest leadership. He knew the plan, kept it in his pocket, and got out of the way...
John Harbaugh has led the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League for more than a decade. He's seen ups and downs, winning seasons and losing seasons. He's made hard decisions...some good, some bad. In this episode, we get a glimpse at how he handled a tough situation WITH his players near the end of the 2021-2022 NFL season.
In part two of our analysis of the many great words held within Martin Luther King's Jr.'s jailcell response to his critics, King moves from uniting the cause to igniting the cause. He has plead his case for unity and for his methods, and now he reminds us all, then and now, that justice and equality will not be freely given, but must be demanded.
Martin Luther King Jr. is the most well known civil rights activist in American history. His speeches and writings have long outlived him and hold truths and lessons in many forms. So many, in fact, that I couldn't narrow it down to just one today. We'll examine multiple quotes from his days spent in jail for resisting the powers of the day, unjust as they were.
One of America's most famous poets, Walt Whitman, published the first version of Song of Myself in 1855. Both he and the poem evolved over the years, and today we take a look at brief section, perhaps the most famous and well known, of this fantastic poem. We dissect it for meaning, for learning, and for fun. I hope you enjoy this classic as much as I did.
Rayne Constantine is a scientist, author, and runs the excellent Facebook page Insufferably Intolerant Science Nerd. This week's quote is a great one...a truth that once put before us, brings many interactions into stark relief. Respect has many meanings. Rayne's challenge to us is to ensure ours match the situation and the recipient.
Norman Maclean penned A River Runs Through It, which was and is wildly popular and has inspired generations to get outside. Today's quote comes from his lesser known, but equally impressive book, Young Men & Fire.Maclean traces the tragedy of the Mann Gulch Fire of 1949 up and down the terrain repeatedly, for years, until he arrives at the truth. In the process, he discovers many things, not least of which being the value of the lives of those who perished there.
Joe Rogan is a comedian, UFC commentator, and podcast host. He's also been the source of a lot of controversy recently, though that's not what we are here to discuss today. In this episode we examine his words from an old episode of his podcast that echo to today. We are not our thoughts and we need not defend them if they are bad or wrong.
We can and should be willing to learn from anyone. This quote is a timely example of that.
Billings Learned Hand was one of the most accomplished and eloquent speakers in US court history, serving for more than 50 years as both a District and Circuit Court judge. He spoke and wrote in a way that compels us, the listener and reader to internalize, think on, and act upon his words.
Today's quote was spoken by Hand, originally, during an address to the students of Yale Law in 1931. It's as true today as ever.
Kobe Bryant had an illustrious 20-year career...5x NBA champion, 2x MVP, 2x Olympic Gold Medalist, and many more. His passion for the game took him through many trials and significant pain. His perspective on pain can teach us about our own, inevitable pains in life.
Tim Urban, the pen and the paintbrush behind the popular site, Wait But Why takes challenging and interesting topics, decomposes them, deciphers the parts, and dedicates thousands of words and illustrations to educating us. Today's quote is about leadership, specifically change-oriented leadership...no easy task. Don't preach to the choir.
Viktor Frankl grew up in Austria-Hungary, spent 3 years in 4 concentration camps under Nazi annexation, and survived it all to write one of the most published books on Psychology in existence, Man's Search for Meaning. He saw, first hand, the value of meaning and purpose in life's mundane and difficult drudgeries. He built an approach to psychology that has helped countless millions understand the way and the reason why they think the way they do. He also gives us today's quote about the transience of life's moments and how best to approach them.
James Madison, founding father and 4th President of the United States also authored numerous essays along with John Jay and Alexander Hamilton for the Federalist Papers in a successful information campaign to convince New York (and other states) to ratify the Constitution. As a result, we have the federal government we know today. He was able to speak as the voice of reason for long-term goals at the expense of short-term enjoyment. This is an important lesson for all of us.
David Deutsch is the father of Quantum Computing and knows a LOT about hard problems. Hard problems surround us and permeate our daily lives. Some have remained unsolved for hundreds or more years. Yet, according to Deutsch, we can and might very well solve this with just the right mix of things. His words form the most pure optimism.
Scott Belsky is an author, entrepreneur, and an executive at Adobe. He has seen numerous ideas and companies come and go in his career. In his book Making Ideas Happen, he outlines numerous best practices and practical approaches to bringing the ethereal into the physical, taking our ideas and making them something useful, desirable, and marketable. A key component of that is feedback, without it, we risk wasting time, energy, and resources.
