Questioning those unquestioned quotations: A new look at old wisdom
Knowledge is power.
He was knighted in 1603, so with all due respect, I humbly take issue with Sir Francis Bacon’s famous observation.
Knowledge is essential. But by itself, knowledge just sits there.
This is more accurate: Knowledge put to work is power.
Now for these:
Imagination is more important than knowledge.
There is no substitute for knowledge.
There is no substitute for hard work.
Wouldn’t it be great to get Albert Einstein (imagination), W. Edwards Deming (knowledge), and Thomas Edison (hard work) into a room together? Perhaps they’d invent a new quotation to connect all the ideas in their comments above.
There are countless quotations that pass for conventional wisdom. Many of these are in desperate need of a common-sense upgrade, so I’ve exercised my red pen on five favorites:
A little learning is a dangerous thing. Alexander Pope
True. But no learning is an even more dangerous thing.
Never leave till tomorrow that which you can do today. Ben Franklin
True again. But one should not mistake mere motion for meaningful productivity. Here’s a revision: Never do today what doesn’t add value yesterday, today, or tomorrow.
The best way out is always through. Robert Frost
That might be good advice if you’re ambling through the woods on a snowy evening. But an always-through approach suggests a serious lack of imagination. Other ways out include going around, sneaking under, and leaping over. Or you might decide that you don’t need to get “through” after all.
He who hesitates is lost.
Certain situations call for instant action, so this proverb is sometimes true. But more often, you can think things through and then proceed. Know the difference and act accordingly.
Attitude is everything.
Success depends on all sorts of factors, including attitude and luck and hard work and support. But this negative twist of the old saying is true: A bad attitude can derail what could have been a good outcome.
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For those willing to go the extra “mile” it is a good idea to dig deeper in to these quotations. For those that need direction and that extra push, the old tried and true quotes just might do
.