Arthur Brisbane? Confucius? Kathleen Caffyn? Frederick R. Barnard? Robert Maguire? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: A famous adage highlights the value of illustrations and photographs. Here are four versions: (1) A picture is worth ten thousand words (2) A picture is worth a thousand words. (3) One picture is worth a ten thousand words. (4) One …
Tag Archives: Confucius
The Best Time To Plant a Tree Was 30 Years Ago, and the Second Best Time To Plant a Tree Is Now
George W. White? Confucius? Chinese Saying? Jean Chretien? Earl Ubell? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: The payoff for some actions only occurs after a lengthy delay. For example, a newly planted fruit tree requires years of growth before it can generate a bumper harvest. Also, a shade tree may require decades of maturation before it produces …
Find Out What You Like Doing Best and Get Someone To Pay You for Doing It
Katharine Whitehorn? Confucius? Elbert Hubbard? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: A generation of social media stars began by sharing their passions, e.g., playing video games, applying makeup, preparing meals, or animating short tales. Lucrative careers became possible with support from advertisers, patrons, and merchandise deals. Vocational advice from decades ago is especially pertinent today: Find something …
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If You Seek Revenge You Should Dig Two Graves
Confucius? Japanese Proverb? Chinese Proverb? William Elliot Griffis? Jeff Bezos? Dear Quote Investigator: Seeking vengeance can backfire on an individual and lead to additional pain and suffering. The founding CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, referenced a powerful cautionary proverb about revenge during an interview in 2016 although he expressed uncertainty about its origin:[1]YouTube video, Title: …
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Tell Me and I Forget; Teach Me and I May Remember; Involve Me and I Learn
Benjamin Franklin? Confucius? Xunzi? Hsüntze? Native American Saying? Shuo Yuan? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: The following tripartite expression encapsulates an influential approach to education: Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn. The U.S. statesman Benjamin Franklin and the Chinese philosopher Confucius have both received credit for these …
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Better to Light a Candle Than to Curse the Darkness
Eleanor Roosevelt? Confucius? Chinese Proverb? William L. Watkinson? E. Pomeroy Cutler? James Keller? Oliver Wendell Holmes? Adlai Stevenson? John F. Kennedy? Charles Schulz? William Appleton Lawrence? Dear Quote Investigator: I love the emphasis on constructive action in the following saying: It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. These words have …
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Who Wait Until Circumstances Completely Favor His Undertaking Will Never Accomplish Anything
Martin Luther? J. J. Van Oosterzee? Johann Eduard Huther? Saint Timothy? Jesse Lyman Hurlbut? Confucius? Dear Quote Investigator: The famous religious reformer Martin Luther who died in 1546 has been credited with a comment about the need to take action and avoid perpetual delays: For truth and duty it is ever the fitting time; who …
People Who Say It Cannot Be Done Should Not Interrupt Those Who Are Doing It
George Bernard Shaw? Puck? Saxby’s Magazine? Elbert Hubbard? Confucius? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: The following adage is the perfect antidote to excessive negativity and obstructionism: People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it. These words are often attributed to Asian sage Confucius and to the acclaimed playwright George …
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Quote Origin: Choose a Job You Love, and You Will Never Have To Work a Day in Your Life
Confucius? Arthur Szathmary? An Old-Timer? Janet Lambert-Moore? Harvey Mackay? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: I assist students in the selection of accurate and properly credited quotations for the school yearbook. One student would like to use a popular adage about career choice: Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a …
Quote Origin: Our Greatest Glory Is Not in Never Falling, But in Rising Every Time We Fall
Confucius? Nelson Mandela? Vince Lombardi? Oliver Goldsmith? Ralph Waldo Emerson? Christian Nestell Bovee? Question for Quote Investigator: The following adage about motivation and perseverance has been attributed to an oddly eclectic group: Chinese philosopher Confucius, football coach Vince Lombardi, activist politician Nelson Mandela, Irish author Oliver Goldsmith, and transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson. Here are four …