Life’s Compass: 6 Timeless Sayings to Guide Your Journey
Life’s journey is a tapestry woven with highs and lows, presenting challenges and moments of joy. Throughout my own path I’ve come across diverse sayings and philosophies that have offered profound inspiration and wisdom. In this article, we will explore six transformational sayings that can guide your life, helping you find meaning, strength, and purpose. From the stoic principle of Amor Fati to the Zulu greeting Sawubona, the Latin motto Excelsior, the perseverance of Fortitudine Vincimus, the ancient Greek virtue Arête and Dulcius Ex Asperis, each saying holds a unique message that molds our perspective and enriches our existence.
Amor Fati: Love Your Fate
At the heart of Stoicism lies the profound principle of Amor Fati, which translates to “love your fate.” This saying encourages us to embrace our circumstances, whether favorable or challenging, and accept them with love and gratitude. Instead of resisting what we cannot change, Amor Fati teaches us to focus on our response to life’s events, recognizing that we have the power to shape our attitudes and perceptions.
Amor Fati challenges us to see life as a gift, appreciating both the joys and the sorrows as necessary components of our journey. By adopting this mindset, we free ourselves from the shackles of resentment and discontent, finding contentment in the present moment.
Sawubona: I See You
Hailing from the Zulu tribe of South Africa, Sawubona is more than just a greeting; it is a powerful acknowledgment of the other person’s humanity. When someone says Sawubona, they are essentially saying, “I see you.” It is an invitation to connect on a soulful level, acknowledging the inherent dignity and worth of each individual. In this simple greeting lies the power to bridge divides and foster genuine understanding and empathy. Sawubona encourages us to see beyond external appearances and to recognize the shared humanity that binds us all together. By embracing the spirit of Sawubona, we create a world where compassion and acceptance prevail, enriching our relationships and nurturing a sense of belonging within our communities.
In the spirit of Ubuntu, which means “I am because we are,” Sawubona teaches us the interconnectedness of all beings. Sawubona is a gentle call to acknowledge the worth and dignity of every person we encounter, regardless of their background or circumstances. By embracing this powerful greeting, we can break down barriers, dissolve prejudices, and build a world that celebrates the beauty of our shared humanity. Sawubona serves as a reminder that in seeing others, we also see ourselves more clearly, fostering a deep sense of empathy, compassion, and unity that can transform our lives and the lives of those around us.
Excelsior: Ever Upward
In the Latin word “Excelsior,” we find a call for continual growth and progress. It urges us to aim higher, reach for the stars, and aspire for continual improvement in all aspects of life. As we set our sights on loftier goals, we challenge ourselves to expand beyond our comfort zones, unlocking our true potential.
It reminds us that life is a continuous journey of growth, and our potential for greatness knows no bounds. When we embrace the spirit of Excelsior, we shed our fear of failure and embrace the inherent beauty in the process of growth. This powerful saying teaches us that life’s setbacks are not obstacles but stepping stones on our path to self-realization. It propels us forward, encouraging us to persevere in the face of challenges and view life’s obstacles as opportunities for learning and self-improvement. Excelsior serves as a reminder that life’s journey is a constant upward trajectory, and every milestone reached becomes a launchpad for even greater achievements.
Fortitudine Vincimus: By Endurance, We Conquer
The motto “Fortitudine Vincimus” embodies the spirit of resilience and steadfastness. It reminds us that strength does not lie solely in physical prowess but also in the fortitude to endure life’s trials with grace and courage. Difficulties may arise, but with determination, we can overcome them.
In a world that demands quick fixes and instant gratification, Fortitudine Vincimus reminds us of the beauty and strength that lie in perseverance. It teaches us to be patient and steadfast in our pursuit of goals, understanding that lasting success is often achieved through determination and endurance. By understanding that challenges are opportunities for growth, we build resilience in the face of adversity. Fortitudine Vincimus inspires us to persevere, teaching us that with patience and resolve, we can conquer the seemingly insurmountable.
Arête: Striving for Excellence
That saying that has had the most profound impact on my life is the ancient Greek philosophy, Arête which represents the pursuit of excellence and virtue in all aspects of life. It emphasizes the cultivation of one’s character, wisdom, and moral integrity. Rather than focusing on external accolades or material gains, Arête encourages us to seek personal development and quality in all aspects of our lives.
By aligning our actions with our values and striving to be the best version of ourselves, we can lead a purpose-driven life. Arête inspires us to see challenges as opportunities for self-improvement and to view success as the realization of our highest potential, both intellectually and morally. It teaches us that excellence is not a destination but a way of being, a continuous pursuit of becoming the best version of ourselves.
