Words to Live By

By | July 19, 2018

[July 19, 2018]  It is rare for the average person to have a mentor.  It is even rarer to have a mentor who is smart enough to provide us with quality advice and guidance.  I was privileged on both counts and am lucky enough to recall some of his best words to live by.

It was my understanding that he took much of what he had to tell me from both U.S. General George S. Patton and from British philosopher Bertrand Russell.  Such an assorted combination of logical, practical, and proven advice is rare to see anywhere and it is here for all of us to enjoy.

  1. Be truthful, even when the truth is inconvenient, for it will be less convenient if you try to hide it.
  2. Do not reject or fear radical opinions, for every opinion now accepted was once radical.
  3. Whenever you meet opposition from anyone, always endeavor to overcome it by argument and not by authority, for a victory dependent upon authority is illusory.
  4. Never discourage thinking, for you are sure to succeed.
  5. If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.
  6. There is a time to take counsel of your fears, and there is a time to never listen to any fear.
  7. Do not feel absolutely certain of anything.
  8. Do not use authority or power to suppress opinions you think are bad, for if you do the opinions will suppress you.
  9. Do not feel envious of the happiness of others.
  10. Be tolerant of what you believe to be others’ errors.

Of course, there is much more from these two great men and what they have said is easily found on the Internet these days.  What I have here is the best of the best … in my opinion, anyway.  I try to live by these words daily.  I also mentor young leaders and these are always on my list.

Do you have a list of words to live by?  I hope so.  Please provide me with some of those you have come to rely upon.

Author: Douglas R. Satterfield

Hello. I provide one article every day. My writings are influenced by great thinkers such as Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Jung, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Jean Piaget, Erich Neumann, and Jordan Peterson, whose insight and brilliance have gotten millions worldwide to think about improving ourselves. Thank you for reading my blog.

27 thoughts on “Words to Live By

  1. Nancy J

    Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.-Albert Einstein

    Reply
  2. Mike Baker

    Another great article. Thanks for bringing this up at the end of the week. Also, your readers have done a good job adding to it.

    Reply
  3. Nick Lighthouse

    Here is a link to a website that has a Christain theme to it and is about inspiration. I think we will find that Christians have long looked for inspiration and this site is well suited to supporting it. Thanks. Gen. Satterfield for bringing up this topic.

    Reply
  4. Tracey Brockman

    “If you argue with a fool, you become a fool.” ― L.A. Hilden

    Reply
  5. Bryan Lee

    Remember that truth matters. Not our truth but the real truth. “I would rather be damned by my honesty, than caged by my lies.” ― Omega Maverick, Gothic Inferno

    Reply
  6. Martin Shiell

    Here is a quote that our panicked college snowflakes should read and have explained to them. “Do not confuse your vested interests with ethics. Do not identify the enemies of your privilege with the enemies of humanity.” by Max Lerner, Actions and Passions, 1949

    Reply
  7. Joe Omerrod

    Another great quote and one that I have on my refrigerator and read each morning.
    It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.

    Reply
  8. Ronny Fisher

    One of my favorites: “I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me.”

    Reply
  9. Andrew Dooley

    Thanks Gen. Satterfield. Your article today makes me put on my thinking hat and that is one reason I come to your site every day.

    Reply
  10. Max Foster

    These are really inspirational quotes. Some give us sage advice. Others make us think. Others make us wonder what we could achieve if we really put our minds to it. Another good article that points leaders in the right direction and gives us a gentle push.

    Reply
    1. Shawn C. Stolarz

      Hey Max. Thank you for jumping onto the topic quickly and helping us understand. Well written.

      Reply
    2. Dennis Mathes

      Thanks Max for adding to Gen. Satterfield’s blog post today. 😉

      Reply
  11. Billy Kenningston

    “If you do not go after go after what you want, you will never have it. If you do not ask, the answer will always be NO. If you do not step forward, you will always be in the same place.” One of my favorites. I don’t know who said it but I always like this one.

    Reply
  12. Kenny Foster

    I always lived by this quote, “Begin each day with a grateful heart.” Anyway, as much as I could. Thanks for a nice article to start off my day on a positive footing.

    Reply
  13. Mr. T.J. Asper

    Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen. – Michael Jordan

    Reply
  14. Army Captain

    My favorite is from Bruce Lee who said: “Don’t pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.” I like it because he is saying that to be the best person you must struggle and to struggle is not easy.

    Reply
  15. Georgie M.

    What a great list. Thanks Gen. Satterfield. I’ll be adding these to my list.

    Reply

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