In order to maximize its value, we must first seek it out. I use a "council of wise sages" approach. I recommend you do as well!
Dave Grossman, author, Army officer, and founder of the Killology Research Group wrote the modern seminal work on the emotional, mental, and spiritual effects of killing in his book On Killing. The book explains the natural aversion we all have to killing, rightfully so, and the precautions and preparations one must make to overcome them should their profession demand it, as in the military or law enforcement.
He references a well, figurative in nature, but very real in affect, that the leader can draw upon when stress inevitably befalls us. It is this quote which is the center of this week's episode.
In the 2006 movie Facing the Giants, actor Alex Kendrick portrayed football coach Grant Taylor, tasked with uniting a team of underperforming youth football players and helping them rise to their potential. You’ve probably seen the scene from which this quote originates as it regularly makes the rounds on social media as a motivational/inspirational video. It is certainly that and, as usual, much more.
Fort Minor, a side project of Linkin Park superstar lyricist Mike Shinoda, released their album The Rising Tied in 2005 to much acclaim. The chorus to their song Remember the Name has stuck with me since. It lays out, in rhyming, catchy lyrics, a recipe that we can use for more than just having our name remembered.
Gander, Newfoundland was the site of one of the greatest collective acts of kindness of which I know. On September 11, 2001, nearly 7,000 passengers and crew members landed in that small town of only 10,000 residents as American airspace shut down following the terrorist attacks of that day. What followed was nearly a week of around the clock creative acts of kindness to house, feed, care for, and console them all. The citizens of Gander are the subject of Jim's book The Day the World Came to Town and also the topic of today's fantastic quote derived from it.
In 1980, Marilyn Ferguson published her most famous work, The Aquarian Conspiracy. It drew from many and varied walks of life all the best of humanity and pointed toward an age of collectivism and unity. It broke with the Cold War paradigms of doom and gloom around every corner and her words echo to our ears today.
This quote has challenging origins but most likely belongs to businessman Abram Collier. Though his life revolved around business, he clearly saw fit to tip his cap to the challenges of the outdoors. Having achieved the highest levels of success as the CEO of a life insurance company, Collier clearly saw something in the challenges of the great outdoors. He recognized the true test of a whole person lies in the extremes the world has to offer. This is certainly correct and something we all ought to pursue to one degree or another.
Today, I bring you an interview with Dr. Joseph Meyer of the University at Albany. We discuss literature, Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Bartleby the Scrivener, and the pursuit of knowledge at our peril. Joe brings a though-provoking quote to the episode and we have a couple good laughs along the way. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
You can find more of Joe's work on his amazing podcast, The Neutral Ground Podcast at theneutralgroundpodcast.com.
The death of a child is brutally hard on us all. Poet John Crowe Ransom writes of just such a hardship in beautiful rhyming lines in Bells for John Whiteside's Daughter. He captures, brilliantly, the youthful excitement, wonder, and imagination of a young girl and her death before her time. He uses beautiful, captivating imagery to which we can all relate. This week, we explore his poem in this, our 4th explication.
Karl Marlantes spent a year in combat in Vietnam as a Marine Lieutenant. During that time he collected memories and medals, sorrows and stories. He poured those experiences into his award-winning book Matterhorn,a fictionalized memoir of his time there. Today's quote can be read two ways, positively or critically. Though it may have been written critically, we can interpret and apply it positively.
Judah Ibn Tibbon was a Spanish physician and Hebrew-Arabic translator in the 12th century. In the midst of practicing medicine and translating numerous writings, he took the time to pen, for his son, as ethical will which he passed down to him and survives to this day. All the lines therein are impressive and important, but one stands out in its aesthetics and value.
Richard Branson is the founder of the Virgin business conglomerate. Under this moniker are companies like Virgin Records, Virgin Mobile, Virgin Atlantic, and, of course, Virgin Galactic. Branson recently visited the edge of space (by some definitions) and become the first billionaire business owner of a space company to do so. In his brief time there, he took a moment to reflect on his life and to encourage the dreamers of tomorrow. His words, recorded many miles above the Earth's surface, should echo in all of our ears.
Steven Pinker is an author, philosopher, and a damn good one at that. His book Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress argues that life is, on the whole, better for nearly every person everywhere in the world, today, than it was in years past.
