Free AI web copilot to create summaries, insights and extended knowledge, download it at here

Abstract

ing mentors I chose along the way. Find people whom you respect and who emulate the values and ideals that represent wisdom. Ask those people questions. Listen with great care to what they have to say, for you will learn much from their experience.</li><li>Accept that you cannot know everything: The wisest of people have long been those who realise they actually know very little, often in spite of decades of learning and reflecting. “The only thing I know, is that I know nothing” Socrates claimed — Only by acknowledging this you search out and educate yourself on the unknown.</li></ul><blockquote id="8c91">“There are three ways to learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest” — Confucius</blockquote>The thread that runs through my suggestions is the notions that wisdom comes from culling the best of life’s experiences, from focusing on the doing rather than outcome, and from periodically stepping back and reflecting on your progress.<h1 id="e381">Exercise Nobility of Character</h1>— Εὐγένειαν ἄσκειHistorically, to be part of the nobility meant that someone is born into the aristocracy. Nowadays it implies having those character qualities that make you stand out from the crowd and elevate you as a better human being. To me, the five most notable of these traits are:<ul><li>Kindness: An act of kindness towards other people is any nice action we take without the expectation of any reward, credit, or return. Although it is frequently associated with weakness, being kind requires courage and strength to execute our intention in a caring yet stern way. Another dimension of kindness is self-respect: it means accepting ourselves as we are, forgiving our past, setting goals for the future, not allowing others to dictate our value, and refusing to compare ourselves to others.</li><li>Empathy: Being empathetic is the ability to relate to those around us, put ourselves in their shoes, and become compassionate. We listen with our ears, eyes, and heart. We are genuinely curious about their lives and aspirations. Empathy is an emotional muscle that becomes stronger the more we use it!</li><li>Self-Awareness: High self-awareness is a solid predictor of good success in life! It suggests that we see ourselves clearly and objectively through reflection and introspection and we are honest about who we are and what we want. We are always authentic and have a good understanding of our emotions, our personal strengths, and weaknesses, a strong sense of our own worth, but we are humble and grounded.</li><li>Integrity: As Oprah Winfrey (as a modern day 8th sage 😀) said: “Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not”. Noble characters do the right thing, exuding enough self-control to stay true to their values regardless of the cost. They take responsibility for their actions, they give credit when credit is due but also the benefit of the doubt if they suspect others are dishonest but they are claiming otherwise. They see past the vanity of losing and winning and apologise promptly.</li><li>Reliability: Being dependable makes us great leaders. Not breaking our promises means that others know they can count on us and we will always be there when they need us. We do not say yes to everything, but we do not over-commit either. When we start something, we finish it. Being credible and responsible is an

Options

admirable trait indeed!</li></ul>It is a proven fact that people grow more benevolent with practice, so take a baby step by focusing on your character, and create a habit.<h1 id="4842">Be Grateful</h1>— Εὐγνώμων γίνουGratitude, like mindfulness, is a term that has become increasingly popular over the last few years and the benefits of its practice are regularly written in a variety of mainstream blogs. What they mostly suggest is to count our blessings in gratitude journals, write mental thank-you notes, and meditate. Unless you are into spirituality, then these tips may sound less natural.Gratitude should not be a nebulous thing though, so let me explain what it means for me. It has two facades: One is to recognise the good things that people do for us, and say thank you for them — it is another expression of kindness that I discussed earlier. But it is not only about reciprocity: being grateful is a more basic, heartfelt gesture: it is less about what we show but more about what we feel. It is a deeper appreciation for someone (or something) that produces longer lasting positivity. As such, gratitude is both of these: a trait (i.e. kindness) and a state (i.e. feeling).Here are some practical ideas on how to include appreciation in your everyday life:<ul><li>Reach out: When someone helps you, do make sure you take the time to write them a note, a text, or even better, give them a call to convey how appreciative you are.</li><li>Do not be picky: Be grateful for the small things (e.g. great weather), for the big things (e.g. successful delivery of a project), but also for the challenging things (e.g. making a mistake teaches you a lesson), as they shape who you have become today and who you will be in the future — there is always a silver lining, you just need to find it!</li><li>Volunteer: The key to being more grateful is to give back to others in your local community, organisation, social network and family. As an added bonus, you will not only feel a great sense of belonging but also purpose.</li><li>Spend time with loved ones: This is my default go-to method for showing appreciation. I am always busy at work so practising acts of gratitude on people that I care about is what keeps me going and makes my life meaningful.</li><li>Stop and smell the roses: Literally! Take a moment each day to notice the beauty surrounding you. All of us have to juggle our jobs, family time, and everything else life throws our way. But sometimes we get lost and miss out on the little things. The unexpected cuddle from your child, the ability to enjoy a cup of coffee with your partner, the new bud that just came out on your plant! You name it…</li></ul>Gratitude might feel hard but the good news is that we can train ourselves to become more grateful — and that is something we can all be grateful for! 🙏🏻<h1 id="27a5">Wrapping Up</h1>The Delphic Maxims set pretty high standards for behaviour and they stand the test of time: it is remarkable that more than 2,500 years ago people were struggling with the same challenges and trying to strike the same balance that can elude us today.As an exercise of personal discovery, I invite you to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphic_maxims">read all 147 of them</a> and highlight those that resonate with you the most — you may be surprised at how your list looks like in the end!Thanks for reading!</article></body>

