The better we get at getting better, the faster we will get better.
Quote of the Week 17 "The better we get at getting better, the faster we will get better." ― Doug Engelbart Source: Inventor Of Computer Mouse Dies; Doug Engelbart Was 88
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Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.
Quote of the Week 16 " Plans are worthless, but planning is everything." ― Cited by Dwight D. Eisenhower Source: Quote Investigator
In theory there is no difference between theory and practice, while in practice there is.
Quote of the Week 15 " In theory there is no difference between theory and practice, while in practice there is. " ― Benjamin Brewster Source: Quote Investigator
There is always a well-known solution to every human problem — neat, plausible, and wrong.
Quote of the Week 14 " There is always a well-known solution to every human problem — neat, plausible, and wrong . " ― H. L. Mencken Often paraphrased as “For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple and wrong.” Somewhat related: "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." ― attributed to Albert Einstein
If you want people to think, give them intent, not instruction.
Quote of the Week 13 " If you want people to think, give them intent, not instruction. " ― David Marquet Or go one step further. "If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea." ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice.
2nd Quote of the Week 12 " Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice. " ― Grey's Law A variant of Hanlon's Razor: "Never assume malice when stupidity will suffice." Influenced by the third law of Arthur C. Clarke: "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
In Danger and Deep Distress, the Middle Way Spells Certain Death.
Quote of the Week 12 " In Danger and Deep Distress, the Middle Way Spells Certain Death. " ― Friedrich Freiherr von Logau "In Gefahr und großer Not bringt der Mittelweg den Tod." ― Friedrich Freiherr von Logau See also: https://falschzitate.blogspot.com/2018/04/in-gefahr-und-groter-not-bringt-der.html (German)
If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.
Quote of the Week 11 " If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter. " ― Blaise Pascal Source: Quote Investigator Quote search triggered by a related quote: "If I am to speak ten minutes, I need a week for preparation; if an hour, I am ready now." ― Woodrow Wilson Source: Q uote Investigator
No one comes out of a day full of Twitter celebrating humanity.
Quote of the Week 10 " No one comes out of a day full of Twitter celebrating humanity. " ― Cal Newport (Computer Scientist and Writer) Source: Deep Work, Focus, Productivity, Email, and Social Media | Lex Fridman Podcast
What you seek is seeking you.
Quote of the Week 9 " What you seek is seeking you. " ― Dsch alāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī (Rumi) Source: https://wisdomquotes.com/rumi-quotes/ Quote search triggered by the song “ Being With You ”.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.
Quote of the Week 8 " I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail. " ― Abraham Maslow 'Law of the instrument' || "Law of the hammer" || "Maslow's hammer" Source: Q uote Investigator and W ikipedia .
Vision without execution is just hallucination.
Quote of the Week 7 " Vision without execution is just hallucination. " ― Henry Ford Many thanks to Elliott Seymour, Jr. who relayed this snippet of wisdom to me more than 20 years ago after a roadmap presentation at the iXOS User Community Americas 2000 conference in San Antonio. Source : 150 Henry Ford quotes . (I have also seen this quote attributed to Thomas A. Edison .) A variation of a Japanese proverb : " Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare. "
Victory has a hundred fathers but defeat is an orphan.
Quote of the Week 5 " Victory has a hundred fathers but defeat is an orphan . " ― Cited by John F. Kennedy Background information: He said "There's an old saying that victory has 100 fathers and defeat is an orphan. ...". "While John F. Kennedy gets credit for saying, victory has a thousand fathers, people forget that he called it an old saying. It is actually during World War II that Count Galeazzo Ciano, the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini's foreign minister and his son-in-law as well, wrote in his diary: victory finds a hundred fathers but defeat is an orphan. " Source: Origin of 'No Jack Kennedy' Comment Disputed (NPR) Ciano's statement was probably influenced by Tacitus. Tacitus’s law: “Inquissima haec bellorum condicio est: prospera omnes sibi indicant; aduersa uni imputantur” (Agricola 27:1 - 98 AD) which roughly translates to " This is an unfair thing about war: victory is claimed by all, failure to one alone. ...
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Quote of the Week 4 " Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. " ― misattributed to Albert Einstein Background information: Q uote Investigator .
You can go anywhere but you are where you came from.
Quote of the Week 3 " You can go anywhere but you are where you came from. " ― John Andrew Hull, Manchester Orchestra, “ The Silence ” ( Song Lyrics )
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.
Quote of the Week 1 " Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. " ― Francois Marie Arouet de Voltaire Source: The Guardian .
Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.
Quote of the Week 51 " Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge. " ― Charles Darwin, The Descent of Man See also: O xford Reference .
Falsehood flies, and the truth comes limping after it.
Quote of the Week 50 " Falsehood flies, and the truth comes limping after it. " ― Jonathan Swift Background information: Quote Investigator .
When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.
Quote of the Week 48 " When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure. " ― Goodhart's Law See Wikipedia for background information.
The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.
Quote of the Week 47 " The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. " ― attributed to George Bernard Shaw See also Q uote Investigator .
Never let your skill exceed your virtue.
Quote of the Week 46 " Never let your skill exceed your virtue. " ― Old Korean saying according to Harold Hongju Koh (former Dean of Yale Law School)
If we have data, let’s look at data. If all we have are opinions, let’s go with mine.
Quote of the Week 45 " If we have data, let’s look at data. If all we have are opinions, let’s go with mine. " ― J im Barksdale
The only true infinite thing is our ignorance.
Quote of the Week " The only true infinite thing is our ignorance. " ― Carlo Rovelli in " Reality Is Not What It Seems: The Journey to Quantum Gravity ".
When you're dealing with exponential growth, the time to act is when it feels too early.
Quote of the Week " When you're dealing with exponential growth, the time to act is when it feels too early. " ― Paul Graham First seen on Twitter .
A healthy society speaks with more than one voice.
Quote of the Week " A healthy society speaks with more than one voice. " ― Li Wenliang (who died in February 2020)