His words, which I discuss in this episode, are a summary of the most important points of this book and serve as a caution against catastrophism, tribalism, and fatalism that pervade our thoughts so easily.
If you had to relive the day of your death over and over again, what would you change? How would you change?
Those are the questions asked and answered by author Lauren Oliver in her book Before I Fall. Lauren, through the eyes of teenage girl, challenges perspectives of others, the way we interact with them, treat them, and the effects. Today's quote speaks to all ages and demands that we think more critically before assuming we know all we need to know about our fellow humans.
Part 2 of 3. This week, we explore Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, and Moderation.
Benjamin Franklin led an interesting life. Born in British America and dying in the United States was one among many of his fascinating hallmarks. He also signed the Declaration of Independence, Treaty of Paris, and the Constitution...the only man to do so.
Seeking ever to improve himself (hmm, doesn't that sound familiar) Franklin set, at age 20, a goal for himself to live a life of moral perfection. He did so through a list of 13 virtues, practiced weekly for 4 rotations a year, for the remainder of his life...nearly 60 years.
Over the three episodes, we will examine those 13 virtues for their individual and collective value. In this episode, we cover Temperance, Silence, Order, and Resolution.
LtCol B.P. McCoy, callsign Darkside-6, led the Marines of 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment into Baghdad and Fallujah. There, they experienced some of the greatest challenges ever shouldered by anyone. He brought most of them home because of his passion for his command, his love for his Marines, and the fierce discipline he demanded of himself and his subordinates. In his excellent book, The Passion of Command: The Moral Imperative of Leadership he explains his thought process in the workup to deploy and discusses how he built discipline in the small things to ensure success in the large things.
Emily Maroutian, author, poet, and philosopher, was the subject of Episode 50. She graciously agreed to join me for an interview centered around not 1, but 3 quotes of hers that have resonated with me over the years. We have a fantastic discussion touching on many topics, including habits, arguments, growth, and more. Emily’s work can be found here.
Phil Zhangi is the owner and cofounder of Debonaire Ultra Premium Cigars. He is passionate about his cigars and his craft and equally, if not more passionate about life. He is part tobacconist and part philosopher. Optimism and solidarity hold coequal places with humidification and tobacco expertise. His quote, in today’s episode, shows that he refuses to be held down by resentment, fear, or anger as he lives his life. This is a lesson by which we can we can all live.
Dr. James Hillman popularized Archetypal Psychology and wrote about the human soul as an amalgam of images and primordial archetypes common, in varying proportions, to all humanity. Each mix yielded a slightly different and beautifully unique human, such as yourself. In today's episode, Hillman's words urge to seek out and respect the uniqueness of each person (ourselves included) as we attempt to understand and interpret the world around us.
Lucille Clifton brought power and poise with her pen. She wrote words that moved us and shook us. Today's poem is no exception. Crafted in an interesting fashion with a compelling message, Clifton challenges us to remember that children are ALWAYS watching. What are they being shown?
L. R. Knost is a mother, author, and founder of the Little Hearts/Gentle Parenting webpage chock full of advice for parents, new and old.
In this episode, she points out the importance of recognizing patterns, especially negative ones, and weaving them anew. It's sage advice, whether you're a parent or not. We can use her words to guide us into better relationships with children, peers, coworkers, family members, and friends alike!
Judge Jackson tried one of the most famous cases in modern US history, that of US v. Microsoft. Not wanting this anti-trust case to drag on indefinitely as so many had in the past, Judge Jackson sought to keep the courtroom moving and regularly reminded the participants of that goal, in clever ways. This quote was meant to be one of those reminders. We can use it to keep ourselves moving, as well!
General Al Gray, USMC-Retired founded the Marine Corps University and started the Commandant's Professional Reading List for all ranks in the Corps. He was an avid consumer of books, often carting a huge trunk full of books with him on his many assignments. He summarizes a thought I've long held in today's quote. So, what are you reading?
Jerry Garcia was the lead singer of one of the most well known bands of all time, The Grateful Dead. Their song, Ripple, is a haunting melody about life and the challenges therein. In this week's episode, I examine some of the lyrics of this fantastic song for deeper meaning.
American adventurer and multiple world record holder Colin O'Brady has literally seen the highest highs and lowest lows. He's conquered many of the world's greatest challenges including multiple ascents of Everest, crossing Antarctica on skis, and summiting all 50 states' high points in the United States. Despite all of that, he still has his fears. His biggest? Being bounded.
James "Hondo" Geurts is a big man. Big in position, big in responsibility, and big on leadership. In today's quote, he offers his services to "hit people" in order to make space. Space which he then expects his subordinates to run through. As the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition, he has a lot of people under his charge that need this kind of support. The kind of support only a true leader can and will provide.
Buckminster Fuller: fun name, serious thinker. As a contributing panelist for a New York Magazine article in 1970, Buckminster expressed today’s quote. Is he right? Is work bad? Is thinking good? Let’s discuss in this episode. As always, there’s something to learn from these words!
Carl Sagan did a LOT as a physicist, astronomer, and science communicator. He inspired and continues to inspire many to pursue science learning. He and others help to wrestle science and engineering from the heady clouds of academia and present it, in a receivable and digestible format, to humanity.
Today, Carl talks to us from beyond the grave about books, something he refers to as "magic."
Eric Greitens is an author, former Governor, and former US Navy SEAL. He knows more than most the importance of being able to take a hit and keep on going. In his book, Resilience, he advises, through a series of letters, an old SEAL buddy who is taking the hits life throws at all of us.
In this quote, Eric speaks about the "symphony" of life and the importance of managing the various things that come our way so as to create beautiful music and not just one long, boring honk.
Sherlock Holmes, detective for the ages, along with his trusty compatriot, Dr. John Watson, have provided generations of mystery buffs with their fix of seemingly otherworldly abductive reasoning. So beloved is he that Holmes holds a place in the Guinness Book of World Records!
In today's quote, a dialogue really, Holmes and Watson enlighten us to the difference between "seeing" and "observing," an important distinction and a lesson worth internalizing for all of us!
Author, poet, and philosopher Emily Maroutian ponders, synthesizes, and presents amazingly thought-provoking observations of the world, including today's quote. Her words on focus echo in my mind as I go about my day, taking in all around me, and help me (as I hope they'll help you too) to be discriminating in our attentions, judicious with our time, and stingy with our focus. With this tool, we see the world and craft our future selves.
In our second explication, we explore the words of noted Black poet, Robert Hayden as he draws us into a cold home somewhere at some time. The speaker could be any of us, the scene is all too real. In three short stanzas, he crafts a world and an all important lesson for us to take with us as we go forward.
Samuel L. Jackson is one of the most recognized and accomplished actors in history, with well over 150 films to his credit, many chock full of quotable and memorable lines. Jackson has a very interesting history outside of film as well, including overcoming a stutter and once being expelled from his university for taking the board hostage...
The Sunset Limited is, in my opinion, one of the best films most people don't recognize. It is from there that today's quote originates. Jackson's character Black makes a passing comment that has endured in my mind for years. It is a choice and one that we make all day, every day.
The Boys in the Boat is the simply fantastic story of the 1936 US Men's Rowing team at the Berlin Olympics. Daniel Brown wrote the chronicle of those eight men and their coxswain, their adversity, and ultimate triumph by less than a second over the Italian and German boats is one for the ages.
Brown describes rowing in today's quote, highlighting three paradoxes in descriptive and wonderful prose. It is often in life that the true beauty of accomplishment, athletic or otherwise, is found not only in what is done or avoided, but in the depth the world provides through contrast. Brown captures this perfectly.
On February 22, 2021 my grandmother, Madeline Jackson, died. She taught me many things throughout my life and it seemed only fitting that I dedicate an episode to some poignant and challenging words of hers. Thanks to NPR’s StoryCorps, I had, preserved from years ago, just those kinds of words of hers.
I hope they challenge you the way they challenged and continue to challenge me. Rest easy, Grandma. I love you.
Edward Howard Griggs lectured and wrote from the turn of the 20th century until well into it, giving over 13,000 lectures to more than 8,000,000 listeners. He did this largely before the advent of the radio, TV, or internet. That works out to hundreds of lectures per year! Some became books, as did the lecture from which today's quote originates.
Griggs, like others of his day, advocated for education as a means to fulfilling and accomplished life. He captures that eloquently in today's quote.
Bessie Stanley; turn of the century mother wrote a poem for a contest in 1904 and little did she know that those words would live on. They survived the end of the publication and more than a century to land in your ears today. Exactly 100 words to describe success. I think she hits it all.
May our lives be benedictions.
