I hate luxury. I exercise moderation…It will be easy to forget your vision and purpose one you have fine clothes, fast horses and beautiful women. [In which case], you will be no better than a slave, and you will surely lose everything.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the dangers of excessive luxury and distraction from one's true goals.
Genghis Khan's quote reflects the idea that indulging in luxury and material possessions can lead to distraction from one's vision and purpose in life. He warns that excess can make one lose focus and ultimately lose everything that truly matters, likening those who become consumed by their possessions to slaves of their desires.
In practice
In a speech about personal values, you could quote Genghis Khan to emphasize the importance of moderation.
Heaven grew weary of the excessive pride and luxury of China... I am from the Barbaric North. I wear the same clothing and eat the same food as the cowherds and horse-herders. We make the same sacrifices and we share.. our riches. I look upon the nation as a new-born child and I care for my soldiers as though they were my brothers.
It is not sufficient that I succeed - all others must fail.
With Heaven's aid I have conquered for you a huge empire. But my life was too short to achieve the conquest of the world. That task is left for you
An action comitted in anger is an action doomed to failure.
The strength of a wall is neither greater nor less than the courage of the men who defend it.
If my body dies, let my body die, but do not let my country die.
The message I hope to have sent is just the example of being yourself. I tell this to my students: It's not about copying me or my logic systems. It's about allowing yourself to be yourself.
If you don't make mistakes, you're not working on hard enough problems. And that's a big mistake.
I have pledged - to you, the rating agencies and myself - to always run Berkshire with more than ample cash. We never want to count on the kindness of strangers in order to meet tomorrow's obligations. When forced to choose, I will not trade even a night's sleep for the chance of extra profits.
One option is to struggle to be heard whenever you're in the room... _x000D_ Another is to be the sort of person who is missed when you're not. _x000D_ The first involves making noise. The second involves making a difference.
Psychedelics helped me to escape.. albeit momentarily.. from the prison of my mind. It over-rode the habit patterns of thought and I was able to taste innocence again. Looking at sensations freshly without the conceptual overly was very profound.
The absence of alternatives clears the mind marvelously.
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