Dulcius Ex Asperis: Finding Sweetness in Adversity
Dulcius Ex Asperis, or “sweeter out of difficulties,” urges us to embrace life’s adversities as transformative opportunities. Just as gold is refined through fire, we find our true essence through navigating challenges. Embracing Dulcius Ex Asperis means recognizing that adversity is not to be avoided, but rather to be embraced as an integral part of the human experience.
When we accept and learn from difficulties, we grow in resilience and gratitude. This saying reminds us that sweetness and wisdom emerge from the depths of our struggles. By reframing our perspective, we recognize that even in the face of bitter experiences, life has a way of offering profound sweetness.
Conclusion
The six impactful sayings, Amor Fati, Sawubona, Excelsior, Fortitudine Vincimus, Arête, and Dulcius Ex Asperis, encompass timeless wisdom that can enrich and guide our lives. Amor Fati teaches us to love and embrace our fate, finding purpose in every moment. Sawubona reminds us of the power of empathy and the interconnectedness of all beings. Excelsior urges us to strive for continual growth and self-improvement.
Fortitudine Vincimus instills in us the strength to endure and conquer life’s challenges, while Arête encourages us to pursue excellence and virtue in all aspects of life. Finally, Dulcius Ex Asperis teaches us to find sweetness in adversity, transforming our struggles into opportunities for growth and self-discovery.
Let these sayings be your guiding stars as you embark on your journey of self-discovery, self-mastery, and purposeful living. Embrace each moment with an open heart, see the beauty in every experience, and endeavor to be the best version of yourself. In doing so, you will unlock the transformative power of these sayings and lead a life of profound meaning and impact.
Dream…Be You… Live Beautifully…Enjoy… Love.
Sean
Maxims
There are plenty of maxims in the world; all that remains is to apply them.— Blaise Pascal
Every man I meet is my master at some point, and in that I learn of him. — Ralph Waldo Emerson
He who conquers his mind conquers the world.
“Full effort is full victory.” – Gandhi
It’s impossible to invest your soul in a compromise
Forward is not just a direction. It’s a mindset.
The world is magic, it’s up to you to find it.
There are great limits… and we do not know where they are until we get there.
If you don’t have problems then you’re not living.
Do. Or do not. There is no try. – Yoda
“Not till we are lost…do we begin to find ourselves.”- Henry David Thoreau
Forgiveness is accepting the apology you will never get.
‘The longest road you will ever walk is the sacred journey from your head to your heart.’
Use me, God. Show me how to take who I am, who I want to be, and what I can do, and use me for a purpose greater than myself.
Amor Fait- Love of one’s fate.
Assumption is the mother of all fuckups.
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Speak your truth – even when your voice shakes.
Pain + Reflection = Progress – Ray Dalio
True gold does not fear the test of fire.
There is no pillow as soft as a clear conscience.
To live with all my might… while I live.
Never to do anything which I would be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life.
“If you can meet triumph and disaster, and treat those two impostors just the same . . . yours is the earth and everything that’s in it.”- Rudyard Kipling
“Enthusiastically build an extraordinary reality day after day.”- Brunello Cucinelli
A person can read a thousand books, or just open up their heart and find the root of all wisdom.
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” – Maya Angelou
“What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?”- Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Genius merely articulates what your heart already knows.
“In one bold stroke you can transform today.” Marilyn Grey
You have all the seeds in you, what matters is which ones you water.
“To endure is the disposition of the sage.”- Yi Jing
“What is essential is invisible to the eye.” -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
“If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”- Albert Einstein
Let the earth feel your gravity.
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. – Chinese proverb
“I will not last forever. But I am damn well going to know I have been here.” ~ George A. Sheehan
“People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole.”― Clayton M. Christensen
It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else’s life with perfection. —Bhagavad Gita 3.35
Better to measure ten times and cut once then measure once and cut ten times.
“We can only be what we give ourselves the power to be.” Cherokee saying
“Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life.”
“Do just once what others say you can’t do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again.”
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” Franklin D. Roosevelt
“Few of us write great novels; all of us live. “Few of us write great novels; all of us live them.” — Mignon McLaughlin
“The only courage that matters is the kind that gets you from one moment to the next.”― Mignon McLaughlin
“No one can build you the bridge on which you, and only you, must cross the river of life,” -Nietzsche
One must go through discipline to get to freedom.
Non nisi ab obscura sidera nocte micant, “Stars do not shine except in the dark night“.