Barack Obama served Illinois state senate, Unite States Senate, and, most notably, as the 44th President of the United States for two terms between 2008 and 2016. In 2016, Howard University invited him to deliver the commencement speech to their more than 2,000 graduates. The speech was full of anecdotes, lessons, and wisdom. Doubtlessly, the graduates will remember that day for years to come.
In the speech, he talked about progress made and progress left to be made. He captured, succinctly and poignantly, the current state of the world and highlighted that, despite the ease with which we can slip into cynicism and complaint, the world was far better in 2016 for nearly everyone than it had been at any other time in history.
I would argue that trend toward positive progress has continued to today.
Teddy Roosevelt ascended to the highest office in the land as the youngest man to ever do so. He didn't achieve such heights by accident. He achieved them through strength of character. Character is what allowed him to take on Standard Oil's monopoly and win. It drove him to establish the National Park system which we all enjoy today. And it kept his compass correctly oriented in the face of unending special interests.
It is for this reason that Roosevelt said, so accurately, that above all others attributes is character.
Lieutenant Commander Kenny Brown is a husband, father, Naval Officer, and my friend. He brings a fascinating world view and experiences dating back to our days in college together. In this episode, we discuss a fascinating speech given during a classic film and branch off down a number of trails in search of greater meaning and better selves.
J.K. Rowling (pronounced “rolling”) is best known for her wildly famous Harry Potter series of books and movies. She was asked to speak at Harvard during their 2008 commencement ceremony, joining the ranks of Winston Churchill, JFK, Oprah Winfrey, and Bill Gates.
In her speech, she offered many wise words, wrapped as authors often do, in touching anecdotes. You can read and watch the full speech online (and you should!)
William Daniels, better known to most of us millennials as Mr. Feeny from the hit show, Boy Meets World, delivered many words of wisdom to Cory Matthews, his family, friends, and, by extension, us, the viewers over the years.
As the sage, worldly professor, guiding his students through myriad life challenges, he left an indelible mark on each of them. In today’s quote, delivered early in the very first season of the show, he reminds us of what’s important in education…the process. Ever since I heard these words, they’ve stuck with me and I hope they resonate with you in the same way.
Who said it? That’s the question around today’s quote. I…don’t know. I tried, dear listener, to determine the provenance and came up short. Perhaps you know? I don’t think a quick internet search will do it.
Regardless, the lesson here is too good to not share, even if the origins are murky. It is not about others that we behave our best, it is about us. As with so many of our quotes, how much better a place the world would be were we all to internalize this one.
General Peter Pace was a man of many firsts. He was the first Marine General to hold three different 4-star commands. The first at US Southern Command, then he became the first Marine appointed Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and then the first Marine appointed Chairman.
It’s only fitting, then, that following his final moments on active duty, that he returned to a different set of firsts. The first Marines to perish under his command in Vietnam. The card below and the topic of today’s episode show that even after many firsts of their kind, the leader, imperfect as he was, never forgot the firsts of most import.
James Dyson, or, more accurately, Sir James Dyson is an inventor, designer, engineer, and entrepreneur all rolled into one. You’ve doubtlessly seen his creations and may very well have one or more in your home right now. That’s right, he’s the “vacuum guy!” Obviously, he’s much more than that, and today’s quote is about how to get there. How to achieve success in the face of mounting or seemingly insurmountable odds. The answer? Accelerate.
Don’t tell this knighted fellow about why you’re giving up. This is the same guy who went through more than 5,000 iterations to get his first prototype correct. 5,000! That’s incredible, not just as an accomplishment, but also as a model for us. If you want success, never stop pursuing it.
Tyler Cowen is an economist, author, and long-term habitual blogger. His Marginal Revolution blog (www.marginalrevolution.com) is home to many a wonderful and enlightening post. Today's quote is no exception. It comes to us from 6 years in the past and boy oh boy do ALL of us need to hear it.
Economists see the world a little differently and when they let us inside their head on a daily basis, as Cowen does, we can gain some outstanding insights into the world around us.
Wallace Stegner is a name not many have heard, but certainly should. He was an American writer, naturalist, and activist. He's one of the rare people who could, at the time of his death, say he was instrumental in preserving a pristine tract of land which millions have enjoyed and continue to enjoy. That place is called Dinosaur National Monument and if you have not seen it, I encourage you to search for photos. It...is...breathtaking. And it was nearly lost to development as the nation grew and attempted to bring the mighty Colorado River under control.
