Faith consists in being vitally concerned with that ultimate reality to which I give the symbolical name of God. Whoever reflects earnestly on the meaning of life is on the verge of an act of faith.
Paul TillichRead
The awareness of the ambiguity of one's highest achievements, as well as one's deepest failures is a definite symptom of maturity.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Maturity involves recognizing the complexities in both success and failure.
This quote by Paul Tillich suggests that true maturity is characterized by an awareness that both our greatest successes and our most significant failures are not absolute. Instead, they often carry ambiguity and complexity, reflecting the multifaceted nature of life and personal growth. Embracing this ambiguity can lead to greater wisdom and understanding.
Themes
MaturityAmbiguitySuccessFailureAwareness
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote in a personal development seminar can inspire attendees to embrace their failures as learning opportunities.
More from Paul Tillich
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He who risks and fails can be forgiven. He who never risks and never fails is a failure in his whole being.
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The courage to be is the courage to accept oneself, in spite of being unacceptable.
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The citizens of a city are not guilty of the crimes committed in their city; but they are guilty as participants in the destiny of [humanity] as a whole and in the destiny of their city in particular; for their acts in which freedom was united with destiny have contributed to the destiny in which they participate. They are guilty, not of committing the crimes of which their group is accused, but of contributing to the destiny in which these crimes happened.
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Wine is like the incarnation--it is both divine and human
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