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Quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson

American essayist, poet, and philosopher. Born on May 25, 1803, and died on April 27, 1882. Known for his transcendentalist philosophy, his works have had a profound impact on literature and the intellectual world. more

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“I have been trying to point out that in our lives chance may have an astonishing influence and, if I may offer advice to the young laboratory worker, it would be this-never neglect an extraordinary appearance or happening. It may be-usually is, in fact-a false alarm that leads to nothing, but may on the other hand be the clue provided by fate to lead you to some important advance.”

IfsTryingMayHas BeensImportantFactsHandsWould BeYoungScienceChanceOur LivesFateInfluenceAdviceOffersHappeningsDiscoveryLuckExtraordinaryWorkersAppearanceNeglectClueAstonishingLaboratoryAlarmsPenicillin
Author:Alexander Fleming
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“Medicine in its present state is, it seems to me, by now completely discovered, insofar as it teaches in each instance the particular details and the correct measures. For anyone who has an understanding of medicine in this way depends very little upon good luck, but is able to do good with or without luck. For the whole of medicine has been established, and the excellent principles discovered in it clearly have very little need of good luck.”

WayNeedsLittlesHas BeensStatesWholeSeemsAbleUnderstandingPrinciplesTeachParticularDependsLuckMedicineDetailsInstanceExcellentGood Luck
Author:Hippocrates
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“Scientific research was much like prospecting: you went out and you hunted, armed with your maps and instruments, but in the ened your preparations did not matter, or even your intuition. You needed your luck, and whatever benefits accrued to the diligent, through sheer, grinding hard work.”

MatterHardScienceHard WorkNeededBenefitsResearchLuckInstrumentsIntuitionPreparationMapsSheerDiligentScientific ResearchHuntedProspecting
Book:The Andromeda Strain
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“Try stuff. I also used to believe that it's better to be smart than lucky because if you're smart you can out-think the competition. I don't believe that anymore-this is not to say that you should strive for a high level of stupidity. My point is that luck is a big part of many successes, so (a) don't get too bummed out when you see a bozo succeed; and (b) luck favors the people who try stuff, not simply think and analyze. As the Chinese say, "One must wait for a long time with your mouth open before a Peking duck flies in your mouth."”

PeopleIfsThinkingShouldTryingBelieveLongBigsUsedStuffWaitingLevelsLuckySucceedLong TimeSmartMouthsLuckCompetitionStriveDon't BelieveStupidityFavorsChineseDucksBeing SmartHigh LevelBummed Out
Author:Guy Kawasaki
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“Work hard, not in grunt work, but in chasing such opportunities and maximizing exposure to them. This makes living in big cities invaluable because you increase the odds of serendipitous encounters-you gain exposure to the envelope of serendipity.”

HardBigsOpportunityCitiesHard WorkGainsIncreaseLuckEncountersOddsChasingExposureSerendipityEnvelopesInvaluableBig CitiesGruntMaximizing
Book:The Black Swan: Second Edition: The Impact of the Highly Improbable Fragility
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