He is a fascinating man, with a fascinating story, and his words are as true today, when it is so easy to be cynical, as they were nearly 40 years ago when he spoke them.
James Spader, a diverse and talented actor, with a resume a mile long, embodies his characters with skill and precision. What I find most interesting is his ability to expertly weave in and deliver poignant and relevant lines. Today's quote is no exception. In the hit show, The Blacklist, his character, Raymond Reddington, delivers this shot to the heart AND the mind amid all the madness.
In short, the answer to his questions....is "no one."
"One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind" are, perhaps, the most well known of Neil Armstrong's words, but he said many memorable words. Before a rare joint session of Congress, just weeks after Apollo 11 returned safely to Earth, Armstrong encapsulated a sense of wonder and mystery in a way, I suspect, only one who had been to the moon could do.
Armstrong lived an exciting life and saw many unique things. Despite that abundance of experiential riches, he conveys beautiful, a sense of awe before him and all of us.
Buddhist Monk, Pema Chodron brings a wonderful challenge to the podcast. Her words are easy to say, yet extremely difficult to implement. She calls on us to be vulnerable, exposed, and blindly faithful that we will survive life's challenges.
With decades of practice in meditation, deep thought, speaking, and educating, Pema's words are applicable within Buddhist context and to the non-practitioner alike. Each of us can find challenging and reassuring words in the texts of Buddhism. This episode is but a brief glimpse into but a few of these words.
In this, our last episode of 2020, her words are especially apropos and profound.
This is my very first attempt at a poetry explication. John James Ingalls penned this very approachable and thought-provoking work that has universal applicability. The caution it lays out and the learning we can take from it are great, if only we are willing to “pick the lock” to discover the treasure within.
Don’t be afraid, it’s just a poem and I am just a man. We’ll figure it out together, have some fun, and learn a little something along the way!
Brianna Wiest is a poet and author and one who, since I arrived at this quote, has brought me countless moments of contemplation and enjoyment. She has a gift for seeing the world as others do not, cannot, or will not. That's what today's quote is all about for me. Changing the way I see the world. Building the world as I want it to be, not as something from which I must run occasionally, to survive.
Her words echo and bring value. For that, I am, as always, grateful. They make my world a better place.
I talk constantly on this podcast about improving ourselves. I use quotes as a guide for how best to do that. It’s important for all of us, myself included, to remember that perfection is neither achievable, nor a worthwhile pursuit. Hans Finzel advises seeking instead, maturity.
In this episode, we find some breathing room to accept our imperfections, our immaturities, and our faults with grace and recognize that incremental improvement is “perfectly” acceptable, all courtesy of the wise words of Hans!
Author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change,Stephen Covey is a world-renowned author and speaker on leadership. While his "list-style" book is of the type I don't prefer, this is certainly an exception. Covey cuts through our excuses, laser focuses on the issues, and, most importantly, shows us how to change.
The choice to be proactive or reactive is ours. As Covey would say, we must make our own "weather". In order to do that, we must recognize we are actually outside in the elements and that it is our choice to be there. We must own where we are and only thencan we do something about our situation.
Relationships are complicated. They always have been and always will be. They require attention, thoughtfulness, and deliberate effort. Without these in their proper measure, they can and will wither, falter, and ultimately die. Anais Nin offers cautionary words in the form of a true-to-life character's plight in her book The Four-Chambered Heart.Beware these pitfalls. We ignore them at the peril of our relationships, big and small.
Abraham Lincoln, Kentucky native, Illinois State Senator, Illinois Congressman, 16th President of the United States, statesman and orator-extraordinaire is one of the most oft-quoted individuals in history. He gave many a memorable speech chock full of quotes for the ages. In 1864, in the midst of the American Civil War, he faced a daunting reelection bid. Many offered their advice to assuage those that wanted him gone, including returning the recently freed slaves to their masters after the war as a concession to the persistent and wily southern secessionists. Lincoln would have none of it, as evidenced by his words that I explore in this episode. Truly inspiring then. Truly inspiring now.
John Gottman is a relationship expert, clinical psychologist, and author and he has developed a system whereby he attempts to predict the likelihood of relationship success in the future based on characteristics of that relationship today. He has also identified what he calls the Four Horsemen, a metaphor for those behaviors which spell the end of a relationship.
In this episode, I examine a quote of his, taken from Malcolm Gladwell's bestseller Blink. I also explore the Four Horsemen and tie it all back to how we might improve our relationships and avoid the pitfalls that lead to heartache.
