The Virtue of Sincerity A monk humbly put this question to his master, “I understand that when a lion seizes his opponent, whether it is a hare or an elephant, he makes an exhaustive use of his power; pray to tell me, what is this...
Strengths Must Shine Brighter than Flaws Charles Steinmetz, reputed as an electrical wizard, worked for General Electric. He was an inveterate smoker. Unimpressed by this habit, the managers at Steinmetz’s plant decided to introduce a regulation prohibiting smoking on the premises. Notices were put up...
Be Your Own Rival The famous Danish sculptor, Thorvaldsen, never rested on his laurels. When asked, “Which statue do you consider the greatest?” Thorvaldsen would answer…
Perfection is the Seal of Brilliance Although Michelangelo had completed a sculpture, he continued working on it for more than a week thereafter. His friend asked him, “I can’t see any difference. Why are you labouring so hard on the same finished statue?” Michelangelo explained...
Finding Happiness Early one afternoon, a fisherman retired for the day and was smoking his pipe under a tree, without a care on his mind. An industrialist passing by found his laziness unsettling. “Why are you not fishing?” he asked the fisherman. The fisherman answered,...
Don’t Blindly Trust Others A seriously ill man fell into a coma. Everybody around believed that his end had come. The family doctor came and he thoroughly examined the bedridden man, not leaving anything to chance. Fully satisfied with his examination, the doctor informed the...
Fewer the Wants, Greater the Joy The political philosopher Aristippus, paying court to the tyrant Denys, had acquired a comfortable living. He actively sneered at his less prosperous peers. Seeing the sage Diogenes washing some vegetables, he said disdainfully, “If you would only learn to...
There Will Always be Problems A woman in the advanced stages of her pregnancy went for a regular prenatal check-up. “Any problems?” the doctor asked. She was ready with a list. “Yes,” she replied, “I can’t sit comfortably; I can’t eat what I like; I’m...
Expressing Your Anger Stanton, the secretary of war under Abraham Lincoln, was furious because an officer had failed to carry out an order. Whether the officer had deliberately disobeyed him or failed to comprehend his order was irrelevant. In Stanton’s eyes, the mistake was unforgivable....
The Cure for Melancholy One day, a patient suffering from deep melancholy presented himself to Abernathy. After careful examination, the celebrated practitioner said, “You need amusement; go and witness the performance of the comedian Grimaldi. The circus is in the city right now; Grimaldi will...
