Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin (January 17, 1706 - April 17, 1790) was a scientist, inventor, writer, printer, and the first American Ambassador to France, as well as being a signer of both the American Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.

Well done is better than well said.
- Benjamin Franklin

A good example is the best sermon.
- Benjamin Franklin

Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind,
than on outward circumstances.
- Benjamin Franklin

We must all hang together,
or assuredly we shall all hang separately.
- Benjamin Franklin

Do not anticipate trouble,
or worry about what may never happen.
Keep in the sunlight.
- Benjamin Franklin

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
- Benjamin Franklin

Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.
- Benjamin Franklin

There was never a good war or a bad peace.
- Benjamin Franklin

Money has never made man happy, nor will it,
there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness.
The more of it one has the more one wants.
- Benjamin Franklin

Further reading: Proverbs

Aging with Grace

Beauty

Life Changes

Quotes about Life Being Hard

Education

Speak when you are angry, and... - Laurence J. Peter

Speak when you are angry -- and you will make the best speech you'll ever regret.
- Laurence J. Peter

If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.
- Chinese Proverb

Anger is often more hurtful than the injury that caused it.
- English Proverb

For your own sake, as well as the sake of those you love, learn to live without anger. If nothing else works, seek out a professional to help with anger management.

Further reading: Vengeance: On the Unworkability of Vengeance

Say NO to Stress: 8 Easy and Powerful Ways

The greatest wealth is health. - Virgil

The greatest wealth is health.
- Virgil

The part can never be well unless the whole is well.
- Plato

Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.
- The Buddha

He who takes medicine and neglects his diet wastes the skill of his doctors.
- Chinese Proverb

A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools.
- Spanish Proverb

Relax, avoid stress, get enough sleep, and listen to the needs of your body.

Further reading: Good Quotes about Life

Sayings about Life

Inspirational Sayings

Quotes to Live By

Maybe So, Maybe Not. - Ancient Taoist Proverb

Maybe So, Maybe Not.
- Ancient Taoist Proverb

One day, a farmer's horse ran away. His neighbors expressed sympathy, "What terrible luck that you lost your horse!" The farmer replied, "Maybe so, maybe not."

A few days later, the horse returned, leading several wild horses. The neighbors shouted, "Your horse has returned, and brought more with him. What great fortune!" The farmer replied, "Maybe so, maybe not."

Later that week, the farmer's son was trying to break one of the wild horses and got thrown to the ground, breaking his leg. The villagers cried, "Your son broke his leg, what a calamity!" The farmer replied, "Maybe so, maybe not."

A few weeks later, soldiers from the national army marched through town, conscripting all the able-bodied young men for the army. They did not take the farmer's son because of his broken leg. Friends shouted, "Your boy is spared, what tremendous luck!" To which the farmer replied, "Maybe so, maybe not."

Moral: Everything is not what it appears to be.

Further reading: Jimmy Yen - My Personal Greatest Hero

Lao Tzu: The words of truth are always paradoxical.

Aesop: Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail

How To Talk Yourself Into Making Personal Changes

A Story of Money

The following story appears anonymously on a number of web sites and blogs. For me, it says what there is to say about money.

The American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna.

The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The Mexican replied "only a little while". The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish?

The Mexican said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs. The American then asked, "but what do you do with the rest of your time?" The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life, senor."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But senor, how long will this all take?"
To which the American replied, "15-20 years."

"But what then, senor?" The American laughed and said that's the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions.

"Millions, senor? Then what?"

The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar."