The human body has two ends on it: one to create with and one to sit on. Sometimes people get their ends reversed. When this happens they need a kick in the seat of the pants.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Roosevelt uses a metaphor about the body ends to suggest people sometimes confuse creative work with passive sitting, needing correction.
- In plain terms
- People sometimes sit instead of creating and need to be motivated to work.
- What can you take from it?
- Use your energy to create rather than just sit.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When is sitting appropriate?
- How to balance creation and rest?
Another view
The metaphor is overly simplistic and dismissive of rest.
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