Mella Folger

“At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: “I have to go to work — as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I’m going to do what I was born for — the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?”

So you were born to feel “nice”? Instead of doing things and experiencing them? Don’t you see the plants, the birds, the ants and spiders and bees going about their individual tasks, putting the world in order, as best they can? And you’re not willing to do your job as a human being? Why aren’t you running to do what your nature demands?

You don’t love yourself enough. Or you’d love your nature too, and what it demands of you.”
― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

“Pain-Avoiding Psychological Denial One should recognize reality even when one doesn’t like it.”
― Charles T. Munger

“Develop into a lifelong self-learner through voracious reading; cultivate curiosity and strive to become a little wiser every day.”
― Charles T. Munger, Charlie Munger: The Complete Investor

“In the course of your life you will be continually encountering fools. There are simply too many to avoid.

We can classify people as fools by the following rubric: when it comes to practical life, what should matter is getting long term results, and getting the work done in as efficient and creative a manner as possible.

That should be the supreme value that guides people’s action. But fools carry with them a different scale of values.

They place more importance on short-term matters – grabbing immediate money, getting attention from the public or media, and looking good. They are ruled by their ego and insecurities.

They tend to enjoy drama and political intrigue for their own sake. When they criticize, they always emphasize matters that are irrelevant to the overall picture or argument.

They are more interested in their career and position than in the truth. You can distinguish them by how little they get done, or by how hard they make it for others to get results.

They lack a certain common sense, getting worked up about things that are not really important while ignoring problems that will spell doom in the long term.

The natural tendency with fools is to lower yourself to their level.

They annoy you, get under your skin, and draw you into a battle.

In the process, you feel petty and confused. You lose a sense of what is really important.

You can’t win an argument or get them to see your side or change their behavior, because rationality and results don’t matter to them.

You simply waste valuable time and emotional energy.

In dealing with fools you must adopt the following philosophy: they are simply a part of life, like rocks or furniture.

All of us have foolish sides, moments in which we lose our heads and think more of our ego or short-term goals.

It is human nature. Seeing this foolishness within you, you can then accept it in others.

This will allow you to smile at their antics, to tolerate their presence as you would a silly child, and to avoid the madness of trying to change them.

It is all part of the human comedy, and it is nothing to get upset or lose sleep over.”
― Robert Greene, Mastery