As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
William ShakespeareRead
I find my zenith doth depend upon A most auspicious star, whose influence If now I court not, but omit, my fortunes Will ever after droop.
Interpretation
Success relies on recognizing and seizing the right opportunities.
In this quote from Shakespeare, the speaker reflects on the idea that their highest achievements ('zenith') are contingent upon favorable circumstances or influences ('auspicious star'). If these opportunities are neglected or overlooked, it is likely that their fortunes will decline over time. The message underscores the importance of being aware of and acting upon the moments that can lead to success.
In practice
This quote can be used during a motivational speech to emphasize the importance of seizing opportunities.
As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
Love bears it out even to the edge of doom.
Good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people.
Absence doth sharpen love, presence strengthens it; the one brings fuel, the other blows it till it burns clear.
Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
Most people, if they were generous, were so because they thought life was short and that one must make the most of it. Sid Baxter was generous because he knew that life was long. It went on and on even when you had no use for it anymore. It was happiness, not life, that was short, and when it visited - in the form of a fine evening spent talking with a friend - he honoured it.
There's a whole category of people who miss out by not allowing themselves to be weird enough.
The greatest weapon we have to combat stress is the ability to choose our thoughts.
Great doubt will eventually lead to great awakening.
It's a fool's life, a rogue's life, and a good life if you keep laughing all the way to the grave.
When you have emptied all content - thoughts, desires, memories, projections, hopes - when all is gone, for the first time you find yourself, because you are nothing but that pure space, that virgin space within you. Unburdened by anything, that contentless consciousness, that's what you are! Seeing it, realizing it, one is free. One is freedom, one is joy, one is bliss.
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