5 Everyday Sayings Everyone Gets Wrong
I saw it on Facebook, so it must be true
Everything you see on Facebook is true, and there is no need to verify it.
If you believe the above statement, stop reading.
People misuse quotes every day, and sharing these quotes on Facebook doesn’t make them accurate or complete. This is why I try to examine the most used quotes on social media and know more about their original meaning.
Here are 5 of the most used misquotes on social media and what you can do to avoid misusing them.
1. Jack of All Trades, Master of None
The complete version: jack of all trades, master of none, though oftentimes better than a master of one.
Society is more complicated than it used to be, so specialization is good, but ignoring everything outside your domain is horrible career and life advice.
There is nothing better than specialization and niching down. It allows you to become a master of your craft and gives you a competitive advantage in most situations.
However, the opposite side of specialization is not wrong. A person who can do more with less is better than the one who does less with more. For example, as a father, I have to be a cook, therapist, teacher, driver, provider, protector, plumber, carpenter, painter, leader, follower, speaker, listener, etc.
And as a provider, I serve my family better if I was able to have multiple streams of income and multiple valuable skills that people are willing to pay for. In life and business, you need a lot of skills to succeed, to navigate the complexity of life, and to be able to provide for your family.
Action step: become known as the person who can do more than one thing.
2. Curiosity Killed the Cat
The complete version: curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.
This second part changes everything because the cat doesn't have to die.
The first portion of the quote warns people of the danger of being curious and pursuing unnecessary experimentation. It suggests that being inquisitive can lead to disappointments.
On the contrary, the second portion of the quote implies that following your curiosity and exposing yourself to the risk of the unknown leads to transformation and satisfaction you won't be able to find by ignoring your curiosity.
What if your curiosity can lead to a new beginning, healing, and transformation? What if ignoring your curiosity is what holding you back?
As Joseph Cambell stated more than a century ago, “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” If your curiosity is leading you to unknown territory, don’t let fear hold you back. Keep going. The less anxiety, worry, and fear you have, the more likely you will discover something that will change your life.
Action step: Is the fear of getting hurt or losing holding you back?
3. The Early Bird Gets The Worm
The complete version: the early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
When I worked as a server at 6:00 in the morning, I heard “The early bird gets the worm” at least once per day. Management used the phrase to motivate staff by convincing them to show up to work before the sun was up.
I also heard it in Graduate school, but this time I listened to the whole saying, “The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.” The first bird indeed eats the worm, but not for long. In life, being first doesn’t guarantee success.
Studies by Kellogg School of Management showed that pioneers were less likely to be successful than late movers. The reason is that late movers can apply lessons learned from the first movers and avoid costly mistakes.
Google wasn’t the first search engine, and Facebook wasn’t the first social network platform. Nevertheless, both companies learned from first movers to build better products and more durable businesses.
In my experience serving table, the first birds didn’t have any advantage. If you are the first to show up at the restaurant, you had to clean and prepare tables before earning any money, but the second person to arrive can start making money as soon they walk into the door.
Action step: be patient, and learn from people who came before you.
4. Money Is the Root of All Evil
The complete version: the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil.
The idea that money is the root of all evil is misleading. Eliminating one word from the original quote changes the intended meaning and the relationship people have with money.
A few months ago, I heard two managers talking about an employee who asked for a raise. The first manager said, “Greg is a great employee. He just cares about money too much.” The second manager replied, “If he is asking for more money, he is not the right fit for this organization.” They judged his personality because he asked for more money.
Both managers justified their statements by saying, money is the root of all evil, and we don't want people who care about money to work for us. I challenged them by saying, “Money is a tool. It builds homes, hospitals, shelters, and schools.”
Love of money is the root of all evil and not money. If people are willing to sacrifice their integrity for money, you should blame people and not money. However, if someone asked for a raise to better provide for their family, you should praise his commitment to their family.
Action step: fix your relationship with money. It is a great tool. Use it wisely.
5. Great Minds Think Alike
The complete version: Great minds think alike, and fools seldom differ.
I used to use this phrase all the time as a compliment. If anyone had the same thought as me, I would say, “Great minds think alike.” I wasn't aware of the second half of this phrase, “Fools seldom differ.”
What I thought was a compliment could be understood otherwise. Luckily for me, few people know the entire phrase. Now, I know that if two people agree on something, it doesn't mean that they are correct, and it doesn't mean that they are great thinkers.
So, next time you hear, “Great minds think alike.” I want you to complete the statement in your head, “And fools seldom differ.” It is a reminder for you that if two people agree on the same thing, it means that they are equally brilliant or remarkably stupid.
Final Thoughts
Not every well-known quote you hear is a correct quote, so I encourage you to look at the origin of some of these quotes and learn more about them.
I would love to hear some of the misused quotes that you hear often.
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