Great things are achieved only by giving up on other things. To mourn what falls through when the goal is unaffected is foolish.
The student who majors in Japanese neglects history, the barn which yields milk does not house chickens, the traveler who chases sunsets turns his back to the east.
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A closer look at the results of endeavors started on 'lucky days' will surely reveal the same number of failures as those initiated on ordinary days.Variations in outcomes reflect variations in skill.
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A beginner should never practice archery with a quiver of spare arrows. The key of learning technique is to make each arrow decisive. Spares encourage only carelessness with the excess.A master shipbuilder once explained how he placed his lifeboats - "What is a lifeboat?"
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The man who studies in solitude, intending to perform his art or skill for an audience once he reaches a certain level, will never learn anything. Mastery requires an openness to criticism developed through unashamed exposure to experts, novices, and the public.The student open to criticism requires no teacher.
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Focus on doing what is good and forget about what may follow. The man who sleeps in comfortable conditions tends to avoid illness and a ruler who governs nearby matters with attention, kindness, and fairness tends to extend his influence.Every step up the mountain is the next one.
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Wisdom means knowing your capacity and stopping before overexerting.A resting balloon never pops.
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The difference in the unskilled specialist and the most competent amateur is the replacement of rashness with habitual caution. A new swimmer rarely considers the undercurrent.The amateur learns from failure; the specialist learns until failure is impossible.
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Watch for mistakes when the level of difficulty is lowered.Its a mystery how anyone can make a grammar mistake in the age of spell check.
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A man on a great journey must turn back, even at the doorstep of the destination, if he determines a different course will lead to a better outcome. To say "I've come this far" is the seed of a lifetime wasted slothfully.A good reader does not close the book until the last sentence is read; the great reader stops a syllable shy of completion the moment he learns of a better work to read.
