Don't keep forever on the public road, going only where others have gone and following one after the other like a flock of sheep. Leave the beaten track occasionally and dive into the woods.
Alexander Graham BellRead
A man, as a general rule, owes very little to what he is born with - a man is what he makes of himself.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Our identity and success are primarily shaped by our actions and choices rather than our innate abilities or circumstances of birth.
This quote by Alexander Graham Bell emphasizes the importance of personal effort and determination in defining who we are. While one may have certain natural talents or advantages, it is ultimately the choices we make and the work we put in that shape our lives and character. It serves as a reminder that we have the power to create our own destinies through persistence and self-improvement.
Themes
Self-MadePersonal GrowthEffortDeterminationIdentity
In practice
Example use cases
During a graduation speech to inspire students about their future.
More from Alexander Graham Bell
All quotes →Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.
Alexander Graham BellRead
You cannot force ideas. Successful ideas are the result of slow growth. Ideas do not reach perfection in a day, no matter how much study is put upon them.
Alexander Graham BellRead
America is a country of inventors, and the greatest of inventors are the newspaper men.
Alexander Graham BellRead
There cannot be mental atrophy in any person who continues to observe, to remember what he observes, and to seek answers for his unceasing hows and whys about things.
Alexander Graham BellRead
When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.
Alexander Graham BellRead
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