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About this quote

What does it mean?
Stagnation feels like nothing happening, but it leads to failure or inadequacy over time.
In plain terms
Nothing changed so nothing happened, but this still led to failure.
What can you take from it?
Stagnation invites decline.

Where it applies

  • Military history
  • organizational management
  • personal routine

Putting it to work

  • Recognizing stagnation
  • avoiding complacency

Questions to consider

  • Is no change always bad?
  • How do you measure real progress?

Another view

Sometimes stability is better than constant change.

More from Wallace Stevens

  1. The right, uplifted foreleg of the horse Suggested that, at the final funeral, The music halted and the horse stood still.

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  2. Two things of opposite natures seem to depend On one another, as a man depends On a woman, day on night, the imagined On the real. This is the origin of change…

    Permalink to quote #129
  3. Should there be a question of returning or Of death in memory's dream? Is spring a sleep? This warmth is for lovers at last accomplishing Their love, this begi…

    Permalink to quote #126

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