3 Ancient Greek Quotes That Will Reshape Your Approach To Life

Pearls of wisdom from the 7 Sages of Ancient Greece

I always loved quotes. My appetite for well-expressed wisdom started when I was little. Growing up in a Greek family, my parents and teachers used them frequently and these pithy sayings have stuck with me ever since, as their upbeat phraseology and structural balance make simple ideas more visible and compelling. They inspire me, motivate me, and encourage me to reframe my thinking throughout my personal and professional life.

Focusing on the Delphic Maxims, in particular, they are a set of 147 aphorisms inscribed on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi and are attributed to the Seven Sages of Greece, a title given by classical Greek tradition to seven philosophers, statesmen, and law-givers of the 6th century BC (including Solon and Thales) who were renowned for their practical wisdom.

After a recent conversation with my daughter, I read all 147 of them again and albeit short, they provide profound lessons that can shape our character. There are five common themes: self-knowledge, self-control, empathy, motivation, and social skills. I have picked here the three that spoke to me most.

Long for Wisdom

— Σοφίαν ζήλου

Wisdom is not something that comes to you in later life. It is a way of living your life right now. There is a simple recipe for it: Try new things, reflect on the process, and try again! Here are some practical ideas to improve your “zeal” for wisdom:

Learn new things: Seeking novelty will stretch your mental muscles and enable you to create better decisions every day. Experiments will steer you to your desired destination through roadblocks, twists, and turns. This is how you acquire hands-on experience!
Do it the hard way: Technology is one of the biggest culprits to decreased cognitive function because it makes certain tasks so much easier. For instance, when researching something, we resort to googling it on the internet, rather than being creative. Try to engage your brain before taking a shortcut.
Make mistakes: Do not be afraid to take risks and commit errors. When you make mistakes, you learn faster and more permanently. Think critically about why you failed at particular actions, then make adjustments, strategise, and try again. Next time you make a mistake, throw away the bad experience, but save the lesson!
Teach: Teach your children, teach your colleagues, teach your friends, teach the community. Being able to understand an idea well enough to convey it to others will help you internalise it yourself. In the very act of teaching, you will learn far more than your best student!
Find a mentor: My past accomplishments and successes were accelerated by outstanding mentors I chose along the way. Find people whom you respect and who emulate the values and ideals that represent wisdom. Ask those people questions. Listen with great care to what they have to say, for you will learn much from their experience.
Accept that you cannot know everything: The wisest of people have long been those who realise they actually know very little, often in spite of decades of learning and reflecting. “The only thing I know, is that I know nothing” Socrates claimed — Only by acknowledging this you search out and educate yourself on the unknown.

“There are three ways to learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest” — Confucius

The thread that runs through my suggestions is the notions that wisdom comes from culling the best of life’s experiences, from focusing on the doing rather than outcome, and from periodically stepping back and reflecting on your progress.

