Paradoxical as it may seem, a Latin prose or a geometry problem, even though they are done wrong, may be of a great service one day, provided we devote the right kind of effort to them. Should the occasion arise, they can one day make us better able to give someone in affliction exactly the help required to save him, at the supreme moment of his need.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Even seemingly useless academic tasks can become valuable later if approached with the right effort, as they build skills useful for helping others in crisis.
- In plain terms
- Hard work on difficult subjects prepares you to help people in need later.
- What can you take from it?
- Invest effort in learning now to build future capacity to help others.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do current tasks prepare you for future service?
- What value lies in difficult learning?
Another view
Not all wrong efforts lead to useful skills.
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