“Luck, good or bad, is the invisible play of mind upon affairs, the effect of mental aptitudes and habits which are not in sight, but which work and bring forth their due issues.” MindPlayIssuesEffectsHabitSightLuckAffairDuesInvisibleAptitude Author:James Vila Blake
“A people among whom there is no habit of spontaneous action for a collective interest - who look habitually to their government to command or prompt them in all matters of joint concern - who expect to have everything done for them, except what can be made an affair of mere habit and routine - have their faculties only half developed; their education is defective in one of its most important branches.” PeopleLooksMadeImportantMatterDoneWisdomGovernmentActionPoliticsInterestHalfEconomyHabitConcernMereAffairCommandBranchesLiberalismCollectivesFacultyRoutineSpontaneousJointsPromptsDefective Book:Principles of Political Economy: With Some of Their Applications to Social Philosophy : in Two Volumes Source: Principles of Political Economy: With Some of Their Applications to Social Philosophy : in Two Volumes
“As small letters hurt the sight, so do small matters him that is too much intent upon them; they vex and stir up anger, which begets an evil habit in him in reference to greater affairs.” MatterEvilHurtGreaterToo MuchHabitLettersSightAffairTriflesBegetsVex Book:Plutarch's Morals Source: Plutarch's Morals
“I have known not a few men who, after reaching the summits of business success, found themselves miserable on attaining retirement age. They were so exclusively engrossed in their day-to-day affairs that they had no time for friend-making.... They may flatter themselves that their unrelaxing concentration on business constitutes patriotism of the highest order. They may tell themselves that the existing emergency will pass, and that they can then adopt different, more sociable, more friendly habits. [But] such a day is little likely to come for such individuals.” MenMayLittlesDifferentAgeOrderFoundIndividualBusinessKnownHabitHighestAffairMiserableReachingConcentrationFriendlyRetirementBusiness SuccessDay To DayEmergenciesSummitSociableRetirement Age Author:B. C. Forbes
“The consequences of these institutions (The towns or districts, the congregations, the schools,and the militia.) have been, that the inhabitants, having acquired from their infancy the habit of discussing, of deliberating, and of judging of public affairs, it was in these assemblies of towns or districts that the sentiments of the people were formed in the first place, and their resolutions were taken from the beginning to the end of the disputes and the war with Great Britain.” PeopleFirstsHas BeensWarEndsSchoolEducationTakenJudgingHabitConsequenceTownsInstitutionsAffairBritainResolutionSentimentsDisputesAssemblyDiscussingInfancyCongregationGreat BritainMilitiaPublic Affairs Author:John Adams
“It is indeed difficult to imagine how men who have entirely renounced the habit of managing their own affairs could be successful in choosing those who ought to lead them. It is impossible to believe that a liberal, energetic, and wise government can ever emerge from the ballots of a nation of servants.” MenBelieveGovernmentNationsDifficultSuccessfulWiseImagineImpossibleOughtHabitAffairServantBeing SuccessfulEnergeticBallots Author:Alexis de Tocqueville