Ben Wilson

Rochefoucauld tells us you become great by having virtues, by having talents, skills, things you are great at. Okay. So I think that's an important point that it's not the lack of vices that that makes a person interesting and worthwhile. It is having great virtues. Just one more quote from Rochefoucauld that illustrates the same point.

He says, moderation cannot claim the merit of opposing and overcoming ambition. They are never found together. Moderation is the languor and sloth of the soul, ambition, its activity and heat. Okay. So, um, Yeah, like just being moderate and never kind of getting out of hand is not a path to a great soul.

He says, moderation cannot claim the merit of opposing and overcoming ambition. They are never found together. Moderation is the languor and sloth of the soul, ambition, its activity and heat. Okay. So, um, Yeah, like just being moderate and never kind of getting out of hand is not a path to a great soul.

Ambition is finding that element of your nature that is maybe prone to vice and a little wild, but has greatness within it. All right, some other great maxims from Rochefoucauld. He says, we have more strength than will, and it is often merely for an excuse we say things are impossible. All right, I love that. As Napoleon says, impossible is a word found only in the dictionary of fools.

Ambition is finding that element of your nature that is maybe prone to vice and a little wild, but has greatness within it. All right, some other great maxims from Rochefoucauld. He says, we have more strength than will, and it is often merely for an excuse we say things are impossible. All right, I love that. As Napoleon says, impossible is a word found only in the dictionary of fools.

You must reject the entire idea of impossible. Speaking of Napoleon, Rochefoucauld also writes, fortune turns all things to the advantage of those on whom she smiles, which reminds me, of course, of another Napoleon quote. He said, all great events hang by a single thread. The clever man takes advantage of everything, neglects nothing that may give him some added opportunity.

You must reject the entire idea of impossible. Speaking of Napoleon, Rochefoucauld also writes, fortune turns all things to the advantage of those on whom she smiles, which reminds me, of course, of another Napoleon quote. He said, all great events hang by a single thread. The clever man takes advantage of everything, neglects nothing that may give him some added opportunity.

The less clever man, by neglecting one thing, sometimes misses everything. So, again, the idea here, fortune or luck always smiles on you if you prepare for everything. Fortune favors the bull. You make yourself lucky through action, through vigilance, and as Napoleon says, by neglecting nothing. And then I'll wrap up with two more quotes.

The less clever man, by neglecting one thing, sometimes misses everything. So, again, the idea here, fortune or luck always smiles on you if you prepare for everything. Fortune favors the bull. You make yourself lucky through action, through vigilance, and as Napoleon says, by neglecting nothing. And then I'll wrap up with two more quotes.

One is similar to an idea we've already talked about, but he says, it is only people who possess firmness who can possess true gentleness. In those who appear gentle, it is generally only weakness, which is readily converted into harshness. And that is... Very true.

One is similar to an idea we've already talked about, but he says, it is only people who possess firmness who can possess true gentleness. In those who appear gentle, it is generally only weakness, which is readily converted into harshness. And that is... Very true.

You will find no more harsh and cruel people than those who are truly weak and have just been waiting for their opportunity to flip it on others. This is a similar idea to what we touched upon earlier, but so many people condemn the Napoleons and Caesars of the world, thinking that they are so much more virtuous because they would never commit such evil acts of violence, when in reality...

You will find no more harsh and cruel people than those who are truly weak and have just been waiting for their opportunity to flip it on others. This is a similar idea to what we touched upon earlier, but so many people condemn the Napoleons and Caesars of the world, thinking that they are so much more virtuous because they would never commit such evil acts of violence, when in reality...

They don't lack the harshness of a Napoleon or a Caesar, but only the power that they actually possessed. And in fact, you know, if these people possessed even an ounce of the power of a Caesar, they would be much more cruel and less clement than someone, you know, like Julius Caesar, for example. And then one last quote, this is one of my favorites. This is maybe my favorite Rochefoucauld quote.

They don't lack the harshness of a Napoleon or a Caesar, but only the power that they actually possessed. And in fact, you know, if these people possessed even an ounce of the power of a Caesar, they would be much more cruel and less clement than someone, you know, like Julius Caesar, for example. And then one last quote, this is one of my favorites. This is maybe my favorite Rochefoucauld quote.

He says, "...we should gain more by letting the world see what we are than by trying to seem what we are not." And I think that is the ultimate insight of Francois de La Rochefoucauld. Be true to yourself. See yourself for who you really are with no pretenses, no illusions. Like be harsh in your self-examination. And you will gain more by that exercise than by deceiving yourself. All right.

He says, "...we should gain more by letting the world see what we are than by trying to seem what we are not." And I think that is the ultimate insight of Francois de La Rochefoucauld. Be true to yourself. See yourself for who you really are with no pretenses, no illusions. Like be harsh in your self-examination. And you will gain more by that exercise than by deceiving yourself. All right.

And one last thing I guess about Rochefoucauld is he was able to have all these deep insights into human nature because he lived that full life. He was fighting, seducing, building, truly living. And that is what made him a great thinker and a great philosopher.

And one last thing I guess about Rochefoucauld is he was able to have all these deep insights into human nature because he lived that full life. He was fighting, seducing, building, truly living. And that is what made him a great thinker and a great philosopher.

And all these so-called philosophers who spend their lives locked in a room, reading books and doing nothing else, they can't hold a candle to him. Like he got to be the man, you know, the, the, the swashbuckling pirate living a fun and happy life, and also the great philosopher. And ultimately, some of his critics never got to be either one.