Confucius (551– 479 BC) was a Chinese philosopher and politician. His philosophy, known as Confucianism, is mainly known for personal and governmental morality, the correctness of social relationships, justice, and honesty. Confucius is famous for being one of the most important and influential individuals shaping our history. His philosophy enormously affected people all over the world and is still dominant.

Ever since we can look back, humans collected little pieces of wisdom on how to live, love, and be. Looking back in history, humankind collected a vast number of such epigrams that can change your whole life, if you take them seriously and apply their lessons.

I know, a glimmer of inspiration and taking action are not the same. But that’s why quotes are so powerful. If applied, they can change your whole existence. If not, they might be a helpful motivation throughout your day, which is also great.

Here are 10 insightful quotes Confucius shared with humankind throughout his presence:

“The Man Who Asks a Question Is a Fool for a Minute, the Man Who Does Not Ask Is a Fool For Life”

What to do:

Ask. Whenever you have a question, just ask. You hardly have anything to lose, but all the wisdom to gain.

“ If Your Plan Is for 1 Year, Plant Rice. If Your Plan Is for 10 Years, Plant Trees. If Your Plan Is for 100 Years, Educate Children”

What to do:

Looking at this quote, the essential thing we all should take in mind is to educate ourselves. Sometimes, we get ignorant as we think we already know everything. Yet, there’s always something new to learn and discover.

“Respect Yourself and Others Will Respect You.”

What to do:

Practice self-love. Do things that you admire. Keep track of all your strengths and accomplishments. Start journaling and meditating, practice proper self-care, take time for yourself. There is so much you can do to make yourself feel better, just make sure to appreciate the badass magic person you are.

“ It Does Not Matter How Slowly You Go as Long as You Do Not Stop”

What to do:

Whatever you do and aim for, make sure you enjoy the process. Great things never come from comfort zones, neither are they resulting from one-time-actions.

Do it because of passion, not because of the end-goal. Whenever we reach a goal, we search for the next one. It’s never about the target but about who you become on your way.

“Your Life is What Your Thoughts Make it”

What to do:

Well, if our thoughts determine our life, we better watch out what we think, right?.

Easier said than done, I KNOW.

But thank god, there are great tools, such as meditation and journaling, that help us in shaping our thoughts. Also, surrounding yourself by your goals, motivating quotes, and inspiring pictures can be a great way to stay positive throughout your days.

“If You See What is Right, and Fail to Act on it, You Lack Courage”

What to do:

If your intuition tells you to do something, the odds are high that you really should. If you pass by a homeless person and feel bad, there’s probably a good reason.

Don’t let your fears be greater than yourself.

In the end, we don’t remember the things that we were afraid of, but the things that make us proud. I don’t tell you to hazard, but make sure to act somehow, if you believe that you should.

“If You Hate a Person, You are Defeated by them”

What to do:

Every time you feel extreme dislike towards something, take a look at your inside. What is it that you really feel? Would you like to be in their shoes? Did they harm you? Do you believe they have an unfair advantage compared to yourself?

Exploring the reasons for your emotions is the very first step in controlling them.

“You Cannot Open a Book Without Learning Something”

What to do:

Always be eager to learn and grow. None of us will ever be aware of all the wisdom in the world. So let’s act according to it.

Self-reflection is the key to personal growth, and if we’d all try to learn from mistakes and hard situations, the world would probably be a better, wiser place.

“He Who Chases Two Rabbits Catches None”

Alright, it’s hard to admit, but if I had to summarize all my learnings from my life, it would probably end up being this quote.

Focus.

Follow

One

Course

Until

Success

We, as human beings, sometimes tend to be quite greedy. We think we can have it all without sacrificing anything. And in general, I believe that you can have (almost) all of it. Yet, not all at once.

Going after too many things at once hardly ends up in success, but rather in confusion and disappointment.

What to do:

We should make more choices.

Sometimes, we overcomplicate decisions as if our lives depend on them. And I know, sometimes your life revolves around a single decision, but let’s be honest: most of these decisions are reversible.

Even if we make mistakes, we can correct our course. Without focusing on what to chase, however, it becomes really tough to get to the finish line.

Instead of spending hundreds of hours worrying our brains, we should make quick decisions, focus, get shit done, move forward, and make corrections along the way if they are needed.