50 Aphorisms

Wisdom can be conveyed in many ways: long philosophical tomes, allegories, myths, poems, literature, parables, fables, songs, and aphorisms.

An aphorism is typically defined as a “a pithy observation that contains a general truth.”

An aphorism is sometimes referred to as a maxim, saying, adage, proverb, motto, saw, axiom, dictum, precept, epigram. catchphrase, slogan, byword, or watchword.

An aphorism is like a heuristic in that it gives a general rule about how to make wise decisions; it will be true in most situations, but not all.

Aphorisms can also be used as mantras. If it fits, repeat it over and over and over again. If the word “mantra” bothers you, call it “self-talk.”

Here is a list of fifty of my favorites, some of which are original and some of which I have borrowed from sages wiser than myself.

You may notice my bias for paradox.

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1.           If you are suffering from something that once brought you pleasure, just let go.[1]

2.           Please don’t tell me what you think I said; either show me the confirming email or move on.

3.           Be here now – but plan ahead.[2]

4.           Plan, but stay flexible.[3]

5.           The purpose of life is not pleasure; it’s to wake up and confront reality with tranquility.[4]

6.           When in doubt, look towards the middle ground.[5]

7.           Analyze a problem carefully; then, listen to your gut.

8.           You can’t control the river, but you have some control over your boat.

9.           Expect the unexpected.[6]

10.      It’s all one; we are all connected but separate and distinct from each other and the whole.[7]

11.      Your life has no meaning – other than the meaning you give it.[8]

12.      Discover the role that life has asked you to play, and play it well.[9]

13.      Life is always bittersweet. When bad things happen, good will not be far behind. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true.

14.      Every rose has a thorn; every problem is an opportunity.

15.      Wisdom is a skill, acquired and improved by habitual practice.[10]

16.      Live from the inside out.[11]

17.      Strive to know yourself, but understand that you can never fully know yourself.[12]

18.      Intentions are not goals; goals are not actions; most of our “facts” are actually just beliefs and opinions.

19.      Never stop learning.[13]

20.      Have meaningful discussions with people – after some small talk.[14]

21.      Fitness is not optional; stop wrestling with yourself about it.

22.      Have a spiritual practice even if it is secular.

23.      Be the chess player, not the chess piece.[15]

24.      If you don’t manage your emotions, they will manage you.

25.      Connect the dots.[16]

26.      Develop the art of slow reaction.

27.      Work hard, and don’t compare yourself to others; some people are just luckier than you.[17]

28.      We are all partially animal and partially divine; speak to the divine in others.

29.     “You can’t avoid pain, but suffering is optional.” [18]

30.      Be skeptical, but have faith.

31.      Just do the right thing; don’t worry about the outcome. [19]

32.      Be self-sufficient, but not to the point of isolation.[20]

33.     “Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” [21]

34.      Make your first step in any endeavor a baby step.[22]

35.      “Happiness is to lead a life of rational activity in accordance with virtue.” [23]

36.      The four agreements: (1) be impeccable with your word; (2) don’t take anything personally; (3) don’t make assumptions; and (4) always do your best.[24] That is wisdom.

37.      Life is usually tension between inertia and momentum. If you are stuck on something, you have an inertia problem; the antidote is momentum; momentum is not an action but a process.

38.      Life is trial and error.[25] There is no playbook.

39.      When you are tempted by some new panacea, remember goat glands.[26]

40.      Always have a back-up.[27]

41.      There are only three types of people: (1) sleep walkers, (2) dreamers, and (3) those who are waking up.[28]

42.      Allow time daily for unexpected problems.

43.      Mentally healthy people see life as it is, without minimizing, maximizing or catastrophizing.

44.      When assessing any situation, assume a transcendental perspective. “Go to the balcony,” [29] and view the problem as someone might see it 100 years from now.[30]

45.      We all see, hear, predict, and remember things to be consistent with our illusions about life.[31]

46.      People who say, “I disagree,” are disagreeable. Why not, “I have a different perspective on that?”

47.      We are all dying some every day; make the most of your time here; you never know when it will end.[32]

48.      All I know is that I know nothing, and I am not even sure about that.[33]

49.      “God provides the tea bag. We provide the water and the cup.” [34]

50.      “Enjoy life. There's plenty of time to be dead.” [35]

BONUS

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” [36]

[1] Based on Buddha’s theory that emotional suffering is caused from clinging to what we believe is permanent when, in fact, everything is impermanent.

[2] With a nod to Ram Dass.

[3] Getting to Yes.

[4] A nod to the Stoics and the Buddhists.

[5] Aristotle, Buddha.

[6] Basic Stoicism.

[7] Hinduism.

[8] Frankl.

[9] Stoicism.

[10] If Aristotle didn’t say this, he meant to.

[11] Vic Strecher. Getting to Yes with Yourself by William Ury.

[12] Kant.

[13] Confucius.

[14] Getting More by Stuart Diamond.

[15] Ralph Charell.

[16] A common characteristic of all sages, going back to Thales and the Upanishads. Sages transcend and see the big picture.

[17] Another nod to Kahneman.

[18] Robert Thurman.

[19] Bhagavad Gita.

[20] Benjamin Franklin? “Take care of your shop, and it will take care of you.” Plus, basic theory of codependency.

[21] Winston Churchill.

[22] Atomic Habits.

[23] Aristotle.

[24] Don Miguel Ruiz.

[25] If Einstein didn’t say this, he should have.

[26] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_R._Brinkley

[27] Bill Gates??

[28] Sleepwalkers tend to inhabit grocery stores. You can come really close to them, looking for a passing lane, and they will never see you, but they are relatively harmless. Dreamers, on the other hand, can be delusional and dangerous; they can also be visionaries.

[29] Getting to Yes.

[30] Stoicism.

[31] Daniel Kahneman.

[32] Stoicism.

[33] Sometimes attributed to Socrates but may be apocryphal. 

[34] Montaigne. 

[35] Hans Christian Andersen

[36] Shakespeare paraphrasing Epictetus in Hamlet.