Humor is just another defense against the universe.
Mel BrooksRead
I don't believe in this business of being behind, better to be in front.
Interpretation
Striving to lead rather than follow is key to success.
Mel Brooks emphasizes the importance of taking initiative and being proactive rather than simply following others. In the competitive landscape of life and business, being in front signifies leadership, innovation, and a willingness to forge one's own path rather than lagging behind.
In practice
During a team meeting, I shared this quote to encourage my colleagues to take the lead on new projects.
Humor is just another defense against the universe.
Look, I don't want to wax philosophic, but I will say that if you're alive you've got to flap your arms and legs, you've got to jump around a lot, for life is the very opposite of death, and therefore you must at very least think noisy and colorfully, or you're not alive.
You got to be brave. If you feel something, you've really got to risk it.
Hope for the Best. Expect the worst. Life is a play. We're unrehearsed.
If you're quiet, you're not living. You've got to be noisy and colorful and lively.
We want to get people laughing; we don't want to offend anybody.
You need to live a little bit outside your comfort zone because you can be even more than you dream of.
Americans are fighters. We're tough, resourceful and creative, and if we have the chance to fight on a level playing field, where everyone pays a fair share and everyone has a real shot, then no one - no one can stop us.
Every day you spend drifting away from your goals is a waste not only of that day, but also of the additional day it takes to regain lost ground.
There's this really awesome theory of human motivation - that human beings all want three things. One is to be competent, one is to belong, and one is be free, as in to have choice: to not be told what to do but to choose what to do.
If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it.
Always work hard on something uncomfortably exciting!
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