It is said that a wise man who stands firm is a statesman, and a foolish man who stands firm is a catastrophe.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Standing firm is virtuous for the wise but disastrous for the foolish.
- In plain terms
- Stubbornness is good for smart people and bad for foolish ones.
- What can you take from it?
- Ensure you have wisdom before standing your ground.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you know if you are wise enough to stand firm?
- When is flexibility better than resolve?
Another view
It assumes wisdom is always recognizable before the outcome.
More from Hyman G. Rickover
Some of the ideas I try to get across to the people who work for me are the following:
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