Quotes About Insight

Having such clarity about ourselves and others could change the course of our lives in so many ways, but first we must clear up a common misconception: we tend to think of our behavior as largely conscious and willed.

La verdad suele verse, rara vez oírse".

Appearance Bias I understand the people I deal with; I see them just as they are. We see people not as they are, but as they appear to us. And these appearances are usually misleading.

See Beyond the Moment

The single greatest action you can take for acquiring creative power is to reverse this natural impatience. Daily Law: Imagine yourself years in the future looking back at the work you have done.

Daily Law: Instead of merely reacting, step back and look at the wider context. Consider the ramifications of any action you take. Realize that is often better to do nothing, to not react, to let time go by and see what it reveals.

The Laws of Human Nature, 6: Elevate Your Perspective—The Law of Shortsightedness

They are there, before our eyes, for us to see—"Yes, now the statue's nose does look just right." There are no offensive words, no possibility of misinterpretation. No one can argue with a demonstrated proof. As Baltasar Gracián remarks, "The truth is generally seen, rarely heard.

Without any visual cues or any action on the part of others, we can place ourselves inside their minds and imagine what they might be thinking.

Everyone has a thumbscrew, a gap in the castle wall. Once found, it is a thumbscrew you can turn to your advantage.

If, like Jung, you are somewhat confused and ambivalent about your direction, it can be useful to choose someone who can help you gain some clarity about what you want, someone important in the field who might not fit perfectly with your tastes.

By making yourself aware of the distorting process of the Naïve Perspective, you will naturally grow less comfortable with it. You will realize that you are operating in the dark, blind to people's motivations and intentions, vulnerable to the same mistakes and patterns that occurred in the past.

Quien pregunta a un adivino cuál será su futuro, sin querer ignora una intuición interior de las cosas por venir, que es mil veces más exacta que cualquier cosa que el adivino pueda decirle. WALTER BENJAMIN, 1892-1940

Keep in mind, however, that people are in a state of continual flux. You must not let your ideas about them harden into a set impression. You are continually observing them and bringing your readings of them up to date.

In the beginning, strategy indeed belonged to a select few—a general, his staff, the king, a handful of courtiers. Soldiers were not taught strategy, for that would not have helped them on the battlefield. Besides, it was unwise to arm one's soldiers with the kind of practical knowledge that could help them to organize a mutiny or rebellion.

Si tropiezas con un rasgo especial de maldad o estupidez, […] no permitas que te enfade o te perturbe; velo como una adición a tu conocimiento, un dato nuevo a tomar en cuenta en el estudio del carácter de la humanidad. Tu actitud será la del mineralogista que tropieza con un muy peculiar espécimen de un mineral. —ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER

Thus it is plain that faults that are evident to the senses, gross and corporal, or otherwise notorious to the world, we know by our enemies sooner than by our friends and familiars

Thus it is plain that faults that are evident to the senses, gross and corporal, or otherwise notorious to the world, we know by our enemies sooner than by our friends and familiars. PLUTARCH, C. A.D. 46-120

Look at things as they are, not as your emotions color them.

The wise man profits more from his enemies, than a fool from his friends. (Baltasar Gracián, 1601-1658)

moving past our usual self-absorption, we can learn to focus deeply on others, reading their behavior in the moment, seeing what motivates them, and discerning any possible manipulative tendencies. Navigating

Daily Law: The person with the more global perspective wins. Expand your gaze.

Empathy plays an enormous role in learning and knowledge.

Cartoons are data. If people find them funny, that tells us something about the world.