A good manager is best when people barely know that he exists. Not so good when people obey and acclaim him. Worse when they despise him. |
A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. A good artist lets his intuition lead him wherever it wants. |
A scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar. |
A thousand miles starts from beneath one's feet. |
A tree trunk the size of a man grows from a blade as thin as a hair. A tower nine stories high is built from a small heap of earth. |
Acting without design, occupying oneself without making a business of it, finding the great in what is small and the many in the few, repaying injury with kindness, effecting difficult things while they are easy, and managing great things in their be |
Activity conquers cold, but stillness conquers heat |
Advise the ruler to govern the state as one cooks a small fish - that is, don't turn it so often in the pan that it disintegrates |
All difficult things have their origin in that which is easy, and great things in that which is small. |
Ambition has one heel nailed in well, though she stretch her fingers to touch the heavens. |
An ant on the move does more than a dozing ox. |
Anticipate the difficult by managing the easy |
Arms are instruments of ill omen. When one is compelled to use them, it is best to do so without relish. There is no glory in victory, and to glorify it despite this is to exult in the killing of men. When great numbers of people are killed, one shou |
As soon as you have made a thought, laugh at it. |
At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want. |