
Ask HN: What is the one quote that you carry around in your head all the time? - oggyhead
Mine for some reason is &quot;By relieving the brain of all unecessary work, a good notation sets it free to concentrate on more advanced problems, and in effect increases the mental power of the race&quot;
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mikelevins
"Memento mori."

\-- "Remember death." A traditional Roman saying, whispered in the ear of
victorious generals when celebrating their victories to remind them not to let
their heads get too big, nor to waste time in vain indulgence, but to direct
their efforts toward ends that are worthwhile. It also appears in Plato's
Phaedo, and in countless classical and medieval texts.

I think of it every day.

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sharmi
I found something on hn a few days back and i am trying to carry it around and
make it a part of me.

"""For someone who hated routines and felt trapped. The simple advice that
schedules are my friend and I should schedule my day in a way that would make
me happy when I go to bed. Been doing this for 2 months now. Never been more
productive or happier. """
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17159515](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17159515)

The thought that the schedule should be one you are happy about is very
powerful. I am trying to incorporate that into my daily routine.

~~~
manibatra
Hey there that was a comment that I made. I am glad that it helped you.

I learnt it from Jordan B. Peterson. I highly recommend his book "12 rules for
life" which has improved the overall quality of my life by a substantial
magnitude in the last two months. This book led me to read some of the
writings of Carl Jung and Marie-Louise von Franz which were further eye
openers.

A warning though that he has a polarising effect on people. They either hate
him or worship him. I would suggest reading the book with a beginners mind and
applying in your life what seems apt to you :)

~~~
rubicon33
Would you mind posting an example schedule of your day? One that makes you
"happy" as you say...

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gcatalfamo
“If you feel you are in control, you are not going fast enough.” -Steve
McQueen

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summadat
"If you keep doing what you have been doing, you're going to keep getting what
you've got"

~~~
nanospeck
Recently, I got a different take on this from a book called ‘Mad Genius’. The
author says in today’s fast moving world if you keep doing what you have been
doing, you will perish very quickly. Like Nokia.

~~~
kleer001
I like. Smells like the Red Queen hypothesis to me:

"Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same
place..."

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neverminder
"The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you’re
inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers,
carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we
do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our
enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be
unplugged. And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the
system, that they will fight to protect it."

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AlexAmee
“We suffer more often in imagination that in reality.” — Seneca

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deliriousferret
"You're not allowed to complain unless you are doing something to improve what
you are complaining about" Me

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marktangotango
People who don’t value their time will waste yours.

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mayamatrix
“World War III is a guerrilla information war with no division between
military and civilian participation.”

— Marshall McLuhan, “Culture Is Our Business”, 1970, p. 66

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agitator
"No gain without investment" \- me

To remind myself that I won't grow mentally, financially, or physically if I
don't put in the time, effort, or work. Any potential gains require some kind
of investment/sacrifice on your part. Also reminds me not to complain if I
didn't put in adequate effort. :)

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Vaskivo
“When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I
had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty, I read them openly. When I
became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness
and the desire to be very grown up.”

C.S. Lewis

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k4ch0w
You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will
find strength.

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Lordarminius
1\. _" There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay
there, you must go beyond them.” Bruce Lee_

Got me through the early frustrations of learning to program. Still does.

2\. _" Life is hard on he that delays" Russian proverb_

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meagher
desire is a contract you make with yourself to be unhappy until you get what
you want.

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iDemonix
"You're not here for a long time, you're here for a good time"

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headsoup
"There is no life I know that compares with pure imagination"

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brianmurphy
Time to make the Donuts.

It originated with donut TV commercials but I think after 20 years in the
industry it applies well to waking up every day to serve my tech clients.

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jurgenwerk
"The more you know who you are, the less you let things upset you" from Lost
in Translation movie, said by Bill Murray.

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meric
'Fahren Sie, fahren Sie, dann brauchen Sie keinen Treibstoff' (Drive, drive,
then you do not need fuel) - Erwin Rommel

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busymichael
The trouble is you think you have time. Buddha.

~~~
yesenadam
Thank you! I read further on that Fake Buddha quotes site (motto: "I Can't
Believe It's Not Buddha!"), and learnt a lot from the comments and
discussions, e.g. on this page[0] - like that some Buddha quotes I've 'known'
for decades are just very bad mistranslations. Very grateful.

[0] [https://fakebuddhaquotes.com/we-are-what-we-think-all-
that-w...](https://fakebuddhaquotes.com/we-are-what-we-think-all-that-we-are-
arises-with-our-thoughts/)

~~~
busymichael
That is great research -- I still like the fake quote but it doesn't match the
picture the real quote paints.

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faux_intellect
From David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest: "no single, individual moment is in
and of itself unendurable"

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arthev
"Do the thing and you shall have the power." from Jeff Olson's 'the slight
edge'

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partisan
No matter where you go, there you are.

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orcs
Worry is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it doesn't
get you anywhere.

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dbielik
Actions express priorities

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gesman
You don't get what you deserve. You get what you negotiate.

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MiddleEndian
You only get good at what you do

\- someone on the internet or something

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thorin
What one man can do, another man can do.

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kleer001
We're all just walking each other home

~ Ram Dass

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shanecleveland
If I had known then what I know now.

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tapvt
"Nothing is fucked, Dude."

\- Walter Sobchak

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matt_the_bass
Redundancy- 2 is 1 and 1 is none.

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staticautomatic
Unus sed leo.

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mkempe
Aut viam inveniam aut faciam.