“If the path be beautiful, let us not ask where it leads.” -Anatole France
“Only from the heart can you touch the sky.”— Rumi
“The world breaks everyone, but many are stronger at the broken places.” – Ernest Hemingway
Knowledge is only rumor until it lives in the bones.– Asaro Tribe
If your intention is pure you can walk on the sea. – Swahili saying
Karma never loses an address and it’s got yours.
“Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.” – T.S. Eliot
“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure that you seek.”- Joseph Capmbell
“When I argue with reality, I lose—but only 100% of the time.”- Byron Katie
Latin Vires acquirit eundo: We gather strength as we go
“If I have lost confidence in myself, I have the universe against me.”-Ralph Waldo Emerson
“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that things are difficult.”-Seneca
“People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures.”- F.M. Alexander
“What a caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.”-Richard Bach
The extent of the struggle determines the extent of the growth.
Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional…
“We suffer more in imagination than in reality.” -Seneca
Mastery lives quietly atop a mountain of mistakes.
Lord, I ask not for a lighter load but for stronger shoulders.-St. Augustine
Ecstasy is attention at it’s fullest.
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.
Someone is going to accomplish your dreams, why not make it you?
Leap and the net will appear.
“Well done is better than well said.”- Benjamin Franklin
Stress + Rest = Growth
Lost time is never found again.
Turn your ear to the saying of the wise.
“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.”- W.H. Murray
Commit to being breathtakingly exceptional at everything you do and that’s what you’ll become.
“ Hesitation is the best cure for anger.” – Seneca
“Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” — American Proverb
Memento Mori – Remember that you will die.
Mens sana in corpore sano- A sound mind in a sound body.
“Let the sky and God be our limit and eternity our measurement.” – Marcus Garvey
“To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily; to not dare is to lose one’s self entirely.” Søren Kierkegaard
Everything in moderation.
“Failure comes from a failure to imagine failure” – Josh Wolfe
Be yourself, everybody else is already taken.
Certainty brings ruin.
If you’re going through hell, walk through it like you own the place.
“Entitled to nothing, grateful for everything.” – Jack Clark
“If pain is bigger than purpose then pain wins, if purpose is bigger than pain the purpose wins.” – Dr. Michael Gervais
Exhaust all your resources to do the best you can at whatever you do.
“I always smiled my way through the mud.” Nims Purja
“Excellence is the capacity to take pain.” – Isadore Sharp
“Don’t bunt. Aim out of the park.” – David Ogilvy
“Turn every page. Never assume anything. Turn every goddamned page.” Robert Caro
“Do it now, do it right fucking now.” – Chip Wilson
“Risk taking is the cornerstone of empires.” – Estée Lauder
“The simplest moves are the best.” Napoleon
“Escape competition through authenticity, no one can beat you at being you.” Naval Ravikant
“I myself am my only obstacle to perfection.” -Søren Kierkegaard
“A man sees in the world what he carries in his heart.”― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“Decide what you stand for. And then stand for it all the time.”― Clayton Christensen
You don’t really know who you are until you go through something that exposes who you are.
“A joyful life is an individual creation that cannot be copied from a recipe.”- Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
If that’s the price I have to pay to make the impact I want to have then I would pay it every day of the week.
“A fit body, a calm mind, a house full of love. These things cannot be bought – they must be earned.”- Naval
Your patience when you have nothing, and your attitude when you have everything are two things that will always define you.
“I cursed the fact I had no shoes until I met the man who had no feet.”- Persian Proverb
“Limitation is a mentality that most people practice daily until it becomes their reality.” Moses Njenga
“It doesn’t matter if the water is cold or warm if you’re going to have to wade through it anyway.” ― Pierre Teilhard De Chardin
Be kind, everyone is in an invisible battle.
If it’s not important, never do it. If it’s important, do it every day.
You cannot find peace by avoiding life.—Virginia Woolf
“Cowards die many times before their deaths: The valiant never taste of death but once.”- Shakespeare
“Ad astra per aspera” —“Through hardships to the stars.”
“omnia vincit amor,” or “love conquers all.”
“festina lente.” Make Haste Slowly
“Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.” -Chinese proverb
“One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful.” -Sigmund Freud
Compete against yourself. Root for everyone else.
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.-Anaïs Nin
A small act is worth a million thoughts.
Trust is earned in drops and lost in buckets.
“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.” – Epictetus
Some things break your heart but fix your vision.
‘Dulcius ex asperis’ or, ‘Sweeter after difficulties’.
“The only Zen you find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring there.” — Robert M. Pirsig
I’m doing my best, I’m not my best.
I have never been contained except when I made the prison.
The final test of wisdom is this: how does one live.
Dream…Be You… Live Beautifully…Enjoy… Love.
Sean