Exercise Nobility of Character

— Εὐγένειαν ἄσκει

Historically, to be part of the nobility meant that someone is born into the aristocracy. Nowadays it implies having those character qualities that make you stand out from the crowd and elevate you as a better human being. To me, the five most notable of these traits are:

Kindness: An act of kindness towards other people is any nice action we take without the expectation of any reward, credit, or return. Although it is frequently associated with weakness, being kind requires courage and strength to execute our intention in a caring yet stern way. Another dimension of kindness is self-respect: it means accepting ourselves as we are, forgiving our past, setting goals for the future, not allowing others to dictate our value, and refusing to compare ourselves to others.
Empathy: Being empathetic is the ability to relate to those around us, put ourselves in their shoes, and become compassionate. We listen with our ears, eyes, and heart. We are genuinely curious about their lives and aspirations. Empathy is an emotional muscle that becomes stronger the more we use it!
Self-Awareness: High self-awareness is a solid predictor of good success in life! It suggests that we see ourselves clearly and objectively through reflection and introspection and we are honest about who we are and what we want. We are always authentic and have a good understanding of our emotions, our personal strengths, and weaknesses, a strong sense of our own worth, but we are humble and grounded.
Integrity: As Oprah Winfrey (as a modern day 8th sage 😀) said: “Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not”. Noble characters do the right thing, exuding enough self-control to stay true to their values regardless of the cost. They take responsibility for their actions, they give credit when credit is due but also the benefit of the doubt if they suspect others are dishonest but they are claiming otherwise. They see past the vanity of losing and winning and apologise promptly.
Reliability: Being dependable makes us great leaders. Not breaking our promises means that others know they can count on us and we will always be there when they need us. We do not say yes to everything, but we do not over-commit either. When we start something, we finish it. Being credible and responsible is an admirable trait indeed!

It is a proven fact that people grow more benevolent with practice, so take a baby step by focusing on your character, and create a habit.

Be Grateful

— Εὐγνώμων γίνου

Gratitude, like mindfulness, is a term that has become increasingly popular over the last few years and the benefits of its practice are regularly written in a variety of mainstream blogs. What they mostly suggest is to count our blessings in gratitude journals, write mental thank-you notes, and meditate. Unless you are into spirituality, then these tips may sound less natural.

Gratitude should not be a nebulous thing though, so let me explain what it means for me. It has two facades: One is to recognise the good things that people do for us, and say thank you for them — it is another expression of kindness that I discussed earlier. But it is not only about reciprocity: being grateful is a more basic, heartfelt gesture: it is less about what we show but more about what we feel. It is a deeper appreciation for someone (or something) that produces longer lasting positivity. As such, gratitude is both of these: a trait (i.e. kindness) and a state (i.e. feeling).

Here are some practical ideas on how to include appreciation in your everyday life:

Reach out: When someone helps you, do make sure you take the time to write them a note, a text, or even better, give them a call to convey how appreciative you are.
Do not be picky: Be grateful for the small things (e.g. great weather), for the big things (e.g. successful delivery of a project), but also for the challenging things (e.g. making a mistake teaches you a lesson), as they shape who you have become today and who you will be in the future — there is always a silver lining, you just need to find it!
Volunteer: The key to being more grateful is to give back to others in your local community, organisation, social network and family. As an added bonus, you will not only feel a great sense of belonging but also purpose.
Spend time with loved ones: This is my default go-to method for showing appreciation. I am always busy at work so practising acts of gratitude on people that I care about is what keeps me going and makes my life meaningful.
Stop and smell the roses: Literally! Take a moment each day to notice the beauty surrounding you. All of us have to juggle our jobs, family time, and everything else life throws our way. But sometimes we get lost and miss out on the little things. The unexpected cuddle from your child, the ability to enjoy a cup of coffee with your partner, the new bud that just came out on your plant! You name it…

Gratitude might feel hard but the good news is that we can train ourselves to become more grateful — and that is something we can all be grateful for! 🙏🏻

Wrapping Up

The Delphic Maxims set pretty high standards for behaviour and they stand the test of time: it is remarkable that more than 2,500 years ago people were struggling with the same challenges and trying to strike the same balance that can elude us today.

As an exercise of personal discovery, I invite you to read all 147 of them and highlight those that resonate with you the most — you may be surprised at how your list looks like in the end!

Thanks for reading!