The late Anthony Bourdain was a truly unique character. He traveled, ate, drank, and conversed around the globe for decades. He cooked, swore, and documented his way through kitchens everywhere. All of this he did with pen and paper and later a camera by his side. From this, we glean an amazing, raw, and largely unfiltered look at a complex man exploring a complex world.
His words in this episode stand as a caution and a challenge to be ever-cautious against that slothful, self-indulgent version of ourselves, lest we waste what brief time we have.
Phyllis Theroux is an author, journalist, and provider of insight into the always difficult topic of parenting. In fact, this quote comes to us from Parents magazine and speaks to one of the greatest challenges of not only parenting, but life in general, compliments.
Let's be honest, we all like to receive them, but unless we are practiced, giving them can be a real challenge. Well Theroux's quippy, stick-in-your-craw presentation hopefully provides you the motivation to give them more freely, because, as she says, they are highly biodegradable.
Alexis Carrel: Doctor, inventor, and Nobel Laureate. He was the originator of multiple medical technologies still in use today. So far-reaching are they that you may actually be or know someone who has benefited from them directly!
But, as with each of us, he was not without his imperfections. He advocated for a number of theories and ideas that, today, we would find abhorrent, including forced sterilization and eugenics. Does that invalidate his medical contributions? Does that mean he was incapable of penning memorable words? Find out as I explore both sides of this coin and Carrel’s words in this episode.
Olin Miller is not likely a name of which you've heard before today. I hadn't either when I began my search for deeper meaning in this already profound quote. While his life remains largely a mystery, his words have echoed through the years since he first penned them. Misattributed and oft repeated, they serve to remind that we ought not to worry about externalities as often as we do.
Humorist, comedian, jokester and wise man. Olin Miller's words are serious in this episode.
CAPT James Settele led sailors and Marines for nearly 3 decades. Now he directs the School of Policy & International Affairs at the University of Maine.
CAPT Settele and I crossed paths when he was the commanding officer of the NROTC unit at Maine Maritime Academy late in his career. His background leading thousands of servicemembers and civilians makes him uniquely qualified to speak on leadership both in the military and civilian world. Though different in many ways, they share a commonality in respect. You earn respect and, once a baseline is established, every interaction with someone raises or lowers their level of it for you.
In this, the first interview of Quotations, we discuss leadership, challenges, respect, and attempt to improve ourselves, as we always do!
We all argue. We do it with family, friends, significant others, and even complete strangers. Corey Allan has some thoughts on how those arguments ought to take shape.
He's got the experience to back it up too! As a doctor, therapist, blogger, and podcaster, Corey has spent decades observing and guiding couples through difficult conversations.
Remember, if you want your voice to be heard (and why else would you being arguing at all) then this little bit of advice might help you get there.
Check out Corey's other work/writing at: https://smrnation.com/
Brett McKay is the owner and editor-in-chief of the Art of Manliness blog and podcast. He serves as a personal inspiration for me and puts out a ton of valuable content regardless of your gender!
Brett published a series of articles many years ago entitled The Virtuous Life built around Benjamin Franklin's list of virtues. In his post on Order, he outlined how to get control of chaos, locally and universally. In addition to listening to this episode, be sure to give the entire article a read:
https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/the-virtuous-life-order-become-a-master-of-the-universe/
We all know how hard it can be to get things that need to be done done in the best of circumstances and how good it feels to complete them. Colonel James Clark, USMC-Retired knows a thing or two about how to accomplish the mission in the most challenging of circumstances. With decades of experience, he is uniquely qualified among Marines, active or retired in retrograde logistics.
Colonel Clark has a short, but educational saying about what people want to hear to help us get things done and show our appreciation.
Thomas Huxley, biologist, anthropologist and ardent supporter of Charles Darwin never let his education and intellect inflate his ego above the working man. In fact, he was a champion of education for all long before that was the status quo (this was the mid-19th century, after all). So important was this to him that he devoted countless hours advocating for universally accessible and appropriate education at all levels. It is from one such speech that today's quote originates.
Sydney Smith bridged the 18th and 19th centuries. He spoke and wrote on many topics, challenging his listeners and readers in the ways of self-improvement. His ability to seamlessly transition from serious to humorous endeared him to his followers. In this episode, he lays our a basic truth about overcoming our internal fears. And 200 years into the future, his words still echo.
George S. Patton Jr. led hundreds of thousands of troops throughout his career in the United States Army. He was as tenacious as they come, hardworking, and exceptionally demanding of both himself and his soldiers. Occasionally, his passions and expectations overtook his better judgment, but above all, he accepted no excuses.
In this episode, we explore his timeless words on fatigue. It won’t surprise you to learn that he didn’t buy the excuse of being “tired.”
New habits are hard to develop, new skills are difficult to learn, and discipline to stick to what we start is elusive. Why? Andy Stanley, Pastor and founder of North Point Ministries, succinctly explains those feelings and offers a way to overcome them.
If you want to learn something new, challenge yourself to be better, and ultimately accomplish that which you set out to do, this episode is for you.
T.E. Lawrence, the man behind the Lawrence of Arabia film of the 1960s, was a truly remarkable character. He worked to free citizens of the Ottoman Empire from their dictatorial leaders, and, in the process, achieved and learned many important things. In his book, 7 Pillars of Wisdom, he speaks volumes about those experiences and presents us with an epic challenge. Are your dreams just that or are they more? Lawrence argues they can and should be.
Samuel Lyman Atwood (S.L.A.) Marshall, US Army General and military historian spent decades perfecting his leadership skills and perspectives. He not only led allied troops in WWII, but also wrote extensively on combat, soldiers, and gave the world a glimpse into a world most will never see. In his book, Men Against Fire, he captured the importance of not just being a leader, not only worrying about mission accomplishment, but also the paramount importance of caring for what that about which the led care. Though imperfect himself, he captured, perfectly, that sentiment in this episode’s quote.
Anatol Rapoport was a mathematical psychologist (yes, that's a real field of study!) and is famous for his work on game theory, social network analysis (long before the modern versions), and conflict/peace studies. He famously created an algorithm for the Prisoner's Dilemna that was both elegant and simple.
In this episode, we explore the framework, proposed by Rapoport and brought to us courtesy of American Philosopher Daniel Dennett, of how we ought to approach difficult subjects with those with whom we disagree.
We are 3 "selves":
1) Who we think we are
2) Who other people think we are
3) Who we really are
The closer these 3 "selves" are to one another, the more genuine our life. Actor Ian Reed Kesler, as his character Stu Buzzini on the show Suits, reminds us that it's important to seek out feedback on how close our "selves" are to one another.
The real question is, once we know, will we do anything about it?
Time. We all have it, we use every bit of it, and it passes whether we use it well or not. H. Jackson Brown speaks to us, through advice to his son, on how we ought to approach time. His challenging words have led me to consider the ticking clock and how I spend my time. I hope they'll challenge you to do so, as well.
In this episode, I discuss the importance of provenance for quotations and illustrate it with a quote from someone you've likely never encountered in your readings.
Why do people do what they? The answer is not what most of us think and if we can capture and internalize the message of today's quote, we will certainly be better for it and see the world in a new light.
19th century philosopher, critical thinker, and man without a homeland, Friedrich Nietzsche poses a simple, yet potentially troubling question...what if...
How would and, more importantly, how should we respond?
Optimism can be elusive, especially with all the world's worries and uncertainties all around us. Why has this happened to me? How will I make it through this? What unforeseen thing lies ahead?
Mark Sanborn, author and motivational speaker, brings us a well known allegory about perpetual optimism and its value to our lives. He urges to find the positive even amid heaps of undesirable refuse.
In this episode, the late Dr. Eric Zencey tells us the story of the Millerites of the 19th century and uses that story to illustrate the allure of apocalyptic thinking. I discuss some modern-day versions of this type of thinking and how we might avoid it.
Elizabeth Gilbert, world-renowned and bestselling author provides us with some insight into curiosity and its value in finding, or perhaps not finding, our passions.
Her words are a source of inspiration for me and I hope they are for you, as well.
Henry David Thoreau was an American author and philosopher who lived during the mid-19th century. In 1845, he went into the woods to live simply and "suck all the marrow out of life." This two-year adventure yielded many revelations. Join me as I explore but one of them in today's episode.
We will also discuss epigraphs and their fitting position at the start of this, the first official, episode of Quotations.
Welcome to Quotations! In this episode, you'll get to know the show, about words, written and spoken throughout history, and me, your host, Matthew Munroe.
Join me as we take a deeper look into the words that surround us in the air and on the page. We use words to create art, communicate our thoughts to others, and sometimes they last for generations.